If I Could Live Long Enough (w/ IVANJS)

TobinMueller

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Description

John Selvia has kind enough to lend his amazing bass talent to this song. His bass adds a wonderful yet subtle jazz sense to this folk tune, adding richness, and I am thrilled. If you like this, he plays on another tune with me, too: Pilgrim of the Return. Suzanne also had me add one more stanza to the lyrics (which I cut from the original post), giving the song a new coda. I had wanted to create a song with whimsical, ironic lyrics, a departure from my more serious lyrics, to create a different kind of love song. Artwork is "Cave Wall" by Will Kramer.

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Lyrics

IF I COULD LIVE LONG ENOUGH

Want to be an astronaut... play golf on the moon.
Want to invent something sleek and cool that will change the world.
Want to step on a stage and accept some big, tall, golden award,
so I can thank all the people that came before.

If I could live enough.
If I could just live long enough to be all I want to be.

Be a deep sea diver.
Be a rich man’s lawyer.
Be a toy designer.
Be a fair employer.
Be an honest lover.
Be a gracious friend.
Be the one to discover how this story ends.
How this story ends.

I’ve been the scourge of the world to my first wife;
salvation to my second.
I’ve been a hero of sorts in the coffee shop with everyone saying, “Hey,” as they beckon.
Now I’m anonymous and free, with a lot less to say
and a lot more to reckon...
if I could live enough.
If I could just live long enough to be all I want to be.

Let me be what I am.
Every day a new man.
I want too many thrills for one lifetime to fill.
Can’t see where I’m moving.
Can’t teach what I feel.
These days there’s no proving that anything’s real,
and so got to be myself and so
got to be myself,
if I live long enough.
If I live long enough.

You say you want to know me.
I can’t stop my life.
You say you got to find me.
It’s me, here, by your side.

Let me be what I am.
Every day a new man.
I want too many thrills for one lifetime to fill.
Can’t see where I’m moving.
Can’t teach what I feel.
These days there’s no proving that anything’s real, and so
got to be myself and so
got to be myself.

If I live long enough I could be everything to me,
I could be everything to you.

You say you want to know me.
I can’t stop my life.
You say you got to find me.
It’s me, here, by your side.

Want to see what they’re saying in tomorrow’s news.
Want to see grandkids dancing around the way kids do.
I want to thank all the people, especially you.

If I could live enough.
If I could just live long enough to be all I want to be.

Song Stats

Hits: 5116
Comments: 41
Fans: 25
Plays: 979
Downloads: 316
Votes: 35
Uploaded: Aug 07, 2004 - 12:21:46 PM
Last Updated: Jan 24, 2006 - 02:21:25 PM Last Played: Nov 12, 2009 - 11:53:51 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Keywords:

folk (423), folk rock (39), acoustic (589), vocal (163), fingerstyle guitar (26), ironic (3), collaboration (115), Pilgrim Village (11), tobin (69), ivanjs (4), life (172), story (39), song (218), TobinMueller (37)

Hardware:

G4; Roland A90ex keyboard controller; EV 757 mic;
John Selvia (ivanjs) and his magic bass

Software:

GB/Jam Pack

Comments

ivanjs	ivanjs said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Beautifully done Tobin Amazing song. Amazing playing. Great vocals. One of the best songs I've heard anywhere. John Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

ivanjs	ivanjs said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Beautifully done Tobin Oh, and thanks for the opportunity! John --- If the goat runs to the well, cast no stones. Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Beautifully done Tobin You made the most of it, John. Being handed an already arranged song to add to is not easy. You created an inventive and integrated bass line, played it with heart and grace, and mixed such a lush sound to your instrument. Now it feels complete. More than I had dreamed of. Thank you again. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

macapa	macapa said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Great lyrics The music is good, of course. But I really really liked the lyrics. They're fun and funny, but they also hit home. Reminds me a lot of... well... me! (Including the scourge of the earth for my first girlfriend? Well... You'll have to ask her. Hehe).

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1794 days ago (December 28th, 2004)

Great lyrics
Thanks for the comments about the lyrics. I had all these ideas in my head,
knowing what I wanted to do, and the hook was written out, but I made up
the lyrics as I sang them, a phrase at a time, just trying to be honest in a
boyish open sort of way. I was smiling a lot when singing, too. Glad you saw
yourself in them. (Made me smile again!)

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

SlimGirlFat

SlimGirlFat said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)

You have got this
habit of making really good tracks.(LOL)
Tobin, I thought the last track you did was amazing, but
again you surprise me.
Good harmonies, tight production. This song suits your
voice, or is it your voice suits this song! either way, the
whole track is extremely interesting, almost Simon and
Garfunkel.
I recognise some loops in this... very nicely fitted
together.
keeps one listening... and listening.
Ivanjs, great bass playing, it adds a depth to this track
that would not have been achieved with any
loop.Awesome.

