• From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Topic: "Slave to Addiction"

This song is very different from my usual ones and it is all Kenny Peters (KAP54) fault. After playing his "Cast Off By The City Lights" and being very impressed with it I thought I would have probably used a different melody so, as you do, I picked up my guitar. Before I knew it I had completly re-written the music. I then realised that I had a big problem - I had music I liked but I had no lyrics. The tone of the piece meant that I needed a similar theme to Kenny's which is not my usual style and I wanted hard hitting lyrics to get the message across. So I owe Kenny a big thank you for this song.

However although I liked the result, because it is an emotive subject and a new direction for me, I sent a first-take copy and the lyrics to three wordsmiths whose work I admire to ask their opinion. Helpful suggestions were made, but after much thinking and trying ideas out, I ended changing just a couple of words as I could not alter the lyrics without changing the message I was attemping to put over. So another big thank you is owed to those three also.

This is such a change from my usual stuff that I would appreciate an honest opinion.

As usual it is on MySpace for you to hear: http://www.myspace.com/rogerguppy

For the non-Brits "dole" is the slang for unemployment benefit and "quid" is slang for an English pound.

Thank you,

Roger

Slave to Addictionby Roger Guppy


Intro:


[Cmaj7][Fmaj7][Em][G]


.


.


Verse 1:




[Cmaj7]In a dirty and [Fmaj7]foul place he lurks,


[Cmaj7]He is trembling and [Fmaj7]seems in a trance,


[Em]He is not the [F]boy his parents once [G]knew; [G]


[Cmaj7]Around his mouth are festering [Fmaj7]scabs and sores,


[Cmaj7]They mean nought to him, he [Fmaj7]just wants is his dole,


[Em]So he can go out and [F]buy his next bag of [G]glue. [G]


.


.


Pre-Chorus:




[F]He was bright and [G]happy once,


[C]Sporting and musical [Am]too,


[F]High finance [G]was his [C]expectation;[G]


[F]He cannot tell how [G]this came to be


[C]How he has no life at [Am]all,


[F]He is just a [G]slave to his [C]addiction. [G]


.


.


Chorus:




[F]Why do some kids [G]take this path?


[Am]Can they not see it's a slippery [F]slope,


[Am]Their only pleasure in [G]life their next [C]high; [G]


[F]They fool themselves that any[G]time they can stop,


[Am]But just one more hit can do no [F]harm,


[Am]And that is the [G]time that they just [C]die. [C]



.


.


Verse 2:




[Cmaj7]Every night she's at the [Fmaj7]same corner,


[Cmaj7]Under a street light for all to [Fmaj7]see,


[Em]A pretty, young girl who [F]uses many [G]names; [G]


[Cmaj7]She sells herself for [Fmaj7]just a few quid,


[Cmaj7]To anyone who [Fmaj7]has enough cash,


[Em]Just to be able to [F]put junk into her [G]veins. [G]


.


.


Pre-Chorus:




[F]She was bright and [G]happy once,


[C]Clever and witty [Am]too,


[F]University [G]was her [C]expectation; [G]


[F]She cannot tell how [G]this came to be


[C]How she has no life at [Am]all,


[F]She is just a [G]slave to her [C]addiction. [G]


.


.


Chorus:




[F]Why do some kids [G]take this path?


[Am]Can they not see it's a slippery [F]slope,


[Am]Their only pleasure in [G]life their next [C]high; [G]


[F]They fool themselves that any[G]time they can stop,


[Am]But just one more hit can do no [F]harm,


[Am]And that is the [G]time that they just [C]die. [G]


[Am]That is the [G]time that they [C]just lay down and [C]die.



"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • KAP54
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: London Ontario Canada
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,746

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Bravo Roger. smile
WOW...A very moving piece with solid truthful lyrics.Awesome title and very well sung. I really liked the way you did the chorus effects and background vocals. I also liked your use of Cmaj7 and Fmaj7.It really fits well and gives it a nice nice flow.Was that an Autoharp I heard in there?
For your first foray into this style of writing I think you did an excellent job of portraying what life would be like having a drug addiction and the unanswered question of how one got to that point.
Hopefully this will be heard by someone heading down this path and will make a difference in their life to not pick this road.

