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BOTTOMLAND I recently both created a video for and remastered this song that I originally posted last summer. We were delighted at the time and remain so that it resulted in floyd jane’s forum lead guitar debut. Thank you mr jane!
We always welcome your comments and observations and appreciate you taking the time to look and listen.
Vocal: Janice
Lead Guitar: floyd jane
Drums: RD Blues Rock
Bass: RT 564 Set 30
Rhythm Guitar: RT 566
Arrangement/Audio & video production: Bud
Mixing/Ozone 6 and Nectar 2 plug-ins via Logic Pro X
Rodes NT1 mic/Blue Icicle USB Interface
Photographs: All public domain with my effects via Pixelmator, Snapseed, Paint Pad and PicMonkey.
Video: Wondershare’s Video Editor 3.
A few notes.
Tom was on vacation last summer and floyd offered to try a lead for the tune. As he said in the first post:
“…I originally did this for practice - to see if I could record a lead guitar that might fit in a mix. Never done this before. First real lead I've ever done.”
Pat asked in the thread what the backstory was on the song and I wrote:
“I was thinking of oppression in general and how many millions cannot escape from it. The imagery just comes from my life’s experiences. Jerusalem Ridge is the title of my favorite bluegrass fiddle instrumental. It’s up tempo but ethereal and a bit spooky in melody. The sunken graves and the field stone — Janice and I are history nuts and bike, drive and hike around the countryside frequently. We often find old cemeteries for which the graves have sunken in and are marked, if at all, with flat field stones.
The heritage/lineage and the blood feud lines were to reinforce the oppressive conditions that the song’s subject was living. It brought to mind images of worldwide conflicts and strife and generational/cultural/religious/tribal issues, etc…Appalachia would be a good fit metaphorically. The last verse speaks to how in America for many, but certainly not all, situations you do have an option of leaving. ‘Stick out a thumb.’ It may not be a great option but you likely will not die for trying it.”
J&B www.janiceandbud.com
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Janice, Bud, Floyd,
Great sultry sounding blues. Excellent lyrics as well. Really meaningful stuff.
SD
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As usual, amazing singing over well-produced tracks.
floyd's guitar solo is appropriate for the song, but uncomfortable for me to listen to - none of the phrases resolve!
Good stuff.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Wow! Eerie stuff, smells of bootlegging, lynching and dark vendettas in a misty dawn.
Loved it. The guitar fit perfectly for my ears, added to the feel of hopelessness and gloom.
Chris
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Hi J&B + Floyd.
Very dramatic and well produced, but not an easy watch for a Monday morning!
But then, that's not what you were aiming for. I think the whole package is extremely powerful, both the song and the images and you've done well to match the two. Of course, Janice's vocal is superb.
Now I need to go and watch "Walking On Sunshine"!
ROG.
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Brilliant song, Great singing, its good to do stuff about the not so pleasant things in life, makes us sit up and take notice.
Good playing from Floyd as well, for some reason the lead guitar sound makes me think of "Free as a bird" by the beatles.
The video adds a nice touch too.
Great production overall, Janice sure knows how to interpret a song.
Musiclover
Last edited by musiclover; 06/28/15 11:45 PM.
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Hi J&B and Floyd, Nice production, pretty sad imagery and lyrics though...... Good to hear Floyd playing the lead! We are familiar with Wondershare Video editor, we got it for free with Giveaway of the Day  Wonderful vocals as always and ditto production! Rob and Anne-Marie
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I'd forgotten how much I liked this! Also forgot what a cool lead FJ played! Enjoyed the video. Great song! Thanks for bringing it back. Take care. Greg
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Hi Janice & Bud,
I listened to the old version, too. Can't find a difference in the mix. But the song, Janice's voice and Floyd's lead are as good as they were a year ago.
The video adds a lot to the message. Well done.
Guenter
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Janice, Bud, Floyd,
Great sultry sounding blues. Excellent lyrics as well. Really meaningful stuff.
SD We appreciate that! J&B As usual, amazing singing over well-produced tracks.
floyd's guitar solo is appropriate for the song, but uncomfortable for me to listen to - none of the phrases resolve!
Good stuff. Thanks for the kind remarks! Yup, those guitar lines definitely built the tension and attributed to establishing the unresolved state of her life that I attempted to write about. I'll leave any further guitar response to floyd :-) Thanks again, J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Hi J&B + Floyd.
Very dramatic and well produced, but not an easy watch for a Monday morning!
But then, that's not what you were aiming for. I think the whole package is extremely powerful, both the song and the images and you've done well to match the two. Of course, Janice's vocal is superb.
Now I need to go and watch "Walking On Sunshine"!
ROG. +1 to what ROG said and the color scheme really fit the mood.
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Most of my adjectives have been taken.
Janice' voice was sultry and spot on.
Floyd's playing was very haunting and mysterious.
The lyrics and chording drew me into the storyline exactly as they should.
Very well done in every respect.
Thanks all.
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As usual Janice brilliant vocal, love the edge on the guitar, outstanding picking. Thanks for sharing!
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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Wow! Eerie stuff, smells of bootlegging, lynching and dark vendettas in a misty dawn.
Loved it. The guitar fit perfectly for my ears, added to the feel of hopelessness and gloom. Glad you liked it. And that description us very cool. Thanks! J&B Hi J&B + Floyd.
Very dramatic and well produced, but not an easy watch for a Monday morning!
But then, that's not what you were aiming for. I think the whole package is extremely powerful, both the song and the images and you've done well to match the two. Of course, Janice's vocal is superb.
Now I need to go and watch "Walking On Sunshine"!
ROG. We appreciate those comments very much. BTW I had to look up Walking on Sunshine. Now that is the polar opposite for sure! J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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WOW that is one dark video!! And then the combo of floyd on guitar and Janice on vocals really set the scene.
And as Sinbad said " Eerie stuff, smells of bootlegging, lynching and dark vendettas in a misty dawn.
Loved it. The guitar fit perfectly for my ears, added to the feel of hopelessness and gloom."
Sadly it also is a perfect background to recent events in gibso-land.
Still my little sun-trap outside my back door records 41C at the moment, but only 25 in the front so that'll burn the gloom away.
You all should be proud of this.
Alyn
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Janice & Bud, I like this now even more than the first time. This was a great write rounded out with the perfect vocal and just the right feeling lead guitar. Now the very well done accompanying video makes it a full on sensory experience. Kudos to the three of you. Tom
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Wow...
The lyrics, music and video all convey the feeling of the person living through an awful stage in their lives. Trifecta achieved. The icing on the cake for me is how well this is mixed. I love it when I can crank a song to 11 and hear everything perfectly. This is sweet! Great job.
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Brilliant song, Great singing, its good to do stuff about the not so pleasant things in life, makes us sit up and take notice.
Good playing from Floyd as well, for some reason the lead guitar sound makes me think of "Free as a bird" by the beatles.
The video adds a nice touch too.
Great production overall, Janice sure knows how to interpret a song.
Musiclover Thanks. My video skills are rudimentary but from the time we wrote the song I always had some images in my head that I thought would work with the song. Fortunately there are tons of photos available in the public domain. Glad you liked it! J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Hi everyone involved !
I thought I had
commented on this
absolutely supreme
tune so sublimely
played and sung, but
to my dismay I just
noted I had missed this
masterpiece BUT....that
is corrected now and, boy,
what a tune and voice !!!!
Cheers
Dani
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Hey J&B and floyd.
This is a great haunting bluesy tune.
Very thought provoking.
Excellent on all aspects.
Rob
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