Gray Rainbow

I wrote the lyrics and melody for Gray Rainbow, but did not record my own version of the song. Instead I paid Chris Davidson to record it for me.

Song Title: Gray Rainbow

Click Here to download the MP3 file for Gray Rainbow

Gray Rainbow

Verse 1:
Got a fire burning
down deep in my soul
like a runaway train
I'm wild and out of control

Gotta keep on moving
always looking straight ahead
they'll be time enough to rest
when I'm buried and dead

There's blood on the tracks
and guilt under my skin
can't buy myself a ticket
with the wages of sin

But sometimes I wonder
if it's even worth the trip
feels like I'm walking the plank
on a sunken pirate ship

Pre-Chorus:
Who will be there waiting
at the end of the line
if you spend all of your days
chasing that dollar sign?

Chorus:
I see a gray rainbow
after the rain
The colors of the sky
are all blinded by pain

Where there's light, I see shadows
when there's truth, I find doubt
don't yet know all the secrets
but I'll soon figure them out

Verse 2:
I can feel the anger
flowin' in my veins
wanna bust out of my life
and break away these chains

Time to start a journey
a dangerous kind of quest
look deep inside your mind
for a buried treasure chest

But as I search for answers
only questions do I find
can't use a skeleton key
to unlock your peace of mind

The road to redemption's
paved with misery and lies
can you see the wall of darkness
behind my weary eyes?

Yet still I move on
with only a glimmer of hope
climbing back from this hell
is a slippery slope

Pre-Chorus:
Wounded, not broken
my heart is on the mend
I will never find my place
'till I reach this journey's end

Chorus:
I see a gray rainbow
after the rain
The colors of the sky
are all blinded by pain

Where there's light, I see shadows
when there's truth, I find doubt
don't yet know all the secrets
but I'll soon figure them out

Outro:
There's a rainbow of gray
up in the sky
wanna rise above this earth
and let my spirit fly

--------------------------

Reviews of Gray Rainbow on the ReverbNation.com Crowd Review service (Song Score: 5.9 out of 10):