Kudos to you Sir smile Very Well Done

I am very touched that my song inspired your song as that is what I envision Chordie to be about.
Lyrics put down on paper that inspire others to write about that subject or to even think about what was written, is one of the highest forms of flattery to me.

Thank You Sir
Kenny smile

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hi Kenny,

Thank you for your kind words.

I used, for the first time, the free Audacity software on this song and was able to lay down 4 instrument and 4 vocal tracks. As your sharp ears picked up I did use my newly aquired Autoharp to enhance the chorus, although it will take me some time, if ever, to be as proficient as James with it.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Very tough subject matter, Roger.  And you have grappled with it very well.  The autoharp adds a very ethereal sound to the chorus - I like it.

The Audacity software seems to be the perfect tool for somebody who loves to layer the tracks.  Very haunting song and a very crisp recording.  James

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • dino48
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hi roger,aVery powerfull song, I really like the chords you have used. It would be nice too see something like this go public too send a message to people out there.                             dino

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • arkady
  • arkady
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  • From: England
  • Registered: 2006-11-23
  • Posts: 2,147

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hey Roger
This is good. I hear a real improvement in your recording on this song. Sounds like you got 3 tracks on go there well balanced nice touch the harmony too.
Subject is hard hitting and lyrics well written and fitted well.
All in all a good one.
Ark

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Thank you James, Dino and Ark.

James, I only discoverd the haunting tones of the autoharp when you started recording and I found a rather old one (70's I believe) at a reasonable price, so I had to have it.

Dino, I am pleased you think that my song puts the message over.

Ark, I have been using a Tascam 4 track which records to audio cassette, but as it is 4 mono tracks in reality had only two sterio tracks to work with and re-recording on to tape meant loss of audio quality. I have had Audacity on my PC for ages and now wish I had started using it long ago.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: derbyshire
  • Registered: 2007-05-17
  • Posts: 2,844

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

hi roger everywhere you hear of kids going down this road,its probably because society has failed them ,there's nothing for the next generation to look forward to ,there does'nt seem to be any incentive to encourage kids to work or create a livelyhood for themselves,if parents did'nt encourage their kids what would be left,that was a brilliant recording ,well done....stay cool

love is life ,life is for love,keep a true heart and live life to the full....stay cool

daddycool's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Roger very hard hitting lyrics well done and the message I hope gets to someone who is thinking about traveling this road of destruction before its to late excelent effort smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,709

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

roger,
jesus is that hard hitting or what? you certainly arent pulling any punches.

tell it like it is, spaced out, drug crazed [i almost said kids] people... are a curse and a danger to themselves and those around them, *there are none as blind as those who will not see* as you say in the song they all have this mistaken impression that they can stop whenever they want...

great song roger, a hard hitting story well told

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Phill Williams's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hi Roger,
This, in my opinion, is your best one yet! I recently read a story about a US Marine who was photographed carring a small Iraqi child out of harms way during a war conflict. The guy was injured and subsequently sent home a highly heralded hero. He quickly became a recluse, alienated himself from his wife, their two young children, all of his veteran friends, and ended up passing away from huffing paint. Your song makes me think of this particular situation and how dangerous 'just one hit' can be. Life isn't always sunshine and flowers, sometimes it's the exact opposite, metaphorically speaking, and you have captured the dark side amazingly. Thanks for sharing.

Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L

Give everything but up.
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hi Daddycool, Russell, Phill and Toney,

Thank you. I am somewhat overwhelmed by your comments and immensely pleased that you liked it. It was harder work than usual, doing things the wrong way round, having to put words to music and writing about a completely alien theme, cause it sure ain't a love song. Perhaps I should try it more often smile.

Again a big thank you to Kenny and my three secret advisors.

Thank you,

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: "Slave to Addiction"

Hi Roger,

As you know id seen the lyrics to this song before posting. The melody to it is sensitive and beautifully recorded.

This kind of problem needs "In your face lyrics"

So very well done Sir.

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !