Mark's songwriting

[Jules]

I wonder what other sounds are hidden in MK tracks...

Slip road on Hard Shoulder
Submarine sounds on The Dream of the drwoned submariner...

[JF]

I wonder what other sounds are hidden in MK tracks...

these are not really "hidden" sounds, but at still not intrumental sounds :


- the "countryside-landscape" ambiance between end of Single Handed Sailor and beginning of Follow Me Home
- the storm at the start of Telegraph Road
- some footsteps and doors sounds in Private Investigations
- storm at the start of BIA
- cracking chair during wanderlust 
- "wind " (?) at the start of sands of nevada
- some "click-shaker" at the start of HFB
- backward piano at the end of heart full fo holes
- the foghorn at the start of radio city serenade. the difference with DTTW is that on DTTW it was made by Mark on guitar, while I believe it's a sound effect on radio city serenade

maybe there are more, mostly on soundtrcaks I believe...

[dustyvalentino]

Mona, the list of stuff for me has the meaning that he thought he was prepared for everything - he had the right tool for every case - but now she maybe left him and he has no "tool" to repair it (no pun intended). About the slip road, he is not able to find the right way to her,  ... something like that..

LE

Oh <slaps forehead>! You are so right, I think! That is a quite lovely interpretation of those lyrics. And this thought brings to mind one of the aspects of MK's lyrics that I love so much - he writes so well about how, well, gallant, men can be in relationships - if that's the word I want. Despite heartbreak, they pick up the pieces and carry on, try to do what's expected of them. (We all do, I guess, but I don't think I've heard it much about men in songs.) ... Also, does anyone else think "Hard Shoulder" has a similar feel to Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"? Sort of in the same wistful, working-man genre?

I asked Guy about this in 2009, although I was thinking about Witchita Lineman 


Dear Guy, my fave GL track can change from day to day, but Hard Shoulder is always near the top. Lyrically, I couldn't help thinking it shared something with the Glenn Campbell/Jimmy Webb classic "Witchita lineman", ie a tale of an ordinary workingman who misses a loved one. Musically I thought it shared some themes too, the strings, baritone guitar (Richard?), and the 60s style guitar "stabs" (sorry, I don't have a better term for them). Coincidence or was it a conscious influence while recording?

No coincidence at all I methinks. One of Mark's (and mine) favorite recordings.

[McDeb]

I asked Guy about this in 2009, although I was thinking about Witchita Lineman 


Dear Guy, my fave GL track can change from day to day, but Hard Shoulder is always near the top. Lyrically, I couldn't help thinking it shared something with the Glenn Campbell/Jimmy Webb classic "Witchita lineman", ie a tale of an ordinary workingman who misses a loved one. Musically I thought it shared some themes too, the strings, baritone guitar (Richard?), and the 60s style guitar "stabs" (sorry, I don't have a better term for them). Coincidence or was it a conscious influence while recording?

No coincidence at all I methinks. One of Mark's (and mine) favorite recordings.
[/quote]

I think you're right - "Wichita Lineman" is actually closer. Just listened to it online to revisit. I loved that song and album - I remember playing that one over and over again when it was new! (Still have it on vinyl.)

That reminded me that I had found this collaboration between MK and Jimmy Webb, "The Highwayman":

[sweetsurrender]

Mcdeb,

Thanks so much for posting the link.  I LOVE the song very very much.  Was that the only song that Mark collaborated with Jimmy Webb or are there more ?  Beautiful song !!!!

[Jules]

Mk played in other song with Jimmy Webb "by the time we get to phoenix" or something like that. Just twang guitar solo.

[Pottel]

never heard this version. always loved that song. thnx for the link. think it was a typical mk collaboration where he does his part and then mails it of to the artist?

[Love Expresso]

I do only know this version. And Mark's singing in this one gives me really goosebumps every time... "I fly a starship..." "And when I reach the other side.."
Wow. Really such a distinctive voice, so much expression... Wow

LE

[Banjo99uk]

I do only know this version. And Mark's singing in this one gives me really goosebumps every time... "I fly a starship..." "And when I reach the other side.."
Wow. Really such a distinctive voice, so much expression... Wow

LE

Glen Campbell does a fantastic live version in the 90s with full orchestra and I thought it couldnt be beaten. MK's collaboration doesnt beat it but it comes close to it. From my small understanding about Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb songs it was GC that always turned then into bigger louder and faster songs. So MK and JW version is probably as it was intended by the songwriter.

[koobaa]

The Highwayman is an awesome song  indeed made famous by the country supergroup The Highwaymen (pun intended) consisting of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofersson, Waylon Jennings and Johny Cash. Always when I am listening to this version I can easily imagine Mark's guitar playing (and singing) in there, therefore I was really excited when I heard about the collaboration between Jimmy Webb and MK on this particular song. Their version is good of course but I still consider the Johny Cash and Co. version the ultimate one. Maybe if MK played on the song 20 years earlier...

[Banjo99uk]

err made famous by Glen Campbell...on his 70s album called highwayman.

[twm]

A bit late, I know, but a further explanation for McDeb (#43, above):

I'm not sure if this is necessary or, indeed, whether it will add anything at all but, while the "hard shoulder" does run alongside the road, allowing one to pull over in an emergency and stop without blocking the main highway, it has to be a paved  strip. If not paved, it should be called a "soft verge", though this phrase seems to be in less common usage these days. Nevertheless, one of the Liverpool Poets of the 1960s had a brief poem that went something like this:

I wanted her soft verges
But she gave me her hard shoulder

It is so long ago that I may have got that slightly wrong.