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I wrote this song a few year's back. I re-mixed and replaced the original percussion drum track along with making some minor tweaks with the arrangement. I decided to post the re-mixed version as I haven't had much time to devote to music this past year or so. My sentiment with this song I thought appropriate given so much unfortunate divisiveness with folks in our country. This song reflects a "better time" that I can certainly relate to growing up in a small town with friends and family all nearby. I hope the song will take you back perhaps to a more pleasant, virtuous time as well. Comments certainly welcome.

My best regards to all of you,

steady-eddie




A LITTLE OLD SCHOOL



A LITTLE OLD SCHOOL - music/lyrics by: e.swartz


I guess I’m just a little old school, a bit old fashioned and not so cool
I tip my hat when a lady walks by, I’ll wipe your tears, when you start to cry
I’ll even open up the door for you, strike up a conversation right out of the blue
I’ll shake your hand and mean what I say, no contract needed, my word is ok
I’m not perfect but I always try, to live my life with the standards set high
Cause ya, never know which day is your last

(Chorus) You may not know which way you’ll go
But friend, your deeds will show
Your life is tallied; get your ducks in a row

I’ve been longing for the old days, when families got together on Sundays
My grandpa used to say “I’m much obliged,” no one talks like that anymore….
Corner hardware’s that barely throve, small filling stations with potbelly stoves
With old men smok’n cigars and dip’n their chew,
Always talk’n bout the weather and WWII

(Pre-B-lift) “Sentimental fool, you’re just old school”


(Bridge) They say that life is a circle, what was old will be the craze
It might be sentimental, but I like the older ways


(Solo: (pedal steel) (use verse/chorus combo melody)


Whatever happened to chivalry, helping your friends and your family?
A little sacrifice might do you some good; it's never easy, doing what we should
Remember when they used to count your money back
And put away your groceries in a big brown sack
Life was slower and more genuine, the sign said "closed," but they'd still let you in
I’m not perfect but I always try, to live my life with the standards set high
Cause ya, never know which day is your last

(Repeat Chorus)

(Reprise) I guess I’m just a little o-o-o-old, schoo-ool

Hi Eddie,
You could say that I'm a lot old school. I remember fondly all your references. I sure wish they would become the craze again but i think were sliding downhill with no brakes. I like all of the song except one tiny part. i would add one more word to your chorus so you don't have to stretch "Show" out so long, like this; But "MY" friend, your deeds will show. I know you can do without it. KOS

John,

Thanks for the spin and your comments. I could insert "my" but the action verb "show" still needs to hit the same beat within that measure--so adding "my" wouldn't change having to hold onto the word "show." I tried singing it with "my" inserted and it felt rushed/crowding the prosody and it still didn't change the timing of "show," which is a whole-4 beat note. About the only thing to do (if really needed) would be to make it a half note followed by another half note that melodically descends on the scale. But I'm actually okay with that held note. But I get what you are saying, and I may re-visit that vocal and maybe sing it a bit less vanilla with a half note followed by two quarter notes within the word "show."

Thanks again John, I'm open for tweaking, but only if I really feel it's needed and obviously in agreement.

steady-eddie

Thanks again John, I'm open for tweaking, but only if I really feel it's needed and obviously in agreement.

steady-eddie[/quote]

No problem, I am the same way. I do lots of rewrites but I have to be less than happy with what I'm replacing, and I have to like the replacement a lot.

Damn, so much has changed...This will ,ake you think

I like the mix of 60's rock & Country...

Maybe the TITLE should be simply "A little Old School" ?

Steve,

I actually do have the song titled "A Little Old School," I just didn't write it in correctly--corrected it. I may not have noticed had you not mentioned it however. Yes times have changed and some things for the better, but "progress" can at times be a double-edged sword. Maybe we're all just "too busy" to smell the everyday roses of life.

Thanks for stopping by! I don't write much Modern Country, but felt that vibe best for this folksy sentiment. I'd like to hear Alan Jackson sing this song, I always liked his vocal delivery.

steady-eddie

Hi Eddie:

Our world has changed... and not in a good way... as I feel the trend. It sure resonates with me, my friend. The steel guitar mini-break and accompaniment gives it that old time Nashville vibe. Loved it. Great story line about the way we need to be headed.

----Dave

Hi Ed
I can certainly identify with the sentiment of the lyric.
I think many of we, more mature guys feel the same way.
I'll open a door and let someone pass before me usually I'll get a smile and a thank you. But it's damn irritating when folks just Swan past without even an acknowledgement.
So yes as well as being courteous I'm grumpy too!
It has a Don Williams laid back, gentle feel to it. With an excellent vocal I will add.
Nice work Ed
John

Hi Ed.
I think I remember this one or one very like it.
Sounds smooth to me but could do with a few less words here and there if you can manage it.
Also it could be me but the bass could do maybe with a slight volume reduction.
Good vocal.

