Both by predilection and plain old habit, I research idioms, colloquialisms and cliches for practically every song I write. So this week's assignment was "right up my alley", if I do say so, and I do.
I've had the hook for this for a few months, but the lyrics were a study in cliches - cop cliches, in fact. I was really under the gun to get it finished.
I enjoyed the process immensely.
A few words about what the song will be, but isn't yet:-
I did a slightly more developed scratch demo for this one, but most of the arrangement, by necessity, had to be left out. So many notes, so little time!
The 8-bar Intro is intended to be sparse - just drums and the lead guitar hook (riff).
There are a couple of 2-bar Breaks between the verses, that are now essentially empty, but which will contain the BG Vocal: "Shoot, shoot".
There's an 8-bar Instrumental Bridge which is to contain hand claps, lead guitar riffs, a gun ricochet, and vocals singing "woo-oo-ooooo", "shoot, shoot" and "he's the love detective", but currently doesn't.
The Coda is a spoken-word section, a mini-play, with background vocals interspersed.
The Extro is the hook, repeated to fade.
The song could easily end up having more instruments, e.g., horns, tambourine or other percussion, and sound effects, e.g., man walking down a hallway, a firm knock on a door, car tires screeching. That said, the song is pretty long as it is, just under 4 minutes.
The demo is rudimentary. I know quite a bit about audio engineering, but theoretical knowledge and doing are horses of a different colour. I definitely need lots of practice, at songwriting, audio mixing and horse riding, so this is good for me on both the writing and production fronts, possibly not so much on the equestrian front, or back, depending on which way you're facing on the horse.
Hope you like the song.
Love Detective
Verse 1
I'm on stakeout, baby, at the scene of the crime
Looks like you're the victim of a heartbreak
I’m waitin’ for my C.I. to drop a dime
And roundin’ up the usual suspects
Verse 2
I’m working undercover, sussin’ out the clues
Got a tail shadowing the perpetrator
He’s been shakin’ you down with his condescending views
He thinks he’s such a cool impersonator
Well ...
Chorus 1
I’m the love detective
I never back down, or give up the chase
I’m the love detective
I can always crack the toughest case
Verse 3
When your heart’s gone cold, and the case has too
I’ll help you find the missing evidence
I’m sorry, baby, but I’ll have to question you
Though I never spill a secret told in confidence
'Cause ...
Chorus
Instr. Bridge
Verse 4
You’ll have to look at a lineup, and testify
But I’ll put you under witness protection
We’ll keep it under wraps, and kill the headlines
'Til the con man's in the house of correction
Verse 5
When your heart’s gone cold, and the case has too
I’ll help you find the missing evidence
Cause I’m not the kind o’ P.I. to play fast and loose
And I never spill a secret told in confidence
No, I won't divulge a secret told in confidence
Chorus
Coda: BG's and Spoken Lines
He's the love detective
"What? You know how to use a gun, don’t you?"
(Ricochet SFX)
"Guess not."
He's the love detective
"Ok, let’s run down this alley."
"Wait, there’s a car comin’."
"Quick, up the fire escape."
He's the love detective
"So, why’d you wear high heels and a short skirt?"
"Well yeah, I like ‘em, I’m just sayin’ …"
Extro (Repeat To Fade)
I'm the love detective
Baby, I’m the love detective
I'm the love detective
Doncha know, I'm the love detective
Yes, I'm the love detective
The love detective.
© 2014 Wayne Rose
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