MacJams.com - Song: Hermannsburg by dolby

Hermannsburg
by dolby

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Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Guest views: 837
Member views: 0
Song comments: 23
Tokens: 0
Plays: 89
Last Played:
Downloads: 48
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Submitted on: Sep 12, 2007 - 08:32:06 AM
Last Updated: Sep 21 2007 - 11:20:31 PM

Keywords Australia (9), Hermannsburg (1), Albert Namatjira (1), Dolby (14)

Description Reflections on a trip to Hermannsburg in the 'red centre' of Australia.

When we first arrived in Australia we stayed at a friends house where two Albert Namatjira prints hung in the bathroom. I'd never heard of Namatjira, or seen his paintings, but two weeks later we were in the place of his birth and suddenly a connection was made between the paintings I'd seen and the landscape that had influenced them.

More than that I found it difficult to reconcile the vision of the artist, and the modern conditions that many indigenous Australians live in. It seemed that Namatjira had escaped somehow, and wondered why so many Aboriginal people seemed 'trapped in the shadows'.

So this isn't really a song that offers any answers - I'm way too unqualified for that - but it is an instinctive lyric about how I felt after that particular visit.

So there you have it. I promise that one day I'm gonna write a song called 'Ooh Baby Baby I Really Love Your Eye's'

Production wise: this lived on my computer for ages as a simple guitar and vocal track. Eventually I penned in the arpeggio, double tracked it as two double basses and added some random stuff. Once the 'ticking clock' percussion was introduced I really started to like the Penguin Cafe Orchestra vibe :-)

See what you think.

p.s. if the drums seem a bit weird on first listen - play it several more times and they make total sense - honestly!

p.p.s as always it's mastered a bit quiet, so turn up your headphones,

Cheers,
Dolby

Lyrics Hermannsburg
(by Phil Dolby © 2007)

They are shadow people
Who hide in the trees
Where no one can see them
They just don’t exist
But they’re dreaming in colour
By the light of the day
But they hide in the shadows
And the dark of the shade

I first met Namatjira
Some place overseas
But the landscape and colour
Didn’t mean much to me
So I went to his birthplace
That was tidy and clean
And the Ghost Gum I saw there
Was the picture I’d seen

So I asked him a question
If he could please explain
How he left behind shadow
For the light of the day
But his words didn’t ring true
For the ghosts of these streets
And a town that is ravaged
By refuse and heat

They are shadow people
That shuffle and creep
Through the alleys and doorways
Through the margins of life
But they’re dreaming in colour
By the light of the day
But they hide between shadows
And the dark of the day

Hardware None

Software: GB

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	said 485 days ago
	Love it.. Great message very well done... Like the lyrics and your singing fit well to your great music. Thanks for sharing. Take care -- Kenta By the way you have a new fan :D Cheers

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Kenta Sorry it's taken so long to reply to your comment - Thanks for stopping bye and glad you enjoyed the track - Appreciate it, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	Feter said 485 days ago
	Hermannsburg just amazing ...and the best is your singin wonderfull arrangment ..by all mean .. KUDOS my friend !!

	said 485 days ago
	Great ! Phil it IS your best singing, the melody is just beautiful, the beats are my favorite in this piece ! GREAT work from you, really gem from all the sides ! Downloaded and Faved ! Take Care ============== Yeman Auf AL-Rawi

	lengold said 484 days ago
	Phil you are so prolific at the moment and every one seems better than the last. I agree that your voice is sounding fantastic on this and it's a lovely song too, well played and produced. Cheers Len

	echoroom said 484 days ago
	Delicate This is a lovely gentle track, and your voice sounds ace on this..a great swirling track... your travels certianly paid off! Nice clean orchestration - really nice work steve

	Vic Holman said 484 days ago
	i like the drum the arpeggios and the ticking clock fit nicely. Agree with the others good vocal. there's a shadow person that follows me where ever I go.

	digitalnirvana9 said 483 days ago
	Love it, Mate! There is a radio guy here in the states that talks about shadow people too. Could there be places where there are dimensional bleed-throughs from one dimension to another? Your song brings this question to mind...Excellent job!.... Peace to you.....N.

	Moviz said 480 days ago
	Phil... Don't do the 'Baby, Baby...' thing; just keep doing what your doing. Your music is getting ever more interesting and your vocals ever better. Great subject and lyrics and the accompaniment spot on, cheers M

estellie said 479 days ago

dolby
you've made a fan out of me...please don't ever write that ooh baby love your eyes song! This is achingly beautiful in sentiment and music. The refrain/verses about the shadow people are perfect in my eyes. The composition, arrangement are wonderful, and your voice - wow. So subdued and dark. And then....you add the clapping hands and it's over for me. I'm a sucker for hand clapping sounds in songs.

	jgurner said 479 days ago
	Nice and moody I love the nice, moody feel you start with. The percussion toward the end really gives it some energy, but it doesn't break the moody. Don't know anything about Namatjira, but you've got me curious now.

	Axgrinder said 478 days ago
	Very moving! You did an outstanding job on this and I would say that it's my favorite of the triad! You've got the gift my friend. Keep those creative juices flowing! I think I used to be one of those tree people, sort of ;-P Alvin

	lavalamp said 463 days ago
	Nice sound Like that the bass is up a little here. Good song. Appreciate the lyrics. Good job, sorry I didn't listen earlier. LL

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Feter You always stop bye to comment, and I really appreciate the time you take to listen, Thanks again, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Yeman I agree - I think this is the best vocal I've managed to date. Not sure why it sounds so smooth - it is recorded in the same way as all the other songs - through the MacBook microphone - but this has come out well! Cheers, as always, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Prolific, moi? Cheers Len, Yes I am uploading a lot at the moment - glad you think they're getting better and not worse :-) Thanks for listening, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	They did indeed... ...although I'm really looking forward to writing some new songs not about travelling :-) Thanks as always, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Vic Does he follow you around even at night? Does he play guitar on your songs? So many questions... Thanks again for the listen, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	I'm sure you're right, Norman... ...digital bleed-through is a worrying thing! Thanks for taking the time to listen - Appreciate it - Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Mo OK, I'll not do the Baby Baby thing......but then again....but then again, you're right! Glad you're enjoying the tunes, always good to hear from you - Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Estelle You've made my day! So glad you picked up on the clapping at the end - it was one of those accidental things which happen occasionally - just mucking about and then bam! something good happens :-) I'm very pleased I've won you over - Thanks for dropping 'round, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	Thanks Joseph I was just listening to "Pretty Boys" on your page (very impressed) - will go back and leave some proper comments. Always nice to have a new listener, and glad you enjoyed the track, Cheers, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

	dolby said 478 days ago
	The juices are flowing, Alvin.... ...I'm having trouble stopping them :-) Glad you liked - I think this is my fave of the three as well, but then I change my mind every day. Thanks for your comments, Appreciated as always, Phil --- Same Same, But Different

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