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Ways Of Forgetting

floyd and I wrote (joint lyrics/his melody) this in 2016 back when he was schooling us on songwriting smile (he posted his version in 2020). Recently we were preparing the tune for distribution and made a lot of changes … added a harmony track by Janice, all new track FX and a new mastering chain.

If you choose to listen we hope you enjoy it and comments are always welcome. Thanks to floyd and PG music.

© 2016-2025 All Rights Reserved Bud Merritt & floyd jane

Janice Merritt: lead & harmony vocals

floyd jane: lyrics, arrangement & melody
Bud Merritt: lyrics, mix, mastering & photo


Janice: vocals via Rodes NT1 mic > Scarlett 212 interface > Izotope Nectar

Piano: MIDI SuperTrack 2056 CelticAir Rhythm > Logic Pro Steinway Grand > Waves Unplugged

Bass: RealTrack DI 701 Pop half notes > Logic Pro EQ > Logic Pro Amp sim

Drums: Real Drums N’ville Even 8ths > Waves CLA Drums

Guitar: RealTrack 1676 Fingerpicking acoustic rhythm country > Waves CLA Unplugged

Fiddle: RealTrack 1760 Background pop > Waves Unplugged

Mastering: Ozone EQ > Oz Stabilizer > Oz Impact > Oz > Imager > Oz Dynamic EQ > Oz Limiter > Izotope Tonal Balance 2 > Logic Pro Loudness Meter (Ozone modules use J&B user presets)

Last edited by Janice & Bud; 09/30/25 03:14 AM.

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Hi Janice, Bud and Floyd!

This is a very enjoyable song. A very good choice of backing band with enough movement in the parts without distracting from Janice’s wonderful vocal and harmonies. Janice’s glissando (if that’s what it’s called) works well with the sentiment of the song - sliding into various notes and syllables. The fiddle added a good touch of melancholy.

Musically, the song is made IMHO by the melody and chord progression on the line ‘a sad story or drink won't erase our last goodbye’ to create distinctiveness and a pull to the last line and title in the chorus.

I love the line ‘old ways of forgetting don’t work’ - it has a certain contradiction to it, like - ‘trying to remember how to forget’.

A really good song and performed and arranged really well.

Andrew

Last edited by Andrew Dee; 09/29/25 11:55 PM.
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Janice, Bud & Floyd,

I remember when this song was first posted. So beautiful and one of my all time favorite vocals from Janice. I love the new FX and mastering. It sounds like it was recorded today. The new harmony track sounds awesome.

Thanks for bringing back a refreshed version of this amazing song.

Bob

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New life in an already healthy body of work.
Lovely in every way...and THAT voice.


Cheers
rayc
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This is a gorgeous song in every respect. Standard excellent Floyd lyrics, standard wonderful Janice vocals, perfect instrumentation and arrangement for the song and just lovely to listen to. <3


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Hi, Janice & Bud.

floyd jane has a way with writing, and Janice has a way with singing. smile

Lovely new harmony, and everything is bright and clear.

I was looking through the FX chain thinking that Bud is pretty minimal when it came to FX, until I came to the Master Buss FX. Ha! laugh

Thanks for bringing this back!


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Janice, Bud & Floyd

This project has been meticulously crafted and produced entirely without the assistance of AI. 👋 👍

The lyrics, written by Floyd and Bud Merritt, tell a story of a woman who has decided to leave her partner because he has not been treating her well.

The lyrics are deeply reflective and no longer just nostalgically regret the past, but acknowledge that what the singer used to do to cope with the past is not working anymore.

Lines like "a half finished book next to a fifth of gin" and the refrain "old ways of forgetting don’t work no matter how I try" provide specific imagery that is easy to remember.

Additionally, the lyrics, arrangement, and melody of the song have a structure that builds up to the resolution of moving to turn my life around, which (I suspect) is likely due to Floyd’s contribution.

Janice carries the weight of the lyrics on her shoulders, conveying the tiredness and resolve of the woman without letting the subject matter overwhelm her.

Mixing and mastering by Bud Merritt are well executed.

The final mix places the vocals in the forefront, while the mastering adds a polished finish that makes the track a pleasureable listen

"Ways Of Forgetting" is a sincere, well-produced track from The Mysterines Janice, Floyd and Bud. 💯 ♪♩ 𝓟𝓻𝓸 ♬

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The Dynamic Duo pairs with the Fabulous Uno. And thus ... the Terrific Trio.

To parse out all the goodness in this one would take the rest of my night. Everything works exactly as it should. What can you say about Janice's voice? Those complementary words haven't yet made their appearance in any dictionary I know of.

One thing that really made me smile even bigger - the soft yet clear tone of the fiddle. Fiddle RTs can be a challenge to find a tone that isn't mushy or shrill, but yet is clear and explicit. Nicely done!

Y'all know what you're doing when it comes to music. And I would suppose, a few other things in life.

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Last edited by Al-David; 09/30/25 04:48 PM.

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Originally Posted by Andrew Dee
Hi Janice, Bud and Floyd!

