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Once I Had A Life on Soundcloud Once I Had A Life on YouTube This is a song about how some guys just shouldn't get married and have kids. Janice Merritt sang the part of the wife, and I was the selfish husband. Neither of us is anything close to the story characters, so there was some good acting in there as well. Of course Bud did a great job with Janice's track that made it as easy as drop-n-play. File:Once I Had A Life.SGU Key=D , Tempo 110, Length (m:s)=2:28 Song is saved with bar changes for Styles,Volume Changes, Style is _LONESON.STY (Lone Son Acoustic Guitar Ballad) RealTracks in style: ~~2478:Bass, Acoustic, Held Ev 110 RealTracks in style: ~~2495:Piano, Electric, HeldChords 120 RealTracks in style: 2914:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Folky16thsBrent Ev16 085 RealTracks in song: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealTracks in song: 3191:Mandolin, Soloist, CelticReelAndy Ev16 110 RealDrums in Song:NashBrushBalDbKEv16^1-a: Snare, HiHat , b: QuarterHat, TripletSnare The dueling-mandos solo was a lot of Ctl+F8 doing. Love that feature. Once I Had A LifeOnce I had a life, and then I got a wife, and I was never alone. She came and brought me joy. We had a little boy. We made our house our home. Our little man grew strong, and soon he was all gone. The "we" became undone. My wife she didn't care. She wasn't really there. My life, it had no fun. I know we once had a life. My son & I would thrive. But he'd came home things just changed. He'd get himself a drink, then threw up in the sink. He never knew our son by name. As the time ticked by, I looked her in the eye and asked, "Do you know who I am?' She said she didn't know, and told me I should go. I turned away and ran. Once I had a wife but then got back my life in this house that once was home. I like to sit and think, and mix myself a drink --enjoy my time alone. Now my life's my own. LAST VERSE (other melody): I was his wife, I had no life. He was just drunk all of he time. Now my life's my own. V--- D G D A D G D-A D CH--- G Bm Em D G Bm Em-A D
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Marty / Janice,
What a cool song! You guys sound great together.
The instrument tracks selection is outstanding. Love the mandolin. Great mix.
Loved it!
Bob
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Made me smile - loved it! Especially the section where the voices are juxtaposed - that just sends it through the roof  And yes, the mandolin was the icing on the cake  What a great job - well done!!!
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HAHAHA. A delightful song. A dysfunctional "family". This had all the markings of a long-ago traveling troubadour(s) singing to entertain the king's court. (like Jaskier from The Witcher). I can see the two of you in the costumes of the day... 
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Marty and Janice...great duet guys...I love the acoustic nature of the song and the mandolin solos...sad story too often true (relative to our culture it seems)...my only suggestion is that Marty your solos sounded a bit faint in spots IMO...I would love a few more dB in spots...loved it when you sang together...sad song delivered in a pleasant way...great job guys!
www.soundclick.com/firesongBiaB 2024, Steinberg Cubase Pro 13, Wavelab 11.2, SpetraLayers Pro 10, Audacity, Steinberg UR44 Interface, Yamaha Genos, Roland FP60 and FP10, Windows 10 You are who you are because you do what you do because of what you believe.
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Marty, Janice, and bud have a winner on their hands. Great lyrics, vocals, and mix. Very clever song.
PS - I know a few families that experienced that!
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school. Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Hi Marty. Very amusing with the two sides of the story and mandolin on speed.
Vic
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Hi Marty and Janice, Very clever song, love the lyrics. For my tastes the vocals, especially yours Marty, should be a bit higher in the mix. But no one else mentioned that, so I'm probably wrong Loved it at the end when the two of you are singing together, nicely done!
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Marty / Janice,
What a cool song! You guys sound great together.
The instrument tracks selection is outstanding. Love the mandolin. Great mix.
Loved it!
Bob Thanks, Bob. Right, if anyone wants to sing better, get a great singer to sing with you. Janice has a new album out today, too. Made me smile - loved it! Especially the section where the voices are juxtaposed - that just sends it through the roof  And yes, the mandolin was the icing on the cake  What a great job - well done!!! Thank you, James. The end was my favorite, too. Those mandolin's both ran fast and didn't step on each other too much. A musical interpretation of skedaddle. HAHAHA. A delightful song. A dysfunctional "family". This had all the markings of a long-ago traveling troubadour(s) singing to entertain the king's court. (like Jaskier from The Witcher). I can see the two of you in the costumes of the day... Hahahaha! Thanks, Floyd. Once you blew my mind with your Firesign Theatre comment, and now the Jaskier jester. Man, you're a gas, and thanks for spreading the fuel of inspiration.
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Marty / Janice,
What a cool song! You guys sound great together.
The instrument tracks selection is outstanding. Love the mandolin. Great mix.
