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It's Birthday Song Time again!!

The regulars (old-timers? smile ) will know - Tom Adams (tommyad) and I share a birthday - March 4th.

We have been doing some type of collaboration or co-write posted on March 4th for the last 7 years.
Janice & Bud have joined us on several.

Tom hasn't been around much this past year (our loss, for sure), but I wouldn't let him off the hook...
(you can let life get in the way only so much...)

So here is this year's effort.

The Players:

tom adams: pedal steel, acoustic fills and harmonics
janice merritt: harmonies
fj: lyrics & music, vocals, arrangement, production, mixing, mastering, corralling, cajoling

RealTracks in song: 3469:Bass, Electric, AmericanaSyncSteveB Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 3503:Bass, Electric, NashvilleRadioBalladB Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 3057:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking SongwriterFolkAltBassQuinn Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 2448:Guitar, Electric, Background, PopDreamyBrent Ev 085
RealDrums in Song: NashvillePop16
BIAB MIDI Chords exported to EZKeys Grand Piano
Royalty Free Loops (chunk acoustic, pads, shaker)



ONE SURE THING

the sun comes up in the morning
like it wants me to decide
should i rope the world one more day
and take it for a ride
should i make a pot of coffee
or just finished last night's warm flat beer
seems everybody wants to know which way i'll turn
the answer's never clear

should i look for work today
or just get by on what i got
should i fix that silverado
or just let the damn thing rot
when jason asks my opinion of his girl
'cause he's got some doubts
should i take the moral high road
or the easy way out
   
   i need one sure thing
   one thing that i can trust
   one thing i know is true
   i hear a million different voices
   decisions questions choices
   all twisted distorted misconstued
   i need one sure thing
   i need it to be you

should i tell you you're a blessing
should i tell you i'm your curse
should i let you have the best of me
or let you see my worst
should i test those rocky waters
or leave my heart up on a shelf
should i tell you that i love you
or keep it to myself
   
   i need one sure thing...




We hope you enjoy it.

Janice - thanks for joining us! (Bud, too!)

Tom - Happy Birthday, bro.


fj



For those who are new around these parts...
Here are the previous Birthday Songs if you are interested...

Tell Her - March 4, 2014
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=242609#Post242609

She's Going Through Some Changes - March 4, 2015
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=286531#Post286531

Too Dangerous - March 4, 2016
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=338948#Post338948

A Hole The Size Of Texas - March 4, 2017
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=398420#Post398420

Pier Pressure - March 4, 2018
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=459749#Post459749

I Want You To Know Me - March 4, 2019
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=527305#Post527305








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I was hoping you guys were going to going to continue the tradition, I've really enjoyed the last few you have done.

Really good, floyd! Great writing, vocal, and mix. Love hearing Tom on the Pedal Steel, and of course always enjoy hearing Janice do her thing.

Happy Birthday floyd and Tom!

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Another great collaboration and wonderful use of a special day. Thanks for making your special day, special for the rest of us. It's always worth the wait.


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Hi Guys and Happy Birthday, with many returns.

Loved the song.
Always superbly written and always with that signature vocal, plus cool backing vocals.
Great band, great structure, great mix and as fully professional as ever.

I'm not even going to mention the lack of a solo......

ROG.

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Happy birthday, floyd and Tom!! Beautifully done. Yours & Janice's vocals and that pedal steel bring this song to a soaring height. So well done. Inspiring.


Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

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Hi Floyd et al
Many happy returns, Floyd and Tom. What a wonderful collaboration to mark the occasion. Excellent writing, the usual high quality vocals and the pedal steel is the icing on the birthday cake.
Regards,
Leon

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Happy birthday Floyd, Happy Birthday Tom!

I knew this would be good when I saw the players - this is really top notch. Could have come straight off an album made in Nashville if you ask me - it's got that classic sound. Great work by Floyd, Tom, Janice and Bud. Really digging it at the 2:18 mark.

P.S. - I've been a Tom Adams fan for a couple years on SoundCloud - gotta love those sweet guitar sounds.


Ed Z

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Happy birthday gentlemen!

Tom, Floyd, Janice and Bud, individually you always give us top notch air play ready songs that we all enjoy. But together you are dynamite!

