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Both being great fans of Jim Steinman and Meatloaf, Eddie and I thought it would be a huge challenge
to try and write something in that style, so here it is!
I kicked it off with a verse and chorus and sent the SEQ to Eddie who promptly slowed the tempo from
130bpm to 110bpm, which brought it more into line with a Meatloaf power ballad. He then added the second
verse, made some subtle phrasing changes to the chorus and sent the file back with a lead vocal on.
I added some backing vocals, but it was apparent that we needed a higher harmony as well, so my wife,
June, kindly provided that. She used to sing radio jingles, but getting her to sing into a mic these days
requires all sorts of bribery!

So, The drums are RD Rock Modern Hard Even, the Sax is an RT which I can't remember and there's an RT acoustic
rhythm guitar strumming in there somewhere. The other guitars, bass and piano are down to me.
The whole thing was tracked-up in Realband, but mixed in Harrison Mixbus 32C. I moved into Mixbus so that
I could use my "posh" 64bit VSTs which don't seem to like working under J-Bridge.

NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME (To Tell You Goodbye)
There'll never be a better time for me to tell you goodbye
So let me say the words and then
Just turn around and walk away, never asking why
Before I change my mind again
It's better this way by far, before you fall into the trap
Before you find you're in too deep, and can't find your way back
Everybody knows that...

I've always been kinda restless
I'm always gonna be that way
Till the cows come home and the pigeons roost
And I'm waiting on the Judgement Day
Don't pin your hopes on me, girl
I'm never gonna be that guy
Cos some things work and some times hurt
And I don't want to see you cry

It's time for us to take a peek into our history
And try to figure what went wrong
It's one of those things that's really neither you or me
More admitting that we don't belong
We've both lived long enough - by now we should have found
A peg that's square will never fit, into a hole that's round
Everybody knows that...

As ever, we're always grateful to all those who have the time to give it a listen.
Many thanks,
ROG & Eddie

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The big drums are good and punchy and the sax sounds great.

The stabs work well. And the stops/holds...Nice pop piano work - especially between verses...would have liked to hear the harmonies up considerably and a bit beefier bass...

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great mix,

love the drums and everything else

sounds like a very good Ringo track to me

and Meatloaf of course

very nice collaboration by all involved

enjoyed!

Kenny

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Great job on this one... I enjoyed it.
You've also created some nicely shining lyrics like
"Cos some things work and some just hurt" and
"A peg that's square will never fit, into a hole that's round"
Congratulations to you & Eddie & June.


Jim
†=☮&♥
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Great pop rock song with a killer chorus and powerful production, vocals and backing vocals really work and the drum level is just right. Yes I can hear some Meatloaf there, but for some reason certain Irish rock bands came to my mind (e.g. The Saw Doctors).

Janne


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The chorus really comes into its own on the final run through. BIG sound for a big song.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Cool intro. Jumps right in. This sounded great. Super vocal.


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
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Just bumping back to the top, because that's what we do here. Tomorrow I will add "NEW MIX" so it looks more legit.

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Very nice.

You nailed the Meatloaf vibe in the chorus... or.... was it a Jimmy Buffet thing going on there? I'm not exactly sure which one you channeled better...... But I liked it.

Yep....


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Hi, ROG and Eddie !

Absolutely superb tune
Love everything about it
and ---oohhh that rhytmic
side of it - wonderful !!!:_))

Cheers
Dani

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Good chorus. I don't know more than 1 or 2 songs from Meatloaf. so I cannot really compare too much, but I think you made a nice song.
As a mix it sounds a bit over-compressed - maybe the song would be even better if there were more space for all instruments? Just saying - it is of course a matter of personal taste how dynamic you want a track to be. smile

Thanks for sharing!
Will

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Originally Posted By: floyd jane
The big drums are good and punchy and the sax sounds great.

The stabs work well. And the stops/holds...Nice pop piano work - especially between verses...would have liked to hear the harmonies up considerably and a bit beefier bass...

Hi Floyd,
You have a good ear and I always value your opinion. You could be right about the bass and the harmonies, but
it's a long tale and I'll send you a PM!
Many thanks for looking in on this one.
Cheers, ROG.

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Originally Posted By: 44kfl
great mix,

love the drums and everything else

sounds like a very good Ringo track to me

and Meatloaf of course

very nice collaboration by all involved

enjoyed!

Kenny

Hi Kenny,
Thanks for looking in - always appreciate your opinion and pleased you enjoyed it.
Cheers, ROG.

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Originally Posted By: Jim
Great job on this one... I enjoyed it.
You've also created some nicely shining lyrics like
"Cos some things work and some just hurt" and
"A peg that's square will never fit, into a hole that's round"
Congratulations to you & Eddie & June.


Many thanks, Jim.
Pleased you like the lyrics - one line is mine and the other Eddie's, so very diplomatic.
Cheers, ROG.

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Originally Posted By: jannesan
Great pop rock song with a killer chorus and powerful production, vocals and backing vocals really work and the drum level is just right. Yes I can hear some Meatloaf there, but for some reason certain Irish rock bands came to my mind (e.g. The Saw Doctors).

Janne

Hi Janne,
That's very kind.
Many thanks for the listen and review.
Cheers, ROG.

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I don't think I was ever a fan of Meatloaf but I'll stand with my bic - or is it cellphone lights now? grin I also thought the bass could've been beefier. Otherwise I thought it was a very cool production and the bribery was obviously worth it.

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Originally Posted By: rayc
The chorus really comes into its own on the final run through. BIG sound for a big song.

Many thanks, Ray. Much appreciated.
Cheers, ROG.

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Originally Posted By: Scott C
Cool intro. Jumps right in. This sounded great. Super vocal.

Hi Scott.
Many thanks for the review. Particularly pleased about the vocals - we were all struggling with colds
when we laid down the vocals tracks, so it's good to get positive feedback.
Cheers, ROG.

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Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Very nice.

You nailed the Meatloaf vibe in the chorus... or.... was it a Jimmy Buffet thing going on there? I'm not exactly sure which one you channelled better...... But I liked it.

Yep....

Hi Herb,
Always pleased to get your views and glad you liked this one. Yeah, Jimmy Buffet is OK with me!
Many thanks.
Cheers, ROG.

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Great job channeling the big man!! Both the sentiment of the song, and the music (particularly the quick chord changes at the end of some lines) really capture the Steinman thing. I've always been a big fan myself and you guys have captured his essence well! Very nice!! Take care. Greg

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