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#402428 03/24/17 07:52 AM
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This is the first and very likely the last time I write a song about a punctuation mark! I appreciate any and all comments. Tom


https://soundcloud.com/tommyad/the-dash


http://tommyadamsmusic.com/music



RealTracks in style: 691:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming AcRockBright Ev 120
RealTracks in style: 2541:Pedal Steel, Background ModernPopCountry Ev 110
RealTracks in song: ~2494:Piano, Acoustic, HeldChords 120
Royalty Free Loops, Multitrack Instrument and Song Files and Multitrack Drums from Drums on Demand

Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Tom Adams


We used to spend our nights
Beneath an autumn sky
looking at the stars
And simply wondering why

There’s nothing quite as cold
as a graveyard late at night
We’d dream about a world where no-one ever dies


It’s the dash that counts that’s the only thing that’s real


make the most of what little time you’re here

I don't care when you were born or what year you will die
What matters most is in between those years


Every other year
We’d pledge to meet again
a bottle of cheap red wine
Go back to where we’d been

Take a midnight walk
just like we used to do
A cemetery talk
Reminds us we’re not through


It’s the dash that counts that’s the only thing that’s real

make the most of what little time you’re here

I don't care when you were born or what year you will die

What matters most is in between those years


Written on your tombstone between the years there is a line

That's the place your lifetime is defined


It’s the dash that counts that’s the only thing that’s real


make the most of what little time you’re here

©2017 Thomas Adams

tommyad #402446 03/24/17 09:01 AM
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Wow, so good! Loved everything about this. Killer job on the mix too, wish I had your skills in that department! Nice looking tele in your profile pic over there BTW.

tommyad #402451 03/24/17 09:16 AM
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Hi Tom.

Now that is one extremely sophisticated piece of arranging. And then, just when you think you've heard it all, you're left with that wonderful unresolved ending. Any professional producer would be proud of work like that.

On top of all that, it's such a brilliant song.

This simply has to be some of your best work to date.

ROG.

ROG #402467 03/24/17 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Tom.

Now that is one extremely sophisticated piece of arranging. And then, just when you think you've heard it all, you're left with that wonderful unresolved ending.


Yep, I came here to mention that amazing ending. The way the guitar climbs up and then vanishes is just perfect! Great example of "always leave 'em wanting more." The vocals in this are such high quality, too, really wonderfully layered and recorded.


Will - PG Music
tommyad #402468 03/24/17 10:25 AM
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That repeating guitar lick in the chorus is just phenomenal, too... such nice tone, and it really stands out as a creative addition.


Will - PG Music
tommyad #402493 03/24/17 11:32 AM
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Hi, Tom !


You know, your song made me think
how funny it is that as we reach
a certain age, those things you´re
writing about really starts to count
and we are getting more interested
in what we still can do before our
departure !

I am awed at what you achieved here
What a superb tune and so superbly
performed too ! that goes for those
deepdiggin´lyrics too - a masterpiece !

Cheers
Dani

tommyad #402495 03/24/17 11:36 AM
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Really nice listening.
Everything is right, great production and performance.

Excellent guitar playing

Sergio



Sergio
tommyad #402512 03/24/17 12:14 PM
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Loved this tune Tom. Super vocal and arrangement. Love the guitar as well, Super tone....


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
tommyad #402564 03/24/17 04:59 PM
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Tom,
Terrific song! My favourite of yours to date.
I`ve just spent the afternoon with a 93 yr old friend who`s full of cool stories about all he`s packed into his "line"... you`ve really captured something essential here.

Robert

tommyad #403536 03/25/17 04:56 AM
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Tom,

An excellent write. A really clever idea for a write. The thing that struck me most about it (the writing) was the strength of the verses - and how you advanced the thought in the second verse. Strong.

Nice arrangement. Excellent mix. The DoD drums are nice. Another strong vocal. The harmonies are so well done that they almost slip by "unnoticed" (yet add so much). Nice guitar work - tasty fills. Nice ending.

More and more, your songs stick in my head long after I hear them - in a listen or two.

Another top-notch-er.

fj

tommyad #403562 03/25/17 07:37 AM
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Tom,

WOW! This is GREAT! I really enjoyed it. The mix, vocals, guitar... Everything is very polished. Outstanding!

