Genre Break Song #1: San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo.mp3

A few years ago, before I got into the lucrative world of writing songs about science fiction and fantasy novels, I released a fairly straight ahead singer/songwriter CD (read more about that here). In the time between that CD release and the start of Sci-Fi Songs, I composed a number of songs that have never seen the light of day.

Just as it is healthy to read books outside of the sci-fi/fantasy niche, I thought that it would be interesting to feature a song that isn't based on a speculative fiction novel once in a while. I remain focused on the sci-fi songs though. In the coming weeks, I will be posting songs based on the novels of Gregory Frost, Bruce Sterling, and Steven Erikson.

While in my mid twenties, I spent a summer "finding myself" by driving up and down the coast of California. I had a great time residing in the youth hostels of San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. For a guy who had never left the confines of New Jersey, this was a life changing experience. Hands down, the best stop on my journey was San Luis Obispo (a small town located half way between L.A. and San Francisco).

Hope you enjoy it,

John

San Luis Obispo

by John Anealio

It was three years ago today

I spent the summer drifting up and down the coast

It was just a temporary stay

I needed time to run away from Torie's ghost

There's a seaside town where she can be found

I wish I was there today

I want to go where summer lasts forever

I want to go where everything is clear

I want to go where summer lasts forever

I want to go to San Luis Obispo

Kate worked on Higuera street

Waiting tables and sending pay home to her mom

She asked me what I'd like to eat

Then smiled and I asked if I'd be there for very long

Her green eyes glowed and her red hair flowed

I wish I was there today

Chorus

California seems so far away

and Katie moved back home to Santa Fe

and I'm happy in New Jersey anyway

Chorus

Here are some of the tools that I used to record the track:

1. Martin Acoustic Guitar in DADGAD tuning
2. G&L ASAT Telecaster for the electric guitar parts
3. Washburn Bass Guitar
4. Trinity College Irish Bouzouki/Octave Mandolin
5. Rode NT-3 microphone (to record the acoustic guitar and my vocals)
6. Apple Logic Pro 7 recording software
   1. The EXS24 Sampler for the drum sounds
   2. The ES2 software synth
   3. Logic's included compressor, delay, and reverb plug-ins
   4. The electric guitar parts were recorded through Logic's Guitar Amp Pro plug-in