JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum What's Right From Wrong. Mackie & Vic

It's been a while since I did one with Mackie Humphries and I was really happy to collab. on this one.
Even though I changed the original message he still liked it. :-)
We'd really appreciate your comments and suggs., so click one of the links.
Thank you,
Vic & Mackie

https://soundcloud.com/vic-arnold/whats-right-from-wrong

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=13570624

WHAT’S RIGHT FROM WRONG
©2017 Mackie Humphries & Vic Arnold

The saloon was packed Saturday night
Dancehall girls were holdin’ tight
Then a cowboy cried out “girl you lied”
A shot rung out. He said goodbye
As his true love lay on the floor
He disappeared through the swingin’ doors
The possee made chase through the night
At the border line they swung him high

In mornin’ light, many deride
How could she've been a cowboy's bride
She should have lived a good life, long
If she'd learned what's right .... from wrong

The preacher held the good book high
In a few gospel words he sighed
“Sinners you all take one last look
‘Fore this girl’s all covered with dirt
Barely eighteen she’s died alone
No grieving kin, no loving home
Just a line on her gravestone
'She never learned what’s right or wrong'"
Inst.
In the morning light the preacher turned
to take a sip of what he yearned
then turned back to the mournful throng
and cried out " Who knows right .... from wrong?"

You sinners, all take one last look
‘Fore this girl’s covered with dirt
Barely eighteen she’s died alone
No grieving kin, no loving home
Just a line on her gravestone
"She never learned what’s right or wrong"
The preacher cried out to the throng
No one taught her right from wrong
The preacher cried out to the throng
Who will teach her right from wrong………….

Wowzer... what a great Traditional Country Song:

You two make a great team Mackie and Vic! Loved the story-line (has a western aire to it) and the backing instruments "kick-in" at all the right times. Loved the mandolin and the harmonica sound. Vic, your vocal was darn near perfect.

I have no "stones to throw" but hey, I live in a glass house... LOL! We don't hear many of these type songs in this day and age... and it's a crying shame... 'cause this is top notch, guys. Enjoyed every second. ----Dave

Thanks again for your support Dave. Almost perfect is as good as I get.
Btw., you have to listen real close but the harmonica doesn't feature in this.
What you can hear is probably the accordion.
Vic

Hello Vic / Mackie,


You got a nice tune here, good colab.


Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Hi Calvin.
Glad you dropped in. Feels a little on the lonely side, here lately.
Oh, and thanks for the comment.

Vic

Nice solid beat.
Not sure of
"who will teach her right from wrong"...after all she is dead
Can hell (god) teach her right from wrong

Thanks for the clarification, Vic:

I suspected it might be an accordion but on my laptop speakers, it is usually difficult to differentiate. My keyboard has faux "instruments" including Accordions and Harmonicas (in several varieties) but to me, most don't sound authentic.

Can't wait to hear Mackie's reaction to this one. He is a special guy here at JPF.

----Dave

Hi Neil, thanks for the sugg.
Technically you're right but metaphorically, the message is that no one there could teach her when she was alive
and certainly it's too late to teach her now.
I suppose I could change it to "who will teach THEM right from wrong"
Thanks again for the listen.

Vic

Hi Vic and Mackie,

Loving this.

Nice production. I especially like the pairing of the very Flaco-Jimenez-like accordion in the right channel with the fiddle that adds some excitement late. The mando solos are great as usual.

Nice vocals, too. Even the couple of words that you stress on the wrong syllable to keep the eighth note flow going--I think that's perfectly okay in this genre.

Great work guys!

Mike

Thanks for checking this one out: Dave, Calvin, Neil and,Michael---I just let Vic do his thing with this one--when I wrote the lyric, I was thinking Waylon or Marty Robbins--

Thanks Vic for all your work!

Mackie

Hi again Dave. I understand that with the keyboards. I had one myself. Top of the range but the guitar sounded like a metal piano going down a drain.
Mackie will be along shortly.
Vic

Hey ya'll. I loved the mando work on this. Production sounded good. I always like to hear Vic sing too.

Thanks for sharing it.

Wendy--

It's a given, Vic has good pipes--He has a signature sound--He changed the story a little in the right direction,

The simple story came from of a STARZ western movie--I get lots of my inspirational vibs from watching the oowboy movies!

We appreciate your input!

Mackie

Mike, you're always encouraging. Thanks for the thumbs up.

Vic

Wecome back Mackie.Ive always admired your worl be it solo or collabs.
This new one with Vic in the possee turned out to be a great cowboy song
Good work lads.all the best with it
Travis

Hey Vic/Mackie,

This story was like watching an old Western for sure! Fun song, neat lyrics and cool music arrangement. Nice going guys!

steady-eddie.

Hi Wendy. Your comments as a great songwriter are well appreciated.
Thank you.
Vic

Thanks Eddie.
Westerns are my favourite kind of movie.

Vic

Hi Travis.
Seems strange you commenting on something I'm singing.

Vic

Travis--

Thanks for tuning in another one with Vic!

I still love a good COWBOY song--Vic helped get this one over to the plus side!

You and Vic have been on a roll also--qnd that's great!

Mackie

Eddie--

Thank you for your positive thoughts!

Mackie

Mackie! Nice story, I have missed your songs!

Vic, great production on this, very rich for story-telling and the genre, great vocal, this chugs right along, great collab!!

Tammy

Hi Tammy. Thank you. I like that you like it.

Vic

Tams--

Thank you girl!

Mackie

Loved it musically, especially the mandolin break. I would have liked more detail in the story though. It's probably just me, but I felt like I knew nothing about the girl and the cowboy who shot her, which left me feeling uninvolved with the characters. We also never really learn what she did that was so wrong - although we can guess, of course.

I don't mean to come across as negative - just a couple of thoughts for discussion or whatever.

Hi Gavin.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Personally I feel that if you have to explain everything about the meaning then it's more of a statement than a song.
As you said yourself, "we can guess". I prefer to leave a little up to the listener's interpretation.

The message really is how could she learn if no one near is worthy or able to teach her. Maybe that message isn't strong enough.

Vic

Gavin--

Thanks of giving this one your take!

This song is like the modern westerns I watch, where I get ideas to write: none have much detail, so the listener has a chance to get into the story, and maybe add something to change things, as the listener may imagine!

A friend from the USAF, John Putnam, was sheriff there years ago! We both grew up in the Orphanage at Thomasville.

Welcome to JPFolks!

Mackie

Oh yea! Love this traditional country song. The accordion sound goes great for the period piece, and that's some great pickin. Awesome collab. Well done

Thanks James.
Much appreciated.

Vic

James--

We appreciate your thoughts--Vic is the man!

Mackie

Vic and Mackie,
You guys make good collaborations. Your style of music and vocals Vic paired with Mackies storytelling skills, meld well together, Nice work

Kim

That's nice of you Kim.
Thank you.

Vic

Kim--

Appreciate your positive thoughts!

Mackie