Congratulations and yet another download :)
Slimmie

Check out my latest song called Not Enough

Z293	Z293 said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Raising The Bar Over the last few days there have be some high quality songs uploaded to this site. You capped this fine run of songs off beautifully and Ivanjs is a masterful bassist. Check out my latest song called The Fine Line

Sista Mac	Sista Mac said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Excellent What a great tune! Very Strong! It carries alot of feeling. Production sounds wonderful. Are those guitar loops? If so you used them masterfully! (If that is a word) Also the vocals are excellent and they are placed really well in the sound space. Check out my latest song called I'm Not Trying

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1794 days ago (December 28th, 2004)

Excellent
Thank you. The guitar is 100% GarageBand, a mixture of loops and MIDI
guitar, the acoustic sound that has a great bend when played at the fastest
key velocity. I wanted to create a song with only the GB guitar sounds. Also,
some of the loops are cut and pasted and truncated and mixed and matched
to make them do what I was hearing.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

packosmokes	packosmokes said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Wonderful harmony Especially around 3/4 of the way into the song. That part's just plain inspiring! this is definitely my favorite song you've posted. downloaded. Check out my latest song called With You

mcsweb	mcsweb said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	Wow, Surprising What I love about this song is how it eschews formulaic songwriting. Captivating and innovative, this song somehow manages to stay cohesive beginning to end, even through multiple changes and progressions. Production is best I've heard hear at MJ. Check out my latest song called Pearls of Perfection

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1794 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Wow, Surprising Thanks. I try very hard to eschew formula. I've always believed in breaking the rules, its one of my rules. I always try to write a song in a way someone else wouldn't, to bring a unique perspective to both lyrics and structure. Yet not have the rule breaking or complexity be noticable. Thanks for noticing. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Mcboy	Mcboy said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	compositional gem... nice and tight...vocal vibrato is flavorful...harmonies r hip .....ivanjs is quite the anchor...hey ivanjs whatcha been doin...i dig this...... Check out my latest song called Heros( aclarke/mcboy)

ivanjs

ivanjs said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)

compositional gem...
Hey McBoy!
I've been designing game levels for Neverwinter Nights. I started in April,
haven't done anything else since (well, some artwork and stuff, but no
music).

Finally coming to the end of that project, and Tobin asked me to bass
for him, so looked like a good opportunity to do something besides
design levels...

Art and Stuff:
http://homepage.mac.com/johnselvia/

Johnster

---
If the goat runs to the well, cast no stones.

Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

Mcboy	Mcboy said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)
	compositional gem... hot damn......welcome back..... --- I live for music....... Check out my latest song called Heros( aclarke/mcboy)

Cameron

Cameron said 1937 days ago (August 7th, 2004)

riding the wonderful waves of sound & words
In addition to all the usual kudos for top-notch
composition, production and performance (GREAT bass,
ivanjs!!!) I truly enjoyed the words to this song, and the
way the music rises and falls in intensity. Many, many
layers of sound coming in and out like the
tide.....somehow holding everything together.

This has a folk/country/rock flavor, a fascinating mixture.
You have once again defied catagorization in any one
genre, which to me indicates true artistry and
musicianship -- to be able to reach many different kinds
of listeners who can identify and ENJOY this song.

I certainly did!!!

Check out my latest song called EPONYM

chikoppi	chikoppi said 1937 days ago (August 8th, 2004)
	Damn you Tobin! Quit raising the bar so high! Great, great arrangement and performances in this. This is an expansive piece which you held together begining to end. More than that, you maintained constantly evocative progressions. I'm really quite in awe here. Check out my latest song called Loop It or Lose It 9

ka-klick

ka-klick said 1936 days ago (August 8th, 2004)

For any of the doubters
of what loops can do in skilled hands: behold. I think
Tobin proves the point beautifully by pretty much
constructing the song around these guitar loops (some of
which could easily be put into the "overused" category).
But he uses them in such a rich way that we forget all
about the fact that most of the guitar part is loops and
focus where we should for this song, on the words an the
melody. I loved this piece before and it only gets better w/
John's bass (welcome back John!) Also made me go back
and fill out the rest of my votes on the original version
from before the multi-vote system.

