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*Song Description By Noles*

There are some songs from the Plaidalog that are straight up rock and roll and to the point. "Same Game" is one of them. I wrote the music for the song on March 6, 2016 with the intention of sticking to my blues rock and roll roots. It wasn't long before I wrote the lyrics for the tune on March 26, 2016 with the original title "Stranger On The Rise". That phrase is used at the end of every chorus, but I changed the title to "Same Game" as an homage to "Still The Same" by Bob Seger. A different sounding song from Seger, but with a similar message in regards to gambling addiction. "Same Game" also uses those two words in the choruses of the song.

The lyrics to "Same Game" deal with the ugliness of gambling addiction and how I've seen it first hand. My dad was a notorious gambler over the course of his life. His specialty was horse racing. Before my dad retired, he would watch a T.V. channel that only played horse races. He would gamble on those races through a website where he would place bets on a computer in another room of our house. This was to deal with the stress of running a Subway Sandwiches franchise. A career he truly never wanted but had to do to provide for our large family. He would also drink a bottle of wine a day during this time. I have some bad memories of my drunk dad gambling. He never lost all of his money, but what he did on a daily basis after work was disgusting. That horse racing channel on T.V. is the most boring numbers-filled channel you could imagine. And my dad would get rude if I interfered when it came to the T.V. or the computer while he was in his gambling zone. This caused me to spend hours on end in my room practicing guitar to get away from it. Although my dad was never a big music fan, he did like Bob Seger and the song "Still The Same". So that's where the lyrics for "Same Game" came from.

I started recording "Same Game" on January 28, 2017. I used little distortion on the rhythm guitars of the song. They almost sound clean. With a bit of crunch, I wanted them to give off a traditional roots rock kind of vibe. There's an organ that comes in after the 1st chorus and continues for the rest of the song. It's one of my favourite organ sounds in my DAW and it's called Eighties Thin Organ. I've used it on other songs in the Plaidalog. It sounds like a new wave type of organ you would hear on an Elvis Costello or English Beat song. Which is unusual on a traditional rock and roll tune like this. But the sound combination just worked for this song.

"Same Game" has perhaps one of the best guitar solos on the entire Independency album. There's some lead guitar flirting in the 2nd verse and 2nd chorus. Leading to the guitar solo extravaganza after the 2nd chorus. Halfway through the guitar solo, a 2nd guitar comes in that features a wah pedal. I panned this guitar back and forth from left to right to make it sound trippy. Influenced by the production techniques of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. The guitar solo leads into a riff section with gaps. Both lead guitars are utilized during this part. With one playing harmony and the other one doing palm mutes on the wah pedal during the gaps. That was the first time I'd used that funky approach before. The final chorus features a keyboard effect called Funk Spinet which is basically a combination between a harpsichord and a clavinet. I finished recording "Same Game" on February 20, 2017, and eventually included it as the 13th song on the track listing for the Independency album. I found it appropriate to have a gambling song as the lucky 13th track.

lyrics

Words and music by Nolan Randall

All cards on the table, fill it up this time
A way to read between the lines
You're willing and able, counting every dime
Ignoring all the warning signs

Never enough to call your bluff to make it
Winners are losers when you abuse to take it
It's all the same when you play your game
And you refuse to fake it
We've got a stranger on the rise

See all of your winnings, how they make you feel
You're thinking of another deal
Recall your beginnings, spinning like a wheel
No matter what they're gonna steal

Never enough to call your bluff to make it
Winners are losers when you abuse to take it
It's all the same when you play your game
And you refuse to fake it
We've got a stranger on the rise

Never enough to call your bluff to make it
Winners are losers when you abuse to take it
It's all the same when you play your game
And you refuse to fake it
We've got a stranger on the rise

credits

from Vol. IV: Independency, released July 29, 2018

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Plaid On Flannel Toronto, Ontario

Plaid On Flannel is an alternative indie blues rock act from Toronto, Canada. With 80+ original songs recorded since 2011, singer-songwriter Nolan Randall has remained the sole constant member of the band. POF's music is known for guitar riffs/solos, memorable hooks, catchy melodies/harmonies, evocative lyrics, & superb musicianship. While keeping a focus on originality and songwriting quality. ... more

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