Hi Izzy I’m with you, reggae is my kryptonite. Having said that, this song is a gem. Great lyrics, great vocals and that reggae production is big, brassy and beautiful. Your vocal sits really well with this genre, it has to be one of favourite songs of yours, and that’s a high bar. Great production, you have great song sense. Gonna have to listen several times and yet another on my favourite playlist. Such a feel good song, but that’s reggae all over. I have to agree with others, from your images I’d said you were in your mid thirties! Great music, great voice, great looks….have you made a deal with the devil or something?
Hey Marty, You’re asking the big question here, what’s not in question is your ability to craft a great song, and Dave’s lead guitar to give the song an epic feel. You’re both in fine form. Enjoyed the change of key at the bridge and the imposing atmosphere topped off by the momentary pause before the verse. Great songwriting and musicianship as always, both you and Dave. Kind regards.
You can find the alternative version from 2010 on my website. I almost forgot that I actually made a video. This was my old studio at the other house. Obviously a younger version of me too.
This is the second song in the series where I'm reworking and re-recording songs that were written quite some time ago. This one was written about 16 years ago by Pat Bishop and myself. You can find the original version on my website if you're interested. This is a song about a couple of star crossed lovers who haven't quite gotten it figured out. They are madly in love but do little dumb things that cause issues but they know they are in love and trying to work though the things that come up, trying to talk about things. Ultimately, they don't want to lose this thing they have. The Kill Branch Studio Band: Drums: synth Mando: 1766 Synth pad: 1841 B3: 688 Steel: 369 Josh & Nora on vocals: Synth V & Audimee Piano, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar: Yours truly Notes: Bass guitar is my Epiphone Precision copy played through the Spark 40 with a clean but compressed model. The Acoustic guitar is the Taylor 314 recorded with the Rode NT2-A. The electric guitar is my 69 SG recorded through the Spark 40 with a Fishman model kicking out the jams and running hot. The Piano is Kontakt 7 with Alicia Keys software and a studio model. Mixed and polished in Sonar, a couple of plugs in a couple tracks, with Ozone 10 doing the honors on the master buss. Any other questions, just ask. That Ought To Count That Ought to Count Words just don't come easy for me the way they do for you That doesn't mean I don't love you nothing could be further from the truth You say I'm always lost in thought and quiet most of the time That ought to count for something, cause baby, you're never off my mind Sometimes I might forget some things, like our lunch date, just last week At times I'm in a hurry and don't kiss you goodbye, when I leave. But never has a day gone by I haven't thanked the Lord above for you. And that's the truth. That ought count for something, baby, you're never off my mind. If I made you doubt my love for you because of things I didn't do, I'm so sorry I'm on my knees, forgive me, I'd hate to think where I'd be, Without the kind of love you share with me. Solo Don't want to take your love for granted, and I hope I never do. I couldn't stand to face a day, if I had to live it without you. You're gonna hear the words "I love you", each and every day from now on.... That ought to count for something; baby, you're never off my mind. That ought count for something; and baby you're never off my mind Copyright 2010 Herb Hartley & Patricia Bishop
Happy birthday, Dan! I never would have guessed you were 73 by all the songs you've been releasing to Soundcloud recently!?! I'm sure it's relative, but in the past year or so, I've been feeling some significant declines, physically...hell, mentally, too. You inspire me to continue making music for at least a couple more decades!
Not , do you still write songs and lyrics. Do you type it out or do you still use a pad and pencil or pen to write out the lyrics?
Howdy Herb.... Although I've been in a creative drought lately, since '72 I still prefer a black ink pen, yellow legal pad & clipboard (and maybe a cold brew or a few fingers of Crown Royal ) I don't sit at the computer while writing. I prefer to sit outside and write in a comfortable chair carefully mulling over each line for imagery and continuity. When I have a fair amount of the meat & potatoes written with chords & arrangement I'll print out (2) working copies to edit and refine. Old habits die hard ....probably a good song title which I have yet to commit to. I am working on a song called "AI" but it's far from being fleshed out. I'll have to be careful with my wording and subject direction on this one to consider it for public consumption. I have the chorus but that's about it. Just turning 79 I really should get busy with it. Hope all is well. Carry on.
Dan, listened to your last three songs and I'm impressed. Nice that you've found the voice to bring life to these songs that obviously mean a lot to you. That's pretty cool. Some really nice backing track arrangements in their as well. Wishing you many more happy birthdays and continued growth on your journey. All the best, Ron
FUN, FUN, FUN! “The mosh pit is full The girls going wild A human swimming pool Hey, I think that one smiled” Y’all really should take a bow for this. The humor is delightful. The bridge and your solo were cool. Fine vocals as always! The ending echo of “bow” with the abrupt end made us smile. Excellent mix. Much enjoyed! J&B
J&B, as always, ya'll are WAY too kind. Glad you enjoyed the tune!
