Tales from a shattered marriage. Saddest song ever. IYKYK. Maybe skip this one if you're a little depressed. Or pop a cold one and dig in...
I wonder about the somewhat unique 3rd person narrator perspective. Who is it? I have my own ideas.
Didn't ask Dusty to sing harmonies or BGVs, but after listening to this a while decided that I'd join in the vocal fun. Kept my parts simple since Dusty really pops the lead vocal.
THANKS in advance for any listens/comments. They are each SO valuable.
Style is _12STACM.STY (Medium Country Boogie w/ Pedal S) RealTracks in style: ~684:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesSync Ev 120 RealTracks in style: ~522:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 120 RealTracks in style: ~1119:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 408:Guitar, Resonator, Background Allis Ev 120 RealDrums in style:RockHardEven8^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
(You’ll Know She’s) Gone
She don’t love you She’d like to leave you She doesn’t want to say goodbye She’ll just go when you don’t know why
You see her asleep But will her love keep When you leave for work in the morning You hope her kiss wasn’t a warning Of something she was about to do
You’ll know she’s gone when the fire sinks way down You’ll know she’s gone when she’s nowhere to be found You’ll know she’s gone when you can’t hear her voice on the wind You’ll know she’s gone when she doesn’t come back again
She meets you at the door But how much more Will she act like the perfect wife? You’re just wasting your life Waiting for her to leave
You’ll know she’s gone when the fire sinks way down You’ll know she’s gone when she’s nowhere to be found You’ll know she’s gone when you can’t hear her voice on the wind You’ll know she’s gone when she doesn’t come back again
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This is excellent use of BiaB. Thematically it reminds it puts me in a mood I was in way back in 1973 when I wrote this:
Some favourite Waoist Adages: #1: Play on the Way. #13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you. #58: Bring consciousness to it. #63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made. #92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
This is such a great song. Love the instrumentation and production. Dusty's excellent vocal with your background harmonies really nails the poignancy in your lyrics.
As they say: one is gone, ten is found. So we will try to console ourselves as soon as possible. It is a very good song because everything is in its place, the singing, the accompaniment and the mixing. Only one flaw, I need another handkerchief. Laurent
That was a great listen. I commented on Soundcloud but I'll repeat myself here: Get this in into a songwriting contest pronto (if you care about that sort of thing). That was awesome from lyrics, to vocals and harmonies, to band.
Such gentle HeartBreak. Love this write - lyrics and melody. R.W. shows his sensitive side. (lyric) D.A. shows his sensitive side. (vocal) DCR shows his sensitive side. (production) So Well Done.
This is that Crossover Radio Hit your record company has been begging for.
Yeah, IK. Lost her a long time ago. Sad then, but, man, it surely worked out in my case. It's sad when that doesn't happen to someone. Hey, I really like how you helped Dusty --that part is so important in there. Cool instrumentation and mix, and R.W.'s lyrics are always at a high standard, and you're right, Dusty sings so well. Good son. Good write. Good collab.
DC. One of those type of lyrics I sometimes miss hearing in these modern times. Simply said. No complications. Gets the point across without having to think too much about what it all means. Well done.
This is excellent use of BiaB. Thematically it reminds it puts me in a mood I was in way back in 1973 when I wrote this:
Thanks, Chay! Yes, sadly relatable, at least to some. Funny coincidence, my lyricist reminded me last night that these lyrics are 50 years old. Must have been a time.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This is a very good song, nice vocals from Dusty for these kind of (sad) lyrics, but your bgv worked out nice too! Adding them was a good decision from you. That 3rd person in the lyrics was excellent for me. I was a bit down because of my own song, but I was able to put this into perspective because of this personal tragedy :-))
What do you get when you have 50 year old lyrics, a fantastic singer, a fantastic lyricist, modern technology, and an outstanding producer? ANS. one outstanding song! This should be on the radio right now. An outstanding piece of music. Loved it.
Doc-take it easy John this is just a sharp scalpel. It will not cut deep so don't worry. Me-I'm not John Doc-I know, I am!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
This is such a great song. Love the instrumentation and production. Dusty's excellent vocal with your background harmonies really nails the poignancy in your lyrics.
One of my favorites from you.
