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Deck the Halls

by Doug Feaver

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I recorded this back in the nineties in my living room onto a 4-track cassette recorder. Every track was one take straight through.. I programmed a drum part into a cheap Yamaha keyboard that my Mum had given me, counting out the song in my head the way I thought I would play it. Then I did the two French horn parts into my Beta 58 microphone. I had to get the loud stuff out the way first because my house mate Chris was already in her room upstairs getting ready for bed. I counted the spaces in between the sections for where I would be playing other stuff. Then I mixed the horns together onto one track. Then I played the acoustic guitar and harmonica, quietly into that same mic onto another track. At the 1:55 mark, when the drum track quit, I had to do something, so I sang a verse really low and quietly while I was playing guitar and harmonica into the one mic, because my roomie was asleep by that time. I put the horns and drums together onto one track to make room for electric guitar and bass on a track each. This was all mixed with an old pair of Sony headphones that my Dad bought in the mid-seventies, because it was too late to mix it through speakers. Then I did the bass direct on its own track. Lastly I did the lead guitar direct. It was my 1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary through a 1960s SuperFuzz and a Boss Rocker volume pedal, direct into track 4. It starts with the fuzz pedal engaged, and then I kick it off for the middle bit of solo. Then I came in late with the volume pedal after the last horn parts. Hey, it was all one take, and it was just for fun, and I still like to listen to it! At the end, when the drum bit ends, I was just leaning over, guitar, voice and harmonica all playing quietly into that mic, so as not to awaken Chris upstairs. You can hear quiet harmonics played on the Gretsch. And then the fade-out was real. As in, I just played guitar and harmonica quieter and quieter, because I couldn't play and fade it down at the same time. I still find this rough little recording charming. It makes me feel like Christmas. Cheers!

lyrics

DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL
FA LA LA , LA LA LA, LA LA LA
TROLL THE ANCIENT YULETIDE CAROL
FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA

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released December 15, 2022
Doug Feaver - French horn, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, harmonica, vocal

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Doug Feaver Hamilton, Ontario

Doug is a Canadian singer-songwriter performer musician and storyteller who has been performing in clubs, concerts, and festivals for over thirty years. He has played in many different bands and genres - classical, folk, rock, bluegrass, country, Celtic - and has worked as a studio musician on guitars, harmonica, drums, This is a solo performance CD of Christmas songs, half of which he wrote. ... more

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