Hi Izzy! Reggae - what could go wrong? Nothing in your hands! Love that ‘sacred’ organ opening and the brass fills. I could almost picture a multi-coloured van with the song blasting from speakers as it cruises the streets of Byron Bay, with onlookers with purple hair, beads and kaftans moving to the rhythm. The candle and essential oils shops do a roaring trade. ‘One love rising’ shot higher than SpaceX and fortunately landed safely. A great song by you, worthy of my 4 listens - love every bar! Andrew PS 71? What youthful vocal elixir have you been swallowing? I want some.
We struggled to find our way back! We love watching clouds. Every time it is something we nor anybody else will see again. Soooo ... we love the vibe, your performances and the production. J&B
With a text editor and unlimited undo, you only see the final result.
An excellent point that really bothered me initially when I made the switch to text editor from paper. But I quickly figured out a solution to that problem that really works for me! Every song I write starts with an idea or a prompt so I type them into my text editor and then scroll those a bit down the page. Then I type a bunch of keywords that might work in my song along with rhyming words and scroll those a bit down the page.. Next comes my first draft and, unless it is perfect (it never is), I scroll it down, copy/paste it above and start working on draft 2. Each time, before I make a significant change, I copy/paste the set of lyrics below my workspace and then work on the new draft. For me, this is an ideal technique because I can type faster and more legible plus I never lose my changes and previous drafts. Text files are small so they don't take up much space. And I have a full chronology of each song's history with way more detail than I could ever fit in the margins of a piece of paper. There are lots of ways to improve on this. You could add date/time stamps on each revision. You could switch to a word processor and then mark up text with strikethrough, bold, etc. maybe even use features that let you hide/show sections. You could even buy songwriting software like MasterWriter. Heck, Trent Reznor, Rob Thomas and David Foster can't all be wrong!
Another super cool, atmospheric symphony. Love the dreamy vibe and waves of hallucinations. Super composition and arrangement. Superb playing as always. You ALMOST make working meaningless tasks in windowless obscurity sound like fun.
Marty, Amazing song and video... Really top-shelf lyrics and delivery. Your vocal is outstanding! Dave is excellent as usual. You guys are a great musical pair. Superb mix - just the whole package! Bob
Today is a big day for me - It happens to be my 73rd birthday. The surprize and blessing to me is that at this late time in my life I am performing my most personally fulfilling music of my entire life. Over my life played guitar with a moderate amount of skill but never enough to do anything solo or achive true emotional satisfaction. Over the past decades I had even dabbled with voice lessons a couple times - but nothing ever "resonated" with me. I never really got beyound "breathing practices". So for some reason, (huge changes in my life at this time) I started again taking vocal lessons at the first of this year. Well, long story short, I have uploaded 3 example songs which I have just completed. These highlight my newly discovered and continuing to develop, mixed-voice (keep in mind, I had never heard the expression "mixed-voice"). But I came to learn that this is the secret sauce, combined with true supportive breathing, that I needed to expand my range out of my chest register and smooth out my vocals. Hence, the new tricks for this old dog. Give a listen if you care too. And by the way, those high notes are a G4. See the My SoundCloud link in the signature below. Dan
Cool concept, coolly executed, Marty. Great vocals, bass and lead guitar. Like the dramatic change of pace at the bridge. Nice band that provides enough musical glue to draw all the human stuff together without distracting. But I do like that BiaB piano a lot, too. Yep, it's the ol' death-and-taxes reality. Guess we'll all find out...on the other side.
FWIW here’s a detailed criticism of the study from the same journal. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1517235/full Pardon the intrusion but my background in clinical psychology made a rare appearance 😀 which was a result of the very sweeping conclusions as expressed in the posted article. Regardless it’s all interesting and well worthy of studying which I’ll do from both perspectives. BTW, the Mueller/Oppenheimer study was also later found to be statistically inconclusive. To the topic. 😀 Very often lyric notions come to Bud when we are hiking or mountain biking. We will make an audio note on Janice’s phone or tap it on our notes app. We usually later rough it out in notes and then print it. From that point on it’s a lot of refining it with pen or pencil. Later Janice will mark up by pen lines for harmony, etc. Also she roughs out a progression by pen and later moves it to BiaB. Bud
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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