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#465614 04/04/18 06:26 PM
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Seventeen

Hey y'all! I'm in the middle of a crazy online challenge to write 5 songs in 5 days to daily prompts that are provided. This is day three and I'm having a great time challenging myself and my creativity. Of coarse I am using BIAB to do the instrumentals as it make life a lot easier. I wrote this one today and I love the way it came out so I would like to share it with you all. Todays challenge was to take a list of ten words provided (casino, star boulevard, follow pinstripe control, caliber, naïve, dusty, underwater) and use at least 5 of them to write a song. What I came up with is an alternative song in the style of The Killers or The Strokes. (Note: the link above is a Musicoin link. If you prefer Soundcloud I will post that link at the bottom)

Real Tracks:
683: Bass, Electric, Pop Half Note Push
1265: Synth Pad, Pop Shining Soft
1028: Guitar, Electric, Strumming Dirty Open
2668: Pedal Steel, Background West Coast Ballad
2934: Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Folky Sync 8ths Fintan
Real Drums=Prais Worship Uptempo

I used the built in Auto Wah VST on both of the guitar tracks.
All vocals and mixing was done in Cubase 9. Most of the tracks received some sort of saturation treatment. Final mixing and mastering was done using Final Mix plugins MixBusEQ7 and M1LimitterLite.

150 BPM
Key of Ab

Lyrics:
Cruising down the boulevard looking at the sky.
Top down on the Audi with the pinstripe on the side.
Driving out to nowhere in the middle of the night.
Pushing all the limits just to feel we were alive.

oh… we were young, we were young, we were young and just a little bit naïve.
oh… it was fun, it was fun, it was fun. We were playing make-believe.
Not a care in the world. Just you and me girl.
Living it up. Back when we were seventeen.

We’d drive out to the valley and we’d find a place to park
We’d sit and talk for hours in the back seat of that car.
We talked about our dreams. You said I want to be a star.
I told you I would follow you, no matter near or far.

oh… we were young, we were young, we were young and just a little bit naïve.
oh… it was fun, it was fun, it was fun. We were playing make-believe.
Not a care in the world. Just you and me girl.
Living it up. Back when we were seventeen.

Somewhere we lost control and we went our separate ways.
But thinking of those nights it brings a smile to my face.

oh… we were young, we were young, we were young and just a little bit naïve.
oh… it was fun, it was fun, it was fun. We were playing make-believe.
Not a care in the world. Just you and me girl.
A pocket of change and a head full of curls.
Living it up. Back when we were seventeen.

Seventeen (Soundcloud Link)


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
Samuel Davis #465623 04/04/18 07:43 PM
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Hello Samuel. The is a great write. Hard to believe it was written so quick although I find the quicker writes can be come great tunes.
Great lyrics with a great mix and Performance.Rob

Rob4580 #465624 04/04/18 08:01 PM
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Thanks Rob. I've been on a lyrical roll this week. It's been great. I find that sometimes quick writes keep you from overthinking too much. Just get it out there and see what happens.


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
Samuel Davis #465639 04/05/18 03:08 AM
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Great song, lyrics perfect, tune hits home and brings back a lot of memories. Possibly a tad fast on the bpm. You could handle the lyrics easier at a bit slower speed. Love the song!!!

Samuel Davis #465642 04/05/18 03:20 AM
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Great work on this, Samuel! I concur - it is hard to believe you wrote this as quickly as you did. It came out sounding stellar considering! I thoroughly enjoy the hook on this one. It is very reminiscent of Mumford & Sons to me.

Very well done - thanks so much for sharing smile


Cheers,
Deryk
Samuel Davis #465679 04/05/18 09:50 AM
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As others said: good write, good song, but a tad quick... just like being seventeen. smile


-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
Samuel Davis #465682 04/05/18 11:07 AM
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How can you pump out songs so quickly! That's crazy and impressive. I really love the upbeat feel of this song! Thanks for sharing.


Cheers,
Ember
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Originally Posted By: Ember - PG Music
How can you pump out songs so quickly! That's crazy and impressive.

I find when I challenge my self with a challenge like this one or FAWM where you have a deadline to write a song in a certain amount of time it helps you to focus more and you can be more productive. Also once I get a song or two down the inspiration just stars to flow.


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
Samuel Davis #465838 04/06/18 02:34 PM
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Samuel,
Very well written, sung and produced... especially given the time constraints.
Upbeat and enjoyable.


Robert

Samuel Davis #465875 04/06/18 09:20 PM
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Samuel

Nicely composed, catchy chorus and well performed.
Good work.

Peter

Samuel Davis #465917 04/07/18 06:00 AM
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I loved this tune Samuel. Super vocal. Backtrack was just awesome. One of my favorites of yours.


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
Samuel Davis #465933 04/07/18 09:07 AM
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Glad to hear about the 5 songs in 5 days challenge! Sometimes I find the best work comes from having a little candle lit underneath the seat. Great work on this song too! Very fun tune. Well done!


Cheers,
Joe
Samuel Davis #465957 04/07/18 11:18 AM
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This is an interesting blend of pop, folk and country.
Nicely done!

Rob and Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/


Scott C #465980 04/07/18 12:00 PM
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Originally Posted By: Scott C
I loved this tune Samuel. Super vocal. Backtrack was just awesome. One of my favorites of yours.
Thanks Scott. It is my favorite at the moment as well.


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
RnAM #465981 04/07/18 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted By: RnAM
This is an interesting blend of pop, folk and country.
Nicely done!

Rob and Anne-Marie

Thanks guys. I think of it as more a mix of rock and pop but I guess my country influence shows through lol


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
Samuel Davis #466011 04/07/18 02:22 PM
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Vibrant, nostalgic, driving, fantastic.

This is a great write, and I really loved both the lyrics and the backing. Everything here complemented everything else. Topped off with excellent vocals.


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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