Bob
Thanks, Bob. Such a delicate lyric and subtle-but-powerful vocal performance...I just didn't want to screw it up. Glad you liked it!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Man, you have really been producing some great music! You're right about the sad nature of the song, but that doesn't mean that I still can't appreciate this very nice composition/arrangement! The harmonies are spectacular and well delivered! Enjoyed it!
As they say: one is gone, ten is found. So we will try to console ourselves as soon as possible. It is a very good song because everything is in its place, the singing, the accompaniment and the mixing. Only one flaw, I need another handkerchief. Laurent
Thanks, Laurent! Haven't heard the one/ten expression in a long while, so thanks for the reminder. Some of these woeful lyrics are hard for me to sing with a lump in my throat, so feeling your handkerchief pain. Glad you (kind of) enjoyed it!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Great country song! The lyrics are very sad, but the melody isn't too serious, so I think it's an easy-to-listen-to good pop song. The backing vocals are very appealing. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Ron, as most us around here say the song is never really finished it just gets to a point where it’s acceptable. I have found some unpolished gems while digging through my old ones. This is one of those. Great vocals, nice harmony. Good job on the production. You’d never guess this was 50 years old. I guess the theme transcends time. Well done!
That was a great listen. I commented on Soundcloud but I'll repeat myself here: Get this in into a songwriting contest pronto (if you care about that sort of thing). That was awesome from lyrics, to vocals and harmonies, to band.
Beth, really appreciate the listen and encouragement. We entered a few of our best songs (but not this one) into a songwriting contest a few years ago and the feedback was...humbling. But likely a real world view of the quality. The songwriting world is full of talented folks (many of them on this forum) so our eyes are wide open.
STILL...will give it some thought. This could BE THE ONE...
Glad you liked the tune!!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Such gentle HeartBreak. Love this write - lyrics and melody. R.W. shows his sensitive side. (lyric) D.A. shows his sensitive side. (vocal) DCR shows his sensitive side. (production) So Well Done.
This is that Crossover Radio Hit your record company has been begging for.
WOW.
fj
Geez, Floyd, THANKS for the nice review. Producing this one was like holding a delicate flower: I was just hoping to let the power of the lyrics and vocal performance carry the song, and not accidentally ruin the beauty that didn't need a lot of help. Glad you liked it!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Yeah, IK. Lost her a long time ago. Sad then, but, man, it surely worked out in my case. It's sad when that doesn't happen to someone. Hey, I really like how you helped Dusty --that part is so important in there. Cool instrumentation and mix, and R.W.'s lyrics are always at a high standard, and you're right, Dusty sings so well. Good son. Good write. Good collab.
Thanks, Marty! Yeah, worked out for me, too. Always risky adding vocals to Dusty's, but I kept my levels low enough to avoid any direct comparison. Ha! Glad you enjoyed the tune!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
DC. One of those type of lyrics I sometimes miss hearing in these modern times. Simply said. No complications. Gets the point across without having to think too much about what it all means. Well done.
Vic
Thanks, Vic. Yep, the lyrics are devastatingly raw. Glad you enjoyed them!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This is a very good song, nice vocals from Dusty for these kind of (sad) lyrics, but your bgv worked out nice too! Adding them was a good decision from you. That 3rd person in the lyrics was excellent for me. I was a bit down because of my own song, but I was able to put this into perspective because of this personal tragedy :-))
Hans
Thank you, Hans! Wanted to provide a bit of a dynamic lift to that second verse without adding an instrument, so BGVs seemed like the only option. There are only two voices in there, but the panning and reverb/delay give them a nice thick feel. Glad you liked them and the song! Life is so full of tragedies big and small, it's so easy to get lost in them, though I prefer not to. Next song will be perkier for sure. Ha!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Melodically the line "Of something she was about to do." musically ends with an odd ambivalence. COOL song, cool performance and a very tidy arrangement that supports everything wonderfully well. The vocal has some grit & emotion I've not perceived previously - cool.
Last edited by rayc; 03/10/2502:05 AM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Even tho this isn't my favourite kind of music I enjoyed your way of singing and the resonator guitar. I can't comment the lyrics, because it's not my native language.
What do you get when you have 50 year old lyrics, a fantastic singer, a fantastic lyricist, modern technology, and an outstanding producer? ANS. one outstanding song! This should be on the radio right now. An outstanding piece of music. Loved it.
