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Description:
I dedicate this song to the memory of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who died on August 3, 2008, at 89 years of age.
He once wrote that while an ordinary man was obliged “not to participate in lies,” artists had greater responsibilities. “It is within the power of writers and artists to do much more: to defeat the lie!”
Sigh...If only more artists even knew what the lie is...
Goodbye my brother. The world did not deserve the likes of you.
Lyrics:
LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER
I.
Well I looked over my shoulder this morning,
and what did I see?
Another security camera a-focused on me!
Ah, Big Brother wants to monitor
everything I do and say...
II.
Look over your shoulder my friends.
You know you’re never alone;
From the ubiquitous eye-in-the-sky,
to the bug in your phone!
We took our freedoms for granted;
and now we’re gonna reap what we have sown.
Yeah!
Oh...burn it down!
III.
You say: “1984...Well it came and it went.”
Yeah! You say: “1984? You know it came and it went.”
You know it seems that your response
has been scripted;
yeah! programmed,
by the authors of your “assent.”
Well, well, well,
but Orwell was right!
Yeah!
It happened
just like he said!
You KNOW that it’s true!
IV.
Hey, Big Brother,
better look over your shoulder too.
Somebody much bigger and stronger,
got His sights set on you!
He’s the Lord of history,
and He’ll judge you when your cup is full!
V.
I looked over my shoulder this morning,
dear Lord, what did I see?
Another security camera a-focused on me, yeah!
Big Brother is watching us!
He don’t want us to be free!
Don’t know about you,
...I don’t wanna be “safe,”
I wanna be FREE!
Watch out!
Hardware:
The usual...
Software:
The usual...
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Yes &mdash 08/14/08 - 03:02:24 PM
and it's happening everywhere. my town is full of them, so this song is a good way of describing them. Excellent mix on this Michael and this performance is solid. Love the guitar and instrumentation and the vocal sounds just great, regards M [ Reply to This ]
Hi Maurice! &mdash 08/15/08 - 10:46:00 AM
The place where I've worked for over twelve years has---in the last two years---become filled with them. I'm on camera nearly all the time. It's unnerving.
They say it's for our protection. It's NOT. The ultimate purpose is genuinely sinister. They're there to protect the ever-expanding state from it's "citizens" (i.e. subjects). Nuff said...
Hey, I'm glad you liked the tune my friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
You betcha, &mdash 08/14/08 - 03:12:16 PM
That certainly rocked. It is a shame we had to give up freedom to be safe, but are we? [ Reply to This ]
Hi Char... &mdash 08/15/08 - 10:52:43 AM
Thanks for listening friend!
Life under any system has it's risks, and safety is always a relative thing. I don't believe we've given up our freedoms to be safe.
To begin with, we didn't give them up at all. They were TAKEN from us. The cameras are all there so that, when we finally realize what has happened to us, resistance will be rendered futile (to quote The Borg).
What we need is to be rendered safe from the state and it's legion of brainwashing "educators." But I need to stop here.
I've said this and much more in the Forums, but it usually falls on deaf ears, as my posts quietly sink into calculated oblivion.
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
just because... &mdash 08/14/08 - 03:17:11 PM
... you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't trying to get you!
Solid hard rocker, Wark. Hot guitar solo, as I would only expect from an old rocker like you. Real a cool song.
I better get back to work... I think my boss is monitoring me secretly through the one-way screen at my computer station... yikes!
Jack [ Reply to This ]
Thanks Jack &mdash 08/15/08 - 10:59:34 AM
Funny...I did NOT set out to write another political piece. I had much of the music recorded before I got the concept and the lyrics.
Something in the spirit and perhaps the sound of the music reminded me of that old Spirit classic "1984," and off I went.
Personally, I suspect that God is using the ever-expanding state to judge the population; and that, when this is done, He will judge the state.
Humans need to be constantly reminded just Who sits on the throne of the universe.
Glad you enjoyed the tuneage bro!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Rock me tightly! &mdash 08/14/08 - 03:30:29 PM
Very sweet MW!!!
You rock on the guitar! Heck you rock everywhere else too! [ Reply to This ]
Thank you Mark! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:02:56 AM
I had a lot of fun playing the various guitar parts on this one. I just winged it on the lead solo, although I believe this one is the second take.
Thanks for listening and commenting my friend. Glad you liked it.