The track has a really inspiring melody to me, it feels uplifting and refreshing. The vocals do not work at all to me. They don't sound like the focal point in the song, in fact I can barely hear them underneath the instrumentals. This song would benefit from some better mixing. I like the lyrics a lot.
I like that the song kind of starts with a narrator because its cool. The song has a nice instrumental because its cool. The singing is also pretty good and also goes really well with the background. I like the drums to because they keep everyone in the song and because it has a nice part.
I love the blithe hum of the vocals and the way they meld into the lushness of the airy music, sounding a bit ethereal and light in the simplicity of the mood. The melody is pacifying and mellow in a way that is easy to listen to, and the message is inspirational and of benefit to listen to. I would definitely recommend it to anyone willing to listen to it. I like its unique way of getting its faith-inspired message forth. The singing could perhaps show more enthusiasm at times.
I knew this was going to be a love song or something like that. But didn't thought they were going to add the drums in it only thought only the piano. The artists voice don't really combine much with the song. It talks about the things they see or something like that.
There's a rainbow! That's how the song opened, and I liked it. The vocals were warm, yet raw on the intro; that was a good balance. the beat was simple, but it was chilling and had great pitch. Good percussions, guitar, and bass on this tune as well, so great instrumental accompaniment. The lyrics were uneventful, but the melody made up for this along with the upbeat tempo.
I thought you should've had a few bars before your song for an introduction. The drum beat was new and original which I really enjoyed. It sounded really joyful, but you sounded a bit dull while singing so maybe cheer up. The piano blended in really well with the other instruments. Really good message as well. Good job!
Pink Floydish at the beginning as he fades in full voice. I do not like the music in the background at all, but it does have a slight INXS influence to it as well. The singer is not really singing he is speaking. I don't like the song at all. I feel like it is lacking a good singer for the vocal portion.
I like how the song starts right away. I like the beat of the song it sounds trendy and it's very catchy. The vocalist has a very deep voice and kind of wish he didn't. This song is cool, the lyrics are interesting. This song sounds familiar but is unique in its own way.
This song sounds very distinctive because of the style and effects they are using. The beat kicks in and you think it should not suit the tune but it somehow does as it is a nice layering effect. The voice is not particularly great, the vocal melodies being very average, which kind of lets the song down. The song needs a bit more of a kick to it to have a more dramatic effect on the listener.
Electronic sounding whilst also sounding old fashioned like it belongs in the 80's due to the echo-y vocals in the background. The song speeds up with further electronic sounds and a deep 80's male vocalist. It reminds me of Boy George and songs like that. It's like indie electronic music if that's even a genre. Not really a fan, it's boring and repetitive and I don't think the vocals fit the song. It's a little weird and quirky and not something I would normally listen to.
Sounds like a lot of cliches in the verse in the beginning. The piano sounds good as well as the acoustic guitar. The sparse drumming feels like it works well with the feel of the song. I like the singers voice and the backing vocals work well as well.good overall song.
This music makes it possible to show style of culture and praise. This song has decided to it sounds good comically love song. This track has happened with the highest levels of music and the younger generation. This track is definitely something from a good bounce to be requested locally.
There is too much reverb in this one. I just can't comment on anything else on this one. Too much background noise. What you did is not something that you can count on. It is a shame because the melody is quite catchy, and it fits well with the backing vocals and the guitar.
The vocals are very dismal, the background vocals dont harmonize well with the lead vocalist. it feels nasalized. the cymbol is hear very clearly. the acoustic chords feel very stable. a very good song indeed, however it isnt very tastefull. the rhyme scheme could improve it doesnt flow as well as you think.
This song keeps a constant feeling of unexplainable nostagia. The lyrics of the song is really complex, but really understandable. The composition of the lyrics have depth and show a mix of emotions. The simplicity of the song's instrumentation balances out with the informative and descriptive lyrics. Overall, the song is quite nice.
Intro caught my attention. Had a very old-school vibe from the get-go and enjoyed the change of the effects on the vocalist's voice. However, it is clear the artist is not a professional and the song sounds very naively produced. Interesting and had some potential but definitely not a potential mainstream song and couldn't focus on the lyrics and the vocalist's primarily monotone singing was boring.
I feel that these vocals start to abruptly, and there needs to be more of an introduction. Overall from hearing the melody and the main chords that accompany the vocals, i think this sound would sound great with a fade in intro or even a beat that build up anticipation for the main vocals. I think even open with a solo guitar.
