https://soundcloud.com/charlie-fogle/first-times

****** Song Summary *************
Key=C , Tempo 86,
Style is _CBALAD2.STY (Country Bal w PedSteel (85 RS))

RT in song: 1418:Bass, Electric, SouthernRock Ev16 085
RT in song: 785:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming

CrossoverSnappy Sw16 090
RT in style: ~362:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085
RealTracks in style: ~363:Pedal Steel, Background Ev 085
RT in song: 2001:Pedal Steel, Soloist CountryPaul Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 624:Fiddle, Soloist George Ev 085
RT in style: NashvilleEven8^6-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare,
HiHat Open
*******************
Here is the short of a long story. This is a new version of a song from many years ago, somewhere around 2003, that I created music to lyrics a songwriter friend, Rudy Spivey wrote from inspiration of the somberness of my daughter leaving the nest embarking on a new life of marriage, job and children. At the time, she still lived on the street she had lived her entire life on. I think Rudy captured her feelings and mood quite well. The music of this version is updated and heavily altered from the original.

Originally, I wrote the music using a cheap Keyboard that had a few styles and decent midi sounds. I chose an uptempo, pop style with keyboards and distorted guitars and sang the lyrics.

It was critically acclaimed. By that, I mean it bombed. It flopped. Everyone was critical of it and did not like the song at all. The song quietly disappeared into the archives of my attic and was quickly forgotten by all. Rudy is mostly a country writer with a slant toward the older, more traditional songs of the past. For this song, my music and his words were a bad fit.

I recently came across the original CD while searching for something in my attic and I've been playing around with BIAB to see if I can salvage the song. I am presenting where I am at with the song now.

I'm hoping some of you may be interested in taking the role of producer for this and critique this version as if you had this song to pitch to a country A&R person. What would you alter? Does the music match the somberness of the lyrics? Does it need to be re-worked from scratch with a different chord progression or should it just go back to the attic archives?

My goal for this song is to put it within a framework that I can present it to Rudy as a song a country A&R person would find acceptable. He has not heard this new version yet.

Is this redemption or another crash and burn?

BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.