PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Lift my eyes - the evolution of a song

The evolution of the song – working backwards
I realise this is a long summary - I know some of you like that, but if you want to cut to the chase, just listen to my latest Soundcloud version immediately below. Otherwise, I have summarised and linked earlier versions in in reverse chronological order.
Soundcloud - Lift my eyes
I first wrote this song back in 2001/2002 and it was called 'Ordinary' (see below). I made a recording of this in 2016 - still available to listen to on my Souncloud account - but always felt that the lyrics were negative, despite quite liking the song musically. In 2025, I rewrote the lyrics in a more positive light about the theme of self improvement and this is the basis of this recording. Some elements of the original song remain, such as the BVs and some rhythm guitar parts, albeit re-recorded. New elements have been introduced, such as the synth bass, piano and a new guitar solo. This song is a nod to Keane, whose album 'Hopes and fears' is a favourite. The change from A minor in the verses to A major in the chorus is used to illustrate musically the shift from negative to positive thinking.
This recording has helped me with some new skills: I used time stretching in Reaper to better align the phrasing of duplicated vocals and solo guitar, and reversing audio items - heard in verse 2. For the solo, I used this opportunity as my response to challenge with Knee Wobbler and another to think through how we approach writing a guitar solo. I started with a phrase used in the first line of the verses, then added a slide down through successive notes. This sliding was then re-used in other sections of the solo. I also wanted to use features such as bend/release, hammer/pull, vibrato and the slides down and up. I octaved the solo, and also tried (unsuccessfully to get a Stranglers ‘Golden Brown’ solo effect.

I haven’t produced a video for this song yet but will do so over the next couple of weeks. For the time being, I need some time away from this song – a sentiment I am sure many of you can relate to.
Soundcloud - Ordinary 2018 recording
This is the first audio recording of 'Ordinary' which ultimately became 'Lift my eyes'. It is more of a guitar driven song recorded slightly slower with the rhythm guitars doing a 'boom boom tish!' style of strum. There are some backing elements here (BVs, rhythm guitars) which are carried forward into the new production. Ultimately, it was the negative lyrics and my pronunciation of 'ordinary' that drove the change to a new theme and words. This recording also reveals some naïve mixing – like panning doubled vocals left and right, so I hadn’t quite understood balance, panning and dynamics. The song has features that I use in other songs - a downwards or upwards line, usually in the bass but also in the chorus Ooos which are my 'go to' BV device.
Soundcloud - Ordinary BIAB midi
This is the midi original version of 'Ordinary' rendered to mp3. It typifies my songwriting workflow in the early 2000s - start with a chord progression, add melody, then develop in BIAB and/or on guitar. Words would usually be one of the last pieces. If I recall correctly, I had the phrase 'Don't want to be treated like I'm ordinary' over the last bar in the 4 chord progression: A - Amaj7/G# - A6/F# - A/F. I created my own BIAB style for this which I did a lot of back then - albeit a hybrid of an existing style with somethings I added. There's a faux midi guitar solo in the middle - which was replicated by my guitar in the 2018 audio recording.

Song Summary
Style is _SOUTAMP.STY (Amplitube Southern Rock Electric)

RealTracks in song: 1268:Bass, Electric, PopUplift Ev16 120
RealTracks in song: 2578:Bass, Synth, RetroPop Ev16 085 – with EQ removing anything below 100Hz and phasing applied
RealTracks in style: 666:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm SouthernRock Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 663:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm SouthernRock Ev 085
RealDrums in Song:RockBritDrivingEv16^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride

My parts
Keys – M-Audio Oxygen49 playing Spitfire Audio LABS Autograph Grand – my ‘plonking’ was quantised to correct.
Rhythm guitars strumming the ‘boom boom tish!’
Lead guitar octaves with IK Tonex ‘Bright Loud Clean’ plugin with reverb and delay
Main vocal – doubled
BVs – doubled

LYRICS
INTRO

VERSE 1
It’s the luck of the draw I guess or the hand of fate’s caress
Or it’s grip around my neck Ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo
But I won’t be portrayed in a negative kind of way
I’ll give that doubt away Ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo

CHORUS 1
I lift my eyes to see, the man I’m meant to be
I’m stepping past the shadows that once followed me
I won’t speak that way again I’ve left that voice behind
I’m leaning on hope to clear my clouded mind

VERSE 2
I know I can think the worst Of that I’m well-rehearsed
But that’s gonna be reversed Ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo
I’m looking for the good each day for uplifting words to say
And no bad thoughts in the way Ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo ooo-ooo

CHORUS 2
I lift my eyes to see the habits I will form
I’m growing past behaviours that became the norm
I won’t go back to doubt I’ve found a brighter way
I’m learning how to be the light in every day

BRIDGE
I have realised that unless I change I’m done
And thinking about others is better than number one
Sometimes when I lie awake and ponder who I am
Accepting the notion to be the man I plan

SOLO

CHORUS 3
I lift my eyes to see the habits I will form
I’m growing past behaviours that became the norm
I won’t go back to doubt I’ve found a brighter way
I’m learning how to be the light in every day

I lift my eyes to see, the man I’m meant to be
I’m stepping past the shadows that once followed me
I won’t speak that way again I’ve left that voice behind
I’m leaning on hope to clear my clouded mind

OUTRO

CHORDS
Intro and chorus: A | A/G# | A/F# | A/F |
Verses and solo: Am | C | G7 | C F7 | Am G | Esus E7 |
Bridge: C G | F G | Em Dsus4 | F Am | Adim Db | E |

I liked it. It reminds me of some British group, but at the moment I can't think who. Well written, well produced. Good job.

