FAWM: "Walking In Portobello"

Walking In Portobello

2 weeks ago by @hornesgiftshop

Walking In Portobello

hornesgiftshop

00:00

Liner Notes

No one seems to have fired the #pachelbel cannon this year. I think of it as the "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" chords, which I'm not sure is quite right. Anyway I'm one of the fools, I like this song, and I mean it, hence the heartfelt #acousticonetake

I live in Portobello, before that Whitby, and I grew up in Cleethorpes. The sea is in my blood. It's in yours too. That's basically what blood is for land animals. Why oh why did we evolve to drink fresh water?

Edinburgh FAWMers, I know it's pushing it calling the hills of Fife 'mountains'.

Lyrics

1.
Walking in Portobello at midnight
Mountains over the water
in the moonlight
Ships are waiting, jets overhead
You saying what you just said

Gmaj7, Em, Am, D7 x4

Last night's fires still burning
Better watch your feet
This and you inspire me
Any day of the week

Em/G, E/Ab, Am, C7/Bb
F, F#dim, G, Bb, D7

2.
Give me this place
Over any other
Give me your face
With mine in the mirror
Give us this
Even if it's complicated

Gmaj7, Em, Am, D7 x4

(instrumental should go here, using the verse chords)

The northern lights don't shine
Like they do in photographs
I'm yours, you're mine
This is what we have

Em/G, E/Ab, Am, C7/Bb
F, F#dim, G, Bb, D7

middle:
Snowdrops are out now
All the rest to follow
Don't worry about tomorrow today

Gm, D/F#, Dm/F, Asus4, D7

(Go straight into the verse here)

3.
Walking in Portobello at midnight
It's a privilege and it's a right
If this was summer
We'd keep walking till the daylight

Walking in Portobello at midnight
Mountains over the water
in the moonlight
Ships are waiting, jets overhead
You saying what you just said
Walking in Portobello
Walking in Portobello

Gmaj7, Em, Am, D7 x∞

Comments

@majordanby 6d

Great lyrics. I love the piano sound and the Syd Barrett-esque vocal. Really cool!
Ha! Love the ending!

@catetaylor 6d

By the time I got to the middle section I was getting musical vibes. And I really want to know what she/he just said. Great structure here. I might try out this chord progression too.
Love your phrases and rhyming and melody etc. And I like the images you conjure up. Great writing.
And the ending made me laugh

@jeff9 1w

So lovely. Your graceful singing and phrasing over that natural room reverb with the piano creates a mood that feels nostalgic and comfy as an old quilt by a fireplace. I've traveled a fairly ridiculous amount in my life, but somehow I've not been to Scotland. I should, since I'm always falling in love with sort of underappreciated Scottish pop artists like Trashcan Sinatras and such. If I ever do, this will inspire me to take a walk in Portobello.

@silvermachine 1w

Very nice I really enjoyed that. Reminded me of being 10 and shipped off to my old aunt and uncle and sifting through their record collection for 1960s pop music, but every record sounded just like this! Then, bored stiff and trying to play Beatles songs on their piano and every one sounded like this! But now I'm their age I love this sound for the memories.
Those lyrics are great as well, like being a young man in love

@ayeahmur 1w

There is such a lovely strolling tempo to this. I adore that big old parlour piano - it has so much warmth over digital and I think that's apt for this song. And your chords are superb. The ones in the chorus with all the 7ths and diminisheds is so cool.

@audrey 2w

Oh, I love this melody! Pachelbel had it right. This is a great chord progression. I'm going to try writing a piece, myself, using this chord progression. Lovely song. Well done!

@audreyrussell 2w

This is the sweetest thing! I often wonder why people don't seem to be writing simple, beautiful songs like this anymore --- but obviously they do!!! Your lyrics suit the style perfectly, and hint at intimacy without being all in your face --- wonderful stuff! (I laughed out loud at the very end....)

@siasa 2w

Some wise and heartfelt lines in here. Definitely worth keeping and developing past the one take.

@jonmeta 2w

There's always new life in those old chords if you know how to draw it out. You've done that. It's a memorable tune. My favourite lines are the middle bit about the snowdrops and how the rest will follow, so don't worry about tomorrow. That's a brilliant couple of lines, actually, taking a simple, annual phenomenon of nature and making it mean something deep. I also like the ambiguity of You saying what you just said - and leaving it there.