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This one just kinda flew together - trust me, it doesn't usually come together this easily! I had a thought to do a Western Swing style song Saturday night, so I just grabbed my pen and started writing the first things that came to my head. In about 20 minutes, I had the words, so I jumped over to Band In A Box, and threw together a quick arrangement to go with the words. This program is so awesome, it only took a few minutes to identify what instruments I wanted, and then after a few regenerations, I had the arrangement ready. Dropped the renderings over into Studio One, and added vocals, and here we go! (I'm sure I probably overestimated your interest in how I wrote the song, but anyway... Here is Leave Your Blues At Home.) Hope you enjoy it...

Leave Your Blues At Home

Leave Your Blues At Home
©Stephen W. Young

You've had your share of trouble
And you don't know what to do
You see pieces of the puzzle
But you're looking for a clue
You say you're sad and lonely
You say you're feeling blue
You say you need some company
I can say I've been there too
If you need to get away
To rest your weary bones
You can come on down to my house
But you can leave your blues at home

I don't want to minimize
The things you're going through
But you're living in the shadows
You need a different point of view
It's time to make some changes
I know it's hard to do
You can rise above the ashes
You can see your dreams come true
You can take your stand for freedom
And you'll never be alone
You can come on down to my house
But you can leave your blues at home

Please hear what I am saying
I mean no disrespect
I hate to see you struggle
But your song's not over yet
Start dancing to this happy beat
I'm sure you won't regret
Can't wait to see you smile again
I hope you won't forget
I'm always right here for you
Not throwing any stones
You can come on down to my house
And you can leave your blues at home

Here are the RT's/RD's used...
RealTracks in song: ~541:Bass, Electric, Pop Sw 190
RealTracks in style: ~1131:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm WesternSwingWarmA-B Sw 190
RealTracks in style: ~815:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Western Swing Sw 190
RealTracks in song: ~1135:Pedal Steel, Rhythm WesternSwing Sw 190
RealTracks in song: ~1544:Fiddle, Background WesternSwing Sw 190
RealTracks in song: 818:Guitar, Electric, Soloist CountryClassicSwing Sw 190
RealDrums [in Song:BoomChickaSw^01-a: Blue Rods, b: Blue Sticks


Steve Young
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"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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Stephen,
Really nice!
My view is, the best tunes are the ones that come easy. Probably much more chemistry behind that... Most likely it was "cooking" inside of you for some time and then arrived at the surface without a warning smile

Very tasteful, masterful work in capturing this beast in proper moment of time! Enjoyable both musically and lyrically.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

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I was a little worried you'd lifted too much Cash in the verse melody but you moved on from the similarity pretty quickly.
The hand claps REALLY help.
Nifty, crisp and up tune - good one!


Cheers
rayc
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Steve,

I love this! You sound great doing western swing...

A great vocal, lyric and mix.

Nothing left to say - very much enjoyed!

Bob

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Hi Steve. I've found my best songs come together really fast. Love this tune its a throw back to the days of great music.
Every thing works well your band selection is spot on. Great vocals and production are excellent. Rob

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I love when a project comes together so seamlessly. Thanks for sharing!


Cheers,
Ember
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Steve, you have not overestimated MY interest in how songs get written.

This is a clever write and expresses thoughts in an original way that I (for one) have had, and also at times have heard directed at me with less art. Your voice always feels comfortable and un-strained, and this time was especially smooth sounding. Thoroughly enjoyed.


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Always interested in the songwriting process that people use, so thanks for adding that!

Good song Steve, amazing to me that you could write those lyrics so quickly. The "band" sounds great, perfect choice of instruments, as does your vocal.

Enjoyed the listen!

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Steve,

Great hook! The write has the comfortable, simple, said-just-right feel of a Hank Williams song. (That's a compliment, btw)

The swing production suits it perfectly and the mix is excellent. Strong vocal (as always).

Hard not to enjoy... chair dancing...

fj

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An excellent Western Swing tune with a good hook...
All thats missing is Bob Wills voice urging you & the musicians along with an "Ah-Ha"...
Good job on this one.