Loved it!
Bob Thanks Bob. It was fun joining in! Janice
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Hi Janice and Marty A good idea to sing a duet on this song You guys are doing really great A great production Many greetings Andi ;-)
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Very cool match of voices and character actors. The melody/counter melody part is fabulous. Sadly it's a story of truth in so many ways. Many, many men in 60s Australia went from work directly to the pub and eventually home for dinner when done. That fog of alcohol caused many families to worry & fret about how things would transpire over the evening meal. Musically it's a cracker too. Jaunty and bouncing under a sad tale - almost a sea shanty. Terrific work Marty & Janice.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Marty,
Love this sweet-sounding tune! Also enjoyed that little pick me up in the middle section! I played before reading your description and got a big wow moment when Janice came in! Nobody had to tell me who she was I knew! Sounding great as usual! She's on more recordings ( and rightfully so) than Micheal McDonald! Loved it man!
Thanks, TB
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Made me smile - loved it! Especially the section where the voices are juxtaposed - that just sends it through the roof  And yes, the mandolin was the icing on the cake  What a great job - well done!!! Thank you! Janice
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Marty and Janice...great duet guys...I love the acoustic nature of the song and the mandolin solos...sad story too often true (relative to our culture it seems)...my only suggestion is that Marty your solos sounded a bit faint in spots IMO...I would love a few more dB in spots...loved it when you sang together...sad song delivered in a pleasant way...great job guys! Thanks, Dan. By my "solos" I assume you mean singing without Janice. Yeah, I tend to agree with you because I see below where Dave also mentioned it should be louder. Janice is way too good for me to properly mix my voice. It's like trying to mix Celine with Dylan or something. I'm just thrilled she agreed to dress this one up in its best attire. Thanks so much for the feedback. Marty, Janice, and bud have a winner on their hands. Great lyrics, vocals, and mix. Very clever song.
PS - I know a few families that experienced that! Thank, Mario. Much appreciated. Hi Marty. Very amusing with the two sides of the story and mandolin on speed.
Vic Thanks, Vic. Those mandolins rushed him right out of the relationship. Hi Marty and Janice, Very clever song, love the lyrics. For my tastes the vocals, especially yours Marty, should be a bit higher in the mix. But no one else mentioned that, so I'm probably wrong Loved it at the end when the two of you are singing together, nicely done! Thanks, Dave! Nah, you ain't wrong. Dan also mentioned it. Besides, I know my mixing would be down right crap if not for your guidance. You new one (Train, Train) is mixed so well with yours and Chris's vocals. Yeah, I always wanted to do a counterpoint melody from the first time I heard Bing do it so well.
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Hi Janice and Marty A good idea to sing a duet on this song You guys are doing really great A great production Many greetings Andi ;-) Thanks, Andi. Much appreciated Very cool match of voices and character actors. The melody/counter melody part is fabulous. Sadly it's a story of truth in so many ways. Many, many men in 60s Australia went from work directly to the pub and eventually home for dinner when done. That fog of alcohol caused many families to worry & fret about how things would transpire over the evening meal. Musically it's a cracker too. Jaunty and bouncing under a sad tale - almost a sea shanty. Terrific work Marty & Janice. Thank you, Ray. I grew up at the end of the coal-mining industry in our area. One town near us had the dubious distinction of being in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most bars on one street. Marty,
Love this sweet-sounding tune! Also enjoyed that little pick me up in the middle section! I played before reading your description and got a big wow moment when Janice came in! Nobody had to tell me who she was I knew! Sounding great as usual! She's on more recordings ( and rightfully so) than Micheal McDonald! Loved it man!
Thanks, TB That is so cool that you experienced it that way, Torrey. That must have been fun hearing Janice all of a sudden. It's like a somewhat dull song rises to the highest level of special when she enters the stage --like watching a high-school play and seeing Johnny Depp walk on stage.
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HAHAHA. A delightful song. A dysfunctional "family". This had all the markings of a long-ago traveling troubadour(s) singing to entertain the king's court. (like Jaskier from The Witcher). I can see the two of you in the costumes of the day...   Thanks! Janice
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Marty and Janice...great duet guys...I love the acoustic nature of the song and the mandolin solos...sad story too often true (relative to our culture it seems)...my only suggestion is that Marty your solos sounded a bit faint in spots IMO...I would love a few more dB in spots...loved it when you sang together...sad song delivered in a pleasant way...great job guys! Thank! Janice
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Sounds like a fun song, first lyrical wizardry "Once I had a wife but then got back my life" and then the duelling mandolins made me smile even more. And finally the duetting Marty & Janice was the umbrella in this pleasant cocktail. Great mix, especially the drinks, enjoyed  Janne
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Wow! This is REALLY good. Great song! Great performances. And yes, some people just should not reproduce. 
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