Engaging and exciting, this song illustrated a wonderful atmosphere of music. I found the punchy, up-beat lyrics in conjunction with the instrumentals to be a wonderful combination. The artists seem very natural in their art and convey a warm sound that is a pleasure to listen to.
I like how the instrumental track sounded very upbeat and hopeful, but the lyrics and the vocals were very melancholy at the onset of the song. There was a nice contrast there. I also felt like the vocals were fairly original. I feel like a slightly different tone of music would go better with the vocals though since it just sounds very slightly off.
The vocalist undergoes some strange changes in his voice. At first he is very echoey but then he changes and his voice sounds different. The two voices which intertwine together are inconsistent in harmonizing. At times they enhance each other and at other times they do not, they seem to clash against each other. The music of this song becomes repetitive after a while. It all largely sound the same. I would like to see more shifts and changes in it.
The song starts very strong, with an odd effect on the vocals, keeping it new and refreshing throughout the song, yet keeping a constant backbeat in order to bring the listener back to the base and keep them bobbing their head. Overall, good modest use of digital effects, and very strong vocals.
I like the singer and the lyrics, the instruments are soothing and very merry. Nice song, i am a fan of songs like this this. I can drive and listen to it and follow along easy, its catchy and meaningful and also dreamy. Nice beats.
I liked the minor bass drop in the intro, though the lyrics in the beginning didn't make sense to me, but overall I enjoyed it, though it wasn't exactly my type of music, I would listen to it in the background as my day progressed, listening to the guitar and bass drops, I very much liked this song, and I would recommend it to a friend, with all of it's original lyrics, and it's funky beat, I very much enjoyed it. 8/10.
Interesting sound. The lyrics aren't like anything I have heard. They are very meaningful lyrics. There are parts where the lyrics dont sound like they match with the beat in the back but over all the song is well composed. The piano chords complement the song well.
The song seems cool at first. I think it's a dance song but I'm not sure. I think it also may be a pop song. The guys voice seems nice and the tempo is fast paced and I kinda like the song. It's a good song to dance to. The person's voice is really good.
Very interesting transition from techno voice to real. He has a great sound and vibe to his voice. Not overly synthesized. Lyrics are clearly said and not mumbled. This is another great version of Indie Rock. Something I would listen to on a day to day basis. He would have a great sound in Indie or in Alternative/Pop Rock. Another song I could see in a Michael Cera movie. A good sing along in your car song, or walking in the summertime along the beach. Makes you feel life is simple and you have time to "figure it out".
The song is funky sounding it makes me think of really old school tracks. The lyrics seem not very relatable I guess I don't really get it.the artist is just OK.I do t really like this peice much it makes me feel bummed out.so I wouldn't recommend this for radio.
This songs introduction captured my attention buy the vocals in an echoed effect. This effect worked really well because I made me curious to listen more. The vocals picked up and dropped the echoed effect further into the song and another singer began to sing beside. The music is soft and calming yet it would be easy to dance along to this. The lyrics were clear and understandable but however, didn't capture the meaning because the music was too cheery for the song.
The start of the song is to slow it does not work for the rest of the song. the bass is not loud enough, if it was louder the song would pull together a lot better. the song also does not have enough instruments it needs a guitar and trumbone. the tempo of the song does not go with the lyrics. overall the song is ok but needs some improvement.
The song is okay. It's really upbeat and happy. The guitar sounds really cool and in tune. The voices are a little awkward but the vocals are really in tune as well. The tone is warm and very comforting, as well as peaceful. The song needs a little work in diversity but it's not that bad, and I kind of like it.
I love the sound effect of the artist voice in the beginning of the song. After the sound effect sort of fades away, I draw further out in disliking it. But, in the middle of the song it sounds much better. The artist have the style that is similar to "The Beatles".
The song starts in with the vocalist right away, who has some sort of vocal effect overlaid on their voice. The sound of piano and strings begin to get slightly overwhelmed by the percussion and the clean guitar riffs. The vocalist sounds a little flat, but that may just be his tone because the harmonies are perfect. The song sort of has an eighties/nineties feeling, and the acoustic guitar adds some variety. The song is more balanced than anticipated, and despite the vocalist's odd tone the lyrics are distinctive and creative. They occasionally speak the words, which just gives the song even more variety and it somehow flows well even though it sounds like it shouldn't.