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Look Over Your Shoulder &mdash 08/14/08 - 03:56:24 PM
Micheal - wow - this is an intensely excellent rocker! Powerful lyrics, vocals and especially your guitar playing. You are SO good! Thanks for this - alarming and true and well said! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks Karen! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:07:32 AM
It's OK to be an alarmist when there's something to be alarmed about! Ha ha...
I appreciate the thumbs up on my guitar playing; although I must insist that I'm just a mediocre amateur who occasionally stumbles ass-backwards into something that sounds cool...
Thanks for listening and commenting friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER &mdash 08/14/08 - 04:01:33 PM
here s a coool groove a true headbangin summer of
love night blast with this wild guitar riffs ...!!
classical rockin singin and guitar and bass set
with movin crook through the rythem .what a blast
my bro ..Deepest bow !!!! [ Reply to This ]
Hello Feter! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:13:35 AM
Ha ha...You definitely have a way with words my friend!
But just what is a "movin crook"?
Glad you enjoyed the tune!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Good stuff Mike &mdash 08/14/08 - 04:45:30 PM
"We're exporting democracy, but losing it at home" - now who said that? Oh, it was me ;)
I'm with you all the way on this lyrically Mike - ideal backing for the message, and a suitably anguished vocal - good one!
Neil [ Reply to This ]
Hi'ya Neil! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:19:14 AM
Good quote, and all too true. We need to say these things while we still can.
MJ is so precious. How else could a poor bum like myself scatter these modest little "freedom seeds" all over the globe?
Glad you like the medium as well as the message my friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Mike &mdash 08/14/08 - 05:52:21 PM
Good to see a new song from you - I had a notification a few days ago... but no song! Anyway, a good solid rocker from you - some excellent guitar work and great lyrics. Production sounds really good too.
Peter [ Reply to This ]
Hi Peter! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:24:18 AM
Sorry about the previous notification...I had attempted a remix of another oldie. I've given up doing these until I can afford some better re-mastering software (like Ozone or T-Racks). Perhaps this Spring?
After doing all those stripped down and acoustic Coffee House numbers (and I'm far from through with them!) I needed to step back and do some rockers! I'm terrified that if I wait too long I'll forget how! Ha ha...
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for listening and commenting my friend!
Be well!
[ Reply to This ]
Hey Micheal &mdash 08/14/08 - 06:40:59 PM
glad you found some time. I am havin a little shortage of it myself. This is a really cool song. I am a fan of George's work Animal Farm was my favorite. 1984 scared me, I was a teenager when I read it, 1980 if I remember correctly.
This song is everything a good rock song should be. It is angst ridden and angry as well as a solid reminder of what is currently going on under our noses. The same sort of anger and angst that gave way for Rock and Folk to change the world in the 60's. I think both genres have been buried by the business of music in the past 40 years or so. It started unfolding long before 1984 as the powers that be and were didn't want a repeat of the 60's after the dust settled, and went about stifling the power of the music that changed the world and the way people think. Thank God for sites like this where this kind of song can still reach an audience.
Peace
Guy [ Reply to This ]
Thank you Guy! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:33:18 AM
You were a teenager in the 80's??? DAMN I feel old! Ha ha...
I appreciate your perceptive note my friend, and fully agree with the sentiments expressed therein!
Thanks for the thumbs up!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Thank you Guy! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:33:34 AM
You were a teenager in the 80's??? DAMN I feel old! Ha ha...
I appreciate your perceptive note my friend, and fully agree with the sentiments expressed therein!
Thanks for the thumbs up!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Ok ....... &mdash 08/15/08 - 04:37:56 PM
I was 18 lol and stoned most of the time maybe thats why it scared me lol.
A sure sign of age is repeating ones self repeating ones self repeating ones self.
Peace
Guy [ Reply to This ]
Moe, is that really you? &mdash 08/14/08 - 09:03:04 PM
hehheh, Mike, you rock, bro. This one makes me glad I'm nobody important in the government, or anywhere else in the world. I'm closing my curtains now, just in case they think I've been sitting at my computer too long to just be listening to music. I think you can do any genre of music well.. When is the opera coming out? ;-) Great rocker with a thought provoking message, and the guitar, well, you know what I was gonna say about the guitar.:-) [ Reply to This ]
oops... &mdash 08/14/08 - 09:04:08 PM
... &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:41:46 AM
Hi Roxy! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:40:39 AM
Moe? You knucklehead! ha ha...
This one is my time-out/stepping back and thinking things over avatar. (Note the contemplative expression on Curly's face...)
My "riding the Tiger" avatar is my official one, as it reflects my socio-political philosophy. The riders legs were getting chaffed so I gave him a break. He'll be back eventually.