This is pro all the way. The vocals, steel guitar, harmonies, lyrics, well everything is perfect.


Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.

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Happy B’Day floyd. Thanks for pulling me in on this one. You showed off your writing performing and mixing skills in a big way here. Janice is just a great harmony as well as lead singer. My apologies to everyone for being gone for so long and my thanks to all for the birthday wishes. Much appreciated!

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Floyd and Tom (and Janice),

Love the acoustic guitar work in this—resonates through the mix. And Janice’s harmonies are so sweet behind Floyd’s strong vocal. Nice listen. And Happy Birthday to the both of you!

All the best,

Deej

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floyd, Tom & Janice

First happy birthday(s).

Has it all- excellent lyrics, production, mix lead vocal, superb harmony and wonderful guitars.

Top notch collaboration (not unexpected) and a top notch song.

Peter

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Top shelf, top flight, top stuff!
Tres cool - the added humans REALLY make it fabulous.
Well done team.
If sincerity were a VST you'd be Waves' biggest seller.
I enjoyed this very much, thank you.


Cheers
rayc
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Floyd / Tom,

Happy Birthday to you both.

This is by far my favorite from the two of you... Beautiful work.

"should i look for work today
or just get by on what i got
should i fix that silverado
or just let the damn thing rot"

Amazing...

Bob

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Ok, how do I comment on this? This is amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing. Beautiful, tender and, above all, communicative. The lyrics are heartbreaking, sincere and go straight for and to the heart. The musical line is genius, because (amongst other things) it tells a story. It amplifies the lyrics and doesn't get in their way because it's so deceptively simple and sung as if by someone who's seen a hundred thousand heartbreaks in their lifetime. I can't praise this enough. Well done to all concerned and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both Tom and floyd ... you both deserve it so much after this kinda effort. Janice harmonises seamlessly with the singing line.

One of my all time favourites from this forum - be proud of this one!!!

Last edited by musician17; 03/05/20 01:17 AM.
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Originally Posted By: BlueAttitude
I was hoping you guys were going to going to continue the tradition, I've really enjoyed the last few you have done.

Really good, floyd! Great writing, vocal, and mix. Love hearing Tom on the Pedal Steel, and of course always enjoy hearing Janice do her thing.

Happy Birthday floyd and Tom!


Thanks, Dave!

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Floyd,
Terrific contributions from your comrades on a lovely song.
The details in the opening verses are a great lead in to the warmth of the chorus; this is a memorable write!
Awesome lead vocals,backing choices and production.
I missed a few early Tom/Floyd birthday outings-heading there now.

Robert

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Great track guys, not overcrowded musically, brilliant lyrics, and a good traditional style of country, which I really love.
Keep 'em comin

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Hi Janice, Tom & Floyd ...

Have time for just one listen and I'm super happy I picked on this one! As I said over on Soundcloud ... when you folks collaborate, you make some of the best music my ears could ever want to hear. The selection of the tracks and real folks is so perfect ... just enough to fill the spectrum but not enough to get in each others' way. Every track was vivid and spot on. Another better than great listen.

Happy birthday to you gentlemen. My brother's birthday was the 3rd ... mine the 22nd. Difference is ... I'm really old! Will be 73. Yikes!!

Wishing All of you the very best. Continued health and much satisfaction with your music.

Alan


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Hi gentlefolk,

Songwriting at it's best, what else can I say.

The lyric structure is perfect and the vocal sails effortlessly over the lines with all the right emphasis in all the right places.

'i need one sure thing
i need it to be you'

This resolve at the end of the chorus really gives feeling and emotion to that final line. So much so that I wonder if 'I Need It To Be You' shouldn't be the title.

Kudos to all involved.

Martin smile


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Hi Floyd, Janice and Thom,

At first, congratulations on both your birthdays (you and Thom), although it has been a while ago by now.
This is another wonderful song from your hand!
The pedal steel always fits in nicely in this type of songs. The acoustic sounds so bright, I really like those very clear sounds in your songs! I think by now I would recognize your songs wherever I am. You have a very recognizable and cool style!

Cheers,
Hans


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