Fortunate Guy

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bjornpdx
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2017/12/09 07:07:58 (permalink)

Fortunate Guy



I don't sing very well so I didn't even try in this song. The vocal is more regular speech than singing but I thought it came out okay anyway. The lyrics are inspired by events I've witnessed.
Thanks for listening.

Fortunate Guy

https://soundcloud.com/or...tunate-guy                       

Gotta say I'm a fortunate guy
Things are just fine as can be
I walk down the street in any old town
and nobody stares at me

No one takes notice when I sit myself down        
Down at the local cafe
I never hear any whispering  
No one turns their head my way                           
                    
I go explore the great outdoors              
I go out there all on my own
I don't feel the need to be careful
when I'm out walking alone

But you say it's different for you            
You say it's not like that at all
You're telling me to open my eyes and
live your life for a while        

So I took the time to  walk a mile in your shoes    
To see what it's like for you            
I looked around and I could see            
A world  turned against me

Well that friendly face at the corner store         
He didn't smile at me  no more
Security cop at the  pharmacy   was
Keeping an eye on me

And people backed away from an elevator ride     
when they saw me standing inside                
some people talked when I crossed the street
abusive words aimed at me

I should have known what it's like for you        
should have known because you see
Those people out there who treat you so bad  
well, one of them was me

Gotta say I'm a fortunate guy            
Believe me I ain't proud
Shouldn't it be the same for you
That's what it's all about
 
equality for all mankind is                                
rejected by  narrow minds
Gonna have to change that point of view  
Gotta  walk in another man's shoes

If I took the time to  walk a mile in your shoes     
See what it's like for you
I'd look around and what I'd see
Is a world that's turned against me   




























Bjorn
soundcloud.com/orygun
www.bjornfredrickson.com
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#1

15 Replies Related Threads

    biodiode
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/09 07:47:50 (permalink)
    Nice song Bjorn, has a Paul Simon vibe to this the way it is sung/said. Enjoyed the listen.

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    #2
    Serious_Noize!
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/09 22:07:07 (permalink)
    Enjoyed hearing this one Bjorn. I know you said you were mostly just speaking, but honestly, your voice sounds like the artist "Beck", and I mean that in a good way. 
     
    I'm no singer, that's for sure, but I enjoyed hearing this one. 
     
    Lately I have been into finger picking the guitar, I played a little along with this song and enjoyed doing that very much, if you ever want to do a spin off of this with just your voice and a finger picking guitar let me know, I can try, I'm no pro by no means, but it was really fun to listen to and play along with. 
     
    Really good stuff Bjorn!
     
    Happy Holidays!
     
    Bobby
     

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    dougk1824
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/10 17:16:45 (permalink)
    I enjoyed it - you mentioned that you don't sing very well - the vocal style made me think of Leonard Cohen - so I thought it worked.  Nice job on the lyrics.
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    Fizzy Pickle
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/11 17:20:45 (permalink)
    Merry Xmas Bjorn
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    bjornpdx
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/11 20:32:02 (permalink)
    Adrian and Dougk
    Thanks, I appreciate the comments.
     
    Bobby, I'll think about your offer. Really.  Thanks for listening.

    Merry Xmas to you too Fizzy.



    Bjorn
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    Serious_Noize!
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/12 01:01:08 (permalink)
    bjornpdx
    Adrian and Dougk
    Thanks, I appreciate the comments.

    Bobby, I'll think about your offer. Really.  Thanks for listening.

    Merry Xmas to you too Fizzy.






    Thank you, apologies if I come across the wrong way. I've been working on learning how to fingerpick the guitar and I'm just trying to figure out my musical direction I guess you might could say. I went from strumming, to hard rock to fingerpicking. Not sure if that makes sense or not. But I meant no disrespect, it sound great AS IS!!!! 
     
    Happy Holidays!
     
    Bobby
     

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    String Jammer
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/13 00:05:10 (permalink)
    Lovely song. Merry Christmas!
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    bjornpdx
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/13 07:53:14 (permalink)
    Bobby
    No offense taken. Actually I'm not seeing anything to get offended by so no worries.
     
    Thank you String Jammer.  Merry Christmas to you too.

