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A love song (what else?)

The BAND:

RealTracks in song: 908:Bass, Electric, SmoothBallad Ev16 065
RealTracks in song: 378:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming DoubleTime Ev 088
RealTracks in song: 1814:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CelticAir Ev 085
RealTracks in song: ~1637:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm JazzFunkBreezyChords Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 852:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm NashvillePopClean Ev 120 (B:arp)
RealTracks in song: 1540:Guitar, Electric, Soloist PopBelieve Ev16 065
RealTracks in song: 369 Pedal Steel, Background Ev 065
RealDrums in Song: NashvilleBrushesCountryPopEv16: a: Sidestick, Brushes b: Brushes



LOOKING AT A GIRL

she's got my head spinning around
got my feet just off the ground
she's got a way of touching me just so
maybe i'm reading the signs all wrong
but it feels so right just where i belong
look at the way she smiles to let me know

   i'm as surprised as a man can be
   looking at a girl who looks like she loves me

never thought i was the settling kind
never figured i'd ever find
a woman who could stand the habits i'd grown
but she's making my coffee, making my bed
making crazy thoughts dance through my head
making me consider making her my own

   i'm as surprised as a man can be
   looking at a girl who looks like she loves me

i'd seen it in the movies
bogart and bacall
almost given up believeing
that i'd find that love at all
gets to where bad endings
won't even let you start
then one day an angel
reaches out to touch your heart

   i'm as surprised as a man can be
   looking at a girl who looks like she loves me

she's got my head spinning around
got my feet just off the ground



Comments welcome.
Have at it.

Merry Christmas, y'all.


floyd

Hey Floyd love this song, nice melody and reflection. The only suggestion I have which you can take with a grain of salt as it's your song and you're pretty almost perfect, but don't know if you know MAB from Nashville (had lots of conversations with him) he would point out that "making my coffee, making my bed" wouldn't go over in this modern independent woman world. I might change that to something like "we're sharing coffee, talking in bed". Women like that a man who also wants to talk in bed and spend time sharing. Just my 2 cents. As always a good song.

Floyd,

I really love the chord progression and arrangement here. Very soulful.

The way you put it together, the internal harmonies of the tracks really play off one another well.

It is also very soothing and extremely pleasant to listen to. One I will revisit often.

Great job.

Floyd,

You're a non-stop music machine. As always, just about as good as it could be. The mix is spot on and the vocal is so damn good! Ah, to have a voice like that! And the creative talent - quite a package of talent.

More and more you make me think of a modern-day Ed Bruce. In my book, that's pretty dang good!

Great chord progression, particularly on the chorus. I like how you brought the short (but perfect) guitar lead in 2 bars early, and similarly near the end.

Your lyrics are always some of the very best here or anywhere else. They say more than the "fluff" a lot of writers put out. You seem to have a special line of communication with the human soul. It's truly remarkable.

Alan

Great vocal, excellent arrangement, awesome mix. I love the expression you get out of your voice - a great performance - wonder, surprise, and sincerity all come through.

As Alan pointed out, super effective entrance with the lead guitar. The hard-panned twelve string coming in mid-song is clear, but doesn't compete with the vocal. That's the kind of thing I've not quite figured out, good to have an example of how to do it right.

Love the final held chord with the fade. Not to mention the slide guitar and how the slide guitar sneaks in and out at just the right time. Did I mention it was a great mix?

As for lyrics, you again remind me that it's not about saying anything new, it's about saying it well.

Sooo good.

Donna,

Thanks for having a listen. And the nice words. And the suggestion.
I have known MAB (Marc) since about 1994 (back when he thought he was going to be the next big thing). We ran in the same circles for many years, knew many of the same people, though our paths did not cross all that often (it seemed like he sort of "disappearred" for a few years in that period). I "know and understand" and appreciate the concept of the "modern independent woman". I am well versed in what does and doesn't work in Nashville.

This song was not written intended for "the Nashville market". I view it more as "an artist song".

I don't believe that those lines imply any kind of sexism. The song is not implying that that is "her job" in any way. It's just what she does. I generally make the bed in our house. The few times that I am up first, I make the coffee. I do, in fact, make all the meals we eat (my wife would readily tell you, I''m a better cook than she is - and she's pretty good).

The fact that SHE (the she in the song) makes the coffee and the bed is just a nice thing that she chooses to do. And something that the singer seems to appreciate. It's showing that she has made herself a part of his life - doing things that he would have done himself before... It's still nice that people do things for each other regardless of what that might be and who is doing the doing. It's a connection. It's showing love. In the little things.

You surely know how to write compelling songs...
This one is just another superb example!

This is just one of those songs. It's a mood. I read the lyrics first, and always try to see where I think you are going to go with it. I was WAY off on this...but I like it!

