A little while back, I was reading through forum posts one Sunday morning when I stumbled across a comment by Bud. It piqued my lyric-writing senses and I sat down and mapped out a rough first-draft of lyrics. I sent this draft over to Bud and Janice and asked if they would be interested in helping me to shape the thoughts into a song. They jumped on board and after a few emails, BIAB files and mp3s zig-zagged around the world between Australia and the US, we arrived at this destination...

• I Won Life's Lotto

Please feel free to comment.

Hope you enjoy our collaboration!
Noel


BIAB Info
All Realtracks and Realdrums were generated using the Audiophile edition of the software

RT 1121: Bass, Acoustic, CountryWaltz Sw 085
RT 824: Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Country Waltz Sw 085
RT 2053: Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CountryWaltzBrent Sw 085
RT 2557:Cello, Background SlowWaltz Sw 085

RealDrums: NashvilleWaltzSw^6-a:HiHat , b:Sidestick, Hihat

Lyrics
When I'm watching a Georgia sun rise
I remember days of summer fun
And the night when you asked me
“Do you want to dance till morning comes?”
From that moment onwards
A single thing's been true
I won life's lotto
When I said, “I do”

Our journey has been amazing
There's nothing that I want to change
The golden ring you gave me
It's a blessing I live to celebrate
How did fortune choose me?
I haven't got a clue
I won life's lotto
When you said, “I do”

When trails we are biking toss us to and fro
Or paths we are hiking are uncertain
You are there, always, a beacon full of hope
A keeper of promises made long ago

Whatever fate delivers
Whatever boat we're paddling
With you here beside me
Tomorrow is worth traveling
The days keep on dawning
With dreams to pursue
I won life's lotto
When you said, “I do”

Days keep dawning
With dreams to pursue
I won life's lotto
The day we said, “I do”

"I Won Life's Lotto" © 2016 Janice Merritt, Bud Merritt, Noel Adams. Words and Music. All rights reserved.

Hey Noel, J&B.

What can I say? It's an absolute classic!

* Clever lyrics
* A great waltz style
* Beautiful arrangement
* Excellent mix
* Janice on top form.

A professional package that you should all be proud of.

ROG.

Noel Bud & Janice

That was lovely!
Loved the lyrics - (tingle down the spine stuff).
Pretty melody and beautifully sung (loved the last held note).

Great work.

Peter

Noel, Janice & Bud,

A very cool collaboration - perfect all around.

Bob

Well written lyrics (great hook!), track sounds great as does Janice.

Nice collaboration, enjoyed the listen!

Wow, That was spectacular. I love the personal notes ( hiking and biking etc.) that make this a believable and authentic story. A beautifully written and arranged love note from Janice to Bud that is delivered in a superb package from one of my favorite vocalists. Simply outstanding in every way. Standing ovation and congratulations to all three of you. Tom

We'll respond individually to the kind comments but I want to point our that our contributions to the lyric were minor. Noel had picked up on our love of the outdoors (biking, hiking, kayaking, etc.) through comments I'd made on the forum and to him via earlier conversations. With that and my comment about life's lotto he wove a lyric that stunningly defined our relationship and for that we will be forever grateful.

Bud

Noel,
Very good on all levels!
A heartfelt and elegant song with vocals up there with the best- congrats to the three of you.

Robert

Noel, Janice and Bud

How absolutely sensational! Janice has put her (usual) professional stamp on this.

The lyrics are both poetically thoughtful and masterful in every way.

The choice of tempo and style could not be more perfect.

Congratulations to you all, this is another piece of exemplary, classic genius.

Take a well deserved bow. All of you.

Trev

It's beautiful, it's personal, it warms the heart
the melody is lovely.

Kenny

Noel, Janice and Bud,

You've woven a vividly rich lyrical tapestry into this lovely arranged waltz. it's a beautifully sung celebration of love for Janice and Bud that warmed and tugged my heart.

Thank you Rog. Noel did a beautiful job with the write and the production. It was hard for me to keep the tears away when I sang it. I appreciate you mentioning my vocal!

Janice

I had the same thoughts so all I can add is this is a keeper.

Hi ROG,

Thank you for passing through! Appreciate the comments.

When I first sent that rough lyric draft to Janice and Bud, I had no idea that the song would grow so well. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Merritts to create this. Each of us did our bit and, voilà (because I know you are fluent in French), it all came together seamlessly!

Thanks again,
Noel

Hello, Noel, Janice & Bud

Simple but very beautiful melody supported with the best vocal.
You are a great melody maker.
This song reminds me “Lonesome Whistle” of Hank Williams Jr. a little bit.
But I think your song is much better, more beautiful and more modern.
As ROG said, it's an absolute classic! A professional package that you should all be proud of.
Nice collaboration, enjoyed the listen!

Best Regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Thank you Peter. Noel handed me a lovely gift. I tried to do it justice and am happy that you like it.