Below is an acoustic version of Gray Rainbow by Douglas Haines:

Reviews of the acoustic version of Gray Rainbow on the ReverbNation.com Crowd Review service (Song Score: 6.1 out of 10):

The guitar that opens the song is really soft and sweet, so when the lyrics start, the voice seems a little out of place. The vocals are really strong and have a powerful tone, so it catches you a bit off guard to begin with. The lyrics are pretty and interesting to listen to. The melody of the song is really pretty and works well with the vocals in the chorus. A nice, soft song that most people would enjoy.
The intro was way too short, which was disappointing, the vocals came in way too quickly. The singer was clear but the song altogether sounded very depressing, as well as the lyrics. It did not suit my taste in music very well but it might suit others taste. It was a good piece altogether.
The opening is very powerful the voice is well done very organic style. I think the rhythm is great. the tone of the song is very good I like the entire lyrics. I think is great lyrics. the song becomes a little bit repetitive and predictable. Is a soft tune and very intimate piece with a organic musical arrangement. Is very nice.
This is a country track that is really very simply written and it beautiful in that. The lyrics are very moving, I find. I love the lead vocalists voice and the fact that just the acoustic guitar makes the beat and the whole of the backing music. If you focus on the words you are rewarded with a great country folk song.
Songs like this can really touch your heart. The slow mellow pace of the song just helps you understand that it means something and with the meaningful emotion that is put into the vocals. The lyrics really do tell and amazing story and it really touches your heart and soul.
Another slow guitar start which strikes fear into my blood. Oh great more country. Again very unique and tasteful lyrics and nice instrument playing by all the people in the music but I just don't like the sound of country. Overall a bad song in my opinion and I wouldn't recommend.
The male artist didn't have much rhythm to his voice. He sounded off key but he was emotional and sang with sureness. The song was very well written and the lyrics were very heartfelt and meaningful. The song, itself, was good but the vocals need more practice. He can get there with experience.
The plucking guitar is good cus it is soft and doesn't have a hurty edge to it. The lyrical content is amazing because everyone can relate to the content. I like the various sections and the subtle changes between them like the section with constant harmonies from backing vocals and the more raw section. I think the song is honest and doesn't mess around. It is a songwriting masterclass.
Immediately came across as a country song so would fit well in the genre. Simple acoustic guitar as the background. The beat however is repetitive. The lyrics have a real meaning and the singer's voice sounds real and unaltered. Nice, calm sound. Would fit well on country radio.
This song was a bit boring and plain. But the musician had a great song and added a nice country feel to this song. The instrumental accompaniments also nicely fitted this song. I particularly didn't like the melody either. The singer also had a few pitch accuracy issues.
Nice guitar playing. Am actually listening to the words. Able to put pictures to his words. Song has some good points. Comes across though as spoken word with an instrument playing in the background. Sounds like you would find this artist playing at a tavern somewhere. Good music.
The lyrics in this song began too quick. It did not give the guitar a chance to actually lead into the song. I am not a fan of the melody of the music either. One of the most positive aspects of this song is the lyrics. They actually have a clear concise meaning.
Nice song that sounds like a song that I would not want to listen to. This is a song that my grandpa Henry would want to listen to. The male vocals are pretty nice due to the quality of them. It sort of sounds like a country song because of the slow feel that it has to it. Pretty decent song.
Very serene guitar and very serene singing. This song is very relaxing. It has very lovely and inspiring lyrics. The lyrics infiltrate the soul and makes the spirit fly because of the artist's inspiration. He sings in a mellow tone, yet reaches deeply into the soul. A very awesome song.
The track was instantly reminiscent of Bob Dylan's 'Blowing in the Wind'. The lyrics are thought-provoking and sang with genuine emotion - you can hear the passion in the vocalists voice which makes up for a lack in vocal range. At times his voice sounds a bit strained. The instrumental is solid and smooth with an attractive prominent guitar. The country-feel to the track is definitely distinctive and has a place in the market. The artist sounds professional and the quality of the track is good. However, the backing instrumental is perhaps overwhelmed by the volume of the lead vocals.
Like the repetitive tune. Don't like the way the singer sings in this song. Feels strictly country. To make it more interesting the singer could use a greater range as opposed to being mostly flat. Love the imagery of the music. Needs more variation to keep the listeners interest.
This track's melancholic atmosphere is a bit too weary in the vocals, sounding overly sleepy and lackluster in enthusiasm. It needs to balance the mood with a more passionate display of singing, or at least more vibrancy in the musical track to help offset the vocalist's style. It is a bit too somber for me in its current rendition.
The song is very peaceful, the vocals are well heard and are not overpowering towards the instruments playing in the background. The song has a great message. the singer has a beautiful voice or this song, it is very easy to understand and hear all together, the guitar playing in the background is playing at the right speed and melody, great blend between guitar and the singer.
There is avery singer songwriter vibe to this track. I like the singing and the harmonies on the track. Some very nice poetic images to the lyrics. The music is a bit too barebones and needs some fleshing out. Some really very nice philosophical lyrics and a pretty nice melody. You need the right type of music behind it and maybe a more contemporary approach could work better. The singing is pretty good on the track as well.
I don't like country music so the beginning of this song was extremely boring and unbearable. It is way to slow and there is so much room for improvement. Vocals are okay, but not the best and not the worst. People who like country music will like this, however not the general public and cannot be played on radios.
The acoustic guitar sounds beautiful and the lyrics are very powerful and creative as well. I don't much like the lead singer's tone and voice, but I prefer the times when he sings lightly and higher notes. The harmonies with the background singers sound very nice. For a country song, it is quite innovative. Adding a female singer might be nice to break up the lead singer's voice.

Below is my original demo version of Gray Rainbow.