Jim
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From Bob Wills to Asleep At The Wheel we LOVE Western Swing! And, man, this is right in the pocket.

Two and a half minutes of pure joy.

You have an obvious real feel for this genre...guess being from Texas doesn't hurt smile

Janice and I have worked a bit with WS and always felt the WS RT's are some of the best.

Great band, vocal performance and write...the whole package.

Much fun!!!

J&B


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Hello Steve, what a marvelous song I might say! Very cool you were able to create this in a short amount of time. Fantastic selection of instruments here and the mix sounds well polished too. The lyrics are quite fun. Keep it up!


Cheers,
Joe
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"20 minutes" You've got to be kidding Steve! It takes me a couple of weeks to put some lyrics together! This is such a beautiful clean production! Your vocal is absolutely perfect! Great band going on in the background with excellent choices all the way around! Pro level all the way! I can hardly believe all the great material being presented by so many members of this forum community! Thanks, Torrey

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Sounds great. Very nice mix with vocals and song. Especially nice with the doubling on vocals and harmonies at the end. I am considering BIB and keep listening to user songs to get a good representation of capabilities and this one stands out.

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Steve, I love the sentiment in your lyrics. The song and your vocals convey the message perfectly.
Cheers,
Mike


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Excellent western swing!

a great write and delivered beautifully

enjoyed the listen,

Kenny

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First thought.... Asleep at the wheel.....

Man, isn't it sweet when that happens? 20 minutes and you got a solid lyric idea.... a few minutes later with BB and you got the song. It doesn't often happen that way, at least not for me, but when it does.... it's like God is talking to me directly.

Loved everything about this song.


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Really well done! I wouldn't have known it came together so seamlessly, but it's never a bad thing when it works out that way. Love the upbeat groove on this, and your vocals are top notch. Definitely getting some throwback vibes on this too - I can imagine it'd sound great performed live.

Thanks so much for sharing smile


Cheers,
Deryk
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Originally Posted By: Rustyspoon#
Stephen,
Really nice!
My view is, the best tunes are the ones that come easy. Probably much more chemistry behind that... Most likely it was "cooking" inside of you for some time and then arrived at the surface without a warning smile

Very tasteful, masterful work in capturing this beast in proper moment of time! Enjoyable both musically and lyrically.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.


Thanks, Misha! I agree, sometimes the ones that come easy are a little more "inspired", and come easily out of your heart. I think that's probably what happened here. Thanks for your nice words!

Originally Posted By: rayc
I was a little worried you'd lifted too much Cash in the verse melody but you moved on from the similarity pretty quickly.
The hand claps REALLY help.
Nifty, crisp and up tune - good one!


Thank you, rayc! This style at this tempo will probably remind you of another rendering of this genre, most of the time. At least it does to me. This style was originally the "dance music" of its day. To me, todays' "dance music" also has a lot of similarity between each song. Tempo and beat run together, as in the Western Swing. Western Swing sure is fun, though (at least to me)!

Thanks for your comments!

Originally Posted By: rsdean
Steve,

I love this! You sound great doing western swing...

A great vocal, lyric and mix.

Nothing left to say - very much enjoyed!

Bob


Thanks so much, Bob! Means a lot to me. I've always really enjoyed Western Swing, but this is the first time I've attempted to do it.

I wish my Dad were alive to hear this one. He was a musician (had a band that entertained the troops in WWII), and taught me the basics to playing the guitar (3 chords!). He actually met Bob Wills and hung out with him some while he was in Galveston for some gigs with the Texas Playboys. My dad was always very impressed with the music of Bob Wills. I think he would have enjoyed hearing me at least attempt to do this! smile

Thanks again for your kind words, Bob!

===

Steve


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Catchy feel-good song, great work in such a short time smile Arrangement and mix is so perfect that I'd actually like to hear this played on an old gramophone, just to get that authentic feel of times when life was simple but happy smile

Janne


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