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Hello forum friends. This song was conceived in Hawaii. I was pushing my kid's on some waves while they were boogie boarding. The hook line (High in Hawii, and I'm feelin' so low) just started running through my head. Wasn't sure where it was going but I banged it out at home a few weeks later. It is a slow ride. If you're in the mood for ear candy or something energetic, come back later when you're feeling mellow. Always love to hear what you think. Take care all. Greg https://soundcloud.com/gjohnson-2/high-in-hawaiiHIGH IN HAWAII There are times in your life when you look, and you see a dead end And sometimes a soul can sink down beyond the reach of a friend We had a good thing, better than most And to strive for perfection may be chasing a ghost But I dreamed of Hawaii Of a life beyond reach Longboards and shave ice Gettin’ high on the beach But dreamin’ of paradise Still don’t make it so Now I’m high in Hawaii And I’m feelin’ so low Sometimes your heart gets confused, and ambition just fails Scrapin’ by in those winters in Pittsburgh, hammering nails And it’s hard not to tell yourself there’s got to be more Some brighter horizon, some warm, distant shore So I dreamed of Hawaii… And if ever a boy had regret, I guess I got it bad Pity the soul, the fool who lets go, of the best thing that he ever had Because dreams of Hawaii They never come true Now I find myself dreamin’ Of a life back with you It may not be paradise But it’s the best thing I’ve known Now I’m high in Hawaii And I feel so alone Yeah, I’m high in Hawaii
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Sensationally presented Greg, great crisp vocals, well mixed, and the use of the harmonica sat perfectly in the blend.
You nailed it.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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Greg
A Jimmy Buffett ballad vibe (with the Coral Reefer band) - beautifully presented with a lovely melody. Excellent vocal - evocative lyric - really well done.
Peter
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Love your vocals Greg. Super delivery. Excellent backtrack. Excellent lyrics
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Greg,
This is outstanding... Loved the vocals and production - also a very cool backdrop for the lyrics.
Bob
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Wow Greg, this is gorgeous! A very surprising beginning. And after that a perfect buildup of the instruments. Especially the pedal steel guitar works great. Your vocals are beautiful.
Rob & Anne-Marie
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What a hauntingly beautiful song. I especially love these lyrics:
"Because dreams of Hawaii They never come true Now I find myself dreamin’ Of a life back with you It may not be paradise But it’s the best thing I’ve known"
Keep up the great work.
Cheers, Ember
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Greg,
A beautiful write. Solid from start to finish and from every angle. It's natural to go with a Buffett comparison, but to me it calls to mind the best of Don Henley's introspective stuff...
The production is "just right". Excellent mix. Gorgeous vocal. Such "feeling" to it..
What's not to like...
floyd
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Really nice - great vocals and a beautiful mix - everything sits just right.
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What a great write and you delivered a super vocal
very visual, very much enjoyed the listen
Loved the chord progressions too
Kenny
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Hello, Greg
Very beautiful tune with great vocal! Lyrics touched my heart deeply. The melody line is also wonderful. The reason the key of this tune is F#major is in order to be matched to the vocal range? And as usual you have some ingenuity in chord progression. The chord progression of the beginning is very good. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
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I've never been to Hawaii, but its always peaked my interest, and this song really paints a vivid picture of how wondrous I imagine it being  The delivery on this is truly beautiful, and the lyrics are imaginative and heart felt. You should be proud of this!
Cheers, Deryk
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Wow! Wonderful in every way, lyrics, instruments, mix, and especially the vocals. Great song, great performance!
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“And if ever a boy had regret, I guess I got it bad Pity the soul, the fool who lets go, of the best thing that he ever had”
There is a ton of emotion packed into those two lines. This is an wonderful write and the production just takes it over the top. floyd mentioned Henley and the more we think about it the more it seems apt. And the pedal steel pushes it every slightly more into that feel. A good thing.
Your mastery of the ballad is second to none.
Outstanding
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 are here on our website.
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Simply beautiful, I feel like I'm in Hawaii  Great arrangement with harmonica and pedal steel blending together nicely. Excellent vocals and very emotional lyrics. Janne
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But dreamin’ of paradise Still don’t make it so Now I’m high in Hawaii And I’m feelin’ so low
What Great lines Greg!! I really loved the whole feel of this song and the vocals especially.
The whole production really shines, but your vocals are especially great one this one.
Going back for another listen! Well done!
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Sensationally presented Greg, great crisp vocals, well mixed, and the use of the harmonica sat perfectly in the blend.
You nailed it.
Thanks Trevor. I appreciate the listen and nice comments! The harmonica was just something I thought I'd try and I loved the feel (YAY BIAB!) Take care. Greg
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Greg
A Jimmy Buffett ballad vibe (with the Coral Reefer band) - beautifully presented with a lovely melody. Excellent vocal - evocative lyric - really well done.
Peter Thanks Peter! I too am a big fan of Buffett (an unabashed parrothead) and the reefers (great band). I saw Jimmy's studio in Key West about a week or two ago-doesn't look like much (a building used to store shrimp before he converted it) but it was a thrill for me. Take care. Greg
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Love your vocals Greg. Super delivery. Excellent backtrack. Excellent lyrics Thanks so much for the kind words and continued support Scott! I really liked your "color of sound" on the last one. Take care. Greg
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
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XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
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Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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