Submitted by charliehiphop on Mon, 2007-09-17 17:25
This one is adventurous for me. It takes me out of my element on a lot of levels.
Lyrically, it's a hat tip to the dirty old bluesmen of yore, sort of a "Good Mornin' Little Schoolgirl" thing. It's supposed to sound sinister, and it does! I ain't apologizin' for my highly functional man tool, a'ight!
Musically, there's a lot going on here. It forced me to play in ways I hadn't played. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Sat, 2007-11-03 13:56
While my wife went to the post office, I recorded and mixed in the vocals. Turned out well. Enjoy, even though the mp3 format takes *a lot* away from this particular song. It sounds amazing in full audio! This is HippyHop™ -- accept no imitations. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Thu, 2008-01-17 12:04
This was just an experiment to see if I could get multiple MIDI and audio channels playing through different programs and synced under JACK. The experiment succeeded. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Wed, 2009-03-18 18:32
This mix is strictly for the hi-fidelity first class travelin' section. If your sound system is not fat enough for it, don't blame me. Download it right now! Don't be stupid.
Inspired by bagpipes on St. Patty's Day, believe it or not.
If you think this is pretty fly, wait 'til you hear the extended club mix; you know, the one where I excise only the choice vocals and loop them in carefully. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Wed, 2009-04-08 19:07
This was a total mess-up (last time I released one of these, "Free Key Stylin'," it got downloaded thousands of times -- go figure) so I threw it in the free bin. Some wires got crossed somewhere. The tracks all bled into each other. It's supposed to have this totally funky beat that ended up sounding like the drummer needed to go to the emergency room to have his stomach pumped. The guitar tracks got all syncopated and the effects didn't come out the way they sounded in the mixer.
Not sure if I love it or hate it. This should be called "Don't get too fancy 'cause you'll ruin something that's totally straightforward," but it's actually an instrumental version of the song "Rocker."
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2009-05-15 12:50
You'll be glad you did!
[Note to old "fans" -- This is a new version of the song, recorded 5-14-2009. The song's actually more relevant now than it was when I wrote it all those years ago.]
This is a song I sing to myself when I feel down. It helps me feel better. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2009-05-22 21:59
This is one of only a handful of songs that I wrote as a teenager that I still remember by heart. I wish I had taken my own advice more often! It's a lot more meaningful to me now. Thanks, 18-year-old CharlieHipHop! Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Sun, 2009-10-11 14:32
Stupid, arrogant assholes in your life got you down? Crank this up and turn that frown upside down! This is a rough draft. Look forward to more polished versions.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Thu, 2010-02-18 22:47
My neighbor Tony died sometime in the past few days. He was a man about the neighborhood. Everybody knew him and liked him. Even so, he died so alone that the cops had to bust down his door to confirm it.
This isn't really a song, just a spontaneous chant for Tony, a guy who might not have realized how many people will miss him.
Tony had started cancer treatment a month or two ago so this wasn't a big surprise. He didn't seem sick last time I talked to him, just a little bummed about the prospect of chemo and radiation treatment. Lot of good it did him. Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2010-04-23 12:37
Been a while since I've played "Hey Obama" so I kinda messed it up. If you listen long enough, you'll get a decent version of "Message from the Working Class."
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2010-06-18 12:27
This was a good exercise in old-school acoustic. The guitar wasn't plugged in so I had to modulate by moving away from the mic when I wanted to play or sing louder. It was fun. Seemed to go over OK.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2010-07-30 12:23
Two songs -- set the mic level too high (on the recorder -- didn't sound like that in the room, just very loud) and clipped the hell out of it but oh well -- take what you can get, right? You you know you do...
The first song is called "So Long." Been workin' on it for five years. Almost done. :)
--------------------------
Do yourself a favor and learn to play the guitar. (affiliate link) Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Wed, 2010-08-04 19:32
This one is going to be a major international hit within five minutes of my hitting the "Post" button.
DJ's, have fun, just gimme some props, 'K?
I did nothing to this but chop a few seconds off the end. It's as raw as you're gonna get from me without having me in your studio.
Technology and "progress" can be so ironic; thanks to technology and a constant barrage of immoral entertainment, finding a lover is easy, but finding love -- real, easy, healthy, pure love -- is getting harder and harder. That's what the song's about.
-------------------------- Read it all
Submitted by charliehiphop on Mon, 2010-08-16 19:48
(Alternate title: "Choose to Be Happy")
I always hated that positive affirmation shit. Always seemed self-indulgent and inherently... wimpy. Now I see that it is self-indulgent but that it's OK to indulge yourself in love, health, happiness and all that good stuff. Still, when I try to say the affirmations, it just seems weak and silly (not in a good way). Somehow singing it makes it more believable and stronger.
Cut the first part out because it was just too long. Maybe release it sometime... so, ya' know, check back and get all the good stuff.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2010-10-08 09:23
Well, that was fun! Had to start the show last night (luck of the draw). Only a lucky few people got to experience it and they weren't even drunk yet.
I think I did a pretty good job of warming them up.
This is not my song, and I have, regrettably, lost touch with its author. Steve, if you're out there, hit me up... even if it's just to sue me for all $14 I have.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2011-05-13 09:28
This is the very first recording of this -- haven't even done it in the bathroom yet. Still forming out of the clouds of cosmic dust from whence these really good songs emerge, but it's a good 'un.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Fri, 2011-07-29 15:44
I put this beat together in about five minutes using canned loops. Next time I'll be more disciplined about the vocal track. You won't want to miss it.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Mon, 2011-12-19 22:58
I frickin' hate commercial software!!! They make you pay for everything and it's not as good as FOSS stuff, at least in the audio world. Anyway, the song is good...
Logic is a total fucking waste of money! Do yourself a favor and donate $50 to Ardour or your favorite open-source audio project.
Submitted by charliehiphop on Wed, 2012-01-04 22:14
Didn't write or record much last year so I'm hoping to do a lot of that this year. This is the first new song of 2012. First time I've played it through so of course it's a bit shaky. Whaddaya want for nothin'!