This is a new demo of a song we originally wrote in '91. I'm using the Bluegrass RT set and Nashville drums. Hope you enjoy it.

Willadeen

(Lyrics especially for you Ian, grin...)

Willadeen
©1991,2010 J. Beck, C. Grant All rights reserved.

Willadeen folded a piece of paper
Stuck it between the salt and pepper shaker
One last look at these old rooms
And she was out the back door on her honeymoon
All her mama could do was clean and clean
While her daddy paced the porch
He never felt so mean
Aww Willadeen

Willadeen
What you gonna do with the rest of your life
What you gonna do another poor man's wife
God willin' and the creek don't rise
What do you think you're gonna find
Willadeen

Willadeen signed her name at the lawyer
Piled three kids all they owned in a junker
One call home to say goodbye
Headin' out for the city and a brand new life
All her mama could was clean and clean
While her daddy paced the porch
He never felt so mean
Aww Willadeen

(repeat chorus)

Dreams are all that matter at seventeen
She's gonna do things mama never dreamed
Ol' grandpa drives her crazy
When he calls her Willadeen

Willadeen picked up the piece of paper
Folded between the salt and pepper shaker
In tears she reads her daughter's note
So like the lines that she once wrote
All she could do was clean and clean
Then she went and paced the porch
She never felt so mean
Aww Willadeen

Hi Josie,

You've done a great job with this song. The arrangement is excellent in my book. The fiddle really puts the icing on the cake.

All the best,
Noel

Josie,
believe it or not, I knew a woman named Willadeen, and your song sounds exactly like her life! (But, that may be comparable to writing a song about a guy named Billy-Bob who got drunk and went to jail. )


I like your lyrical style... you have a way of inserting your storyline into the everyday details of life . The salt and pepper shakers become more than random items in a room; they become key players in the story.

I think your use of RB to build a song is very good. The songs sound well-composed to me, not redundant or lacking in structure. I like the way the song thins out when you sing, and the fiddle kicks in when the vocals drop out. The style suits the content.

I also liked the way your harmony added variation and texture to the song.

There were moments when I couldn't understand what you were saying... if not for having the words posted, they would have been lost to me. But, I have found that depending on the frequency of a person's voice I have trouble understanding some people, and so the problem may be mine, not yours.

All in all, another nice song for Josie!

ah gee, Josie . . . . thanks.

I really don't know where to begin with this song of yours.
If you're feeling up to it I'd like to hear the original.
I loved this version - it is so "understated" it is powerful. A wonderfully built arrangement. Not a note without a purpose or distracting from the lyrics. Even the harmony is subtle. No edginess to it. I'm betting you didn't use much in the way of compression. The lyrics are amazing - they just tug - too true to life right down to the salt and pepper shakers - that was masterful.

I'm really happy you posted that Josie. I can't see that there wouldn't be a spot on a country playlist for it.
Was it ever released before? I can't see that it wouldn't have been. Always room for traditional.

Well done. Ian

Josie, there is only one word that can describe this song and that is PERFECT!

Perfect vocal, harmonies, backing tracks and fiddles.

This is air play ready!

Hi Josie. I've come to expect crafty lyrics from you, and this does not dissapoint. The only thing I might take a look at is the chord structure in a few spots- namely the end of the verses. There are some spots where the timing isn't the most supportive it can be. I chalk this up to either some limitations of biab, or perhaps you're not coaxing it out of biab in the right way- which may not even be doable. But I think it's generally limitations in biab. I have noticed that it's difficult to stray too far from generic structure when using RT's. Things like syncopated timing or quick time sig changes can be difficult to make sound smooth and 'right'. Often you must go with a phrase just because it works, and let go of what you really had in mind. But this one is another good one Josie! You should be on the heels of Dolly Parton, quite frankly. I know she's an accomplished writter, but your material could give her some new life in the country scene.

Dan

Thank you Noel. I've always enjoyed a little bluegrass so it was fun adding in that mountain music fiddle.