    Bjorn
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    daryl1968
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/13 08:46:33 (permalink)
    bjornpdx


    I don't sing very well so I didn't even try in this song. The vocal is more regular speech than singing but I thought it came out okay anyway. The lyrics are inspired by events I've witnessed.
    Thanks for listening.

    Fortunate Guy

    https://soundcloud.com/or...tunate-guy                       

    Gotta say I'm a fortunate guy
    Things are just fine as can be
    I walk down the street in any old town
    and nobody stares at me

    No one takes notice when I sit myself down        
    Down at the local cafe
    I never hear any whispering  
    No one turns their head my way                           
                       
    I go explore the great outdoors              
    I go out there all on my own
    I don't feel the need to be careful
    when I'm out walking alone

    But you say it's different for you            
    You say it's not like that at all
    You're telling me to open my eyes and
    live your life for a while        

    So I took the time to  walk a mile in your shoes    
    To see what it's like for you            
    I looked around and I could see            
    A world  turned against me

    Well that friendly face at the corner store         
    He didn't smile at me  no more
    Security cop at the  pharmacy   was
    Keeping an eye on me

    And people backed away from an elevator ride     
    when they saw me standing inside                
    some people talked when I crossed the street
    abusive words aimed at me

    I should have known what it's like for you        
    should have known because you see
    Those people out there who treat you so bad  
    well, one of them was me

    Gotta say I'm a fortunate guy            
    Believe me I ain't proud
    Shouldn't it be the same for you
    That's what it's all about

    equality for all mankind is                                
    rejected by  narrow minds
    Gonna have to change that point of view  
    Gotta  walk in another man's shoes

    If I took the time to  walk a mile in your shoes     
    See what it's like for you
    I'd look around and what I'd see
    Is a world that's turned against me   





























    Great lyrics and subject matter Bjorn. I like the way you have chosen to say it too.
    #10
    ABull
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/14 22:50:31 (permalink)
    Hey Bjorn, gotta say this didn't resonate with me in it didn't have much of a lyrical or musical hook.  Also, in songs like this it's better to let the narrative put across the theme of the song through the storytelling.  (Think "Coward of the County" - Kenny Rogers type songs.)  The song breaks down into cant for me when you leave the narrative and begin a set of cliches about equality, 'walking in another's shoes' and such.  The recording sounds good.  -- Allan
     
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    bjornpdx
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/15 05:36:26 (permalink)

    Thanks Daryl. And thanks for reposting.

    Allan, somebody not on this forum told me almost the same thing (except they liked the melodic parts). Yeah, there is a bit of preachiness there at the end which I had not intended but I can see it coming across that way after the narrative ends. Thanks for the comment.

    Bjorn
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    Wookiee
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/15 19:05:25 (permalink)
    Nicely done Bjorn, sounds OK here and the vocal style works. 

    Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
    Karma has a way of finding its own way home.
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    Freddy J
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/15 19:20:27 (permalink)
    Hey Bjorn, I think your vocal style is perfect for the folksy style of this song.  The music, lyrics and vocal all blend together to make a very enjoyable and poignant song.
     
    Nice one!
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    bjornpdx
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/26 17:37:59 (permalink)
    Wookie and Freddy
    Thanks for the comments

    Seems like the only reason I write songs is so I can post them on this forum.
    And it seems the only music I listen to with purpose is here.  Gonna hate to see the day it shuts down.



    Bjorn
    soundcloud.com/orygun
    www.bjornfredrickson.com
    https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/BjornFredrickson
     
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    thepogue
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    Re: Fortunate Guy 2017/12/28 16:30:27 (permalink)
    nice little project here and I see where you were heading and i think with a very few tweaks your get more mileage...here's two smallish ideas... 1) change the phrasing just a tad so the last line in any particular verse lags behind the picking...just to make it stand out a bit and add a bit of accentuation. Also starting at "So I took the time to walk a mile...." if you could add some bvox (word for word) way in the back that would really help that section and the tune overall...I'm hearing vox like America's "Horse with no name" type...smooth, multi layered and pushed way in the back. Now I know you stated that you dot sing well...but multi layers, pushed back and in that style they are for texture more than anything and I think you could do it no problem.
     
    Cool tune for sure!
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