THANKS, Mario! Glad you enjoyed the tune. It's one of our favorites, too, and it's nice to share it.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Man, you have really been producing some great music! You're right about the sad nature of the song, but that doesn't mean that I still can't appreciate this very nice composition/arrangement! The harmonies are spectacular and well delivered! Enjoyed it!
Thanks, TB
Thanks, Torrey! Adding harmonies to Dusty's (sublime) vocals is maybe the bravest thing I've ever done musically. Glad I didn't mess it up! Appreciate the listen and the feedback.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
"Saddest song ever", well that's always a big invitation to me, even when I'm depressed But on the other hand, your sadder songs usually have at least some positive vibe... this time I couldn't find hope in the story, so I guess your promise is kept on your own standards The starting line "she don't love you" is a great punch to the stomach after the first bell.
Pleasant melody and arrangement, although I missed some dramatic changes or breaks in the instrumentation to give room for tears.
Excellent singing, it's difficult to express strong personal emotions when singing from a third-person perspective, but your singer manages to do it, especially in the nice emotional lift up in the last chorus. And the harmonies sound sweet.
Great country song! The lyrics are very sad, but the melody isn't too serious, so I think it's an easy-to-listen-to good pop song. The backing vocals are very appealing. Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
Thank you, Shigeki! Knowing how many international forum members we have, I often wonder how well some themes will translate to other languages and cultures. Glad you were able to hear the "sad but not bad to listen to" intent. Very much appreciate your feedback, it's very useful.
Last edited by DC Ron; 03/12/2502:44 PM.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Ron, as most us around here say the song is never really finished it just gets to a point where it’s acceptable. I have found some unpolished gems while digging through my old ones. This is one of those. Great vocals, nice harmony. Good job on the production. You’d never guess this was 50 years old. I guess the theme transcends time. Well done!
Thanks, Tommy! The chronology on this one is definitely squirrely. The lyrics are 50 years old, the music and lead vocals are 8 years old, the posted version with new harmonies and BGVs is from last week. A REAL slow burn. Ha! Glad you liked it!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This one hits home for me - but in a different context. I just came from a conference with Di's Dr. and the hospice company attending to her. Chances are she won't be here to celebrate Christmas with us this year. Her dementia and associated issues are progressing very rapidly.
It's quite a shock to hear those words, but we needed to know her outlook. Anyway ...
This is such a wonderfully crafted song, and your presentation is just so good. And holy smokes, Dusty just kills it on the vocal. The arrangement places everything precisely where it should be, and how it should be. One thing I like about all your productions is you aren't afraid to let the backing tracks have their voice. So many people bury the backing tracks. I love that you don't.
Excellent song and production. It was a long wait for finality, but I'd say it was well worth it.
It's REALLY good, probably your best song so far. I like everything, the lyrics, the vocals, the band, the production - there's nothing I don't like. Really, really good! Should definitely be on the radio.
Good song, good vox, pretty much hitting on all cylinders with this one. Way to go.
Thanks, Rob! Glad you liked it.
Originally Posted by rayc
Melodically the line "Of something she was about to do." musically ends with an odd ambivalence. COOL song, cool performance and a very tidy arrangement that supports everything wonderfully well. The vocal has some grit & emotion I've not perceived previously - cool.
Thank you, Ray. Not tracking your first comment, but suspect it's not the first time I've been guilty of "odd ambivalence". Just sounds like something I'd do. Ha!
Glad you like the song/performance/vocals. Sometimes it just all sort of magically comes together. When it does it's very cool indeed.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Even tho this isn't my favourite kind of music I enjoyed your way of singing and the resonator guitar. I can't comment the lyrics, because it's not my native language.
THANKS for giving the tune a chance! Dusty has a great voice, and I like the way the resonator tosses in those few weepy fills, too.
Originally Posted by jannesan
"Saddest song ever", well that's always a big invitation to me, even when I'm depressed But on the other hand, your sadder songs usually have at least some positive vibe... this time I couldn't find hope in the story, so I guess your promise is kept on your own standards The starting line "she don't love you" is a great punch to the stomach after the first bell.
Pleasant melody and arrangement, although I missed some dramatic changes or breaks in the instrumentation to give room for tears.
