Coming soon: Download Gary O'Dea's latest digital track on GOJO’ MUSIC
Gary, a song-writer who resides in The West Midlands, UK, is respected as a live performer in the bars and clubs of Birmingham and the Black Country. His music is acoustically driven…blending together elements of blues, country, funk, soul and reggae with the passion / attitude of old school punk / rock n’ roll to produce a rocking mix of rhythms to soothe your soul in these troubled times.
A lot of O'Dea's poetry and songs convey his strong sense of social justice and the heritage and struggles of working class people. His most recent recording, Down On The Elbows of Existence was released in November 2023 and his latest track will be released this Friday.
Gary told Spaghetti Gazette "I have a new download single released on Friday via my Bandcamp page. Its the second in a series of recordings I'm doing based on and reflecting the legacy of the 'field recordings' that Alan Lomax and his father did across the 30s and 40s capturing the essence of the blues/folk songwriters. It's literally one mic, guitar and amp...and the live performance."
Down On The Elbows of Existence was inspired by a quote from the Scottish poet Robbie Burns:
"This was inspired by a visit to Edinburgh for a gig at The Wee Folk Club back in 2017 and I picked up a biography on Robbie Burns. It's a quote that Burns used to describe the poverty he saw the people suffering. I thought I'd borrow it..."
lyrics
Down On The Elbows of Existence
Down on the elbows of existence, silly me, oh yeah, silly me,
Looking for the answers in the distance, silly me, oh yeah, silly me,
‘Look Outs’ the cry and you know the reason why, you’ve been staring in the distance at the screen,
Your minds playing tricks and you’re taking all the hits won’t you roll with the punch and drop to your knees…
On the elbows of existence oh yeah, silly me, oh yeah, silly me, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah...
Down on the elbows of existence, well I can see oh yeah, I can see…
There are cracks in the wall they all need fixing, I can see, oh yeah, I can see,
Well, the kids are jumping through when they’re on their way to school, and the landlord he ain’t nowhere to be seen,
Get the kettle on the boil, wipe that frown off with a smile, won’t you get up off the elbows of existence…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah…
Down on the elbows of existence, Oscars here we are looking up at the stars,
And Robbie’s travelled far to be here with us, those seas between us, they have roared from days long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh you will find, oh yeah you will find…
There are better things ahead in the distance, you’ve gotta’ leave the past behind, yeah leave it well behind,
Don’t get down in a mess, the scope of thrift is limitless, it’s the rich that build up garbage in excess,
Darn your jeans, darn your luck and darn the rest to hell and back, won’t you get up off the elbows of existence…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah…
Down on the elbows of existence, Oscars here we are looking up at the stars,
And Robbie’s travelled far to be here with us, those seas between us, they have roared from days long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago…
Down on the elbows of existence, look in the distance…and you’ll find…a helping hand from me oh yeah.
Words and music: Gary O’Dea 2018.
Down on the elbows of existence, silly me, oh yeah, silly me,
Looking for the answers in the distance, silly me, oh yeah, silly me,
‘Look Outs’ the cry and you know the reason why, you’ve been staring in the distance at the screen,
Your minds playing tricks and you’re taking all the hits won’t you roll with the punch and drop to your knees…
On the elbows of existence oh yeah, silly me, oh yeah, silly me, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah...
Down on the elbows of existence, well I can see oh yeah, I can see…
There are cracks in the wall they all need fixing, I can see, oh yeah, I can see,
Well, the kids are jumping through when they’re on their way to school, and the landlord he ain’t nowhere to be seen,
Get the kettle on the boil, wipe that frown off with a smile, won’t you get up off the elbows of existence…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah…
Down on the elbows of existence, Oscars here we are looking up at the stars,
And Robbie’s travelled far to be here with us, those seas between us, they have roared from days long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh you will find, oh yeah you will find…
There are better things ahead in the distance, you’ve gotta’ leave the past behind, yeah leave it well behind,
Don’t get down in a mess, the scope of thrift is limitless, it’s the rich that build up garbage in excess,
Darn your jeans, darn your luck and darn the rest to hell and back, won’t you get up off the elbows of existence…
Down on the elbows of existence, oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah, silly me oh yeah…
Down on the elbows of existence, Oscars here we are looking up at the stars,
And Robbie’s travelled far to be here with us, those seas between us, they have roared from days long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago, oh my long ago…
Down on the elbows of existence, look in the distance…and you’ll find…a helping hand from me oh yeah.
Words and music: Gary O’Dea 2018.
credits
released November 16, 2023
Gary O'Dea guitar and vocals.
Recorded live on the afternoon of 4-11-23 in my little upstairs box room using a 1996 Takamine G Series acoustic guitar, a Sennheiser E8155 microphone plugged into a 50 watt Marshall Acoustic amp and recorded onto an Apple i-phone 7… a Lo-fi recording with Hi-hopes and Good intentions
Gary O'Dea guitar and vocals.
Recorded live on the afternoon of 4-11-23 in my little upstairs box room using a 1996 Takamine G Series acoustic guitar, a Sennheiser E8155 microphone plugged into a 50 watt Marshall Acoustic amp and recorded onto an Apple i-phone 7… a Lo-fi recording with Hi-hopes and Good intentions
license
Visit Gary's Band Camp site to listen to this song and buy the download for as little as a £1.
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