‘What A Song’
by Ian Martyn
The concept of ‘What a Song’ was created exactly as it says on the tin, as the lyrics of verses 1, 2 & 3 suggest, along with the chorus. It was a holiday time, in the sunshine, and I thought it would be good to write a new song, whilst having this relaxation time.
Nothing to detract me whilst lying on a sun lounger in the sunshine, drink at my side, shades on, notepad and pen by my side. All set up. Now let’s go…..
Nothing ! Not any kind of ‘happening’ whatsoever ! No words to write. No tune coming in my head, no theme, no idea, no inspiration !
What was happening? All the time in the world, no distractions, totally relaxed, no stress.
Pour another drink, try again.
Pour a different drink, try again
Another drink goes by………
Still nothing ! This is not what normally happens. I can always find something to write about. Or the inspiration comes to me from a situation, a ‘happening’, an experience, a trauma. This was the problem, no situation, no ‘happening’, no trauma.
So, after becoming somewhat frustrated with the lack of words and tune developing, feeling very uninspired and uncreative, I thought ‘let’s write a song about the frustrations of writing a song’.
I relaxed in to this ‘describing my situation’ mode – and …. the words just flowed out, (nothing to do with the drink !!)
“Well I’m sitting here drinking my beer in the sunshine, trying to write this song….”
Ian on Beatle yacht with a beer
This was the ‘happening’, the experience. This is what I needed to write about.
It doesn’t always have to be a deep, meaningful, lamentful, or life-changing descriptive song, with some outstanding soulful guitar melody.
I write about ‘life’. This is part of life. Lying on the beach in the sunshine, having a drink, feeling happy, friends around me, nothing to worry about. Trying to write a song.
Because of the ‘tongue-in-cheek’ lyrics I wanted a happy and upbeat song, as if on a sunshine holiday, to make you smile, be happy, have a sing-a-long, sing the words with your friends, sing ‘I love you’ to your partner, just generally feel great.
The words were completed, ‘just fall in to line’ .
Empty glass
I created 3 harmony parts together, mixing the song and instrumentals to have a catchy and fun sing-a-long party atmosphere.
The “la-lah’s” were recorded with my family and friends at all different venues and times. It was so funny getting these together.
My friends in Devon were recorded after a typical fun boozy night, towards the end of the evening. It was quite hard synchronising the situation with the song on the CD to sing along to and with the microphone, with some of these similar sampled sunshine drinks having been selectively savoured throughout the evening’s session. It was a little spontaneously sporadic, absolutely no control over any actions or participants, the singing being spewed out to gaggles of systemically silly laughing, caught on mic. and therefore on the song.
with my TQ friends, the Devon choir
Another decadent derived recording evening was conducted in a conservatory, by one of our musical musician friends, as if he were conducting The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in The Royal Albert Hall, so we could sing in tempo and quite collated collectively, almost professionally. He waved his finger at us as if on a conductor’s X factor final. We all sang together not daring to be ‘the one’ who messed up. This was a performance!
Then ‘the German’ contingent offering. (I reside partly in Berlin with my wife, Mirjam, (‘Déjà Vu’).
“Ve must practice for 4 hours, make no mistakes und must be ze best!”
with my Berlin family choir
So they did, practice, practice, practice, standing in a well organised group together behind the microphone ; a final group hug and then singing with such disciplined determination, such structure, without any errors.
They even had one of the family members joining in on a live phone in, due to the geographical separations for this national family group attendance performance, so they could be equal participants.
Even though it was only “la, la, la, la, la” they took their ‘la.la’hs’ so seriously, just like they take their football (ok, I took my chance).
But they didn’t disappoint, they delivered, scored a great ‘la la’ goal, congratulated each other profoundly, back slapping (as they don’t do high 5’s), then went about their business as usual.
All in a day’s vork.
Eventually, this was all put in to the mix by Digby, a great sound engineer and producer.
Digby at mixing desk
I had played him my demo version of the song recorded at home to begin with, explained my ideas for the holiday feel, the harmonies and now you see the results, a sunshine beach holiday, for our summertime, to enjoy, have fun with, sing along to, have a drink with, wherever you are.
| If you like this song please buy it to support me as an artist, so i may record more music for you. | |
‘What a Song’
copyright music & lyrics by
Ian Martyn
verse 1
Well I’m sitting here, drinking my beer, in the sunshine
Wo, oh, just trying to write this song.
But the tune it don’t come out right,
Well oh no, it seems to come out all wrong.
So I sit right back and pour another Jack, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, and try to write this song.
verse 2
So I’m sipping on my Wine, trying to write the next line, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, just trying to make it rhyme.
But the words don’t seem to come out right,
Well oh no, they seem to come out all wrong.
So I drink another Gin and start all over again, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, and try to write this song.
Instrumental
A Bacardi in my hand, I start another plan, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, to write this song.
verse 3
Well I’ve been up all night and now I’ve got it all right and I’m sorry it took so long,
But heh, what a cute little song.
Well the tune it seems quite nice now and the words just seem to fall in to line.
So I sit on my ass with an empty glass, in the sunshine,
But heh, I’ve got my song.
*******
La la la la la
La la la la la
*******
Sitting right here, just drinking my beer, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, what a song.
Sipping my wine, feeling all fine, in the sunshine,
Wo, oh, what a beautiful song.