Check out my latest song called Big Bad World - Live 1-16-2009 plus - MJRF

ivanjs	ivanjs said 1936 days ago (August 8th, 2004)
	For any of the doubters Thanks, man! However, didn't Tobin actually play the guitar parts on a keyboard using an acoustic guitar sound in GB rather than use loops? John --- If the goat runs to the well, cast no stones. Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1935 days ago (August 9th, 2004)

For any of the doubters
There are six main guitar figures used in this song, three are completely MIDI
playing without loops ("You say you got to find me...", the bridge, "If I live
long enough" at end of the chorus and other connective music), two are
a layering of loops in which most flourishes are cut-pasted and key-changed
samples from loops to create variations over GB/Jam Pack loops (the chorus
"Let me be what I am..." and the main verse groove ("Want to be an
astronaut...") which is a Jam Pack loop with key-changes to create a chord
progression and flourishes modified note by note), and another is a mixture
of sampled loops and MIDI ("Be a deep sea diver..."). Sometimes I took a loop
and inserted a MIDI guitar for a beat or 2 so that it would end or begin the
phrase correctly. The music bed was intended to illustrate how great GB/Jam
Pack are in creating acoustic music, thru a combination of MIDI guitar and
loops .

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

ivanjs	ivanjs said 1936 days ago (August 8th, 2004)
	Also... Thanks all for the kind comments about my bass playing, but let's be real-this is Tobin's incredible talent showing thru here, I just hitched a ride to rub shoulders with da man! But sincerely, thanks for taking the time to notice my small part of this great tune! John http://homepage.mac.com/johnselvia/ Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

	daphna said 1936 days ago (August 9th, 2004)
	great song I really enjoyed this song; great lyrics, melodies, and instrumentation. Thank you for this listening experience. Check out my latest song called I Love My Mac mjrf

futzpucker

futzpucker said 1935 days ago (August 10th, 2004)

You earn your reputation
So many elements of this song are done with such grace
and taste...

The guitar parts are spectacular, and add a subtle but
powerful drive throughout the song. You?��ve given a clinic
on how to create a great acoustic guitar part without
using an actual acoustic guitar.

The bass sound is sweet and the part is a pleasure to
follow, yet it remains simple, as it should. I love what it
does at "Be a deep sea diver..." Nice to hear the bass
featured during the outro, too.

The percussion - shaker, tambourine (nicely panned),
cymbal hits, congas, then the kit... all just *right*, but not
predictable.

I think this is your best vocal performance; maybe this
song is the most appropriate in your catalog for your
timbre and style. It?��s as if this were the song you were
born to sing. The vocal arrangement is goose-bump
quality. The oohs at 2:48 ?�� really fine, perfectly executed.

The flow of the song is also outstanding, and keeps the
listener thoroughly engaged throughout, which is no easy
task in a song that goes past six minutes. You have a lot
to be proud of here, Tobin. Damn?Ķ

One very picky thing I would change (it's your song - this
is just my taste): There are what sound like identical tom
hits at 2:43, 2:45, 2:47, & 2:49. I don't think you need any
of them. I'd like to see them all go. At the very least, I'd
suggest you vary them a bit.

This song is a gem with many remarkable facets. Thanks
for presenting it to us.

Check out my latest song called Just As It Is

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1934 days ago (August 10th, 2004)

You earn your reputation
Thanks for all the wonderful comments and for your careful listening. I
always thought (sadly) that I had a cowboy sort of voice, even tho I wish I
sounded more like a hip jazz singer and would love to be able to sing high
like I used to (before allergies, reflux, and over-use made me a baritone).
And altho my roots are musical theatre and jazz composition, I truly
loved music first through Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkel and am drawn
to do these sort of folk songs. Thanks again.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

mcsweb	mcsweb said 1934 days ago (August 10th, 2004)
	More high marks for Tobin 8-10-9-8; The only reason you got an 8 for overall instead of 9 (since I usually avg the first 3 to arrive at the last) is simply because this type of song is not my cup of tea. 8 is no slouch of course! Great work! ;) Check out my latest song called Pearls of Perfection

Ringo	Ringo said 1934 days ago (August 10th, 2004)
	Loved it I actually think that the bass was a little quiet but that could be that it just fitted in so well. Really like the acoustic guitar stuff. Loops or not they work well too. Great. Check out my latest song called Real Slow

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1933 days ago (August 11th, 2004)
	Loved it We tried bass levels on different systems and came up with this as the best across the spectrum. There is another version with boosted bass (see #4 at the end of my comments) if you would like to hear a version with more. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Suzanne	Suzanne said 1930 days ago (August 14th, 2004)
	listening again the song is simple yet so complex. like all your songs. after listening to this more than 5 times, what i like best are the vocal layers and the acoustic guitar passing notes, the subliminal things you add. such richness. and the amazing way you make GB sound like a real player. lets live long enough! Check out my latest song called Rock The Baby With Voodoo (w/Tobin)

