Genesis: Bus Stop People

Cheeseburgers. I'll always think of Cheeseburgers.

It was Saturday, my self-appointed "studio day." Overcast, and dreary if you must know, but this day was mine. I'm a Dad now, which for me means I have new responsibilities. In a nutshell, my current life—for the foreseeable future— allows for ONE fully uninhibited day to work on music each week. What if I get sick? Don't matter. Chores? I'll do 'em another day.

So, I make the best of it. Brought up a new session, and began to work. Found a beat. Changed a couple things, but just kept it on loop. Started playing the guitar part amost immediately, but with a cleaner more 50's tone.

Sang the 1st line of the first verse minutes later, at least melodically. An hour after that, I was knee deep into a song that I had no idea would merit finishing. But it was fun, playful, groovy. But who knew where it was going.

Came out to visit my wife and my son, who were playing in the living room. I was hungry. It was lunch time. Ooh! Let's look at the LA Weekly's "100 things to eat in LA before you die" article.

I was in the mood for banh mi, but didn't want to do the drive. Well, how about hamburgers? We chose Comme Ça, which is supposed to be LA's best gourmet burger by MOST accounts. This made me hungry, and happy, because I've coveted that burger for a while. But, I digress...

Because... that's when "it" happened.

JUST BEFORE we left...as we were walking out the door, I said, "Hmm, I have something in my head. I'll be right back."

I quickly dialed up a simple nothing doing bass synth tone, and wrote the bass part.

OH MY. Here ....we ....GO!

Let me start by saying nothing I put here will make you understand just how happy I was. But I knew I had something.

Came back. Wrote a majority of the lyrics in two seconds flat. Got to the 2nd chorus, and the song kinda stopped. That's ok, happens all the time. Stepped back from it for an hour. Came back and wrote and performed the entire solo section around 9:30 that night.

Couple days later, got all the way through to the end chorus, and didn't know what to do. But I came up with that nintendo-like "Mario Brothers" sound which filled in some gaps and became part of the song (listen for it in the chorus and the outtro). That's when I flipped some things around, broke down the percussion and drums, and wrote the ending. And my first attempt at any vocals over this part:

"And I think I like where this is going."

Hey! Just being honest!

Oh. Yes. The Burger. Very tasty. But I'd put it 2nd best in LA, behind.........

Words & Music written by Chance ©2010 Upside Down Left Handed Music (BMI)