Pat,
That was too funny. She was a girl from school that I never met but liked the way her name sounded.

I appreciate your kind words.

Ian,
For compression I used the PG Dynamics Gentle Opto 2 preset. I also used the ten band eq to tame all that mid range going on and peaklimit to bring up the volume a bit. I'm still experimenting with the production side as many of us here are I think.

My co-writer was a blessing and responsible for part of the lyrics. We didn't get a cut on it - yet. grin.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm so glad you like the song.

Mario,
Consider yourself hugged. Thank you.

Dan,
Maybe I've heard it too many times this way at this point but I don't hear any problems with chord structure. Altho I understand the limitations you're talking about and am by no means an expert on working out everything exactly the way I want it on every song with RT's yet, I'm overall happy with the way this one turned out. That's not to say further tweaking is out of the question. grin.

Thank you for your comments. I appreciate your thoughts and kind words.

Not really a genre I know much about, but I can hear a pretty tune and a compelling story here Josie. Is it me or is the track mastered very quiet?

Josie,

Wonderful job - a real toe tapper. Truly liked the harmonies - and I am a real sucker for anything with fiddle.

Take Care

1st of what a great name for a country song! And the arrangement and use of real tracks were right on for the lyric and general feel of the story. I also thought the harmonies were not only spot on but well placed throughout the song. On a closing note I can picture Dolly singing this tune on some TV special.

Wonderful work young lady!

Wow...Josie...you're a great songwriter! Very visual lyrics and a wonderful voice too! Very "musical" song title. Keep 'em coming!

Bob

I think you have to be American (especially from the South)to write lyrics like this Brits like me aint got no chance no chance at all.In my ear I could here a slapped echo in the hook which would give it that "haunting" feel but Im a romantic at heart.Im sure Dolly Parton would do a great job with this song not saying you havent but she is a million seller and we could all do with the big bucks right! cheers Frankie

Very well done! It has that down home country feel. Very well mixed. Thanks for sharing!


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Marc, I'm glad you liked it, thank you for commenting. Yeah, it may be a tad quiet in comparison.
Powderman, thank you for listening, I love that fiddle too. The voicetone does a good job on the harmonies and saves me a ton of time. I've gone from a purist to a convert. LOL.
Danny C., thank you listening and for the kind words. I was thinking more of Allison Krauss than Dolly but hey....
Bob (Hawgly), I appreciate that, thank you very much.
tributeman, yep, I guess this one is pure southern fried - grin - but I sure learned a lot about songwriting from the Brits. Thanks for listening and posting.
PgFantastic, Heaven knows, I still sweat it out over the mixing but I'm learning - thank you.

Great writing and a great flow. Loved the fiddle and banjo. Super harmony and superb editing. Soothing vocals Josie!
Marty

Josie,

I listened to this when you first posted it, and to be honest with you it didn't really do much for me at the time. However.... There was something about it that kept making me come back and listen again, and again, and again. (I've lost count now)

Whata ya know, the more I listen, the more I like it! I love it when a song does that to me. It's almost like you enjoy it a little more evey time you listen.

Anyway, thought I'd share that with ya. Oh and the bridge part after the 2nd chorus is a nice touch.

Good Job,

Greg

Hi Marty,Just clicked on to your site and enjoyed your music.Could you tell me what was the set up on the echo of Shake Rattle And Roll it was truly authentic.Cheers Frankie

Hello Frankie,
Thanks for the compliments. Old RR is so much fun. The slap back on the vocals was done using a Line6 UX1 audio interface setup. I looked in my recording notes and I did not write down the settings for that effect. I think we just played with it until we got the sound we liked. Sorry I could not be of more help.
Marty

Hi Josie, I can't play the songs in your MySpace here, I don't know why. I use Firefox and Explorer last versions both. I even bypassed antivirus and firewall in the case. Maybe some temporal issue. I'll try later.

Carlos