Good song ,agree with your lyrics.Things have changed,We all have to be careful what we say or do .Great shame we liked the way things used to be .in times past.
Like a perfect choir, Catherine, words, music, performance and vocal coming together in the most wonderful of harmonies. This is a song to listen to and enjoy very much, my good friend. It is a songwriter’s song. It’s a song built on a hard hitting lyric, and for me that makes it even more special. I loved this performance by my favourite contemporary folk artist in these ‘ere parts.
Amazing tune, Catherine! I love the imagery you use (" compare the many empty pockets to the few bursting at the seams"--powerful stuff) and the combined sense of outrage and analysis that brings to mind Billy Bragg at his most hard-hitting. You are inspiring me to post some covers of his now.
You're very kind, Tom- the more I listen to it the less I like it- but I think the dislike is more to do with the vocals and phrasing as opposed to music or lyrics so I'll work on it. I'm very impulsive by nature so I wrote, recorded and stuck it up without really considering it 😂 Definitely post some Billy Bragg stuff- I'd love to hear it 😊
@@catherinemccrystal9391 Sometimes that is the right call--strike while the iron is hot and all that! I think that's the process Phil Ochs often followed in "All the News That's Fit to Sing." Though inequality is always with us, we can't always keep it front of mind to keep from being angry all the time...
Yes! The rhyme scheme is great, the tune is great, and the lyrics are absolutely right. I’d love to hear you sing this one angry, with an electric guitar. Speak and sing these truths loudly!
Fresh strings added yesterday 😊 It's a Walden. I've had it 20 years- got recommendation from a friend who knows guitars and he maintains it's as good as a lot of the more expensive makes 🙌
@@catherinemccrystal9391 definitely is! I like my Alvarez ("Allie")...it was $80 used, but it sounds SO GOOD. I always saw Alvarez zcoustics in pawn shops, and they were always CHEAP ($150)...I never could afford one, but it became the sound I associate an acoustic with....I couldn't see the headstock, so I thought I'd ask! :) I can hear the maturing of your songs over the years. Very good music! If I could offer a critique? Maybe try to vary up the vocal delivery? The EXACT same way works for Irish tunes and pirate shanties?? For popularity (might not be some thing you care AT ALL...I know when I put out stuff?? I really don't care what people think...I've been playing for 30+ years, no recognition?? I get it...people don't like my music...so I play what I like), but I do find that changing things up keeps it spic even for me? I've never bee able to write like a 3 chord song? I recently succeedesd!! The progression is nice, but I just figured out what chords it is?? And picked different voicing of the chords for verse and chorus?? So it FEELS like it changes? Ya know? I can't sing like MArley or Lanegan...they can take TWO chords and weave a DREAM!! But someone like Richie Havens is GREAT at revoicing songs he covers...and he basically TAKES THEM!! HA HA HA because his voice is SO GOOD!! They become HIS songs!! :) Have a great day! Sorry for the sermon, but I like to talk CGG p.s. you don't have to reply if you don't want. I like encouraging people like yourself and River Crombie to KEEP DOING ORIGINALS!! you have something GREAT!! Develop it and if nothing else, consider this (if you're trying to make a career)...can you name ONE band that made it BG BIG BIG and their first song...was a COVER? I can't think of ANY?? Not sure where you are, but here in the States, even like The Lemonheads got passed over after "Mrs. Robinson", probably because people wanted MORE LIKE THAT? But that's not THEIR style, just an INFLUENCE?? Ok, I'm going to shut up...but check out Chris Cornell LIVE versus the ALBUM. If nothing else, the variance gives the audience a REASON to show up?? Because "How will she play it TODAY?? It's gonna be GREAT....but HOW???" ya know? All about managing expectations. Sorry if any of that came off as "mansplaining". NOT my intention! :)
One minute the sky is on fire, the next it looks like a bruise
I keep looking up there expecting answers to fall down
Then I spend the rest of my day wandering around just staring at my shoes
Afraid to look anyone in the eye in case I drown
An abandoned cup of coffee sits as I try to make sense of the world
'Work hard' we're told and 'you'll achieve all of your dreams'
Sorry that's the biggest pile of bullshit that I think I ever heard
Compare the many empty pockets to the few bursting at the seams
'Count your blessings' we're told countless times, and just shove those feelings down
'What do you have to complain about anyway?'
Cos crying about your problems doesn't make the world go round
So 'just smile', 'be nice' and everything will be OK
Don't ask questions, don't push back, and accept things as they are
Cos you might hurt someone's feelings, God forbid
Don't mess with the status quo, don't study the 'rules' too hard
Don't poke the bear, don't you dare to lift the lid
Lyrics and music Copyright © Catherine McCrystal January 2025
Good song ,agree with your lyrics.Things have changed,We all have to be careful what we say or do .Great shame we liked the way things used to be .in times past.
