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Dirty War (MJ Live Aid)
by dajama

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Guest profile visits: 612
Member profile visits: 1
Song comments: 53
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Plays: 60
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Downloads: 22
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Submitted on: Jun 13, 2008 - 07:19:59 AM
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Description My offering for the MJ Live Aid challenge. Peace.
Lyrics Dirty War

Sleeping on a bed of broken glass
Crying like a disenchanted baby
Still amazed when snakes bite you in the grass
Still shocked when anyone you know goes crazy

Trying to find a way to lose your innocence
Dealing with the devil on your shoulder
Still arranging every new coincidence
Still sure the world you know is getting colder

And we all end up the same
But honey I don’t see the shame
We drift away like fire to the flame

You’ve got a soul of steel and a heart of stone
But when you close your eyes you’re all alone
You’re tired of living by the sword
You’re sick of waking up to this dirty war

Sleeping like a failed insomniac
Praying like a doubtful disbeliever
Still looking for her face in every sneak attack
Still waiting for the bitter ghosts to leave her

And I don't know what to do
But I think it all depends on you
I think it all depends
Fan List

lengold

Peter Bauckham

ledebutant

lavalamp

MJ_Live_Aid_Challenge

Relic67

saymme

rsorensen

Micheal_Wark

davisamerica

J.A.Stewart

michael2

tokai

Feter

Vic Holman

peacepiano

Diviner

MarkHolbrook

The Infinites

guitapick

asconejar

jiguma

paddler

blaky smith

Karmatoburn

richardhowardjones

aclarke

SJB

Gamborg
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lengold said 163 days ago
You have really managed
to capture the essence of a real band sound. Really good song and performance/vocal. The production also sounds spot on to me. Loved it David.
Cheers
Len



dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks Len
I appreciate your stopping by, and thanks for the kind words. Glad you like the sound. I've been listening to some of the other submissions and I'm just blown away by the quality of the sounds people are making. What a great challenge! Thanks again, dude. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

Peter Bauckham said 163 days ago
Another
new tune from you - and this is great - tight playing and production - the stereo effect (not sure what instrument it's on) sounds a bit excessive through headphones (I'm listening at work) - I suspect it'll sound fine on speakers. Otherwise, great song with a good hook (like all your songs). Top notch as ever.

All the best
Peter

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, Peter
Glad you liked this. I think the effect you're talking about is a kind of tremolo effect on the guitar over the middle eight and bridge. There's also a kind of panning thing going on with the bass, I think. Hope it sounds okay on speakers! Thanks as always for listening so carefully and commenting so thoughtfully. Cheers. Peace.

lavalamp said 163 days ago
Good tune
Great lyrics, David. That's the strength of this one. Music's also very good.
LL

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, man
Glad you liked the words. I like some of the lines better than others (as usual...) and a couple of the lines are actually quite old, culled from a failed song! Hope it hangs together and doesn't sound too patchwork! Thanks, man. I appreciate your stopping by. Cheers. Peace.

Relic67 said 163 days ago
great!
nice melodic rocker.
killer chorus.



dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, man
Glad you liked the chorus. It's part of the song I was not too sure about. Thanks for listening and commenting. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

rsorensen said 163 days ago
nice
great songwriting and performance. catchy!

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, man
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by and listening. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

Micheal_Wark said 163 days ago
David!
Except for the missing crowd, you have achieved an authentic live sound.

Great lyrics. Really nice vocal delivery as per usual my friend!

Always dig your guitar chops, but that goosey bass lineline deserves special mention! Love it man!

Be well!

dajama said 162 days ago
Goosey!
That's the word I was looking for! Thanks, man. Glad you liked the song. For the bass, I added the Liquid Bass effect in GB; it came out kind of wobbly, but I thought it had a touch of the 80s about it! Thanks for the nod on the singing, and thanks for listening. Much appreciated as always. Cheers, man. Peace.

Micheal_Wark said 162 days ago
I agree!
The bass does have an 80's feel. Very fitting for this tune.

davisamerica said 163 days ago
right then david..
well i dug all of this ... great lyrics and voice sounding very good ... production is spot on and workable indeed ... yep ... this is dang good!

dajama said 162 days ago
I dig that you dug it!
Thanks, man. Glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for the nice comment on the production. I wasn't sure if this ended up with a nice live-ish sound, or if it was just messy! Happy you found it palatable. Thanks as always for your encouraging words. Cheers. Peace.

J.A.Stewart said 163 days ago
Rockin' and Yet Mellow
Good job and good sound on this, David. When it started, I thought we were in for a Neil Young treatment, but the vocals mellow it out nicely.

It does sound like some act I remember from the 80s, but the name escapes me right now. Cool production. ;)


--- Joe

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, Joe
Yeah, I don't know who it sounds like really, but, like you, I have the feeling it sounds like someone! It just felt 80s to me. Glad you like the vibe. I don't think I could even attempt a Neil Young groove! Thanks for stopping by and checking this out. Cheers, man. Peace.

michael2 said 163 days ago
good one
like the way it starts out on the heavy side and then settles into a nice melodic groove. the guitar work is perfection, really great sounds. and while i'm on the praise train: great lyrics. great track.