A fine write.

Greg

tommyad #403593 03/25/17 11:57 AM
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Tom

You never disappoint - fabulous song, wonderfully arranged, melodic, and a nice set of lyrics.
Great stuff.

Peter

tommyad #403606 03/25/17 12:20 PM
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It's not the dash that counts, it's the quality of this song wink
And it's a high level as always!

Rob and Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/


ROG #403657 03/25/17 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Tom.

Now that is one extremely sophisticated piece of arranging. And then, just when you think you've heard it all, you're left with that wonderful unresolved ending. Any professional producer would be proud of work like that.

On top of all that, it's such a brilliant song.

This simply has to be some of your best work to date.

ROG.


ROG said it so well, you make the sounds your own
very Pro, very good
Enjoyed

Kenny

tommyad #403673 03/25/17 07:23 PM
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Hello, Tom

Very catchy and very pop!
The melody and the chord progression are the royal road of the pops.
Vocals and Guitars are superb.
The eighth notes of Bass engraved throughout the music are very pleasant.
The unresolved ending chord is also wonderful.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

ROG #403706 03/26/17 02:51 AM
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Originally Posted By: BlueAttitude
Wow, so good! Loved everything about this. Killer job on the mix too, wish I had your skills in that department! Nice looking tele in your profile pic over there BTW.
Dave, This mixing thing is an ongoing process. This forum has been an invaluable resource. I am always trying different mixing and mastering techniques and have come a long way from several years ago. Your stuff sounds great now and I'm sure it will sound even better in the future. Tom
Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Tom.

Now that is one extremely sophisticated piece of arranging. And then, just when you think you've heard it all, you're left with that wonderful unresolved ending. Any professional producer would be proud of work like that.

On top of all that, it's such a brilliant song.

This simply has to be some of your best work to date.

ROG.
Professor, I've been meaning to tell you I have been using the ROG technique on vocals. I record the chorus and harmonies on separate tracks from the verses. As you pointed out this allows different processing and is a real time saver by copy and pasting the choruses. Simply a great idea that works like a charm. Thanks for fine review, Tom

tommyad #403755 03/26/17 09:41 AM
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Great work Tom! This one has some of the best sound (production) that I've heard on this forum. So clean! By the way the song was great too. Thanks, Torrey.

dani48 #403931 03/27/17 06:47 AM
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Originally Posted By: Will B - PG Music
Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Tom.

Now that is one extremely sophisticated piece of arranging. And then, just when you think you've heard it all, you're left with that wonderful unresolved ending.


Yep, I came here to mention that amazing ending. The way the guitar climbs up and then vanishes is just perfect! Great example of "always leave 'em wanting more." The vocals in this are such high quality, too, really wonderfully layered and recorded.
Will, Glad you came by and thanks for the nice comments. Tom
Originally Posted By: dani48
Hi, Tom !


You know, your song made me think
how funny it is that as we reach
a certain age, those things you´re
writing about really starts to count
and we are getting more interested
in what we still can do before our
departure !

I am awed at what you achieved here
What a superb tune and so superbly
performed too ! that goes for those
deepdiggin´lyrics too - a masterpiece !

Cheers
Dani
Dani, You're right. The older we get the more we think about these things. Glad you liked it. Tom

Scott C #404086 03/28/17 01:42 AM
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Originally Posted By: Sergio Guarneri

Really nice listening.
Everything is right, great production and performance.

Excellent guitar playing

Sergio
Thanks, I appreciate it. Tom
Originally Posted By: Scott C
Loved this tune Tom. Super vocal and arrangement. Love the guitar as well, Super tone....
Thanks for the nice words Scott. Tom

tommyad #404209 03/28/17 10:58 AM
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"It’s the dash that counts that’s the only thing that’s real."

It's the most profound of punctuation marks. We've walked through many an old family cemetery that we often find long since abandoned in forests and pondered what that dash might represent for those that lived out there lives there.

And speaking of profound you again show how a powerful, perhaps even spiritual, concept can be distilled down to relatively few finely crafted words.

Then surround the write with your trademark playing and vocals and production value and voila another Tommyad tune worthy of many listens.

Outstanding!

J&B


Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more.
If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks!
Our Videos are here on our website.
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