That's a really interesting storyline. I really like this final version, but I'd actually like to hear these lyrics with the original which has a great vibe to it.

Hi Rob! That British group may well be Keane - you might be familiar with 'Somewhere only we know' or maybe 'Everybody's changing' which were the two songs that influenced the style on this latest version.
Thanks for listening!
Andrew

Thanks Chay! That's an interesting thought - once I've recuperated from overexposure to the song, I might give that a run.
Andrew

Andrew,

It's amazing how songs live with us for years in various states of completion. I enjoyed the song and production notes. Excellent vocals and mix as well.

Nicely done.

Bob

You’ve done a great job reworking this Andrew,

So many elements to like about this, from the opening techno, to the Keane influence intro. The excellent harmonies followed by the Beatles influenced backward music. Then you’ve got the uplifting positive message of the song. The lyrics imply that you’re making a positive change from a negative mindset, and this is so far from the person I know. We all have a side that we keep locked away, but I have never known you to be anything but positive and selfless…and I’ve known you a while. But being able to write music and lyrics that describe that positive transformation takes skill.

If you could capsulate the essence of this song for me to swallow thrice daily (w/o prescription and no tariffs) that would be most excellent.

Love your work, matey.

The verses aren't really my thing, but the choruses and the bridge are _really_ nice and have a strong Beatles vibe.
Enjoyed my listen!

Hi, Andrew.

Nice write.

I'll echo B.D. The verses are fine, but the chorus really nails that Beatles vibe, and the shift to A major works really well.

Loved the backstory, and it was cool to listen to the prior versions.

Your process isn't that different than mine, in that lyrics usually come last. Since vocals don't drive the write, it can make it easier to do a rewrite.

Very cool!

Andrew, very cool timeline. Interesting how the song so completely evolves and matures but yet preserves the original character. Fun to hear your progress as a producer, too. Like the song in all its iterations a lot. Has a slinky Bowie (or maybe Ian Hunter) vibe and prominent late period Beatles stylings. (That would translate to: Excellent Excellence!)

Thanks for taking the time to lay this out. Very educational and...FUN!

Thanks Bob! Yes, this is probably going to be a petter for me for some of my future posts. I have a back catalogue of material that exists only in BIAB and mostly without vocal audio. It will be interesting to see how production influences the arrangement of these.
Andrew

Thanks Lee. Glad you liked the musical elements that reflect my influences and interests. We all stand on the shoulders of giants, or in my case, I’m skittering around their ankles.

‘Negative’ is probably a poor word choice on my part - pessimistic might be better. This stemmed from a lack of confidence that emerged in my teen years through to late twenties. I used humour to cover it up, and probably still do. It was probably an internal thinking thing more than expressed, but might have been seen by others as being ‘quiet’. Thank you for your kind and generous words!
Andrew

Thanks B.D.!
I agree. If the song consisted of the verses, I’d say ‘Nah’. The bridge is okay, redeemed in my mind by the diminished chord with its rising melody. There are many of my songs that slip in a diminished or augmented chord, and often in a bridge or pre-chorus for a bit of tension and release kind of thing.
Thanks for listening!
Andrew

Thanks David!
Heading to this chorus was always uplifting for me as I worked on the song. Your own summaries have demonstrated there is an appetite amongst forum members to hear about the songwriting and recording journey. Your comment about lyrics made me think that I have a modular view of songs - I can pull out the old lyrics module and transplant the new. I’m hoping the new lungs on this one are better.
Thanks for listening to its development!
Andrew

Thanks Ron! Your mention of a few artists there reminded me that my older brother and I would listen to the local radio back in ‘73 - ‘75 while we did our homework, so Bowie’s Life on Mars, Hunter’s One Bitten Twice Shy and Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were standard fare. You will relate to this story of brothers: I owe a lot to my older brother Nick for influencing my musical tastes. He never went on to play an instrument, but I can still remember him and I playing the riff for Blockbuster (The Sweet) and Jean Genie on a cheap acoustic guitar. He brought The Beatles, The Sweet, Queen and Nick Lowe into the household. My contributions were ELO (via Knee Wobbler), Mike Oldsmith, Klaatu, Cheap Trick, and Simon and Garfunkel/Paul Simon.
Thanks for listening.
Andrew

It really only took me a second to hit the like, Andrew. It's just so interesting and cool...akin to something from XTC. "I’m learning how to be the light in every day" That's a great line and some powerful life-changing advice.

Good work, Andrew.

Nice arrangement. Terrific combination of BIAB and Andrew.
Very cool vocals.
Nice mix.

Well done.

fj

Wow, what a cool song, and what an extraordinary progression through the last 2 decades. Brilliant how you made so many changes in the developement. I like the origin, but like an infant it grew into a wonderfully cool adult. Well done, and very creative, Andrew.

Andrew, this is fantastic. Loved the arrangement. Great lyrics, instrumentation, and vocal.
Outstanding mix.
One of your best.

Hi Beth, Floyd, Marty and Mario!
I accidentally posted my response to your wonderful comments, but on the wrong thread!
Here is the link to my responses.
Sorry!
Andrew