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Houdini Blues

she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
I've got the Houdini blues

they say love is magic
least that's what I've been told
but you know it's tragic
when poof, there's no one to hold

you said life is momentary
there'll be highs, there'll be lows
you said life is momentary
love comes, love goes

she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
she was and then she wasn't
I've got the Houdini blues

I'm not one for crying
but you know I'd be lying
if I said, that girl who sawed my heart in half
didn't at one time make me laugh

but to her life was an ongoing parade
a day to day, daring escapade
maybe next time the circus comes to town
for a minute, I can once again, be her clown

she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
I've got the Houdini blues

© 2007 by rittman

http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewprivtrack.php?trackid=51415

COOOOLLLL BEANS !! I'm listening.... jm - go rittman go

ha, cool song.
I like this...

if I said, that girl who sawed my heart in half
didn't at one time make me laugh

maybe next time the circus comes to town
for a minute, I can once again, be her clown

she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
she was and then she wasn't
what's a poor boy to do
I've got the Houdini blues


Calvin


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

Hey, Rittmeister. I was kind of expecting that bridge to go somewhere with the Houdini slant, instead of jumping off into the whole different circus thing. Maybe a play off the Houdini magic and the circus, tie the two together? Just a thought. Also, just a little word juxtopisition suggestion on one of the lines, for a little better metering:

at one time didn't make me laugh

Good story!

Frickin' LOVE this song. Have to agree that the circus is another direction, not the same as Houdini. I think there are more places you can explore within the Houdini/magic world to carry your bridge.

But I still frickin' LOVE this song. "She was and then she wasn't." That's just pure blues dynamite.

-Lyle

Thanks Joice

Thanks for the encouragement, of without, I might not be having so much fun today!!!

rittman

Ritt,

Your stuff is so distinctive and sophistocated. I love it. The recorded version of this with that jazz guitar lead and bit of percussion sets this off perfectly.

Keep writing.

Skip

Smooth and hot electric guitar playing going on. The vox were mixed a little too hot in my opinion. Enjoyed the "live" feeling to the whole thing.

The line "sawed in half" might be improved by saying "sawed in two" (although you would also have to change the following line also.

Good one.

Kevin

Thanks Calvin

Glad you didn't see the circus part as a distraction or misdirection...!

rittman

MT buddy Hi from the bronx, how you liking winter?

Thanks

since your comment and Lyle's follow up about the circus verse, I've thought seriously and listened over and over, and I can't find fault with how it turned out, seems to me there are many parallels between circus life and that of a magician, and the line "a day to day, daring escapade" seems to have been overlooked, from said verse...Thanks for making me think!!!

rittman

Lyle!!! Frickin' love is a good thing!

refer to my comment to Michael on the validity of the circus verse...

Thanks

rittman

Skipper!

free ride in my taxi for you!

Thanks

rittman

Kevin, Thanks

A little history on how this song was put together. Phil and his band the Horse Lovers, recorded this live in a coffee house in Rochester NY, he sends me an mp3 which I convert to wav, then to keep the live feel going I record my vocal directly over the track, so in short there is one track, so no editing is possible on the vox, essentially it is what it is...As per the sawed in half, my thinking is, in magician parlance the phrase is "Sawed in half" not sure what I can do about that...

Thanks again

rittman

HiDee Rittster!

Yep, 'Tis a WAY Cool Lyric ya got here.

Naturally, I got a Few Sugs for ya:

1) I'd add "Every time she Disappears"..before Last Chorus Line.

2) "I'm her clown" is so Everly-Brothers, expression-wise.

So, I'd sug the Circus go somewhere Else...& try:

"(Deletable: And Now) 'Feel like I'm chained-up, in a tank/
(Deletable: Thrasin' Around) Holdin' my Breath (Got HER to Thank!)"

That's All, Folks. "KUDOS" on the Rest, & Good Luck with it, Amigo!

Big Guy-Hug,
Stan

Hi Tampa Thanks

If I ever record this again, maybe I'll call it Houdini's Daughter Blues, in which case I could use Tank of water...

as per "Cathy's Clown" thinking maybe just say Cathy's Clown, as the song is 47 years old, and making reference to it might be cool, seems like many bands have done just that, here's a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy's_Clown

rittman

Hey Ritt

Good play on words and images ol son......

Enjoyed the piece.......Have fun at it man!


I knows ya will...

Eric

Hey Ritt,

like i told ya over on the Ramp...I'm liking this one. I think this one has some of the better lines you have wriiten recently. I refer back to the lines that Calvin mentioned in support of that. The ritt-factor strikes again!

Alan

Hi Mr. Rittman,

I got to enjoy the lyric anyway---more fabulous rittmanese. Effectively evokative par usual.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Vanessa

Very much enjoyed the read.....and sorry I missed your music...Ritt....

Your solid & consistent lyrical style is very much your own....

hugs..and Happy Thanksgiving to you and Joyce....
Kaley

Hey Ritt,

Digging this one!

ANOTHER coincidence...last night's episode of "House" involved a Houdini-like escape (the guy swallowed the key, didn't help him out during his MRI apparently!)

Thought it was interesting you started with the chorus (or so it appears to me). I don't know why we don't do that more often, as it helped set things up nicely...but on the other hand, is it more acceptable to BUILD to the chorus? Thank goodness for creative license...:D!

Anyhoo, loved the story on this. The only part that seemed a bit out of place for me, though, was the second part of the parade verse...

but to her life was an ongoing parade
a day to day, daring escapade
maybe next time the circus comes to town
for a minute, I can once again, be her clown

Though I get the clown and circus connection to each other, I think it might be too much of a reach to connect it to the Houdini theme. Maybe something like:

but to her life was an ongoing parade
a day to day, daring escapade
maybe next time SHE FLOATS INTO town
I'LL HAVE SOMETHING UP MY SLEEVE TO HELP GET HER DOWN

I dunno, just some food for thought, trying to tie into magic a bit more. Per usual, KOS Mister!!

Have a happy gobbly day tomorrow!!
Beth

Thanks Vanessa, Haley, and Beth!!!

here's a new link: http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=60694

Do tell Beth, if the verse in question, feels any better when you hear it...?

rittman

Hey Ritt,

The music is over-the-top awesome BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEESSS!! The intro, though a wee bit long for me, is fantabulous !

Regarding the clown lines, I do really like the additional ad-libbing ("all I need is just a minute...60 seconds is all I need...etc."), but I'm still not buying the connection. However, I also see in the review section it's one of Angie's favorite parts of the song, so what do I know? I guess I'm taking it too literally.

Anyway, ultimately, I love the song, soooooo, no worries...

Cheers,
Beth

P.S. BTW, would love to hear that sort of treatment on The In Crowd!!!

Thanks Beth

sometime during this long weekend, I'm gonna add to the ad-lib, maybe something like, added to all I need is a minute, to pull a rabbit out of a hat, or if I'm to be cryptic, to make you disappear for good...

As per The In Crowd...not seeing it as blues...well Phil is gone till Monday...so we'll see...

rittman

Just seeing this now, Ritt.

If you could play around with that some more, I know I'd be happy, but YOU'RE the one who needs to be satisfied with it, so don't kill yourself. Although..."cryptic" happens to be on my list of favorite words, so....I might be a bit unbiased.

Regarding the music for In Crowd, I got ahead of myself there, as I was jiving to Houdini . As we're already talked about, I think the new musical direction is much more appropriate....

Thanks again!
Beth

P.S. Back to Houdini, maybe you could add in something about wanting to "disappear together"....KOS!!