Simple yet interesting play on this good old tune. Enjoyed.
 
Peace and Blessings, John

Hi Mike, this is a definite improvement. I like it. Guitar sounds much nicer and the bass is a very nice addition. Please don't add drums ; )  Good vocals , suits the song.
 
Rik

Hi Mike, I think you're right, the bass is a lot more noticeable in this version and it has its own space now.
I kind of feel it's also given the song an older worldy kind of feel, if that makes sense. It suits the cowboy theme I think.
I can't go back and a/b the other version, but that might be an option for you, to see if you feel like you've made an improvement.
I do like the song as is, I'm not sure it needs drums either, but who knows until you've tried it.

Wow, thanks to all of you for taking the time.
 
Hi Rebel and Rikkie, the reason I want to experiment with drums is that I've been trying to learn to drums for the past couple of years, so I can appreciate the idea that it seems like I am forcing them upon a song that doesn't need them. :-) I doubt I'll be able to make them seem like helpful addition. :-)
 
Hi Geoff, The effect is just reverb on a "plate" setting in Phoenix. It featured a low cut built in to the effect and I also had a lo-cut on EQ just before the reverb on the reverb bus. The guitar is an inexpensive Simon and Patrick spruce top Dreadnought that I "plink" on. My guess is that the reason it doesn't sound normal is that I had it was extremely close mic'ed with a figure 8 pattern (this has a huge proximity bass bass effect). I change the strings on that guitar once every few years whether it needs it or not so it usually has a muted and boxy tone. I also played with a 3 finger strumming, homeboy on the porch, technique which results a totally different sound than the bright and articulate flat picking most people get good at.
 Jeff Evans mentioned a technique of mic'ing singing guitarists with a pair of figure 8's and I have been experimenting with that since I read it. I have been enjoying the sound of extreme separation that you can get with that technique. You aim the null of each mic at the stuff you don't want to pick up. It's just those two mics and a bass direct line overdub. I think a big part of the tone is from the super cheap tube mics and the fact that the electronic circuit design in them is not a good match for the capsule design so on paper those particular mics produce a lot of harmonic distortion. When I rebuild them with a circuit matched to the capsules they will have far less distortion. I hope I don't miss the character they have now. :-)
 
 
Hi Bapu,
 "Berry berry relaxitive McQ."
considering that my last song posting put you too sleep...  :-)
 
Anyways... thanks again to everyone for taking the time to listen and post comments.
 
best regards,
mike
 

I don't know if you like this idea... but I kinda get a picture of tapping out a tempo on a table... recorded... you could extract the midi from the table tap and fade from the table tapping to the drums and back.
 
:-)
 
Prob too goofy for this song but it came to mind.

Mike, this is awesome my friend!! Love your voice. Tons of feeling!
 

Good job Mike.  The first time I have heard you sing and play.  
I like it!  The guitar sound is not warm and for this song it should be.  Has a boxy sound and does not merge with your vocal as well as it could IMO.  Love the song.  Keep posting!
 
Jimmy
 

Thanks Tony,
 I'm glad you liked it and commented on the "feel". I think that's the aspect of this recording that made me want to save it.
 
Hi Jimmy,
 Thanks very much for making a detailed suggestion. I think the sound of the guitar may be regrettable but it's fairly accurate representation of the lazy plinking style I was hitting the strings with. My thoughts were focused on the singing and the guitar was just a rhythm box in this context. I haven't been playing guitar much this past year because I've been spending time learning the trap kit. The idea of using the figure 8 pattern is to get enough separation so that you can replace the guitar or vocal. Maybe I'll take a run at playing the guitar on an overdub. I suspect it will undermine the "feel" but maybe I can pull it off.
 
best regards,
mike
 

Hey mike. I've never heard the original, but I sure like this. Played and sung well. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard the line..."It first led to drinking, and then to card playing, I'm shot in the breast, and I'm dying today". Thanks for sharing this!   Jim

I like the intimate feel this song has with just the guitar and the vocal.  Like Jimmy, I thought it had a little bit of a boxy tone to the overall recording and my head wanted to hear it a little warmer.  If you wear to add some percussion, I would experiment very sparsely.  Maybe just tapping lightly a cymbal on the last chorus to add a slight change to the song. I am thinking just barely noticeable.  I don't notice any boominess on my system. 
 
I haven't heard you sing much Mike, but what I have heard I like.