I was wrong about that... the lyrics are by DON WOLF. The Oahu Co. sheet music for Sleep Walk lists the following: Lyric by Don Wolf. Music by Santo Farina, Johnny Farina, and Ann Farina.
For what its worth, this site shows the following about Sleep Walk: "Don Wolf (added lyrics)" So I assume that the lyrics were written AFTER the song was an instrumental hit.
For what its worth, this site shows the following about Sleep Walk: "Don Wolf (added lyrics)" So I assume that the lyrics were written AFTER the song was an instrumental hit.
Precisely what I said in my article (Interjected on previous page), AND I went on to explain that the lyrics don't quite match up to the timing of the melody..
I've never heard Sleepwalk played with the lyrics. I don't think it would have had the same impact on the music world had it been originally released with the lyrics.
I agree. A good instrumental does not need lyrics and does not benefit from lyrics. The steel guitar's "voice" says it all. Steel Guitar Rag, Steelin’ the Blues, and number of other instrumentals do have lyrics, but those songs are classics because of their melodies, not because of the lame words.
I've never heard a vocal version of Take Five, but a little research tells me that lyrics were added two years after the instrumental was released. Again, the lyrics were an afterthought, as they were with Sleepwalk and many other hit instrumentals. Take Five became famous because of it’s catchy melody and 5/4 time signature, not because of the lyrics IMHO.
Doug - the left hand vibrato is uncannily close at several points. I was turned onto the steel guitar as a schoolboy by S&J. Sleepwalk, Teardrop, The Long Walk Home etc. Wonderful stuff. My 45's were nearly worn out then, and my parents must have been sick to death of hearing them played repeatedly.
One thing that has always struck me about Santo's playing is the use of dynamic picking to give feel. One moment he will hit a string really hard, the next he will play it really softly. He vary's his picking position too to great effect. Very basic playing music-wise, but try to emulate it and it's not very easy at all.
Doug - I have a question when you play the harmonic slide, do you nose up the steel to only touch the string you are doing the slide on or some other technique? I've tried to do it with out nosing it up but I hear faint noises from the other strings when i slide it. Thanks Rich
Rich -
the harmonic slide is played on string 1... I tip the bar up slightly (raise the back of the bar slightly) so the bar is Only touching string 1... not really the nose of the bar... back a little bit from the nose. Also, I place the third finger of my left hand flat on the strings (behind the bar) to deaden the strings behind the bar. As I slide the bar up, strings 2,3,4,5,6 are muted by the third finger of my left hand. Only string 1 is heard. Also, I am using the knuckle of my little finger (right hand) for the harmonic chime. That produces a brighter, sharper chime than the edge of the right hand, but it’s harder to play, in my opinion.
Ken -
thanks for your reply. I too have memories of Sleep Walk from my childhood. This is the first song I learned to play on steel guitar! ...way back in 1970. I tried very hard to duplicate the tone and the feel of Sleep Walk on my pedal steel, but "that tone" is simply not in a PSG, in my opinion. I’ve played this tune on PSG for many years in bands, but until I started playing it on Lap Steel... I just couldn’t come close to the tone.
You are right about Santo’s style and sound... simple stuff, but not easy to emulate. IMHO Sleep Walk is a perfect example of simplicity, well executed, with great feeling and emotion coming directly from the hands of the player. No gadgets, no frills, no hot licks… not even reverb in Santo's tweed Fender Twin amp!
BTW... I'd be interested to hear some other home recordings of Sleepwalk from forum members. Most 'non-pedalers' play this song, and every player has a different take on it.
One I did in 1999 for Foam records. It was a 'rush job' as a favor for the owner of the label a very dear friend who was dying of esophageal cancer. Sleep Walk 2
Does anyone have Doug's rhythm track for sleepwalk? I have the one on his web site but the one he used for this recording is different. My computer crashed and I lost it. BTW, Doug no longer has it...already asked.
Is there a style in BIAB with the triplet rythm (123,223,323,423) that could be used for this song? I've searched and can't find it. I'd like to find one with the drummer riding a cymbal with those triplets. I've got "real drums" in my BIAB. If I could get this pattern I could add actual bass and guitar to come up with a pretty good backing track to play with. Thanks.
Last edited by Terry Farmer on 3 Mar 2008 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks Doug. That's a pretty good track. Maybe I can just add the ride cymbal like i have in my mind to this. I'll play with it. When I've got the song to my liking I'll post a C6 version. I certainly appreciate your contributions!
What I find astounding is that everyone has played it, and we have the hindsight of 50 years of different variations, yet Santo made up the orchestration there on the spot, and no-one has yet bettered the original.
I really enjoyed your recording. The harmonics are outstanding. One of my major problems is doing harmonics. I can only do them right in 1 out of 5 or 6 tries. Just need to practice and practice on it I guess ! I just haven't figured out the right touch yet.
So, I wento Johnny Farina's website. Seems kinda strange that he now plays the steel and there is no mention of Santo. Does anyone know what happened to Santo?
Doug, when you said "I was wrong about that... the lyrics are by DON WOLF. The Oahu Co. sheet music for Sleep Walk lists the following: Lyric by Don Wolf. Music by Santo Farina, Johnny Farina, and Ann Farina. "
I Do believe that Ann Farina wrote the lyrics and the addition of Don Wolf in the credits was "ahem!!" .. let's say opportunistic managerial exploitation !!
Much like the exploitation now by Johnny of Santo's Steel Playing..
Jody carver has the Full story but isn't saying !!
I Concur 1000% "Dougsie".. It should also be noted that Santo TAUGHT Johnny the ordinary guitar, little thanks he shows for that !.
Because of the melodic structure and use of major sevenths in the melody, and less than mundane chordal structure,(Hardly likely to be the work of a fledgling guitarist) the probability is that Santo wrote Sleep Walk and included Johnny's name as a family courtesy..Ann wrote the lyrics to enable the sheet music to have words, it was AFTER the sheet music's publication that the vocal versions were recorded..
I am reliably informed that after Johnny returned to the USA and Santo stayed in Italy, Santo was seen to be living a Bohemian lifestyle and cared little for the steel guitar anymore. There are those who know his whereabouts at the moment and it was know where he was when the SGHOF nominated the duo. What's not clear is why they didn't ask Santo to come over and accept the award..
Maybe he was 'personna non grata' with those who made the decision, or his brother..
What's also of particular interest is to whom are the royalties being paid ?
I wonder if Johnny can show a current statement ?
If he can't, then of course the payments are being made to Santo, and then that begs the question "To what address"
A few astute inquiries to the correct agencies by a member of good standing would probably reveal all !!
What also surprises me is that it seems all in the steel guitar world are reluctant to point out that Johnny's re recording is lame, very pitchy and lacks the feel that Santo had. A black and white copy of the original Technicolor..
Your version Doug has MUCH more of the original in it !! IMHO..Which just goes to show that one would have to be an very accomplished player to emulate Santo..