Janice

Great song!!!!! Excellent lyrics!! Beautiful vocals!! Great hook! A winner!!!

Thanks Bob!

Janice

What a great collab!!! Noel, you are such a good writer, particularly in this style. And I can't think of anyone who would be able to deliver the vocals and help with the arrangements as well as Janice and Bud. This is just a beautiful song! Rachel and I celebrated our 40th anniversary back in June. I really feel that I won life's lotto when she said "I do", as well!

Thanks for sharing this!

Steve

Hey Peter,

Thank you for dropping in and commenting. Personally, I think that the 'tingle down the spine stuff' that you mention is entirely due to Janice's wonderful vocals. I never tire of listening to her sing.

Again, thanks!
Noel



Thanks, Bob. It's always good to see you. Working with Janice and Bud has been a highlight of my songwriting adventure so far! I thoroughly enjoyed it. If Aristotle was talking about collaborative songwriting when he said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts", then he was DEFINITELY correct! The end result is much better than anything I could have created by myself.

Regards,
Noel



Hi Dave,

Thank you! It was the hook that first grabbed me too. The minute I read what Bud had written, it was like floodgates opened in my mind and a current of ideas tumbled out. That was where this song began.

All the best,
Noel

Thank you Dave. I appreciate your comments.

Janice

Tom,

Thanks for taking the time. Your thoughts are appreciated.

After that first draft I sent across, everything wove together seamlessly. I used to look forward to a budandjanice email appearing in my inbox because I knew it would hold some more ideas and tweaks for lyrics and music. I don't think it's possible for collaborating to be any easier or more enjoyable than what I experienced. It was great to be part of the team.

Thanks again!
Noel

Hi,

It reminds me of a Joan Baez's tune, very smooth ballad, I like it.

Noel & Company -

Late on this one as usual, but ditto to what ROG said! He's a music professor, so he must know, right?

Excellent stuff. A 9000 mile collaboration.


Regards,

Bob

Noel, Janice, Bud...

A lovely song. Neat hook - have heard Bud say that a number of times

The melody is a real standout. One of those that you feel you have known your whole life (like the perfect partner!).

Excellent arrangement and mix...supporting that gorgeous vocal perfectly (another perfect partnership!). All parts (instruments) are so clear - nice space.

A terrific collaboration.

fj

This is gorgeous guys.
Romantic, highly melodic and a beautiful vocal of Janice!!
That waltz style works so great.

Super all the way.

Rob & Anne-Marie

Tom, that is so nice of you to say that! You know us well enough to understand how the lyric completely reflects mine and Bud's relationship. We really appreciate your support.

Janice

Hi Robert,

Thank you for your vote of confidence! Appreciate the visit.

Regards,
Noel

Hi Trev,

Glad you dropped in!

One of the beauties of BIAB is that we who write songs can get away with doing so little. I began this backing with the style _CELLOW2.STY (Dual Cello Waltz) and its default tempo. From there I played around with what other Realtracks were potentially available. When I received Janice's vocal, it became clear that a minimalist backing was all that was needed to frame her wonderful singing. From my perspective, too many instruments were distracting. I wanted to come up with an arrangement that allowed Janice and her melody to shine as brightly as possible. I'm pretty sure that I can safely say that we're all glad to read that it worked for you.

Thanks for passing through the thread.
Noel

Hi Kenny.

Thanks for taking the time to listen.

While I sent a draft melody to Bud and Janice as a starting place. That was all it was meant to be... a starting place. This was my only contribution to the melody. The end result morphed quite a bit from that first draft. The best analogy I can think of is that of a butterfly and how it begins as a cocoon. My melody was simply a cocoon and under Janice's nurturing it became a butterfly. The final melody is Janice's and, like you, I think it's really beautiful.

Thanks again!

Regards,
Noel

great colab noel Janice and bud this was perfect its all been said here love the vocal great production thanks for sharing eric

Nice waltz, beautiful lyrics with a crystal clear message and great lines like: "How did fortune choose me? I haven't got a clue". Completed with Janice's voice that fits the song perfectly, 'tomorrow' sounds really Noel I like also the cello, especially its raw power at the end.

Janne

Thank you Robert for the very nice comment about the vocal!

Janice

Hi Josie,

Welcome to the thread. Thanks for giving the song a listen and taking time to comment. The lyrical tapestry grew with each trip across the equator. In so many ways, everything about this song was a team effort. If any one of our contributions were removed from the process, the song could not exist.... collaboration at its best, I reckon!!

Regards
Noel

Trev, thanks for your time to listen and post those nice comments!

Janice

ROG got it!! Works so well on every level. Beautiful sentimental write. Love the sparse arrangement, and the cello is beautiful. Janice KILLS it again! This is absolutely beautiful!!! Take care. Greg

Hi Noel, Janice and Bud !
Wonderful song very well written and very well sung, with great sensitivity ! Christian

Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you feel this way about it.