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, man
I'm delighted you like this one. I was blown away by the track you did with Bud and echoroom - amazing stuff! This one started out heavier, but I toned down the distortion (and the volume) on the guitars, because the contrast with the verse seemed a bit abrupt. Glad you think the change works here. Thanks also for the nod on the lyrics. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

tokai said 162 days ago
very good
track, great production ...an excellent and complete song.

dajama said 162 days ago
Thank you kindly
I'm delighted you stopped by to check this one out, and I'm very happy you enjoyed it. Cheers. Peace.

Feter said 162 days ago
Dirty War
WOW .. man ... what a rockin song ..a true suprise !!
giant guitar work here ..your singing definetly so
much 80s which so unique ...loved this man !!
thnx alot for sharin it !!!!!!

dajama said 162 days ago
Thanks, Feter
Glad you think I got the 80s vibe with the singing! And thanks also for the comments on the guitar. It's nice to surprise! Thanks for listening and commenting, man. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

Birdman Wayne said 162 days ago
Nice!
Really a great song, fine guitar and music work and really nice vocals. Loved the picture btw. Fits the atmosphere of Live Aid as well... Cool!

Take Care
- Yeman A. Al-Rawi

dajama said 162 days ago
Thank you, my friend
I'm very glad you liked this one. As for the photograph, I think it was actually taken in 1985, or thereabouts, so I thought it might add a bit of context! Thanks so much for stopping by and listening, and for taking the time to comment. Always appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

Dee1962z said 162 days ago
Dirty War
I just love your music and you sing fantastic. I think your awsome
this sounds just fabulous the lyrics are brilliant as well.
Great production. Well done. I loved it.

Peace Dee.

dajama said 162 days ago
Wow
Thanks, Dee. You are way too kind. I'm delighted you enjoyed this one. Thanks for the nice words about the sound and the song. Loved your latest, by the way. Many thanks for stopping by and listening. Cheers. Peace.

Vic Holman said 162 days ago
different levels
very nicely done David!

Has a cool grit and chime contrast of the heavy guitar, kind of a "Money for Nothing" part to the mellower sections with the clean chorused guitar. Singing and lyrics are great! All sound fantastic!

dajama said 161 days ago
Thanks, Vic
Praise for a guitar sound from you is praise indeed! Glad you think I got the balance right. I experimented with a heavier, distorted sound on the verse, but the whole track just sounded kind of stodgy or something. Also I think the cleaner sound I ended up with is really 80s! Glad you enjoyed it. Many thanks for stopping by and listening. Cheers. Peace.

Rik Berryere said 161 days ago
Excellent!
This really reminds me of an obscure Canadian band called Private Eye back in the day. The guitars slithering around that goosey (Yup, that's the word all right) make for a distinctive, tight sound that also slides loose and easy. Tricky to make that happen, and it's happening here - love it!

dajama said 161 days ago
Thanks, man
Glad you liked this. Don't know Private Eye, but I'm glad the sound had that 80s vibe! Thanks also for the nod on the bass sound; I really like it. Your epic track was amazing, by the way! Thanks for stopping by. Cheers. Peace.

peacepiano said 161 days ago
Song
Fine song. Guitars well played and placed to support the mood of the song. You write excellent choruses. Good Stuff!

Thanks
Bill

dajama said 161 days ago
Thanks, Bill
Glad you liked this one, and thanks for the nod on the chorus; it was the last part of the song to come together for me. I changed it a couple of times, and in fact almost changed the current chorus again because I thought it sounded a bit 'crammed'. But then I found myself singing it as I walked around, so I took that as a sign that I should just leave it be! Glad you enjoyed this one. Many thanks. Cheers. Peace.

Diviner said 161 days ago
Very good track
It does have an 80's sound to this track, even with the soft vocal. Good lyrics esp the chorus, and I too loved the bassline. Nice one David.

dajama said 161 days ago
Thanks, man
Glad you liked this, and happy you got that 80s vibe from it. This was a lot of fun to do; some very cool tracks coming out of this! Thanks again, dude. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

MarkHolbrook said 161 days ago
Excellent
as usual David!!!

Hey can I borrow your vocal chords for a week or two? Mine sound lousy and I've got a duet going with Gail!!!

Impressive song my friend... really great! This also came very fast after the coffee house too!

Mark

dajama said 161 days ago
Thanks, Mark
I'm delighted to see you here; glad you liked this one. Yeah, this did come pretty soon after Struck Dumb. I usually take longer between posts, but I thought this one fit the bill, so I went for it. Glad you enjoyed it. As for the vocal chords - yours are just fine! I'm looking forward to hearing the duet! Cheers, man. Peace.

