Especially in times like these, when everyone has cabin fever, you can lose your music mojo. Here's a little scenario of one example of what you can do in such a situation to get back into a groove again.
If you’re like me, you and at least one other dude have jammed a 10-minute epic acoustic-only cover version of Down By The River by Neil Young in a basement or living room at least a few times in your life, and loved it. I’ve recreated such a jam session in my home studio with me playing all the instruments and singing all the vocals. However, I mashed up lyrical content I culled from a Saturday Night Live skit, supposedly written by Bob Odenkirk (known for acting as character Saul Goodman) believe it or not, with the music and chorus of that song. The result is the following YouTube video of “Down By The River (In A Van)” for your enjoyment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EHXJ32WlQo
It’s on the "coversbycooley" channel I put together a while back on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/coversbycooley/videos), which contains many acoustic multitrack recordings I’ve made of songs I like by other artists, ranging from the cringeworthy to the mediocre. This is the first time I’ve made anyone aware of it on this blog, so now you know about it, and I hope you find time to enjoy the other 67 songs on there.
This is what happens when you’re a songwriter in a drought. You make up lyrics from the dialogue of a famous comedy skit, like these:
Down By The River (In A Van)
Em Em7 A Em Em7 A
Em7 A
My name is Matt Foley and I’m a motivational speaker
Em7 A
For the last four hours I’ve been downstairs drinkin’ coffee with your dad
Em7 A
Before I begin let me tell a scenario about myself
Em7 A Cmaj7 Bm
I’m thirty-five, thrice divorced, and I live in a van, oh yeah, ooh ooh yeah
Cmaj7 Bm C Bm D
I’m gettin’ my gear and I’m movin’ in here, ‘cause I’m sick and tired of livin’ in a van
G D D A G D D A
Down by the river, I shot my baby
G D D A Em7 A Em7 A
Down by the river, dead, ooh, shot her dead
Gonna tell you a little story about a boy who liked to throw things
Started out throwin’ eggs, then he threw the big game, yeah!
Threw back a shot of whiskey, and then he threw up
Got thrown out of the house, and moved into a van oh yeah oooh yeah
I’m gettin’ my gear and I’m bunkin’ here with you kids, ‘cause I’m sick and tired of livin’ in a van
You won’t amount to jack squat, on a steady diet of government cheese
From what I’ve heard, you wanna be a writer someday young man
You’re using your paper not for writin’, but for rollin’ doobies
Gonna be doin’ a lot of doobie rollin’ when you’re livin’ in a van ooh la la la yeah
I’m gettin’ my gear and movin’ in here, ‘cause I’m sick and tired of livin’ in a van
Then you feel the urge to play, and you’re alone, so you record yourself as Crazy Horse unplugged in your home studio with a couple microphones playing all the parts. You insist on making it last at least 10 minutes, of course. 🤘 It’s what you do.
Helps you get back into a creative mindset sometimes, too. Until next time, party on campers.
