Comfortably Numb
This challenge allowed me to indulge my need to protest at the state of the world and where we are headed (not that I need much encouragement). Music can be such a powerful force when it comes to getting a message across so that’s what I attempted to do.
I went a bit experimental on the recording and the video, singing and playing over a track I had made on Garageband. I learn something new every challenge!!
I really enjoyed getting this one out – I’m already overwhelmed by the diversity of responses from everyone else. So many different ways of interpreting the theme.
Anyway, I hope you like it.
Yes, I do like it. Musically, love the sound and melodic structures. Great lyric too.
Thanks Alan – great to hear that xx
Excellent lyrics in this. Well done 👏
Hey Funfair man! How’d the festival go?.
Like the way this moves mate, very hip. Some lovely chord stuff going on in there. Protest song, I’m on board brother✌️☮️🌻😁
Hi Phil, festival was most excellent – thanks for asking. Glad you like the song.
Also, thankyou Ann…there were a lot of words to fit in!
You’ve summed up how I’m thinking and feeling and seeing (in a few hundred well chosen words!) so well, needed to hear that right now. Excellent, well crafted pertinent lyric, rant / chant melody and a smooth accompaniment. Absolutely loved it! Will you be playing it live?! Lol
Thank you so much Tracy!!! Very encouraging words which are wonderful to hear.
It’s one of those songs which I have written but am not totally competent at playing (yet). I have made up a few chords and there are a lot of words to squeeze in, but, I’m hopeful that in a few weeks I will be able to have it performance ready. This is why I recorded the track separately and then performed over the top of it too – just for a bit of support. You have made my day with your comments Tracy – thank you
Yeah, lyrics summed it all up well – really clever phrasing – i like it.
Thanks Dave!
Very good song. I agree that this would be a great to hear live. It’s consistent with the type of songs you write in terms of the message you are trying to get across, and at the same time it’s entertaining.
Great song, brilliant lyrics – I enjoyed listening.
Thanks Ervin! I will keep practicing
Anne – thank you. I really appreciate it.
I enjoyed this a lot, Simon. You’ve found a great way to deliver the message. Is there any chance of adding the lyric in a comment – it’s my hearing not your diction that’s at fault!
Like Paul, I’d also like to see the full lyric and digest it. There’s so much to appreciate in there. I was getting a Billy Joel ‘We didn’t start the fire’ vibe in some of the phrasing. I also really like the ha ha ha bits. Great feel to the guitar part as well. Keep on protesting brother.
Very good song Paul. Personally I’d have preferred to hear it with just your guitar and voice. But that’s just my opinion! I agree, it would be a great live song.
Thanks everyone! I will post the lyrics up when I get back from camping. I would have played it live but I was a bit shaky on performing it – a bit of practice and I should be able to manage it.
Whenever I find time to start listening to the songs in the Challenges, I start looking for you, Simon. You have heart, flare, talent & originality. Lyrically, rhythmically, thematically… this had it all for me. Keep doing what you’re doing. Big fan here & I’ve the signed original artwork to prove it!!
Ha ha! My head is swelling – thanks Suzanne xx it means a great deal to me to hear positive words.
Here are the lyrics for those who requested them…
Comfortably Numb
You’re watching all the riots, try the latest diets, read all the reviews online before you go and buy it.
The conflicts and the wars, are coming more and more, problems mounting up like they never did before.
Profanity, indecency are both on the increase, the fighting and the feuding are never going to cease.
The politicians lie, encourage you to buy, 20,000 satellites are cluttering the sky…
Are you sure you’ve not seen this all before and it’s a comfort?
Does it cause a disturbance to your day in anyway? Ha ha ha ha
Communities are breaking, dismembered piece by piece, there’s no one you can trust at all, not even the police.
We’re messing up the youth, they’re acting all uncouth, they cannot tell the difference, the fiction from the truth.
Housing system broken, cars and roads we’re choking, where is your compassion man? Hah! You must be joking
The doctors are on strike, food prices take a hike, there’s so many injustices that’s why I’m on the mic….
You don’t care because you’ve cash enough to spare, do you deserve it? No
There’s a price for a comfortable life and you will pay, you will pay..hey, hey, hey, hey
Messages subliminal are calling migrants criminal, the centre left are powerless I’m looking to the liminal.
Economy is king, you hear the rich all sing, it’s lacking in humanity, the most important thing.
Don’t call me a consumer, I’m not a baby boomer, a yuppy or a nimby, a Gen Z or a Zoomer.
I am a human being and based on what I’m seeing, the future’s full of suffering, delusion, pain and fear…..
I believe there’s no time for us to grieve or even cry.
We’ve been deceived, we are sick we have a fever, still we try, yes we try…ha, ha, ha, ha
Love the firey fury of the almost monotone verses balanced with the gorgeously harmonic choruses. I think the band could whip up a real storm with this live and the message is clear and direct to anyone who hears it. Top job.
When I set this month’s challenge I was kind of favouring people writing songs to ‘disturb the comfortable’ Thank you for responding to this Simon. Love the stream of consciousness flow of the song, the lyrics and the melody. The arrangement was excellent but sounded slightly muted because of the way you recorded it in the background of the live performance. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Lovely verse structure and great 70’s SoCal feel to the chords and melody. Nice one Simon.
Thanks Rebecca xx
John – thank you so much. There is a backing track simply because I was not capable of playing what I had written! Thankfully I have practiced it a bit more now so I can get through it now.
Kyle – thank you very much
Wow! Really well done
Thanks Cath! Much appreciated
Nice, enjoyed that Simon.
Nice, really enjoyed that Simon.
Thanks Andy! That’s a result