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Hell at 30,000ft
(Jeff Wall)
I’m stuck here on this aeroplane, praying for my life
I don’t believe in Jesus, except when I have to fly
he said “Low, I am with ye”, but he said nothing about up high
I’m stuck here in this airplane and I think I’m gonna die
Yes I think I’m gonna die
This constant up and down is getting more than I can stand
I’m screaming like a little kid and I’m a full growed man
Hey there Mr Pilot, you can keep my fare
Just put my ass upon the ground I really don’t care where
Yes I really don’t care where
Maybe just a little something from that liquor cart
Whiskey, Beer or heroin, I don’t know where to start
Just a little something for my worried head
to make tomorrow easier when I wake up dead
Yes When I wake up dead
They say heavens up above the clouds and Hells deep underground
I hate to tell you people but it’s the other way around
Hells at 30 thousand feet way up in the sky
The Devil’s got his Pilots license and we’re all gonna die
Yes we’re all gonna die
If you have to travel, its safest in the air
its them unexpected landings that you really must beware
bouncing off a mountaintop or skipping cross the sea
You can watch your life pass by your eyes from 30 thousand feet
from 30 thousand feet
I’m stuck here on this aeroplane, praying for my life
I don’t talk to Jesus, except when I have to fly
I’m stuck here on this aeroplane, praying for my life
I’m stuck here in the airplane and I think I’m gonna die
Yes I think I’m gonna die
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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2. |
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The Other Side
(Jeff Wall)
It’s been raining all week and the river’s running high
my baby’s waiting for me on the other side
all the bridges are closed and I ain’t got a boat
and this damned old Chrysler, it won’t float
My baby called me up she’s been drinking whiskey
she’s been thinking about me and feeling frisky
sitting in her underwear watching the weather
if I hurry on over we can watch it together
Damned ole river why you be so mean
her love burns hotter than gasoline
I can’t swim and I can’t fly
But I got to over to the other side
I wish I had a new pair of Adidas
Let me walk on the water just like Jesus
I’d heal the sick and I’d feed the poor
Then I’d run right straight to my baby’s door
Damned ole river why you be so mean
her love burns hotter than gasoline
I can’t swim and I can’t fly
But I got to over to the other side
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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3. |
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Drinking Whiskey
(Jeff Wall)
Lost here in a strange town, sleeping on the street
I’ve had too much to drink again and not enough to eat
I’ve been drinking whisky trying to forget
I’m trying to drown a memory but it ain’t happened yet
I wake up every morning with the voices in my head
Saying it’s a pity that I didn’t wake up dead
But death is not an option to free me from my curse
Living with my guilt and shame that hurts a whole lot worse
And I’ve been drinking whisky trying to forget
I’m trying to drown a memory but it ain’t happened yet
The Lord he would forgive me, and you’d forgive me too
but then I’d have to forgive myself and that’s something I can’t do
I belong in Prison, I’ve got to do my time.
