All Through The Years

Episode #218: All Through The Years     (Song starts at 4:05) I’m really enjoying recording these episodes (obviously I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t). It’s my online weekly gig. The song 'All Through The Years' ( #541) was written in 2007. To be honest I haven’t thought about it too much through the years. Ha..so many songs, you get busy. Keep composing. So it’s been sitting in my purple book til now. Handwritten  in my handwriting - a code most people wouldn’t be able to decipher. Until now. Anyway, I’ve given this song a bit of a run through occasionally perhaps. I never felt comfortable with the chorus for some reason. Thought it too simple in terms of the small amount of different chords used. Now I  can see that that might actually be a strength. Tonight - and it is tonight, here in Melbourne, I set up a gentle tempo with a click track and just played and sang it through, winging parts here and there, imagining other instruments carrying sections. The outcome is: I’m pleased I’ve rediscovered 'All Through The Years'. And I’m glad I chose to record an episode about it. The song started as a ‘words first’ effort. One of my children had a bad dream, so I got up to settle her, calm her down. It’s a special time when you go back in the room as a parent, just to make sure they’ve gone to sleep again, taking care not to boot a child’s toy on the ground in the dark, you creep in watch for a moment in the moonlight, see their peaceful face as they softly breathe. You might whisper an ‘I love you / Goodnight’ and retrace your steps back out the door. On this occasion, I didn’t go straight back to bed. I went into the lounge, picked up and pen and paper and wrote the words. Then I went to bed (jumping on the piano at 2am wouldn’t have made me overly popular with anyone in our household). 6 months later, I found the lyrics, found the same mood (important) and just played through a few chords. The music seems to match the lyrics and a melody  came to me as I floated my voice over the top and away I went. It’s a magic feeling - still magic after all these years...Paul Dredge and I have just released another folkrock album, by the way. Streaming on the the usual services. River Walking. I bring it up because it’s an example of songs taken to the next stage. Arranged and recorded. So much fun. I’d like to do something with All Through The Years, now that I’ve finally recorded a demo ( didn’t take me long: 20 odd years after the song was composed. Oh well). I also mention my blog www.petepascoe.wordpress.com you can read the lyrics there and check out more of my music and art each week, including some writing about the first song on the River Walking album, Waiting. I hope you enjoy hearing a little bit about how this song came together, as I sit and demonstrate parts on the piano singing away in between the chat, Ok here we go. All through the years, ‘Rollin!’’.

Om Podcasten

Be entertained with a song and an extended chat, ranging from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and song analysis. Welcome to Song and a Chat. This is the podcast where you'll have the pleasure of listening to a new song each week - plus, you'll get to step into the shoes of a songwriter : You'll hear about the background of the song, the inspiration, how/ why the song came into being.  After the song finishes, I'll go over the lyrics and finish each episode by looking at the song from a songwriting point of view. If you just want the song and no talk, the time where the song kicks in will be in the title of each episode. Hi, my name is Pete Pascoe. I am a performer and composer - I love lyrics and I love a melody. I play piano and sing. I have a number of albums to my name.  I have written over 800 songs. Of course, not all of these songs I written will make it onto an album. As a songwriter, the first step for a new song is ( or was ) to record a demo. Often you catch something unique in this demo - something that is often not replicated in the studio cut....a certain feeling.  If you're looking to be entertained, like listening to new songs and live recordings, I hope you'll enjoy what's on offer here. I have a stack of demos from which I'm sharing one on a weekly basis. Plus I relate anecdotes about my life as a piano man, from around the time each song was written. I treat each show as a mini intimate concert - with extended chat, which ranges from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and analysis. The idea is : the song can be listened to for pleasure in its own right, or the listener may choose to also be entertained and informed by the story around the song.  I'm really enjoying recording these podcasts. Each week I look forward to getting behind the mic, setting aside my current musical and artistic projects and casting my mind back in time by focussing on a song I've composed. It's turning out to be a satisfying - and sometimes surprising - time of reflection and discovery for me.  The lyrics and the recordings take me straight back to when the song was written. Gain an insight into songwriting and listen to a series of snapshots of life of a songwriter / performer / artist.  It's a great way for me to archive a song and it's 'back story'. Music is to be shared. What point is there In having five songbooks and piles of demos gathering dust?  I welcome feedback - whether you're tuning in to enjoy music for music's sake, you enjoy finding out about the origins of songs, you're looking for tips on songwriting or perhaps you've got tips for me. Either way, I'll be learning plenty as I go along. Thanks for a having a read. Come on and join me for a listen.