I like the instrumentation build. Simplistic to less simplistic. I am purposely not saying complicated on purpose. You subtly introduce various elements, like the slide guitar. I didn't see the power guitar coming in; but it worked nicely for me. I would have gone slightly lower in volume on it; but that is more than likely what I'm listening on (a laptop)...so take the with many grains of salt. For all of your laptop listeners you MAY have to take it back slightly. Ok, probably not. lol

I really like the contrast of how the lyrics read to the actual sound of the song. It's not "Walkin' on Sunshine"...and Thank God for that.

Well performed, well produced, well written. It's an FJ, no doubt.

I like that you are experimenting. Do you listen to a lot of Bruce Springsteen recently by chance? Something about it reminds me of his mellower stuff. Just curious. I'm probably off on that.

floyd
A very pretty love song with some really nice subtleties. I liked the chord progression and what you did with the guitars. The song has a really nice melody (my wife called out that she liked the chorus on that song).
As always excellent work.
Merry Christmas

Peter

Floyd,

This has your classic signature all over it... You know immediately when you hear a Floyd Jane song. Love the direct lyric and the chorus - the vocal is one of your absolute best.

This deserves airplay... So excellent!

Bob

FJ, excellent song!
Very clear mix.

I liked very much how you turned direction of the song starting 2:10 with vocals, distorted guitar gave it nice kick, but still you held the "mood" of the song through the end. Very nice write.

Thank you for sharing,
Misha.

Floyd I don't know how you do it! Not only do you produce songs so fast but they are always top shelf all the way.

I really like your choice in backing tracks. Your vocals are always super. The lyrics here are some of the best you have done.

This is fantastic!

Donna,

Thanks for having a listen. And the nice words. And the suggestion.
I have known MAB (Marc) since about 1994 (back when he thought he was going to be the next big thing). We ran in the same circles for many years, knew many of the same people, though our paths did not cross all that often (it seemed like he sort of "disappearred" for a few years in that period). I "know and understand" and appreciate the concept of the "modern independent woman". I am well versed in what does and doesn't work in Nashville.

This song was not written intended for "the Nashville market". I view it more as "an artist song".

I don't believe that those lines imply any kind of sexism. The song is not implying that that is "her job" in any way. It's just what she does. I generally make the bed in our house. The few times that I am up first, I make the coffee. I do, in fact, make all the meals we eat (my wife would readily tell you, I''m a better cook than she is - and she's pretty good).

The fact that SHE (the she in the song) makes the coffee and the bed is just a nice thing that she chooses to do. And something that the singer seems to appreciate. It's showing that she has made herself a part of his life - doing things that he would have done himself before... It's still nice that people do things for each other regardless of what that might be and who is doing the doing. It's a connection. It's showing love. In the little things.

Floyd,
Yes, I was pretty certain that's how you meant it as a caring thing. But the words sort of jumped out at me and I was wondering if another female might misinterpret it thinking girlfriends and wives don't wait on men these days and aren't the housemaid. MAB helped me with my lyric writing several years ago and critiqued quite a few of my songs. He would always say I know you're not writing for Nashville, but Nashville is the "gold standard of good writing". He always looked for things that would make the song sound out dated or might alienate half of the audience by misinterpretation. He'ld say you can't get away or say that in today's environment. He was brutally honest about my writing and didn't mince words but I did learn a lot and it made me more aware of the effect of words. Love your song though and thanks for clarifying your intention!!

Very cool chord progressions. So different and original. Loved the vocal and lyric. Very sweet tune.

Nice. This one really sits well with me. There were a lot of directions you could have taken in the production choices and what you've chosen works well. This reminds me of some of the songs Jimmy Webb did for Glen Campbell

Your standard of production excellence is well known in these parts.

And this one? Wow! From the first note to that long contemplative fade outro it is serious ear candy.

This has a serious Americana stamp to us. There is a certain aura of mystery in your vocal and the backing tracks causing one to wonder if there's more to the story than meets the eye. Probably not but we feel it. As Janice said a few bars in "that vocal is sublime."

The use of all those guitar rhythm tracks and the perfect solo RT is a showcase within the showcase of what talent and Biab can produce.

Outstanding in the truest sense of the word.

J&B

This song struck me as sort of melancholy. Not exactly the chords and feeling you expect from a "love song". Maybe if you hadn't said it was a love song I might have had a different first impression.

That aside... it's a good write and a good job on the recording.

It's a crying shame when you have to defend the songs you write with long explanations that you didn't write a sexist song. Imagine the Rolling Stones apologizing for writing Under My Thumb...they certainly would have caught more static these days, as it was they were ostracized back then as I recall.

As Dylan said... the times they are a changing.

Hello Floyd,

just another great composition of yours. It's really romantic in the best sense and very touching.

I love your voice and that laid-back way you use it. Everthing great with this song.

Happy Holidays and all the best for 2019.

Stefan

Love the way you shift the tune and feel in this song Floyd, has an early 70's rock sound to me. Vocal is killer here, the band is just perfect. Great song Floyd.

Cliff

I've run out of adjectives

great write, great vocals

what really grabs me first is the mix and clarity of sound

joy to listen to,

Merry Christmas,

Kenny