I don't write many "real" love songs. This one is.
(The rest are just make-believe)
I had intended to post this on Valentine's Day.
I had written it a few days before and had begun to knock out the production.
But.
The day before Valentine's Day, we had a cold snap and my wife wanted to go camping. She loves to camp in the cold.
So...
I ended up singing this to her, a cappella, on Valentine's Day, in the woods, over a camp fire and a glass of carbernet.
She choked up. A tear, even.
That never happens.



TATTOOED

i've got to admit i'm slowing down
i might not be as astute as i once was
i might forget some silly stuff
anniversaries and such
and give you answers i make up, just because
but ask me if i love you
i know that one cold
you're written into my very being
tattooed on my heart and soul

don't ask me if this world's gonna make it
or if any of us really have a chance
call me clueless, i've got no answers
unless, of course, you're asking for a dance
ask me if i love you
i know that one cold
you're written into my very being
tattooed on my heart and soul

ask me if i love you
i know that one cold
you're written in the fabric of my being
tattooed on my heart and soul
written in the fabric of my being
tattooed on my heart and soul




The BAND:
RealTracks in song: 3502:Bass, Electric, NashvilleRadioBalladA Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1636:Bass, Electric, JazzFunkBreezy Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 910:Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothBallad Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: ~1639:Piano, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezy Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1637:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezyChords Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~1638:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezyMuted Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1058:Sax, Alto, Soloist SmoothJazzPoppy Ev16 090
RealTracks in song: 4174:Guitar, Electric, Soloist LatinRock Ev 125
RealDrums in style:JazzFunkGroovin^5-a:Sidestick, Hihat , b:Sidestick, Ride
RealDrums in Song: ShakerSlow16ths



For My Valentine.

Yep, I could imagine this brought your wife a few happy, emotional tears!

Great job, Floyd

Dewey

Floyd,

I love this.

This one sounds "real." I almost cried!! And I wasn't even drinking!!! Funny how music and lyrics work that way, huh?



Genuinely authentic, and instantly engaging. You can tell from the word go that you're not making it up.

More of these please.



(Great lyrics, by the way.)

Floyd, you better copyright this, patent it, trademark it, stamp your name on it, chisel it in stone and burn it onto a gold platter for deep space travel.
Absolutely superb in everyway!
--Steve

PS> Might also want to consider establishing the Floyd Jane School For Advanced Songwriting and Production

Hi Floyd,

This is a good song and good backing tracks as well.

One minor suggestion:
Some of the lyrics may have one or two many words in a line and therefore the line may loose a little emphasis. Particularly at the ends of some of the lines and especially when your vocals drift off at the end of lines.

Otherwise very good.

Best Regards
Nigel

Floyd,

The first thing I noticed was the Soundcloud graphic ... the person with the longer blond hair is much prettier than the one wearing the hat!

Super song! Kind of Country Pop with a touch of very subtle Funk. That sax just wails - PG Music sure does give some great tools to work with. And you work with them as skillfully as anybody, better than most of us.

Hope you're proud of this one (I'd bet you are), as it's as good as music gets.

Alan

Floyd,

Absolutely beautiful song...

The singing is so tender and heartfelt. A stunning mix and I love the way you use the sax.

Wonderful pictures - you both look great.

Bob

Already the beginning puts us in the mood, but you did very well floyd.
Bravo
Laurent

“ ask me if i love you
i know that one cold”

That says it all. Very heartfelt delivery. The band is perfect for this lighthearted yet sincere confession of devotion. This one’s in your wheelhouse hands down. You’re very good at these relationship songs. Great mix that’s easy on the ears. Some songs, especially love songs sound better around a campfire.🔥 I speak from experience. Happy Camping, Tom

Hi Floyd,

I always thought you only make lovesongs, mostly with unhappy endings, but they were all fantasy!
Except this song. And I can really feel why!
It is a very tender song and sung very good (as always).
At first I thought the sax to be a bit disturbing in this sensitive song, but I was wrong.
it is a very good addition to the atmosphere of the song.

Hans

WOW! Don't even have to listen to know I love it, floyd, not just cuz it's yours, but I love the story told about it's creation and initial presentation. REAL. Now on to the music.

Love the band. Each instrument captures the perfect feel as if you gave them a pep talk about how important this song was going to be. You were right. Of course your voice didn't need any of them because a cappella suits it so well. I keep changing my mind about your best song depending on which one I'm playing, but this one stands above them all.

Hey, Camping In The Cold <-- write it.

Nicely done... I know your wife loved that one.

All the instruments are good choices. Especially that Rhodes electric piano. I'm not a fan of EP's in general but this is a good use of it.

That's a good job.

RE: camping in the cold. Nope.... I did that when I was in the service. Cold weather training they called it....2 man tents.... puddles frozen solid and ....no... not my favorite pass time activity.

Thanks, Dewey.



Much appreciated, My Snyder.
sometimes it's good to let a tear fall...

WOW, what an outstanding love song.

All I can say is I loved it.

Floyd, well, when you nail it, it's nailed forever. Congratulations on a wonderful song and an even more wonderous inspiration. Enjoy each moment...

Hi, floyd jane.

Love it! Not complicated, easy going and smooth. Nice setup.

Good vocals and mix. Really like the way the second half kicks off.

Of course, I'm not your target audience, so what I think doesn't matter.

