PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Eric, Whaddaya Say?

hi Floyd this eric says you sure can tell a story great lyric and vocal great production as always top notch thanks for sharing eric

Really nice work again!! I like the subject (we all have big dreams) and you filled it out with your great craftsmanship beautifully!! Great stuff and a wonderful listen as always!! Take care. Greg

Herb - thanks. we found that one. but it never actually uses the name Eric, so it doesn't really fit the bill....




Charlie - I appreciate that. I can't remember ever being told that I have an identifiable sound - so that's kinda cool to hear. Also good to know that not everything "sounds the same" - so that combination is all the more pleasing to hear. Thanks!




Rob - nice things to hear. thank you. that pronunciation comes with the territory - and the only way I know how.... your language skills are far more impressive - to be able to write in a second language is impressive - to be able to sing it like it's your first is even more impressive...

ROG - you had me laughing with that one... I think it's "Ear-ache, whar'd ya go?"... When I mixed this I had been listening to a song - can't remember what - a Garth song maybe? Or maybe something from Brandy Clark... where there were just a couple of guitars and simple percussion - and they were panned wider than I typically favor (I just finished suggesting that George pull a guitar in closer). So I tried it on this and it opened up the space for the vocal and harmonies to sit in (differently than most of what I do), so I went it that. I listened again, intently, in the phones, and I'm good with it as is. I do appreciate you input (always) - so please continue to do so...thanks!




Patrick - Thanks for the spin - and the nice comments. Appreciate it. About time for another from you, isn't it?



Mario - you are most kind. Always appreciate you stopping by...




Trevor - I do appreciate when you drop in for a listen. And thanks for that very nice review....

Another fine one Mr jane. How many times have I wondered in that context about old acquaintances...but not having your riches of song ideas the notion to write about it never came to mind. I'm glad you did.

BTW, you seem on this one to be exploring the lower section of your impressive vocal range. It works very well with the laid back production.

No cans for my general listening but it sounds fine on my KRK's and in my vehicle.

Another stellar production out of a string that's become way too long to count.

Floyd,

I really enjoyed that. Some nice writing and a fine production. Your so identifiable... I mean that as a compliment.

Great Job!

Greg

PS Have a new one I wrote last month that I'm getting ready to post.

Thanks, Steve. Appreciate that.



LOL - Eric...glad you liked the Eric song




Greg - Thanks for the kind words...

J&B - Thanks for all that. Actually... I had a cold the day I wrote this, so it ended up quite low because at the time, it's all I had...



Thanks, Greg... appreciate that...

+1 - like that whaddaya say....catchy.

Josie

Thanks, Josie - appreciate you stopping by...

Hey floyd,

Awesome!!!! … and so much so that it needs repeating … “Awesome!!!!”

I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to get to write something about “Eric”. What got me most curious about these lyrics was what listeners would generally hear as the 'Now' of the song. That is, what's the situation or prompt that caused the main character (singer) in this song to burst into words and music and to sing to us all?

One scenario is that the singer ran into an old friend on the street (or in the supermarket, or at a coffee shop, etc.). That works. I didn't hear these lyrics that way, though. For me, these lyrics came across as a classic case of the use of 'apostrophe' as a design device. For those who read this and are not sure what I mean by 'apostrophe', Shiela Davis says, in The Song-writers Idea Book, that apostrophe...



As a lyric design technique, apostrophe has been used in some pretty big songs: for example, “Candle In The Wind”, "Vincent", “Take Me Home Country Roads”, “Don't Cry For Me, Argentina”, “Galveston”, “I Can Only Imagine”, “Mona Lisa”, just to name a few of many famous works. It's a great strategy for writing believable lyrics.

With the above in mind, the lyrics to “Eric, Whaddya Say” came across to me as if the singer had been looking through old high-school photos, maybe a year-book, and had stumbled across a photo of Eric. I could see the singer looking at this photo, wondering, smiling and talking out loud as if the photo was Eric. That was the song's 'now' that happened in my mind. I found these lyrics incredibly believable.

I also found myself being very impressed with the way that your verses used statements and your chorus was based around questions. How cool is that! I'll have to try this In addition, The way you set up the notion of “crazy dreams” in verse one and then gave some examples of them in verse two is a terrific lyric development strategy. (Another 'something for me to try'!) My favourite line was “Climb some silly mountain so the whole world new your name”. The more I thought about that line, though, the more I realised it wouldn't have meant too much without verse one to set it up.

Lastly, I also have to complement you on your mixing. I don't know what you did with your vocals but they were perfect for the song – upfront, relaxed and happily conversational.

Overall ...

• A+ writing
• A+ arranging
• A+ mixing
• A+ performing
• A+++++ listenability

What a great song!
Noel