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If You Have A Friend A cautionary tale. Leon lyric and vocal I sang & played one of the finger picked acoustics, electric rhythm and lead guitars. The BandThis is close but there is a few patch changes going on [size:14pt][/size] RealTracks in style: ~~684:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesSync Ev 120 RealTracks in style: ~~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealTracks in style: ~~522:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 120 RealTracks in song: ~686:Organ, B3, Background Pop Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 408:Guitar, Resonator, Background Allis Ev 120 RealDrums in style: NashvilleEven8^5-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride There is also an Accordion & Tamborine in there. If you have a friend
Verse:I met her for the first time at a wedding She was there on someone else’s arm She said I like your smile, I said I like yours too Didn’t seem to be cause for alarm We danced a little, later in the evening I liked the unselfconscious way she moved I thought there was a chance, she could be a friend And to begin with that was how it proved Bridge:But if you have a friend you shouldn’t kiss her And run your eager fingers through her hair And if you say I’m sorry, I’m entangled with another Your friend should never say she doesn’t care Chorus:A friend should never say let’s throw caution to the wind And if it feels so right what can be wrong A friend should never say I don’t believe this is a sin And lying skin to skin’s where we belong Verse:She was staying at a house out in the country A million stars at night wheeled overhead Standing naked in the river, she looked like Aphrodite There were soft white sheets upon her bed Saint Augustine, he prayed he could be chaste one day But Lord, if it pleases you - not yet We spend a whole lot longer underground than up here breathing Denial wasn’t in her alphabet Bridge:Chorus:Verses:Well I told her that I needed to accept the fact It wasn’t just my happiness at stake Other people’s futures were hanging in the balance The decision wasn’t mine alone to make She got herself a job, way up in the Pilbara She always liked her men a little rough I was the exception, I guess, that proves the rule But love alone is never quite enough I met her for the first time at a wedding She was there on someone else’s arm She said I like your smile, I said I like yours too It was strange, but that was part of her charm We danced a little, later in the evening I liked the unselfconscious way she moved I thought there was a chance she could be a friend And to begin with that was how it proved Bridge:Chorus:A friend should never say let’s throw caution to the wind And if it feels so right what can be wrong A friend should never say I don’t believe this is a sin And lying skin to skin’s where we belong No, a friend should never say I don’t believe this is a sin And lying skin to skin’s where we belong
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A cautionary tale, indeed and a fine write to tell it.
This tune has a very engaging arrangement with the build and different feels...particularly the end of the solo.
The RT choice really nails the production and Bud has to admit that the bass is a favorite RT.
The standout vocals and guitar pickin' top it all off. You two are a machine! And we enjoy them all.
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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An excellent song guys, great lyrics, backing and arrangement. Well placed guitar solo work, nice.
John
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Peter & Leon...
One of my favorites of your. A solid, interesting write with a good, singable melody....
Nice arrangement and production...good vocals, nice solo... good mix...
I enjoyed this. I like how you brought it back to "sparse" for the repeat of the first verse. I thought that would have made a good ending - just repeat the first half and end on "her charm..." at 3:36.
Another strong offering from you two.
fj
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Very cool tune. Loved the vocal and lyric. Great story telling
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PeterF, you sir are a talented writer and musician. story telling in the verses and advice in the chorus. Really liked the guitar work in this one. Take care, Torrey.
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Hello, Peter
Very excellent Song.
Verse, Bridge and Chorus are very well constructed.
All parts have good melodies respectively.
Guitar solo work is so good.
And vocal is also great.
Very enjoyable listen.
Best Regards.
Shigeki Adachi
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A cautionary tale, indeed and a fine write to tell it.
This tune has a very engaging arrangement with the build and different feels...particularly the end of the solo.
J&B
I agree! The guitar and vocal are really good. I liked it a lot. Tom
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Peter and Leon, I went to a wedding once in the 1980's, and an extremely short marriage, when the bride *ahem* was the female in your song. We were on the groom's side and it only became funny many years later. A cautionary tale indeed  A great solo as I have become to expect from you Wonderful vocals and lyrics Keep on producing these masterpieces  Alyn
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A cautionary tale, indeed and a fine write to tell it.
This tune has a very engaging arrangement with the build and different feels...particularly the end of the solo.
The RT choice really nails the production and Bud has to admit that the bass is a favorite RT.
The standout vocals and guitar pickin' top it all off. You two are a machine! And we enjoy them all.
J&B
Janice & Bud Thanks much appreciated. Peter
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Beautifully done guys! Such a nice fullness in the choruses (with that organ).
Good vocals, lyrics and a nice and bright mix.
Rob & Anne-Marie
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Peter,
Really enjoyed this. Great lyrics which tell the tale perfectly!
The songs builds really well and I also enjoyed your guitar solos.
Good job,
Jez
BIAB 2022 UltraPAK, CbB, Studio One 5 Pro, Fender USA Tele, Harley Benton Fusion & others.
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Peter & Leon...
One of my favorites of your. A solid, interesting write with a good, singable melody....
Nice arrangement and production...good vocals, nice solo... good mix...
I enjoyed this. I like how you brought it back to "sparse" for the repeat of the first verse. I thought that would have made a good ending - just repeat the first half and end on "her charm..." at 3:36.
Another strong offering from you two.
fj Could not agree more!! This is excellent. This is a little more folky than your usual Peter. "Singable" as Floyd said. Some really interesting lyrics. Great stuff!! Take care. Greg
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An excellent song guys, great lyrics, backing and arrangement. Well placed guitar solo work, nice.
John
John Glad you liked it. Peter
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Peter,
A great song... Love the vocal by Leon. Nice job all.
Bob
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Peter & Leon...
One of my favorites of your. A solid, interesting write with a good, singable melody....
Nice arrangement and production...good vocals, nice solo... good mix...
I enjoyed this. I like how you brought it back to "sparse" for the repeat of the first verse. I thought that would have made a good ending - just repeat the first half and end on "her charm..." at 3:36.
Another strong offering from you two.
fj Floyd Thanks for all the comments and the arrangement suggestions. Peter
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Very cool tune. Loved the vocal and lyric. Great story telling Scott Thanks a lot Peter
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PeterF, you sir are a talented writer and musician. story telling in the verses and advice in the chorus. Really liked the guitar work in this one. Take care, Torrey. Torrey Thanks for the kind words. Peter
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Peter and Leon,  I really like this. It's outstanding musically and lyrically. As the song progressed, I found myself completely hooked by the lyrics. They sit incredibly well on top of the musical rhythm... first class prosody. What stood out to me? - An interesting and effective introduction.
- I have never ever come across the word "unselfconscious" in a song before.
- I don't think I've heard Aphrodite in lyrics before, either.
- The chord sequence that begins with a minor sound on "If" in "But if you have a friend..." in the transitional bridge section is a perfect fit.
- I thought that twisting the concept of "friend" worked really well.
- I loved the musical flow of the internal rhyme sin/skin/skin.
- Great guitar playing.
- These lines really appealed to me...
We spend a whole lot longer underground than up here breathing
Denial wasn’t in her alphabet - By the end of the song, I couldn't believe how quickly those 5 minutes had passed.
I bet that when this is played live, the audience is in the proverbial 'palm of your hand'; they'd be captivated by the (im)moral of the story. As I hear it, this is really clever writing! All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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hi peterf nice write everything well done love the solo and the vocals nice work guys eric
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Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
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Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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