This is a very enjoyable song. A very good choice of backing band with enough movement in the parts without distracting from Janice’s wonderful vocal and harmonies. Janice’s glissando (if that’s what it’s called) works well with the sentiment of the song - sliding into various notes and syllables. The fiddle added a good touch of melancholy.

Musically, the song is made IMHO by the melody and chord progression on the line ‘a sad story or drink won't erase our last goodbye’ to create distinctiveness and a pull to the last line and title in the chorus.

I love the line ‘old ways of forgetting don’t work’ - it has a certain contradiction to it, like - ‘trying to remember how to forget’.

A really good song and performed and arranged really well.

Andrew

Thank you for your very thoughtful and positive review. Your time to write that is much appreciated. Regarding Janice’s vocal style we played and recorded in several bluegrass bands for years during which time we also played a lot of C&W. We and others called her and many others vocals “bent note” singing. 😀 And as we drifted into blues it also is common in that genre. I think the technical term is melismatic. It’s just what she does on her typically one take vocals.

While floyd and Bud wrote the lyric the progression and melody was all floyd’s. Thanks for mentioning the contradictory nature of that line. Cool.

Thanks for all!

J&B


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Oh, yeah, every song you guys do has everything I ever love in a song. Great write, good feeling, excellent lyrics and a catchy melody, OUTSTANDING vocals, and a soloist that captures the mood and makes it sing, and then wrap all of that goodness into the perfect mix. Man, I love those lyrics!


Enjoy whatever happens!
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Honestly, I don't remember hearing this by anyone before today.

This is certainly dead center of the J&B wheelhouse. Instantly recognizable if I didn't know.

The overall soundscape is good. What really caught my attention was the piano. That was a very good sounding piano track. I've not used the SMT's before but this is a good impetus to investigate them closer.

Good overall job on this remix.


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Originally Posted by BabuMusic
Oh, yeah, every song you guys do has everything I ever love in a song. Great write, good feeling, excellent lyrics and a catchy melody, OUTSTANDING vocals, and a soloist that captures the mood and makes it sing, and then wrap all of that goodness into the perfect mix. Man, I love those lyrics!

Marty said it much better than I could.
Loved that piano, the perfect backing for an outstanding vocal.
Great lyrics and mix.
Loved the song.


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Originally Posted by rsdean
Janice, Bud & Floyd,

I remember when this song was first posted. So beautiful and one of my all time favorite vocals from Janice. I love the new FX and mastering. It sounds like it was recorded today. The new harmony track sounds awesome.

Thanks for bringing back a refreshed version of this amazing song.

Bob

Thanks Bob. We are happy that you both remembered the tune and that you like the updates.

Much appreciated!

J&B


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Gee, "guys", this is amazin'!!! Aside from the obvious deliciousness of a magical write in the hands of a gifted interpreter and a master producer, you've really done a great job crafting an all-BiaB (I think?) backing track. The opening piano with fingerstyle guitar grabbed me right away, and the rest of the song never let go.

Ya'll are each a superlative talent, and together you're...well, did I say amazin'? Worth repeating. AMAZIN' song!


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Originally Posted by rayc
New life in an already healthy body of work.
Lovely in every way...and THAT voice.

Thanks bro!

J&B


Originally Posted by WaoBand
This is a gorgeous song in every respect. Standard excellent Floyd lyrics, standard wonderful Janice vocals, perfect instrumentation and arrangement for the song and just lovely to listen to. <3

We appreciate those kind and supportive comments very much much!

J&B


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Hey,

This is a really nice!

Smooth and enjoyable. Really lovely production.

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I started here in 2019 so this is new to me. A very good song with very good lyrics, needless to say. Starts out like a Jackson Browne tune from Saturate Before Using, but quickly becomes its very own goodness. Of course, Janice's singing delivers the message poignantly. And it all sounds great through my Sennheiser 600HD headphones. Great work, team!


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Originally Posted by dcuny
Hi, Janice & Bud.

floyd jane has a way with writing, and Janice has a way with singing. smile

Lovely new harmony, and everything is bright and clear.

I was looking through the FX chain thinking that Bud is pretty minimal when it came to FX, until I came to the Master Buss FX. Ha! laugh

Thanks for bringing this back!

And thanks to you for the nice comments.
Glad you liked the harmony - it was a quick little add for an accent here and there. I use that Ozone chain often - it sort of an Ozone default but each of the modules has an excruciating number of variables to tweak. Sometimes we use a multi-compressor rather than the dynamic eq but more and more I prefer the latter.

Much appreciated!

J&B


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This is beautiful. I can hear both Floyd's and your musical touch in there, for sure! The lyrics are wry and wistful ... i.e. wonderful smile So much talent ... wow.

Janice sings at her best, once more (when doesn't she? smile ). She sounds so clear and crisp, which complements her slightly mellismatic style of singing. And the texture of the mix sounds so transparent ... what I am to say? You've done it again ... a wonderful, wonderful song and production ... well done.

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I remember this one.

Just a lovely song, great write, and a fabulous vocal.

Mix sounds great, Bud.

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