Wednesday, February 28, 2007

SHOESTRING - Thirty something - 06 - Simple joys of life




And so I come to the last song of 'Thirty something'. It's a tune about the little things that bring a smile to my face. It's called 'Simple joys of life'.

Having come to the end of the show, it's time to say my 'thank yous'.

Ricky Kej, Abhijit Shylanath, Dominic D'Cruz and Robert D'Souza. Writer though I am, I can't quite find the words that capture the extent of my appreciation for your help. I owe you more than one. Thank you fellas. This is a dream come true.

Click here to download 'Simple joys of life'.

The above link will last 7 days. If you happen to get here after it has expired, write to me at
shoestring.theband@gmail.com, and I’ll send it to you again. This song is the creation and therefore the property of Manoj Jacob. You are permitted to use it in any non-commercial way you please. Play it, enjoy it and share it with friends. Only remember to give Shoestring credit. It’s taken a lot of work to create this piece. And if you appreciate that, please respect my requests.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

If you’d like to leave some feedback, click on the COMMENTS link at the bottom of this post.
To know more about Shoestring, visit
www.shoestringtheband.com


Credits – Simple joys of life

Written, composed, arranged and performed by Manoj Jacob
Vocals and guitar: Manoj Jacob
Lead guitar: Dominic D’Cruz
Keys & Bass: Abhijit Shylanath
Recorded, mixed and mastered at
Raveolutions Studios, Bangalore

Lyrics

SHOESTRING - Simple joys of life

To meet an old friend whom I haven’t seen for years
To have a shoulder to cry on when I am in tears
To have someone whom I can call a true friend of mine
Yeah I still live for the simple joys of life
Yeah I still live for the simple joys of life

The smell of the earth after a spot of rain
The first smile that comes to me when I am in pain
To be able to say the truth just because it is right
Yeah I still live for the simple joys of life
Yeah I still live for the simple joys of life


To hold my baby close to me before she goes to sleep
To be able to give away something I’d like to keep

Do we really have to say something we don’t mean
Do we really have to cry over something we don’t feel
These are some of the little things I fail to understand
Cos I still live for the simple joys of life
Yeah I still live for the simple joys of life

www.shoestringtheband.com

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

SHOESTRING - Thirty Something - 05 - Missing you



I was in Sydney on work last year, when I wrote this song. A ballad, but not entirely.


A song to my sweetheart, wishing she was there to share it all with me. A narrative of my experiences in this beautiful city. Some good, like the places I saw, the friends I made and the beer I drank. And some not so good, like the discrimination I faced at my workplace. Perhaps because I was Indian. Perhaps because my skin wasn't white. However that was just one person. No one else cared beyond the colour of their beer. Cheers to those wonderful blokes.

Click here to download ‘Missing you’.

The above link will last 7 days. If you happen to get here after it has expired, write to me at
shoestring.theband@gmail.com, and I’ll send it to you again. This song is the creation and therefore the property of Manoj Jacob. You are permitted to use it in any non-commercial way you please. Play it, enjoy it and share it with friends. Only remember to give Shoestring credit. It’s taken a lot of work to create this piece. And if you appreciate that, please respect my requests.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

If you’d like to leave some feedback, click on the COMMENTS link at the bottom of this post. To know more about Shoestring, visit www.shoestringtheband.com

Come back soon for another song from the album.

Credits – Missing you

Written, composed, arranged and performed by Manoj Jacob
Vocals and guitar: Manoj Jacob
Lead guitar: Dominic D’Cruz
Bass: Abhijit Shylanath
Recorded, mixed and mastered at
Raveolutions Studios, Bangalore

Lyrics

SHOESTRING – Missing you

Down by the rocks, on a cold Sydney morning
The waters whisper softly, but it’s a different tune I’m singing
The bridge runs across the skyline, and the Opera House below
But my heart runs across the waters, to my baby back home
Just 24 hours since I landed, still taking in wonderland
And all the time I wish aloud, she was holding my right hand
I walk in to a wayside store, 10 dollars for a calling card
And as the phone begins to ring, I can hear my heart loud and hard

Chorus
Cos I am missing you
Nobody can take your place
Yes I am missing you
Next to me is an empty space
Yes I am missing you, missing you

Dinner, a nap and a coffee later, I’m back at work again
Linda holds fort up front with her band of merry men
I go to sleep with my eyes wide open, a drone is all I hear
In it goes through one side, and then out through the other ear
I wake up from my reverie, to find my diamonds gone
Unlocked from just below my nose while the shrew looked on
I let her have her moment, mine is on its way
On a flight across the oceans, it’s just a few more days

Repeat chorus

There ain’t a thing that can cloud my skies
Nothing that can make me wonder why


Now I’m heading in to the airport, waiting to board my plane
Waiting to run in to your arms, to come back home again
Waiting to tell you ‘bout the places I saw, and the friends I made
Waiting to tell you everything, before my memories fade
To tell ‘bout the beer I drank, sitting on the harbour side
Waiting to tell you ‘bout wonderland, and my lovely ride
To tell ‘bout the good times, and those that let me down
Waiting to go back once again, with you this time around

Repeat chorus


www.shoestringtheband.com

Monday, February 12, 2007

SHOESTRING - Thirty Something - 04 - Love at first swipe



I remember my first credit card. It came a week after I landed my first job. My friends thought they deserved a treat. How could I refuse? So what if my newly opened salary account was yet to see the first sign of a salary. I had my gleaming new card. So expansively I encouraged everyone to order everything they wanted. We had a wonderful meal. All would have been well, but some weeks later, the statement arrived.