I’ve got to serve my sentence, locked up in my mind
And I’ve been drinking whisky trying to forget
I’m trying to drown a memory but it ain’t happened yet
Lost here in a strange town, sleeping on the street
I’ve had too much to drink again and not enough to eat
I’ve been drinking whisky trying to forget
I’m trying to drown a memory but it ain’t happened yet
I’m trying to drown a memory but it ain’t happened yet
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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4. |
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The Fuck Up Fairy
(Jeff Wall)
The Fuck Up Fairy, he came by and blessed me once again
He comes to see me every day he’s my only friend
Fucking up’s what I do best You can ask my wife
It’s just a special gift I have, I’ve had it all my life
If fucking up had a song, that’s the song I’d sing
If fucking up came with a crown, you know I would be king
I’m always guaranteed to say, the thing that makes you mad
I don’t know how I do it, it’s really kind of sad
I’ll always hurt your feelings, I’ll always make you cry
I’m a special kind of asshole, no matter how hard I try
If fucking up had a song, that’s the song I’d sing
If fucking up came with a crown, you know I would be king
If fucking up had a song, that’s the song I’d sing
If fucking up came with a crown, you know I would be king
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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5. |
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Erectile Dysfunction Blues
(Jeff Wall)
What goes up, must come down,
It used to be the other way around
It used to point, up at the sky
but damn if them days ain’t done gone by
I got the Can’t Get It Up No More, Erectile Dysfunction Blues
When I was young I was mighty strong
I could stay up all night long
what I did all night now takes all day
I got the balls but the bat won’t play
I got the Can’t Get It Up No More, Erectile Dysfunction Blues
I’m still a man, I still got the desire
I got me some duct tape and some baling wire
I’m gonna love you the best that I can
I hope once is enough, I can’t do it again
I got the Can’t Get It Up No More, Erectile Dysfunction Blues
Some sad day this could happen to you
So don’t forget the little pill that’s blue
No matter the cost, it’s still a deal
To get you a pecker made of railroad steel
No More of the Can’t Get It Up, Erectile Dysfunction Blues
Goodbye Can’t Get It Up Erectile Dysfunction Blues
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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6. |
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You’re making my head hurt
(Jeff Wall)
You tell me to leave, then you want me to stay
You ask me to come here then you tell me go away
Well I ain’t your yo-yo just a dancin’ on a string
This constant back and forth is a messin’ with my brain
You’re making my head hurt
You’re making my head hurt
My Head, it’s starting to hurt
You don’t clean the house, you don’t cook my meals
you don’t was my clothes baby tell me what’s the deal
You ain’t got a job, but you keep writing checks
I think I’m getting screwed and we ain’t having sex
You’re making my head hurt
You’re making my head hurt
My Head, it’s starting to hurt
You tell me you got issues I got issues of my own
I got a bunch of crazy just a crowding up my home
I know that I ain’t perfect and I know you know it too
So baby please quit talking and just tell me what to do
You’re making my head hurt
You’re making my head hurt
My Head, it’s starting to hurt
You know that I love you, in each and every way
I try to show you honey every night and every day
I made a promise to you in front of God and man
I ain’t going nowhere, I’m with you til the end, but
You’re making my head hurt
You’re making my head hurt
My Head, it’s starting to hurt
You’re making my head hurt
You’re making my head hurt
My Head, it’s starting to hurt
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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7. |
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Hurry Up and Die
(Jeff Wall)
I took a vow the day we married,
one that I meant with all my heart
Our love was gonna last forever,
you and me, til death do us part
Darling when I think about you,
I just hang my head and cry,
Wondering why it is my darling,
You won’t hurry up and die
I swore that I would always love you,
even though all you do is put me down
the only way to keep our love alive dear,
is to put you six feet in the ground
Darling when I think about you,
I just hang my head and cry,
Wondering why it is my darling,
You won’t hurry up and die
But you don’t even get the sniffles,
No you’re as healthy as a horse
It looks like I might have to shoot you,
because you know it’s a sin to divorce
Darling when I think about you,
I just hang my head and cry,
Wondering why it is my darling,
You won’t hurry up and die
Why won’t you hurry up and die
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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8. |
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Guitars and Titties
(Jeff Wall)
I was a drunkard, and I smoked that dope.
Then I found the Lord, and I let all that go.
I quit my drinking, and running around
but I still got two weaknesses, dragging me down
I guess it all started, when I was a boy
Guitars and Titties, were my favorite toys
Yes, Guitars or Titties, either would do
Either was fine, but I’d rather have two
Schoolwork and Sports, were never my thing
I loved Guitars and Titties, but they both come with strings
Guitars and Titties, Will mess up your mind
They’ll take all your money, they’ll take all your time
In Heaven I’m told, There’s no guilt there’s no shame
Your titties won’t sag, you’ll feel no more pain
Guitars will tune good, and ring like a bell
You won’t hear no banjos, let ‘em all burn in Hell
When Jesus comes down, from His Heavenly throne
to gather his children, and take us all home
I hope and I pray, that he’ll understand
how guitars and titties, bring joy to a man
Yes I think it’s all part, of the Lord’s Master Plan
He gave us Guitars and Titties to bring joy to a man
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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9. |
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Love Everybody and Don’t be a Dick
(Jeff Wall)
When Jesus comes back, He’s gonna be pissed
What the Hell’s going on, He taught us better than this
He Said to Do unto Others as you’d have them to do unto you
Not screw everybody before you get screwed
He said help out the needy, take care of the sick,
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
We’re petty and greedy always grasping for more
All we care about’s power or starting some war
Just give me what’s mine no matter the cost
Compassion is dead, Kindness is lost
But Salvation is found in this neat little trick
You have to love everybody and don’t be a dick
You’re afraid of the Muslims, You’re afraid of the Jews
You’re afraid of the Queers and the Immigrants too
When your Heart’s filled with Love You’ve got nothing to fear
Make peace with your enemies and buy them a beer
You can’t find forgiveness by throwing a brick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
There’s no need for worry, you’ll just make yourself sick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
Do the best that you can like this old big dumb hick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
Love everybody and don’t be a dick
©2016 Bigdumbhick Music
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Let me tell you about Lee Terry.