Suzanne	Suzanne said 1930 days ago (August 14th, 2004)
	listening again oh, and i forgot to pay proper tribute to ivanjs. his bass is so complementary, so perfect, so organic and warm. i cna't imagine the song sounding this real or this rich wihtout it. kudos, john! --- morning girl Check out my latest song called Rock The Baby With Voodoo (w/Tobin)

ivanjs	ivanjs said 1928 days ago (August 16th, 2004)
	listening again Thanks, Suzanne! This was a hard song for me to grasp at first. Not used to playing this style, but when I stopped worrying about what style it was and just played to the feel, it just sort of flowed at that point. John --- Art and Music: http://homepage.mac.com/johnselvia/ Check out my latest song called Double Bass Collaboration

futzpucker	futzpucker said 1925 days ago (August 20th, 2004)
	listening again Yeah, and let that be a lesson to ya, Sport. Cuz you done real darn good here. And your outlook on how to accomplish it was obviously dead on. That's a very valuable insight you came across. It caused you to create a very sweet and completely appropriate bass part. Nice going, John. Check out my latest song called Just As It Is

Mr. EI Oval	Mr. EI Oval said 1892 days ago (September 21st, 2004)
	The words are inspired Beautiful music and lyrics. The mechanics and nothing short of awe inspiring. This piece is truly in a master class, I am not worthy. Thanks for posting it. Check out my latest song called Dance under the Clocktower

	Anonymous said 1825 days ago (November 27th, 2004)
	Now we're talkin'... This is what i'm talkinin' about...thoughtful lyrics..snappy music......good work... vidid

Scorpjammer	Scorpjammer said 1821 days ago (December 1st, 2004)
	Simply... ...awesome song. I absolutely love the acoustic guitar work. Is that real? If so, who? You sure know how to paint a picture. Another landscape of your heart. Check out my latest song called Seaside Samba

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1794 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Simply... I try to describe the use of MIDI guitar and snipped up loops in the above comments. It is the only song I've done with not-live guitar playing. Glad you liked everything. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

thetiler	thetiler said 1734 days ago (February 26th, 2005)
	I have been to this tune before Great tune Great lyrics Flows nicely Like those harmonies Check out my latest song called Little Drummer Boy Variations

stevel	stevel said 1605 days ago (July 6th, 2005)
	Nice 60's folk rock sound This kind of reminds me of Crosby, Stills and Nash. I like that acoustic guitar playing - GB loops? Hard to tell...sounds convincing. An accomplished tune S Check out my latest song called Electricity

MowMeDown	MowMeDown said 1575 days ago (August 4th, 2005)
	Words too true Fine song that goes very many places yet always stays a folk tune. I really enjoyed your words. Life is simply too short. But you say much more than that. I think this tune would work well in a Bluegrass setting, don't you? Got to bring it to the boys and see... Check out my latest song called She's More To Be Pitied

sloparts	sloparts said 487 days ago (July 27th, 2008)
	Tis is another great song The lyrics tell a story and the story is life itself. Unfortunately, none of us seems to live long enough to exhaust our imagination as to where we want to be tomorrow. Very nice track Tobin with good mixing and very good vocal. Love this on, it's going on my iPod, thank you Ed Check out my latest song called Just a little Something

sonnyjim	sonnyjim said 450 days ago (September 2nd, 2008)
	WOW! Found my way here by way of sloparts cover.....and wishing I'd found it earlier. This is really very beautifully done (I was completely sold at 2:48 when those BV 'hoooo's came in. Lovely stride, lovely performances, subtle and understated and SOLID all the way through. Whew! Check out my latest song called LIOLI 9 (Interlude)

Bob6stringer	Bob6stringer said 439 days ago (September 13th, 2008)
	Uber Vox Tobin, I connected with the story and your vocal delivery. Your arrangement and mastering are everything everyone says they are, and your patience on this has to win an award... what a whole lotta detail. I'm a relative newbies here; if this is one of your older tunes, man, I've missed a whole lot. --Bob Sperber aka B6s Check out my latest song called Yours and Mine

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 401 days ago (October 21st, 2008)

what a whole lotta detail
Thanks. I am obsessive about details, how they fit into the whole, audio storytelling, etc. Thanks for noticing. I really enjoyed crafting this song, one of my initial efforts using Garageband. And I enjoyed collaborating with sending sending files to a bass player and having him add it. I consider it an early experimental success. One of the few songs where my words have, at least in part, a sense of humor. If I come out with a sequel CD to "A BIT OF LIGHT," I plan on including this track.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Fan List

Artist Info

Name: Tobin Mueller

I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I lead a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne and MJer Twonicus is my son. See my Spotlight Interview - Tobin Mueller: Talking With Myself in the Macjams Music Blog. You... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

More songs in Folk (contemporary):

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