Looks like camping was fun for you two. I'm a homebody - I believe nature is out to kill me, what with all those mountain lions, rattlesnakes and weather, so I avoid it when possible.

There's a frailty, a sincere vulnerability about this song (the way it's written, as well as the way you sing it) which makes it soar. Most probably your best to date. And yes, I also cried. When you're on top form, as here, and you're about to tell a story, no-one beats you - if only because of THAT voice, the voice which sounds like it's being through everything and (here) coming up, out of it all, with a declaration of eternal love. There's ever so much more to you and your musicianship than the voice, of course; however: the voice takes it over the top. So many good songs don't have good singers to sing them; you are the complete package.

"don't ask me if this world's gonna make it
or if any of us really have a chance
call me clueless, i've got no answers
unless, of course, you're asking for a dance"

Sums it up.

Well, That put a smile on my face! Thanks, Steve!

This is a beautiful love song. Brilliant instrumentation and those horns work a treat. This is another one of your songs I can imagine professionals wanting to cover. It's just excellent.

Of course we all believe you:

• a wife who loves to camp in the cold ...
• a singer-songwriter who knows how to hold a guitar sits around a campfire without a guitar ...
• a husband who admits that he makes up answers ...

Yeah, very believable!

Hehehe...

Anyway, I really LOVE what you do with your voice, it's so soft and delicate.
Wonderful song with wonderful lyrics and a really good and tasteful arrangement.
I think an unplugged version with just you and a guitar would also work well.

floyd,

It's a great song that is a perfect blend of country and jazz fusion.
And your vocals express this song exquisitely.
They capture the listener's hearts.
I can really feel the happy atmosphere.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Floyd...I do not know how much time you spend choosing and arranging the real tracks you use but man do you know how to use BiaB! this is such a beautiful song and gorgeous arrangement...nothing in it is over done or missing...an intimate and personal lyric that any wife would love to hear...well done and well sung!

Thanks, Nigel.


Thanks, Alan. I'm not sure "proud" would be a word I'd use, by I am pleased...

Very much appreciated, Bob....

Laurent - thanks for having a listen....



Thanks, Tom. Perhaps, one day, we will find ourselves around a campfire somewhere... bring a guitar....

Thanks, Hans...




I love your reviews.

You made the right call on that camping trip Floyd!
I'm sure she will enjoy this song more now because of that and it probably gave you more time to consider subtle nuances you added to the production and performance!
Man, you produced such a lovely tune here! I feel that sax solo was perfect for this!
You are the pro we all look up to here Floyd! If you ever stopped making these we would have a big void to fill!
Take care, TB

Thanks, Herb



Well, that's enough.

It's a very grown up sounding band.
It's a very grown up & reconciled protagonist singing with no force, no pressure, no "emoting".
Idioms are different between The Empire & Downunder but the meanings are clear, clean and uncluttered.
I listened again after reading Nigel's comment. I think the words are spaced, stacked & spread in a very conversational way & that, to my ears, is the vibe: someone speaking their heart.

I would guess this would be one of her top valentine gifts ever.

The sincerity is apparent in the vocal performance.

Cool backing track that works seamlessly with the lyrics and melody.

Janice read the lyric first (and teared up) and we both had big smiles reading about the camping trip and seeing your sweetheart’s photo.
These lines were a highlight for both of us:

“you're written in the fabric of my being
tattooed on my heart and soul”

It’s a lovely song, a tender vocal and a smoooooth production.
We loved the sax and guitar solos. They fit most excellently in the fine mix.

Your “real” love song is a gem indeed.
Can you tell we loved it?!😊

J&B

P.S. Great cover photo!

floyd,

Excellent work as always. Pretty song with a lovely sentiment.

Peter

Wow, just beautiful! Great write, doesn't get much better, and of course great vocal also.

Loved the SoundCloud picture of you two!

My wife and I used to love going camping, but the thoughts of being in a tent sleeping on an air mattress is not that appealing these days

Floyd written a soul song, very interesting Honest with truly emotional vocals and touching lyrics, "written in the fabric of my being" just describes it all, simply beautiful. Smooth music to be played in candle light on a peaceful night.

Janne

Beautiful love song Floyd. Lovely tender vocal and lyric. Really well done..

Thanks, Ron...


Thanks, David...


Much appreciated, James...

Floyd - simply excellence all round, really great job!!

Greetings from the UK, Carl

Very much appreciated. Thanks.


HA!
Thanks, Brian.

Shigeki Adachi - thanks for the nice comments....



Thanks, Dan. I actually enjoy walking through a range of instruments (RTs) to find things that work for the song. And it has gotten to the point that the choices in BIAB are extensive....almost always something to create what you are looking for...

Thanks, Torrey...


"Grown up". I like that description (much better than my original thought of "Old Man Love Song").
"...spaced, stacked & spread in a very conversational way" - and, of course I really like That.
Very much appreciated.

Hi Floyd,

Lovely declaration of love with great tact and a splendid melody. The Brass are well placed and not aggressive. I appreciated. Well done

Jani

Thanks, Scott....







Thanks, Peter...



Thanks, Dave.
(our "air mattress" is more like an actual bed than what we used to think of as an air mattress....)

Thanks, Janne....



Thanks, Scott...


Thanks, Carl...


Thanks, Derochette...

Oh your song is so smooth, Floyd.
No camping in the cold for me but I did get my wife flowers on that day though.
Nice one.

Vic