Roadshark is on my album, Love Seeds. It was written in the ’70s and performed by the original Seymour band with me, Mick Austin, John Ryan and Jerry Noyes. It started out with some lyrics in a letter John Dalrymple (friend and bandmate since 1962) wrote to me from where he was stationed in the army. Like many of the originals by the band, it has multiple musical vignettes. As far as lyrics, the song starts out in the astral, where a soul is about to get a new assignment. Your guess is as good as mine on what a Roadshark is, but it’s not a “landshark” or a Power Sports company. Some of the words are whatever popped into my mind when I was writing it, more like sounds that were coincidentally words. Bottom line: It’s fun to play and listen to, no soapbox.
That was then. In 2020, in the midst of Covid, a collaboration was born of fellow former band members who have their own studios. I reconstructed the song in my studio and sent a copy to Mick Austin, to recreate the lead vocal. He sent me a recording of it and some background vocals. Then Jim Badenoch, our drummer since the 90’s, recorded drums and sent the track to me. Then Randy LeNeve, friend and fellow band member in Sunflower, in the later ’70s, wrote and played some horn section parts. Most recently, David Chris, who worked with us on our Many Faces album, added the sax solo and John Dalrymple recorded a “Hammond” solo. Other instruments are “marvelous midi”. Finally Jim Badenoch and Tim McCarthy contributed some chorus vocals.
Credits:
Recorded in 2020 and 2021 at Love Seed Studios, Seymour Labs, and the studios of Mick Austin, Randall Leneve, Jim Badenoch and David Chris
Composers: Seymour Lovejoy, John Dalrymple
Publisher: AyaRTee Music (BMI)
Organ Solo: John Dalrymple
Sax Section: Randy LeNeve
Sax Solo: David Chris
Drums: Drum part originally written by John Ryan, performed by Jim Badenoch, tweaked by John Dalrymple
Guitar, Bass, Horns: Seymour Lovejoy
Vocals: Mick Austin, Seymour Lovejoy, Jim Badenoch, Tim McCarthy
Mixing: Seymour Lovejoy & Nettleingham Audio
Mastering: Nettleingham Audio
Lyrics:
Wake up. Your head’s not new here.
You can help yourself to any time, at all.
The world is a mystery to me.
People lyin’, dyin’ around in the street!
Hey!
Goodbye again.
I hope the next time through,
You’ll see what you’ve written coming true.
You can have my love.
That’s all I want from you.
And you can take the hate.
Head-wrap it in the blue
“Roadshark”, the man said.
“Postmark”. I know he’s dead.
“Watermark”. He’s overfed too!
“Airplane”, the man said.
“Night train”. I know he’s dead.
“Scatterbrain”. He’s overfed too.
I tell of a man who knows all.
The colors in his hands expose all.
Ride your skate. Fly your glider.
Through each portal passing,
Find your name.
There is no blame in making
Right-singing your calling card.
So sing it!
“Roadshark”, the man said.
“Postmark”. I know he’s dead.
“Watermark”. He’s overfed too!
“Airplane”, the man said.
“Night train”. I know he’s dead.
“Scatterbrain”.
He’s overfed stew!
He’s overfed!