Lee Terry, as well as his wife Susan, is a highly respected musician here in Winston-Salem, NC. Our paths first crossed at an Open Mic either at The Garage or Rubber Soul, two now defunct clubs here in town. He once told me that the fist time he saw me perform, I immediately grabbed his attention, which is something not easily done. He told me he thought "I had something". (He probably was thinking of a brain injury.)
We became friends and he continued to be encouraging of my efforts. At the time, I was only playing covers, and I wasn't really gigging much. When I did book the occasional covers gig, I would often invite Lee and/or Susan to sit in with me.
In late 2015 I started trying to write songs. I had started participating in a local monthly original performance showcase put on by Steve Wishnevsky and his wife, called The Shuffle. In August of 2016 I had nine or ten original songs that I had written. I had run into Lee somewhere, we caught up and I told him about my songwriting efforts He told me to swing by the house sometime with my guitar, that he wanted to hear them.
So I showed up one day and I played him these songs. He told me "You need to record these, People need to hear these songs". Sure, I'd like to make a recording some day, if I ever get the money. "No not some day, I mean now, right here," he said. "I have a small recording rig in the basement where I record my demos, You can come come over and we can record them right here. It won't be anything fancy, but you will have your songs on a CD for when you start trying to book gigs".
Growing up in Nashville, TN. I thought I knew how a recording studio worked because all of my friends parents were musicians. The singer shows up to the studio where a bunch of shit hot musicians work. The singer sings, the musicians play, Everything is recorded live, a few months later that song is a hit on the radio. Three or four hit songs get recorded per 4 hour session, three to four sessions a day.
I knew nothing about Engineering, Producing, Mixing, or Mastering.
I went back over to Lee's house and he sat me on a stool in his basement and had me play my songs into a microphone. There was no click track. (This is an important thing to remember.) There was an attempt to record my vocals and guitar separately, but that proved to be impossible as I couldn't sing unless I was playing and when playing, I couldn't remember where I was in the song unless I was also singing it. I also play and sing really, really, really loud. My vocals and guitar ended up being recorded together onto two tracks, but with the bleedover, each track was practically identical. If I remember correctly, we did it all in two sessions, Most everything done in single takes. I did my part, and I went home. Lee told me that when he got time, he would add a little bass and drums to things to make it sound better and would call me when it was finished.
Remember that part where I said that there was no click track? I'm a sloppy guitar player, and I don't always keep the greatest time. I have been known to skip a beat or a measure and change chords too soon, I will start speeding up, I will sometimes add an extra beat or measure. With no charts and no click tracks, just using his ears and a recording of my voice and guitar, Lee Terry did the impossible, He performed magic. Using just his ears to follow along and to listen for the changes, he was able to add rock solid bass and drum rhythm to every track, but he didn't stop there. He also added electric and acoustic lead guitar, mandolin, uke, banjo-uke, and a bunch of different percussion. Lee Terry was an entire band, and a damn good band at that.
Listening to just my Vocal/Guitar track, he was able to figure out what type of drumbeat would sound best, which songs would benefit by having electric guitar, which would benefit by a banjo track. He did it all and he then called me to come get it.
...and here's where I showed my ass.