RE the Opera. It's gonna have to wait. I still haven't finished the Coffee House concert!
Hey, thanks for listening Sis!
Be well!
[ Reply to This ]
oh yeah! &mdash 08/14/08 - 09:22:56 PM
killer rock tune micheal! touches of classic rock, touches of more eighties rock, and touches of greatness! lovin it my friend, excellent feel to it...and you even managed to add some anti-government paranoia in there too, WHILE mentioning an amazing author and one of my favorite books! well done! fav'd and downloaded!!!
age [ Reply to This ]
Good call Age! &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:46:57 AM
You noticed the touch of eighties. Originally all of the keyboard parts were Hammond organ, but that made it sound too old. So I started messing with my synth and MTron settings in order to push the sound forward in time a bit. I'm glad someone finally noticed!
Thanks for the enthusiastic thumbs up my friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
I came, I listened, and now &mdash 08/14/08 - 09:44:07 PM
I'm scared as hell.
Great Rock song mike with all the right pieces in all the right places. Fantastic mix, although I personally think you have a little too much reverb on the vocal. Like I said, it's a personal thing.
Love the message especially, and he's right, just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't watching you. The powers that be have become very crafty in their endeavor to take away our freedoms. Instead of a frontal assault, they just slowly whittle away the freedoms we have using excuses like Save the Planet, Endangered Species, Take form the Rich and Give to the Poor, and it's called Socialism, or worse.
Okay, off the soapbox for me, it's someone else's turn. But I just want to say this Mike. This song needs to be heard everywhere by everyone. It's a great song with a great message.
Kudos for courage and a fine job on a great song.
Ed [ Reply to This ]
Hey Ed... &mdash 08/15/08 - 11:54:14 AM
I'm rather partial to the ol' soapbox...It makes me look taller!
Thanks for the kind words friend. I agree fully with your comment on the govt's "excuses."
As for "courage," it's probably more stubbornness and foolishness than anything else. If the men in black were to come to my door I'd probably just faint...
I'm getting too old for this sh-t!
Be well my friend!
[ Reply to This ]
smile you're on candid camera &mdash 08/14/08 - 10:06:24 PM
Cool Mike. I really like the excellent riffs. A true 70's style classic rocker. Plus you sing with sure footed conviction.
I'm sure everyone has been tagged by now. From the supermarkets to you're shoe size. Heck even the mountain men usually are under FBI's close watching eye. Dang, they know what I said just from writing this. Come to think of it, I think they have by now catalogued this in your on going file.
[ Reply to This ]
Vicar! &mdash 08/15/08 - 12:01:51 PM
I think I liked it better when the cameras were not-so-candid...At least back then I could bask in the ILLUSION of freedom.
"Excellent riffs" is a real compliment coming from my all-time favorite MJ guitarist! Thanks man!
Glad you enjoyed the singing. The first and last parts were done in a single take. The mid-section was done in one separate take. But I'd practiced at work (and on camera!) the night before. Some of those notes were hard to reach!
Thanks for listening.
Take care my friend! [ Reply to This ]
you got it.... &mdash 08/14/08 - 11:00:15 PM
next we can start turning each other in... oops to late.
great tune. [ Reply to This ]
Ha ha... &mdash 08/15/08 - 12:04:07 PM
Great comment Patrick. Funny yet chilling!
Thanks for listening friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
hi mike &mdash 08/15/08 - 06:23:58 AM
yes this is great, where is that image from? Nice guitar and bass work here. Solid little rocker, like the concept. cheers mate. [ Reply to This ]
Hi Steve! &mdash 08/15/08 - 12:09:38 PM
The image is from George Lucas' first (and most perceptive) film: THX-1138. I thought it went well with the Orwellian theme of this tune.
Glad you liked the bass work. Frankly, I'm a tad uncertain about some of it. I had even thought about re-doing certain sections, but ran out of time. Besides, sometimes you just gotta let these things go...
Thanks for listening friend.
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
THX 1138 &mdash 08/15/08 - 09:24:37 AM
Hi Dave! &mdash 08/15/08 - 12:12:01 PM
Why yes, I imagine they will eventually.
...but I'll keep on rockin' as long as I am able!
Be well friend! [ Reply to This ]
cool &mdash 08/15/08 - 02:51:27 PM
dig the lo-fi sound and those guitars sound great. spirited vox too. great rocker, micheal. hope to hear more like this from you [ Reply to This ]
Thanks Ridd! &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:04:48 AM
Although I am gonna have to look up the meaning of the phrase "Lo-Fi." I actually haven't the foggiest notion what it means!
