Original Song: Open Road

open roadI struggled in February to get a song done, and March has also provided challenges. I finished the first rough version of Open Road with 10 days to spare, but a bunch of things transpired to make getting the final version done very tough. Still, on the evening of the 31st I did a single final vocal take and have managed to keep the run alive – even though it’s being posted to the website a couple of days late.

This song is a bit of a direction shift – much more a “rock” song than usual. I’ve always wished I could write this way but I find it very difficult. This one came together quite quickly, which I found very pleasing! The lyrics were born on a couple of weekend trips away on our motorbikes and I hastily scribbled done a few lines whenever I got the chance.

Musically, I used a Line 6 Variax guitar with some heavy phasing, flanging and fuzz; the Line 6 Variax bass to get more of that Gibson tone; and Garageband for the drums and keys. I really wanted to get a kind of relentless feel to it with the strong rhythm and repeated guitar pattern to simulate that feel of hours on the road.

Open Road
© 2014 Chuck Smeeton

Ribbons of dirt
Beyond the tar
Unrefined surface
Never too far

Random path
Between two points
Unsealed road
Never disappoints

(Chorus)
Open road
Open sky
Left the city
Far behind

Isolation
On the road
Another timely
Episode

Endless Line
On an endless map
Take a chance
It’s not a trap

(Chorus)

(Bridge)
Drops on the visor
Rutted track
Never stopped us
Won’t look back

Passing farms
The smell of smoke
Strangers in the
World of country folk

About the original songs
In January 2012 I commenced a goal of trying to write and record at least one song from scratch each month – sometimes it comes easily, sometimes it’s a real challenge, but I love the discipline it creates. I managed to complete the year, but it was so much fun that I’ve decided to keep it rolling for as long as I can.

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