Janice




Josie, that is such a lovely description of the song! It is indeed a celebration and I so appreciate you noting that.

Janice

Noel, Janice and Bud,

What a combination I thought and my ears were not disappointed, in fact they sat up and went WOW!!!!!

I just repeat with a +1 all the other comments.
Janice has a wonderful voice, dunno if I have ever mentioned that before

Alyn

Thanks Mario. Always appreciate your support!

Regards,
Noel

Hi Shigeki Adachi,

Thank you for having a listen. I know that Janice and Bud will appreciate your comments just as much as I do. It was a real pleasure working with them. Now if only I knew how to orchestrate like you!

All the best,
Noel

Great song!

Thanks David! Really appreciate your comments

Regards,
Noel

Hey Steve,

It's really good to see you. Thanks for dropping in and listening/commenting. Appreciate it.

Happy 40th to you and Rachel! That's a great milestone

All the best,
Noel

Thank you Mario.

Janice

Just gotta love all the collaborations on this forum. Great job guys.

Hi PRADON,

Welcome to the thread. Thank you for having a listen. I have to say that the Joan Baez quality is entirely due to Janice! However I look at it, Janice is a world class singer in every way.

Thanks again,
Noel




Bob,

Thanks! It's good to see you. And you're spot on... as the crow flies, it's a bit over 9,000 miles. I imagine that any crow flying that far would have to have pretty heavy duty wings.

Appreciate the visit.
Noel

Hey floyd,

I always smile when I see your name appear in a thread!

When I read Bud's hook, wheels in my mind started turning. He initiated everything. From there... all came together simply and easily. The melody belongs to Janice. She's done a great job and deserves all the accolades for this

Appreciate the kind words!

All the best,
Noel

Thank you! It was nice of you to mention the vocal. Noel wrote such a beautiful and very "singable" melody.

Janice

Thanks David

Janice



Steve, I'm so happy to hear that you also won that lotto! We are both happy that you enjoyed it.

Janice

Hi Janice... I'm not sure what to say to this. All I know is that I cannot take credit where credit isn't due. It's true, I did send a draft melody across but that was in a completely different key and it was only a draft! The melody you sent back to me was significantly different and much better than what I gave you and Bud to work with. You have a wonderful sense musical flow. However I look at it, the final melody is due to you

Hope the sun is shining brightly on the other side of the equator.

All the best to you and Bud,
Noel

P.S. I'm not all that experienced at co-writing. One thing that I learnt this time around, though, is that once a song is completed, it's not easy to look back and to say who did what. Because one idea leads to another and this leads to even more, a thought from one person becomes a starting place for someone else and as ideas are tossed around and back and forth, they morph and grow and become a seamless patchwork quilt of individuals' contributions. I think that maybe the melody of 'Life's Lotto' is a bit of an example of this. My effort simply provided a beginning.

Hi Eric,

Thank you for passing by. Appreciate the listen and comments.

Regards,
Noel




Hey Janne,

And you right! I guess I often look forward to "Tomorrow" in songs I write or help write. The future always seems to provide a good lyric material.

I'm really glad you isolated the lines, "How did fortune choose me? I haven't got a clue". I just love the way that Janice sings them. She's add a life and meaning to these words that's well beyond what's written.

Thanks for have a listen!

Regards,
Noel

Thanks Greg. Really appreciate your comments.

Regards,
Noel

Beautiful song. Very romantic.
Excellent in everything.

Sergio

Hi Greg,

Great to see you. Thanks for giving the track a listen and for commenting. Appreciate it.

Regards,
Noel

Thank you Bob....can we get there on I-75?




Thanks you two! I love a waltz and I appreciate you mentioning my vocal.

Janice

Hi Christian,

Thank you. Bud's outstanding hook was a gift for a great song. It was great to part of the team.

All the best,
Noel




Hi Alyn,

Thanks for taking the time to listen and to comment. I totally agree... Janice has a wonderful voice indeed!

Best regards,
Noel




Thanks Anthony. Appreciate your taking the time.

Regards,
Noel

Thanks Eric!

Janice




Thank you. Noel wrote a lot of great lines in so well describing mine and Bud's
Life!

Janice



Thank you Greg! Noel did a wonderful job with the production.

Janice





Thanks Christian! I appreciate you saying that.

Janice

Hi Josie,

You were a bit of a forum trail-blazer when it comes to collaborations. You've had some fantastic work! Thanks for the positive feedback on "Life's Lotto".

All the best,
Noel

Alyn, I really appreciate your comment. You are very thoughtful.

Janice

Thank y'all so much for listening and commenting!!

Janice

Sergio,

I really appreciate your jumping into the thread and commenting. Thanks for listening.

Regards,
Noel

Awesome collaboration Noel, Janice and Bud. Loved the vocal and lyric

Hi Scott,

Thanks for giving the song a listen. I have to say that working with Janice and Bud makes creating good music very easy!

All the best,
Noel

Thank you Scott!

Janice