"I provided spit and shine." That phrase took me back...in Australia we'd be inclined to say "spit n polish" harking back to British military jargon. A slight memory fold back & I was more than ready for the song.
While Janice's harmony is excellent in the chorus it's sneakily, perfectly balanced in the first verse.
A very cool narrative and a melody that lifts it. The delay on the guitar under the steel after the outro is lovely.
Heaps of detail in this and it'll take repeat plays to hear and appreciate. 1st listen - wonderful!
Appreciated, ray....
Originally Posted By: BlueAttitude
Wow, this is great! I'm a sucker for minor keys, always, and man, you knocked it out of the park with this one.
Love the melody, GREAT vocal from you, and then when Janice comes in .... goosebumps.
Excellent write! Lots of great lines, "I got boots older than most of them" made me smile.
My new floyd favorite I think, well done you three.
Thanks, Dave....
Originally Posted By: rsdean
Floyd, Janice & Bud,
Such an awesome song! The vocals and interplay between Floyd and Janice is just great.
Love the write, performance and production. Absolutely superb!
Floyd, Janice & Bud, I don`t know how you do it, Floyd, but your vocals ( delivery and processing) are still getting better. This is a powerful write and the expression you bring (along with the ache in Janice`s harmonies) makes for wonderful listening. Top shelf in every way!
Such an awesome song! The vocals and interplay between Floyd and Janice is just great.
Love the write, performance and production. Absolutely superb!
This should be a hit!
Bob
Thank you Bob! Your generous and supportive comments mean a lot to us.
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
Kind of rainy autumn feeling in the lyrics, and I love the melancholy mood, still the chorus has positive direction "sun on my face, wind at my back". Beautiful intro, the steel guitar fits perfectly with the chording. Drums and the muted guitar are introduced nicely. Enjoyed the vocals and especially how Janice's sadness oozing harmonies still manage to deliver the "sun on my face".
Hey this is an incredibly well-mixed tune! Loved it!
I am not sure what this message in the lyrics means though:
Your browser does not support the audio element. THE RIGHT TRACK
etc...
too long in this town, too long in shadow
Anyway, I tried out Audiolens for the first time with this streaming tune and got this curve.
Cool!
Keep 'em coming folks! Y'all sound great! Always a vocal buffet of gorgeousness.
p.s. I ran a Luke Combs song through IKM's MasterMatch and ran this one through as well..
Yours has a LUFS of about 12, and a nice Dynamic Range of 10 to 11 (as I remember), which the same way I master my tunes. And I see your peak is -0.3. I often do the same.
The Luke Combs song "The Kind of Love We Make" also peaks at -.3 but has a LUFS of 7 and a DR of 3.7.
I guess it is mastered for the speaker set ups in Dodge RAMS but I enjoy songs mixed and mastered like this, FWIW.
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
Always liked this one and this is a lovely version.
Great vocals - you and Janice sound wonderful together.
The band sounds great and the mix is clear engaging.
The interchange between the vocals is a real highlight.
Excellent.
Peter
Thank you Peter!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
Wow Floyd, this is really great! This collab turns out so fine. The music is awful, your voice fantastic, wonderful lyrics. Janice's vocals sound lovely.
Love this.
Rob and Anne-Marie
We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.
Well you three provide an entertaining production. Of course I knew that it was going to be something special just seeing the title to the post. Man, you three creating together can only result in some of the most engaging entertainment in music. Two great voices who know just what a song needs, and Bud writing lyrics and directing the energy, will always hit that mark. So well done, y'all.
Thanks Marty! Gotta say the energy was flowing from floyd on this.
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
Always liked this one and this is a lovely version.
Great vocals - you and Janice sound wonderful together.
The band sounds great and the mix is clear engaging.
The interchange between the vocals is a real highlight.
Excellent.
Peter
Thanks, Peter...
Originally Posted By: BabuMusic
Well you three provide an entertaining production. Of course I knew that it was going to be something special just seeing the title to the post. Man, you three creating together can only result in some of the most engaging entertainment in music. Two great voices who know just what a song needs, and Bud writing lyrics and directing the energy, will always hit that mark. So well done, y'all.
Thanks, Marty...
Originally Posted By: TuneMonger
Very good song and lyrics, the boots line obviously stood out. Two of the best singers on the forum, a real pleasure to listen to the intertwining vocals. I'm sure most of what you do to make your tracks sound so good is over my head, but I certainly can appreciate the end result. Superb work as usual.
Wow what a cool song. The vocal and harmonies are perfect. So haunting and delicate. Backtrack was pure excellence. I must say you and Bud hit a home run with the lyric. Excellent production as well. Loved it...
We appreciate that Scott!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
Wow what a cool song. The vocal and harmonies are perfect. So haunting and delicate. Backtrack was pure excellence. I must say you and Bud hit a home run with the lyric. Excellent production as well. Loved it...
Thanks, Scott...
Originally Posted By: MarioD
You three keep hitting home run after home run!
Loved the vocal and harmonies ....Janice was brilliant in supporting Floyd's lead vocals
FJ & Team. This easily makes top 10 best tunes I've heard in Showcase this year hands down. Very interesting structure. Perfect lyrics & amazing vocal performances by you and Janice! Very tasty instrumental passages. Didn't get board after three consecutive spins and discovered something new every time. Really like this one! Congrats on this wonderful collaboration and thank you for sharing.
Misha.
Thanks, Misha...
Originally Posted By: Dewey_MI
I'm glad I clicked on this one to give it a listen! Really touching. Always love your vocals and production. Nice lyrics too.
Thanks for stopping by, Dewey...
Originally Posted By: PROJECT M
Hello together Floyd, this is an excellent collaboration with an equally excellent result The song sounds really fantastic Everyone is doing a top job here Congratulations for this song Many greetings Andi ;-)
Loved the vocal and harmonies ....Janice was brilliant in supporting Floyd's lead vocals
Everything about this is professional.
Loved it.
Thank you Mario!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
FJ & Team. This easily makes top 10 best tunes I've heard in Showcase this year hands down. Very interesting structure. Perfect lyrics & amazing vocal performances by you and Janice! Very tasty instrumental passages. Didn't get board after three consecutive spins and discovered something new every time. Really like this one! Congrats on this wonderful collaboration and thank you for sharing.
Misha.
We much appreciate that Misha. Yes, floyd is a master at nuanced and detailed productions that always sound so cohesive!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! A few of our videos are here on our website: https://www.janiceandbud.com/our-music.html
F,J&B, I knew I would be in for a treat when I hit play. I wasn't wrong. The production is top notch. The write is terrific. The vocals are stunning. What a great choice for Janice to echo those two lines. That is the surprise filling inside the treat! I don't think anything can be improved on. Fantastic job by all, Tom
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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