I do have a couple more like this in the early stages of development. Hopefully I can find the time to bring them to completion soon!
Thanks for listening and commenting friend!
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Gettin it out &mdash 08/15/08 - 05:12:08 PM
I like it, Dont know about the Yeah but its a hard one. Good music Mike excellent! [ Reply to This ]
Ha ha... &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:07:34 AM
Lotsa "Yeah's" in this one, to be sure Tim. But I felt compelled to shout something and couldn't think of anything else!
Glad you enjoyed the tune my friend!
Take care!
[ Reply to This ]
Hmmnn.... &mdash 08/16/08 - 12:08:25 PM
The "yeah's" ARE a tad redundant.
Perhaps in the remix I'll shout out "Wisconsin" instead... [ Reply to This ]
Ayn Rand and George Orwell... &mdash 08/15/08 - 09:24:26 PM
If every govt. spent as much money on improving the quality of peoples lives and building bridges with one another instead of walls as they do on trying to jockey for positions of power, as a race of human beings we might make some progress. Locks on doors don't keep out people bent on doing harm, and more security measures won't keep kamikazes from misguided missions. There will always be evil in the world. And I know it is a simplistic view, but I still believe in "The Golden Rule." Too bad govts and their detractors don't seem to see this bigger picture. Change is brought about by truly listening to each other and working on compromise. : ) And we all have a "permanent record", which we'll have to answer for at the end of our lives. : ) [ Reply to This ]
Hi'ya CJ! &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:10:05 AM
So glad you stopped by and gave this one a spin! I really appreciate your in-depth comment my friend. I gotta say I find myself in full agreement with the sentiments expressed therein.
It's good to have you back Carole.
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Hi'ya CJ! &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:10:22 AM
So glad you stopped by and gave this one a spin! I really appreciate your in-depth comment my friend. I gotta say I find myself in full agreement with the sentiments expressed therein.
It's good to have you back Carole.
Be well! [ Reply to This ]
Look Over Your Shoulder &mdash 08/16/08 - 12:11:04 PM
really good song with thoughtful lyrics. i tend to find that "political" songs tend to get bogged down on the "message," but this is incredibly well rounded. everything about it is top notch!
cheerz,
-=ez [ Reply to This ]
yep &mdash 08/16/08 - 12:35:28 PM
two &mdash 08/16/08 - 12:49:46 PM
Wark! &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:02:30 PM
They are coming to take us away, haha!
Great song man!
The guitars were rocking and the lyrics were echoing what was already in my head.
Actually, in L.A. they have "traffic light cameras" that snap your photo when you run a red light. A few weeks later, you recieve a surprise letter in the mail from the city with a parking ticket inside.
The problem is that sometimes the cameras have timing glitches and will snap the photo of your car while the light is still yellow!
So you have to pay a traffic ticket for a violation that you did not commit!
Go figure.
Cheers on a great tune.
-John [ Reply to This ]
Look Over Your Shoulder &mdash 08/16/08 - 02:39:07 PM
Really good 'Rocking Tuuune' you got going on here Michael !
' Great vocals ! Well done.
Peace Dee. [ Reply to This ]
I'll second that &mdash 08/16/08 - 11:37:23 PM
Why I'll ever third on that. Fun tune and entertaining lyrics.
So You got a flag your name too. Wave it high it's red white and blue. [ Reply to This ]
Wow! &mdash 08/18/08 - 09:26:39 AM
Hey Mike- killer track! Glad I got the chance to check this out. Sorry I haven't been around here much at all this summer. Keep rockin' my friend!! [ Reply to This ]
Great &mdash 08/19/08 - 01:00:24 PM
rockin' song and I really love this Micheal, superb guitar playing with an excellent sound from all the instruments.
Vocals are just superb and a great performance.
Bob
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Hey dude &mdash 09/02/08 - 09:25:46 PM
Just been checking out the redo by guygrooves, and i thought I'd come by and check out the original. This is a great song, with such lovely melodic touches, and those excellent lyrics. You come out with some gems, my friend, and this is one of them. Very cool. Peace. [ Reply to This ]
A lot of good &mdash 09/13/08 - 04:07:46 PM
work has gone into this one. Great song construction and choice of instruments. Excellent lyrics, vocal and musical performance too.
Enjoyed.
Cheers
Len
[ Reply to This ]
Truely GREAT song -Lyrics always !! &mdash 10/01/08 - 03:06:56 PM
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