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Grad Student Blues

from Kind of Blue​(​s) by Larry Salomon Project

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about

Noel was a colleague of mine at IBM in 1990 who sported a Masters in Computer Science, nice car and a hot girlfriend. You can imagine my surprise, then, when he told me he was going to leave IBM and get his Doctorate in Computer Science.

In college, I worked part time at the local grocery store and saw firsthand how the graduate students lived on cans of tuna and Ramen noodles, so I quickly imagined Noel doing the same. Extrapolate that a few degrees further and you get this song, which I wrote for him on his last birthday as an IBM employee.

This version does have some changes from the original, most notably the horn section, but the guitar solo (which I am most proud of for living up to the expectations of the genre) is almost identical to what I played in '90.

lyrics

There's a young man whose name is Noel
He's a good friend of mine and I know him real well
He's gone back to school to get his Ph.D
He'll be up every night studying til 3
'Cause we both know the best things in life ain't free

He'll have classes to teach and research to do
When the weekend comes around what will he do?
He'll be studying instead of in the bars
He'll be back in the lab instead of in his car
In the library 'stead of playing his guitar

He's got the grad student blues
He's got the grad student blues
He can't afford new shoes
He's got the grad student blues
Gonna make a lot of money
Haven't you heard the news?

Five years have gone by and he's still there
Doesn't shave anymore or change his underwear
He's in the lab 20 hours a day
7 days a week but baby that's okay
Gonna finish things up and get his Ph.D someday

He's got the grad student blues
He's got the grad student blues
He counts in base two
He's got the grad student blues
Gonna make a lot of money
Haven't you heard the news?

Noel finally graduated today
He doesn't care if ten years have passed away
He's got a piece of paper in his hand
That'll get him a job anywhere in the land
Think he'll be happy?
I don't think so, and...

...now he's got the post doctorate blues
He's got the post doctorate blues
Maybe he counts in base two
But he's dumber than you
'Cause he spent a lot of money
When he could've went on a cruise

credits

from Kind of Blue​(​s), released January 1, 2012

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Larry Salomon Project New Jersey

The Larry Salomon Project is a never-ending work of authoring, composition, recording, and releasing. Larry, along with the help of several others, enjoy producing music for others to enjoy.

He is a versatile musician playing guitars, bass, and keys as well as a talented arranger. He currently uses Cubase as his DAW of choice along with several instruments both real and virtual. ... more

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