I'm not going to lie, the first time I heard it, I was excited, but I was also heart broken.There were two major flaws with this record:
1. I couldn't sing. I sound horrible. My phrasing is screwed up, as is my pitch. Hundreds if not thousands of gigs later have taught me how to sing and about phrasing, but when we recorded this CD, I knew nothing about any of that.
2. The second flaw with this record was that my vocals were buried and muddy. You could barely even hear me, (which might actually have been a blessing considering problem number 1) Lee explained this as when we recorded my Vocals and Guitar, in order to not have my guitar overwhelm everything else, it had to be turned down in the mix which resulted in my vocals also being turned down, being buried and sounding muddy. He told he he did the best he was able to do mixing it to sound the best he possibly could, and he them mentioned something about having it Mastered - remember this, because it came back to bite me in the ass.
I didn't have it Mastered because that cost money and why would I spend money I didn't have to chrome plate a turd?
Now in the very beginning of all of this Lee told me that this wasn't going to be anything fancy, we were just going to get my songs down so that I could start booking gigs. Lee didn't charge me anything for this recording, and he should have.He regularly does sessions in the area with different studios, and primarily makes his living playing music, but he did this for me, for free, as a favor. I threw him a couple of hundred bucks, but he should have charged me a couple of thousand, if not more, considering the fact that and I was a whiny, annoying pain in his ass. I was so disappointed with the final recording and there was nothing I could do about it. I'm afraid that I was an ungrateful little shit.
I figured that was as good as it could possibly ever be, so I made a couple of hundred copies and started selling them at shows.
Since that time I have recorded 4 other projects. This year I started on a book containing the lyrics to 70 of my songs and the stories behind those songs. I had started recording my live shows, as well as going through various old home recorded demos to try to put together a companion playlist of my songs to go with the book..
Some of these live recordings, and some of my demos also had an issue of muddy, sometimes buried vocals. I know a good number of professional musicians, engineers, and producers. I started asking around on Facebook about how I could fix this and I was told that this is the purpose of Mastering a record. These are the kind of things that Mastering fixes.
I was told that there are some tricks such as running things through a high pass filter to get rid of noise, I could EQ things, I could run it through a compressor, but the best and easiest thing for me to do is to pay someone else to do it. It is not something that I can grasp in an hour.
These are just some things recorded on a cell phone, or my Tascam handheld recorder. It's not like i could fuck them up, so I started trying various things and was able to improve several of my recordings a little bit. Then while trying to educate myself on how to better use Audacity, the program I was using to do these tweaks, I ran across mention of a free plug-in called the Focusrite Balancer, an Auto-EQ app. I installed it and couldn't believe how much better it made my recordings sound.
Then I remembered this record that I made with Lee Terry.
I decided to try it on those recordings. I ran everything through a High Pass filter and a Compressor, then I hit them with the Balancer. It automatically adjusted the EQ and suddenly I had the record I had originally wanted. My vocals are clear and more up front, I can hear my acoustic guitar, and I can hear everything that Lee played. The only thing that was wrong with this record was that it had never been Mastered, which Lee had told me that I needed to get done six years ago when we first made the record I wish I had listened to him. But didn't even know what he was talking about at the time.
It still hasn't been professionally Mastered, but my amateurish attempt has made a world of difference. It sounds good! It's a record I am now proud of, a record that I am excited
about.My singing still sucks, but it's a snapshot in time. These songs were all relatively new then and none had been road tested. I hadn't been gigging or really playing them publicly, I was still having to read the lyrics off a sheet in order to sing them.
I never would have been able to do this Bigdumbhick thing without the encouragement and support of Lee Terry. I am forever in his debt. I wish I hadn't been such a moody little bitch about this record.
I hope you will listen to this record, listen to the magic that Lee Terry created from a guy who couldn't sing or keep time. You can listen to it on the Bandcamp site and/or you can download it there for free. I'll try to get it uploaded to the various streaming platforms soon
bigdumbhick.bandcamp.com/album/love-everybody-remastered
released December 18, 2022
Recorded at Shabby Roads studio in Winston Salem, NC
Recording Engineer: Lee Terry
Jeff Wall - Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Lee Terry – Everything Else