• From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Topic: How I Do It

Just a song about playing to relax.

How I Do It By Jeff Gilpin


July 25th, 2007




Intro


[E] for 4 beats strummed or picked




Verse 1


[E]Sitting on the back porch


[ ]Night's just about here


[ ]Thinking what’s to do


That I haven’t [Amaj7]done


I [E]know there must be


[ ]Something that I’m missing


But I [G]forget it all [D]


As I begin to [E]strum




Verse 2


[E]I’ll play until my


[ ]My fingers get too tinder


[ ]Usually it’s enough


To relax my [Amaj7]mind


[E]Sometimes I’ll press on


[ ]When it’s truly needed


I’ll [G]play way too [D]late


And forget the [E]time




Chorus


[Amaj7]That’s how I do it


That’s how I [E]cope


It [Amaj7]helps keep me honest


[]And so I don’t [E]mope


[Amaj7]No heavy drinking


To numb my [E]brain


[D]I use my gui[Amaj7]tar


To keep me [E]sane





Verse 3


I [E]don’t need to write


[ ]But sometime I will


[ ]Need to get it off my chest


So I won’t feel so [Amaj7]blue


[E]Usually I’ll just play


[ ]Just for the joy I feel


Or [G]sometimes I [D]play


'Cause it's []the right thing to inlcn class="bracket">[E]do




Verse 4


[E]As I play it’s like


[ ]My mind’s suddenly clear


[ ]To take what I’m playing


And wrap it around [Amaj7]me


It’ll[E]file all my worries


[ ]For getting back to later


While [G]soothing away my [D]tension


And letting my mind be [E]free




Chorus


[Amaj7]That’s how I do it


That’s how I [E]cope


It [Amaj7]helps keeps me honest


And so I don’t [E]mope


[Amaj7]No heavy drinking


To numb my [E]brain


[D]I use my gui[Amaj7]tar


To help keep me [E]sane




Outro


[D] [Amaj7] [E]



J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website

  • Registered: 2007-03-11
  • Posts: 34

Re: How I Do It

OMFG this is guddie stuff jeff! LOL
:]
i have written heaps lately... but itss too personal to put on...
cyazzz.xx

s2-emma.xx's Website

  • From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Re: How I Do It

Thanks Emma - I understand about your songs. I'm sure they are great

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website

  • Registered: 2007-05-23
  • Posts: 43

Re: How I Do It

Interesting.

First time I tried playing sth. I have never heard before. Although I have no idea how you think how this should be played, you get some idea from the lyrics and the title, insert your own experiences with the theme and there you go.

Thanks for sharing.

  • From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Re: How I Do It

I know what you mean. With the E chord only over most of the verse it kind of leaves a lot up to the mind but there is power in that. I recommend playing the music and see how you think the words go in your head. That usually works with me on songs that are not as filled music like this one.

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website

  • arkady
  • arkady
  • ambient moderator
  • Offline
  • From: England
  • Registered: 2006-11-23
  • Posts: 2,147

Re: How I Do It

Hi jets60

Its a nice song. I like the chord change E to Amaj7 gives a sort of laid back feel.

Regards
ark

  • Registered: 2007-05-23
  • Posts: 43

Re: How I Do It

Got ya...


That E -> AMaj7 change is beautiful. Makes for nice mellow sort of atmosphere. I catch myself going somewhere else than to G after that D, though, if you don't mind me saying. I guess that's because the lyrics take me to a slightly different place than you smile

You certainly have my respect!!!

  • From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Re: How I Do It

Thanks very much - that's the great thing about songs on the SW forum. The different interpretations gives a little of yourself to the song which I like. The highest compliment I can get from my fellow songwriters on this forum is for someone to take my song and finding a new twist to it. It might lead to another song altogether, who knows.

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website