Y8W20 Stand By You

Hi James,
Nice little song, I can see the new minimalist approach coming to the fore here. Reads well my friend, I'll listen to it later. But I'm not going to let you get away with it so easily. I see that you couldn't resist the little twist which we have come to anticipate in your songs (your supposed to do something different remember :P ). I'm referring to these lines of course:
Down on our knees I will cry by your side
When you're ready to try, together we'll rise
Not that I think you should remove them or change them in any way as they are pivotal to the song, I just thought that I would tease you little bit

Cheers
Paul

But I'm not going to let you get away with it so easily.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I see that you couldn't resist the little twist which we have come to anticipate in your songs (your supposed to do something different remember :P ). I'm referring to these lines of course:
Interesting insight, Paul. :o Sorry I can't take credit for the twist :?

Well since we were supposed to do our opposite, I tried to write straightforward with no twist.....since like you said, Paul, I like them twists :twisted:

This was a strange experiment for me. I can't say I liked it, but I can't say I didn't. Basically, when I looked at the type of music I really don't like, I came up with love ballads....specifically Celine Dione.....sorry, Celine, if you are reading this post :roll: ....
....So watched about 10 Celine youtube videos to try to understand her "style".....Lyrically, it seems pretty bland singer to singee songs with the following words surfacing repeatedly: 'cause, love, power, feel, I, you, lost, fears.

Next I was looking at the structure of a minimalist approach with down played verses, a climb or pre-chorus build, and soaring choruses.

Then I tried to figure out what the range of the highest notes was I could hit and made that the "roof" of the chorus......

After putting it altogether, it was an unexpected result....to cap off the high notes and down play the verses, I started singing on the low end....ok really low end....basically, the basement low end :roll: Actually, if I was better at key changes during a song, there probably would have been a better solution. :?

For me the end result sounded more like Johnny Cash on cold meds than Celine's next Billboard Top 10 :shock: :roll: :lol:

In all though, like it or not, I think this might be a glimpse into a way of improving as songwriters.....not necessarily catering to our weaknesses, but stepping outside our patterns and writing songs for top recording artists/other artists. You have to get in "their" shoes so it feels like "their" song......so you can sell a song :mrgreen:

My daughter heard the song and said she liked it....go figure... :roll: .....she didn't even ask for anything after the compliment :lol: I know what I like musically will only be appealing to a small niche of people, but that's what I love about writing my own songs. :mrgreen:

Thanks for the listen and post, Paul. I'm glad you "enjoyed" the read and got so much out of it! :oops: :roll: :P :lol:

James

Hmm, this one was a strange one from you.

I think you achieved your goal of writing a song like hers, but I'm not sure, these sorts of songs (I've written a few minimalist ones too) always seem to lack heart when reading them.

On the other hand they always seem to work better when listening to them :P Quite a good attempt all up, though I prefer your usual style, or at least something with a few more details. Hehe, this sounds really critical now... oops, I guess I just don't like Celine much. It's not you it's her haha

Hehe, this sounds really critical now...
No need to apologize :wink:
I guess I just don't like Celine much. It's not you it's her haha
I asked my wife if she likes Celine's music, but she said, "No. It's too cheesy."....Someone out there must like her enough for her to have made a career out of it :roll: :P
Quite a good attempt all up, though I prefer your usual style, or at least something with a few more details.
I'll take that as a compliment :wink:

Thanks for the listen and post, Jay. :D

James

Hmmm - kind of outside your usual style, but instantly recognisable as Jamestoffee from the mp3 - but then again, so was "Miss You" by the Stones, and so was "Another One Bites The Dust" from Queen. Different, but recognisable.

I can see where you'd have problems putting something "different" together - you seem to be able to flit from genre to different genre so easily.

Going to have to name a whole new genre after you! "Toffeerock?" - hmmmmm......

:D :D :D

Vic

Vic,
"Toffeerock?"
Well, at least it makes for an interesting title if not genre :P

Thanks for the listen and post. :wink:

James

BTW I reworked "Tomorrow Never Dies" as well if you have time to give it another listen some time.

"Toffeerock?"
:lol: can we eat it? :P

have to agree, this was a strange one :D
it was on the border to a-bit-cheesy-but-still-okay till I read/heard the "feel the power of love break through" line, oh boy! :lol:
hope you won't be offended but I thought this was fun! :D

....So watched about 10 Celine youtube videos to try to understand her "style".....Lyrically, it seems pretty bland singer to singee songs with the following words surfacing repeatedly: 'cause, love, power, feel, I, you, lost, fears.
hilarous!
you seem to be able to flit from genre to different genre so easily
I'll second that and am impressed (also at the amount of effort you put into analysing Ms Dion's style :wink: )!

so, one more serious comment before I go: like the way your voice is on the edge at the very beginning of the chorus :)

thanks for sharing!
cheers,
straycat.

Hi Straycat,
:lol: can we eat it? :P
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I read/heard the "feel the power of love break through" line, oh boy! :lol:
hope you won't be offended but I thought this was fun! :D
Not offended at all :wink:

Actually, after I posted "Million Dollar Baby" last year and wasn't tossed out of the forum :oops: , I really feel safe here....Thanks to you and other songwriters I am willing to be vulnerable and take chances.

On another forum I spent a lot of time on, I was constantly second guessing myself and wondering if I would be offending etc. So thanks to you and others willing to listen and comment....it's kind of hard to find a place on the Internet like this where peers are willing to share in this way.....group hug moment :note1: :note2: :note1: There are no heart icons on the smiles so music will have to do as it is close to all our hearts. :P :wink:

Thanks for the listen and post.

James

:note1: :note2: :note1:
:D