Vic

I like this. Nice sentiments. There's a lot that we've lost over the years as well as gained. I particularly related to the line: "the sign said "closed," but they'd still let you in." That's something I noticed when I moved over here - if you arrived a few minutes after a place had closed looking like you needed something or just smiled through the door, they'd open up. They still do that around where I live.

I'm not a huge fan of the chorus. After a moment, I figured out what was confusing me. The first line of the chorus is more like the last line of the verse, musically and lyrically. To me, this leaves the chorus sounding a bit awkward and incomplete. You could change it around a little and add a couple of lines, with the added bonus of circling back to the title/hook. Something like this...

I’m not perfect but I always try, to live my life with the standards set high
Cause ya, never know which day is your last. You may not know which way you’ll go.

(CHORUS)
But friend, your deeds will show
Your life is tallied; get your ducks in a row
Am I fool to still play by the rules?
No, I'm just a little old school

You could use that last line of the verse to lift into the chorus, rather than kind of wind down from it. Just my thoughts. I like it fine as it is.

Thanks Dave & Travis,

Maybe someday a new generation will revive the old ways, I do think history repeats itself, both good and bad.

steady-eddie

Hey ya Vic,

I probably won't change lyrics at this point, but I do feel Soundcloud always boosts my bass more than my own pre-amp within my home systems. But maybe I need to accommodate that and I'll check it out with the bass. Thanks for the spin!

steady-eddie

Hey Gavin,

I'm aware of why your a bit confused, but I didn't want the opening line of the chorus to be too corny given its meaning.

"You may not know which way you'll go."

This reflects when we were small we were told if you were bad you would go down to hell, if you were good, you would go up to heaven. Now.......do you see how the following lines reflect/modify that statement..........I used to love to ponder what The Beatles were talking about in some of their songs, I like that statement and actually have had a few folks comment on that they liked that opening chorus topic sentence in the past--that got it--and it's certainly not an abstract statement--I'm still trying to figure out what Dylan's "My Back Pages" is all about 50 some years later............

Thanks for the kind words as well!

steady-eddie

Not much bass reduction Ed. Perhaps just 1.5 db.
Vic

Vic,

I'll maybe reduce 1.35 db, but that's it......kidding!

I just listened to the song with the same headphones--one on Soundcloud, and one direct Mp3 from my computer--I'd guess 1 db of difference, Soundcloud boosting bass a bit. I also went to youtube and listened to a few Modern Country songs--there really is a disparity with bass volumes, and no question more recent year's music are giving the bass more space in the mixes. I think mixer's and listener's ears prefer different volumes & eq's with the bass. I tend to with this type of song like a more deep rounded bass and a sharper with more mid-range presence in Pop or Rock songs. I do agree however that the bass could be reduced a bit and have that in my notes should I go back and mix this a 3rd time. Thanks for your keen ears, just keep your ducks in a row Vic!

steady-eddie

Hey, Eddie,

Great to see you on the board. I hope all is well with you on this currently crazy world.

The song is well done--really like the verses, very well written and the vocal is sweet. The chorus is a bit unusual, and I get Gavin's reaction to it--quite honestly I had a similar one a couple days ago when I first listened to this briefly. But the second and third time around it worked better for me. If I had any subjective reactions to the tune, it would be the line "get your ducks in a row," which strikes me in sentiment to be a bit different in tone with the rest of the song. But it may just be hitting me differently.

It's a nit regardless, and doesn't take away from the listen at all. Well done, Eddie!

All my best,

Deej

Hey Deej,

Thanks for the comments and kind words. No question, when one is writing a song lyrically or musically, it's a process of evolvement that the composer knows/feels meaning/direction etc. I'm aware that the chorus's meaning may not come through on the first few listens but am okay with that--but your crits are certainly fair and warranted on an early listen and certainly there may be a better way to convey/write that section. A lot of my songs have a lot of digressive movements with Bridges and I'm certainly not a "cookie-cutter" writer as it is a hobby for me, and I enjoy being a little different I suppose. Anyway, my thought process is as follows with that chorus:

1) None of us really know where we're going when we depart, up/down/nowhere?
2) But, "I do" believe in after-life in some spiritual form--and our "actions" in our lives or "deeds/misdeeds" just might be tallied (counted).
3) So maybe friend, you'd better get your life back into a "better course of action" or "get your ducks in a row" to make the "cut!"

I think it would be a bit corny/trite to literally convey that message, therefore, I expressed it in a "folksy down to earth" analogy for that reason I thought a little subtle homespun clever is good for this vibe. Make sense?

Thanks a bunch!

steady-eddie