Like a perfect choir, Catherine, words, music, performance and vocal coming together in the most wonderful of harmonies. This is a song to listen to and enjoy very much, my good friend. It is a songwriter’s song. It’s a song built on a hard hitting lyric, and for me that makes it even more special. I loved this performance by my favourite contemporary folk artist in these ‘ere parts.
Oh Robin, you never fail to make smile ☺ Thanks, friend
That is a big pile of AWESOME - Even when it's tough it sounds so much better when you keep things sorted and real
@@byrdfynger this one's bigger than me- wanted to write about something external rather than internal for a change. Glad you like it 🤟
You are the Carole King of our day (Carole is still rocking and awesome but) I am such a diehard fan.
Thank you as always for your feedback 😊 Even though I've posted it I'm not 💯 happy with it yet. There will be tweaks 😅
Another beautiful song, you are definitely on a roll
@@casciottisongs thank you!
Amazing tune, Catherine! I love the imagery you use (" compare the many empty pockets to the few bursting at the seams"--powerful stuff) and the combined sense of outrage and analysis that brings to mind Billy Bragg at his most hard-hitting. You are inspiring me to post some covers of his now.
You're very kind, Tom- the more I listen to it the less I like it- but I think the dislike is more to do with the vocals and phrasing as opposed to music or lyrics so I'll work on it. I'm very impulsive by nature so I wrote, recorded and stuck it up without really considering it 😂 Definitely post some Billy Bragg stuff- I'd love to hear it 😊
@@catherinemccrystal9391 Sometimes that is the right call--strike while the iron is hot and all that! I think that's the process Phil Ochs often followed in "All the News That's Fit to Sing." Though inequality is always with us, we can't always keep it front of mind to keep from being angry all the time...
Yes! The rhyme scheme is great, the tune is great, and the lyrics are absolutely right. I’d love to hear you sing this one angry, with an electric guitar. Speak and sing these truths loudly!
@@Diecastclassicist don't have any other guitar but I can try to channel the anger in the next version 💪 Thanks for the feedback 😊
Great song!!
That guitar has a GREAT tone!! What kind is it? Sounda like my Alvarez when I put fdresh strings on!!
Fresh strings added yesterday 😊 It's a Walden. I've had it 20 years- got recommendation from a friend who knows guitars and he maintains it's as good as a lot of the more expensive makes 🙌
@@catherinemccrystal9391 definitely is! I like my Alvarez ("Allie")...it was $80 used, but it sounds SO GOOD. I always saw Alvarez zcoustics in pawn shops, and they were always CHEAP ($150)...I never could afford one, but it became the sound I associate an acoustic with....I couldn't see the headstock, so I thought I'd ask! :)
I can hear the maturing of your songs over the years. Very good music! If I could offer a critique? Maybe try to vary up the vocal delivery? The EXACT same way works for Irish tunes and pirate shanties??
For popularity (might not be some thing you care AT ALL...I know when I put out stuff?? I really don't care what people think...I've been playing for 30+ years, no recognition?? I get it...people don't like my music...so I play what I like), but I do find that changing things up keeps it spic even for me? I've never bee able to write like a 3 chord song? I recently succeedesd!! The progression is nice, but I just figured out what chords it is?? And picked different voicing of the chords for verse and chorus?? So it FEELS like it changes? Ya know? I can't sing like MArley or Lanegan...they can take TWO chords and weave a DREAM!! But someone like Richie Havens is GREAT at revoicing songs he covers...and he basically TAKES THEM!! HA HA HA because his voice is SO GOOD!! They become HIS songs!! :)
Have a great day! Sorry for the sermon, but I like to talk
CGG
p.s. you don't have to reply if you don't want. I like encouraging people like yourself and River Crombie to KEEP DOING ORIGINALS!! you have something GREAT!! Develop it and if nothing else, consider this (if you're trying to make a career)...can you name ONE band that made it BG BIG BIG and their first song...was a COVER? I can't think of ANY?? Not sure where you are, but here in the States, even like The Lemonheads got passed over after "Mrs. Robinson", probably because people wanted MORE LIKE THAT? But that's not THEIR style, just an INFLUENCE??
Ok, I'm going to shut up...but check out Chris Cornell LIVE versus the ALBUM. If nothing else, the variance gives the audience a REASON to show up?? Because "How will she play it TODAY?? It's gonna be GREAT....but HOW???" ya know?
All about managing expectations.
Sorry if any of that came off as "mansplaining". NOT my intention! :)