The Infinites said 161 days ago
What a top tune!
Vocally, you remind me of Al Stewart (Year Of The Cat). Lyrics are dark and have an overall undertone that was prevalent in the 80s where a wee bit of angst went into a lot of songs.

The tune is upbeat and disguises the sentiment. Good call - I like the juxtaposition of the music and word a lot.

Jim




dajama said 160 days ago
Thanks, man
Delighted you enjoyed this one. I love songs that sound kind of upbeat but have that dark undertone, and you're right, the 80s was full of that kind of stuff, even if some of the lyrics were completely obtuse and impossible to decipher! Thanks a million for stopping by and checking this out. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

asconejar said 160 days ago
tsada
nicely done. It makes me feel like dancing with the beat, and nicely woven lyrics. I think it sounds better if you put a little fading echo in the last guitar strum. Congrats mate. topnotch indeed.

dajama said 158 days ago
It makes me so happy
that this makes you want to dance - not something my music usually makes people want to do! I like the idea for the echo at the end! I might revisit that! Thanks so much for stopping by and listening. I'm very glad you liked it. Cheers. Peace.

jiguma said 159 days ago
Great mix/class act!
A real touch of Bowie in the phrasing - great drum track, and solid in all other areas. Very Bowieesque chord changes too.

I really like this one David. Your voice sounds really classy, and all the guitars are perfect. I like the bass too - what's "goosey" about it? :)

Cheers from Oz,
Neil

dajama said 158 days ago
Thanks, Neil
I'm always happy to hear you enjoy something I post. Thanks for the Bowie references! Love it! Glad you enjoyed the bass, especially considering the terrific bass sounds you come up with! Loved your latest, my man. Thanks for stopping by and checking this out. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

paddler said 159 days ago
Well mixed
production is excellent and everything crystal clear great driving beat and well constructed lyrics - good stuff
Cheers RG

dajama said 158 days ago
Thanks, man
Loved your recent epic on the summer solstice, and I'm happy you liked this one. Thanks for the nod on the production - glad it didn't sound too messy. Thanks for stopping by and checking this one out. Cheers. Peace.

Karmatoburn said 157 days ago
Those guitars!
They sound from the era. Slightly sweetly chorused and rockin all the way. Your voice sounds terrific and I love the lyrics.

dajama said 157 days ago
Thank you much
I love that you think the guitar sound is authentic. It's one of the things I really wanted to get right. Very happy you enjoyed this one, and delighted you stopped by. Still marveling at your take on Cult of Anubis. Very, very cool! Cheers. Peace.

richardhowardjones said 154 days ago
SUPERB BALANCE
This is one of the cleanest mixes I've ever heard. A good song, really professionally done. Thanks for sharing. Smokin' guitar!

dajama said 143 days ago
Thank you kindly
Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks especially for the nod on the sound; there's quite a bit going on in the song, and I was worried about creating a cluttered mess! Thanks again for stopping by and checking this out. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

aclarke said 150 days ago
Snake bites you where? heheh
I would have listened to this in the 80's... it has a great melody, awesome hook and hey, you even started with power chords... that's what I call a complete package.

Lyrically poetic with cool wordplay ("Sleeping like a failed insomniac") and delightful irony ("Still arranging every new coincidence"). Extremely solid and much enjoyed!


dajama said 143 days ago
Thank you
Really glad you liked this. I loved your latest, and I'm delighted you like this. Thanks for the nice words about the lyrics especially. I'm always happy when people notice the words! Thanks for stopping by and checking this one out. Much appreciated. Cheers. Peace.

SJB said 142 days ago
dirty war
Hi David,I've not had much time for listening at MJs recently so I've some catching up to do. I'm glad I started with you because this is just great. The lead guitar sound has a real nice luxury texture to it (not sure how else to describe it!). Production as usual is top notch as are vocals. Brilliant song and an obvious download.
Thanks for the music!
Steve

dajama said 135 days ago
Thanks, Steve
I'm glad you liked this one. I really wanted the guitar to reflect the 80s vibe, glad you think it worked. I'm flattered you're downloading this; I always take it as a great compliment. Thanks a million for checking this one out. Much appreciated as always. Cheers. Peace.

Artist Profile
dajama photo
dajama

Artist Bio ...[more]
Artist Music
Red Moon (Our House)
Trapdoor w/ Micheal_Wark
Waiting For The Hit (LIOLI8)
You Are Here
Laying Low
Caroline Knows (MJ Covers)
Talking to Myself
I Woke Up
Dirty War (MJ Live Aid)
Struck Dumb (MacJams Coffee House)
Soul Free Miracle
I'm Gonna Lose This Game Again (House of Blues) w/ Feter
Turn Away Slowly w/ Ejh
All I Ever Hear
Screaming
What I Do To You
Find Yourself
Dreamers w/ davisamerica
Heathen
Astray
If The Stars Fall
Take It As It Comes
The Minstrel Boy (V4C01) w/ rschletty
The Spirit
One False Move
Hypnotized
Shooting For The Moon
Falling Angel
Stars
Hoping For A Hurricane