‘Love at first swipe’ is a song about the perils of plastic.


Click here to download ‘Love at first swipe’.

The above link will last 7 days. If you happen to get here after it has expired, write to me at shoestring.theband@gmail.com, and I’ll send it to you again. This song is the creation and therefore the property of Manoj Jacob. You are permitted to use it in any non-commercial way you please. Play it, enjoy it and share it with friends. Only remember to give Shoestring credit. It’s taken a lot of work to create this piece. And if you appreciate that, please respect my requests.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

If you’d like to leave some feedback, click on the comments link at the bottom of this post.To know more about Shoestring, visit
www.shoestringtheband.comCome back soon for another song from the album.

Credits – Love at first swipe

Written, composed, arranged and performed by Manoj Jacob
Vocals and guitar: Manoj Jacob
Lead guitar: Dominic D’Cruz
Bass: Abhijit Shylanath
Recorded, mixed and mastered at
Raveolutions Studios, Bangalore


Lyrics

SHOESTRING – Love at first swipe

You step out of the ATM and he’s waiting for you there
Would you like a piece of plastic sir, we’re quite willing to share
The first 3 months are interest free
And there’s never gonna be an annual fee
We ain’t asking for income proof
We trust you to be a nincompoop


Chorus
Living on a credit card
Living on the money you wish you had
Cars, bikes, a lifestyle on loan
No matter what you want to buy
It's all available on EMI
You’re paying for it, but you still can’t call it your own


In just a few minutes you’re ready to put your name on the dotted line
You’re a new man now and you can afford to take your friends out one more time
‘Cos the first 3 months are interest free
And there’s never gonna be an annual fee
So just in case you're out of bread
You can let your card do the talking instead

Repeat chorus

Bridge
It’s a ball and chain you’re carrying around
It’s gonna bring down right to the ground


Plastic’s light but can weigh you down when it’s called a credit card
It can add up and add up and one fine day hit you really hard
And when you wanna get out, it’s always too late
You’re dying everyday of interest rate
You’ve gone too far you’ve gone too fast
With a lifestyle that’s too good to last

Repeat chorus

http://www.shoestringtheband.com/

Sunday, February 04, 2007

SHOESTRING - Thirty Something - 03 - Hey Mister Cowboy



If one name will stand out in the 21st century, far beyond any other, it has to be that of George W Bush. With the blood of so many innocents on his hands, it will be hard to deny him a place next to even the mighty Adolf. Everyday the death toll in Iraq mounts. It’s either Iraqi civilians, or American troops. Yet George continues to bungle by sending more soldiers in, to carry on a war he’s never going to win. And in the bargain there’s just one thing he’s doing very well - aligning the world’s loyalties along religious lines.

Click here to download ‘Hey Mister Cowboy’.

The above link will last 7 days. If you happen to get here after it has expired, write to me at
shoestring.theband@gmail.com, and I’ll send it to you again. This song is the creation and therefore the property of Manoj Jacob. You are permitted to use it in any non-commercial way you please. Play it, enjoy it and share it with friends. Only remember to give Shoestring credit. It’s taken a lot of work to create this piece. And if you appreciate that, please respect my requests.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

If you’d like to leave some feedback, click on the comments link at the bottom of this post.To know more about Shoestring, visit
www.shoestringtheband.comCome back soon for another song from the album.

Credits – Hey Mister Cowboy

Written, composed, arranged and performed by Manoj Jacob
Vocals and guitar: Manoj Jacob
Lead guitar: Dominic D’Cruz
Bass: Abhijit Shylanath
Recorded, mixed and mastered at
Raveolutions Studios, Bangalore

Lyrics

SHOESTRING - Hey Mister Cowboy

The lord of all he surveys, the king of the land
He puts his foot in his mouth as often as he can
Sees nuclear weapons where there are none
Goes bang bang bang, it’s his type of fun

Look he says, I see a dangerous one
We can take him down, or shoot him on the run
A chemical devil, and he’s so damned insane
But he’ll dance to my tune when the bullets rain

Chorus
Hey mister cowboy can’t you see
This is for real, it ain’t no movie
Hey mister cowboy, open your eyes
And take a look around you, it’s someone else’s country


There are body bags coming home every other day
So the cowboy’s on TV and he’s got something to say
The war on terror may have claimed more men
But we ain’t gonna rest till we get Laden

Now there’s a mother standing by his gate
Asking for her kid, it’s been a helluva wait
She says this land may have a million sons
But pardon me sir, my boy’s my only one

Repeat chorus

Is a Hollywood wannabe in the white house today
Cos every word he says sounds like screenplay
Looks like he still nurses a celluloid dream
The fire ain’t dimmed, though the grass ain’t green

He says, ‘I’m gonna be on TV morning and night’
‘And I’m hoping I’ll catch Mr. Spielberg’s eye’
‘If good ol’ Ron could make it to DC’
‘Why can’t the other way round work for me?’

Repeat chorus x 2

http://www.shoestringtheband.com/