Excellent singing, it's difficult to express strong personal emotions when singing from a third-person perspective, but your singer manages to do it, especially in the nice emotional lift up in the last chorus. And the harmonies sound sweet.
Janne
Janne, I felt confident that a listen to The World's Saddest Song in The World's Happiest Country wouldn't be a problem. So nope, no positives here, just one gut punch after another. I DID provide a two bar interlude before the first chorus for the listener to try to regain composure. Must not have been enough. The growling vocal lift in the last chorus was a Dusty ad lib, and he really nailed it. Mike drop time for me. Anyway, I did really enjoy layering in the subtle harmonies, THANKS for mentioning!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This one hits home for me - but in a different context. I just came from a conference with Di's Dr. and the hospice company attending to her. Chances are she won't be here to celebrate Christmas with us this year. Her dementia and associated issues are progressing very rapidly.
It's quite a shock to hear those words, but we needed to know her outlook. Anyway ...
This is such a wonderfully crafted song, and your presentation is just so good. And holy smokes, Dusty just kills it on the vocal. The arrangement places everything precisely where it should be, and how it should be. One thing I like about all your productions is you aren't afraid to let the backing tracks have their voice. So many people bury the backing tracks. I love that you don't.
Excellent song and production. It was a long wait for finality, but I'd say it was well worth it.
Wishing you everything good.
Alan
Alan, your note gutted me. So sorry the lyrics synched with Di's prognosis update in such a terrible way. Praying for you and Di.
Thank you for the very kind reflection on the song.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
It's REALLY good, probably your best song so far. I like everything, the lyrics, the vocals, the band, the production - there's nothing I don't like. Really, really good! Should definitely be on the radio.
Thanks, B.D.! So glad you liked it. Now...what's this "radio" thing you refer to? Ha!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
The impending heartbreak in the lyric is delivered tenderly with the vocals and the subdued band performances. Those harmonies and bgv’s were a great addition.
Great group of session guys and all is wrapped in a top bar mix.
After 50 years the lyric found the perfect combo to present it to us … thank you!
Enjoyed the listens,
J&B
PS BTW the resonator guitar fits the vibe very well (we spent many years gigging with a fine Dobro picker - so great use of the RT).
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 are here on our website.
This is my favorite song I've heard on the forum over the past year. Extraordinary melody, lyric, and vocal. You have the genre listed as country, but it sounds more like a power pop ballad like a cross between the La's and the Smithereens. You have a hit song (at least in my world).
The impending heartbreak in the lyric is delivered tenderly with the vocals and the subdued band performances. Those harmonies and bgv’s were a great addition.
Great group of session guys and all is wrapped in a top bar mix.
After 50 years the lyric found the perfect combo to present it to us … thank you!
Enjoyed the listens,
J&B
PS BTW the resonator guitar fits the vibe very well (we spent many years gigging with a fine Dobro picker - so great use of the RT).
J&B, THANK YOU for the listens and the nice review. The reso is an underappreciated instrument for sure, and it just melts my heart in this tune. So thanks for that, too!
Last edited by DC Ron; 03/17/2509:28 AM.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
This is my favorite song I've heard on the forum over the past year. Extraordinary melody, lyric, and vocal. You have the genre listed as country, but it sounds more like a power pop ballad like a cross between the La's and the Smithereens. You have a hit song (at least in my world).
Geez, THANKS! That's high praise indeed given the level of songcraft on display here. Agree with you on the genre, but I had to pick just one, so figured the resonator tipped the scales to country. Nice to have a hit song in your world. Sigh. If only there were royalties there...
Ha!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Ron & team, Solid tune in all respects. Well composed and sung. Mix is a bit bright, but very clear. Lyrics are easy to follow without the text. Enjoyed my listen and thank you for sharing.
Ron & team, Solid tune in all respects. Well composed and sung. Mix is a bit bright, but very clear. Lyrics are easy to follow without the text. Enjoyed my listen and thank you for sharing.
Misha.
THANKS, Misha! Never been accused of being "a bit bright" or bright at all, but...Ha! I'll relisten for excessive brightness. Clarity and lyric comprehension are definitely prime objectives, so appreciate the validation.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One StudioCat DAW dual screen Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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The starting line "she don't love you" is a great punch to the stomach after the first bell.
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