Trevino Brings Plenty: Music

Catch Don't Keep

(The Vinos and Year 5000)

June 21, 2006

Trevino and Mat

"Catch Don't Keep" is definitely a two headed beast that has traversed time, space, and distances. Mat of Year 5000 recorded some stuff while he stayed at Going Down Studio years back (Mat now makes his residence in the Virgin Islands. Mat was also an original member of The Vinos). I was looking for another recording on the old Yamaha MD 4-track when I came across one of Mat's recorded songs (a demo really). I had this nice chunky rhythm part that I wanted to use some where else (I previously used the track for a poem background). I envisioned this plain chant type of thing to go over the rhythm pulse and I heard this working with Mat's tune. Year 5000 has always been good songs roughly executed. Their songs have great words, nice melodies, and just low down grit straight from the earth like hot potatoes; each song is like a Jo-Jo.

So I went to work. I e-mailed Mat and got his blessing. I chopped up the song to begin a rough outline. I laid out the form. The TRT was 00:01:37. I wanted more and added more. I wrote another verse, bridge, and solo section as well as intro and outro. I extended the song by two minutes. TRT now is 00:03:31. I was originally thinking of just having my vocal then I thought Mat's voice is on the recording why not make it a duet? Like many great duets: Donny and Marie Osmond; Ozzy and Lida Ford; Sonny and Cher; we perfectly matched.

I recorded electric guitar first. I wanted a chunky, palm muted back drop and dirty chords rung out. I went directly in to the machine. No amps. I fooled around with a solo and finally laid down something manic with a final conclusion. At the end of the solo there is a reference to another Year 5000 song. I did a harmonized version of their song "Give In"'s melody.

I recorded my vocal second. I did two takes and made a comp. I finally recorded acoustic guitar to mask Mat's original chopped riff. I added other details like rattle, snare hit, 808 kick (this song should shake the world). To try to get a live feel to the snare hits I ran it through a flange to give a variety to the sound. The bass line was created from a single wave pitched for a melody.

I mixed the song in headphones for automation details and then fine tuned the mix on the monitors. I rendered the song down to 441, 16bit then to mp3.

Catch Don't Keep

Verse 1:
She got butterfly wings tattooed on her tongue
Ain't I the lucky one, man
Ain't I the lucky one

She got butterfly wings tattooed on her tongue
Ain't I the lucky one
Ain't I the lucky one

Oh, I spin a real nice silk web
You can use it as a blanket or net
It'll keep you real warm in the heat
Catch don't keep

Verse 2:
She got bullets in her veins and kisses like a guns
Ain't I the lucky one
Ain't I the lucky one

She got murder in her eyes, she calls it fun
Ain't I the lucky one
Ain't I the lucky one

Oh, I run with wolves in a pack
I can rip you to shreds in 2 seconds
I'm your favorite nightmare when you sleep
Catch don't keep

Bridge:
Oh, I was born to suffer you
I can live it in this state
I make my promises like nooses
I'm breaking you like bones
Oh I was bred in this
I made my marks deep

Verse 3:
She got butterfly wings tattooed on her tongue
Ain't I the lucky one
Ain't I the lucky one

She got big ol' eyes that open up like suns
Ain't I the lucky one
Man, ain't I the lucky one

Oh, But it's a bad scene when the truth comes out
That my heart only lives in my mouth
I got a lasso tongue and claws for teeth
Catch don't keep