Forbidden Language

Robert James

This is the first idea I came up with for the 2021 RPM Challenge/FAWM and it very much sets the tone for most of what will follow. It’s too long, it is pretty much just an Eminor and a Dmajor… everything is going to sound the same this year and I am fine with it.

This started in GarageBand for iOS on my iPhone. The last bar of the bass part in the main section has a mistake in (the little chromatic thingie) that sounded better than what I was actually trying to do. I also sketched out the guitar parts in MIDI. I usually don’t do that, but I’ve done it a lot this month. I replaced those crummy MIDI guitars with real guitars, of course. It sounds pretty similar to my original noodles. Better, but similar.

The title of the song describes the lyrics… nonsense. I kinda dig the droning fuzz guitar parts. Get used to that, you’ll see more of it in the coming week or so.

All of the guitar parts are my Gibson ES-335 Pro through both a Fender Bassbreaker 15 and a Vox AC15 (all parts go through both amps. Duel mono for the win). As for pedals, the pseudo funky rhythm part used a Ryra The Klone, the drone used the Ryra into a Wren and Cuff Super Russian fuzz pedal, and the solos used the Ryra into a Wampler Plexi Drive Mini. There’s also a Dunlop Crybaby at the end. The Gary Clark, Jr signature model.

Verse 1
Can’t see it coming
No way you could know
One chance remaining
it moves so slow
I grasp at something
for something to show
It’s always moving
too far below

Verse 2
The deeper meaning
I can’t understand
Seeing’s believing
Out of your hand
Queue up the message
under all the pain
rip off the bandage
Its all the same

Chorus
Its all nonsense
All this suspense
Meant no offense
No way you could see this coming for you

Break
Hear me calling
In some forbidden language
Hear me screaming
about some disadvantage

Verse 1
Chorus
Chorus

Note: I uploaded this with the title “Nonsense” not realizing that I already had a song here with that name. Ooops.