Hello forum Members. My latest offering is based around a medical episode I had/have recently, and this is why I've been a little absent on the forum lately, my apologies. Nothing too serious, I'm sure I've been a little self indulgent with this one, and should count my blessings. For someone who is on the whole healthy, when something catches you off guard and off your feet, it makes you consider your mortality. I'm all good, and I realise it's all in my head in, just got to work through it. I'm not sure if I even like this song, I've been working on it for quite a while, and they do wear thin after a while. The vocals are a bit fragile, but I guess that lends to the subject matter. I'd be interested if listeners are hearing enough variation in my songs, I don't want to get stuck in the same vein all the while.
Thank you for listening and your feedback, kind regards.
Lyrics: Laid down beneath an aging Jacaranda, Sky above weighed down where I lay. Hold on to daylight and not fade to grey. Earth spinning faster, focus started to wander. Unsteady, grasping for breathe, feeling uneasy, An angry racing heart, pounding my chest within. Time, body and mind diverge, aflood with adrenaline. No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, I got my wake up call.
Left alone with my high anxiety, Muddling my senses with it’s false narrative. Sleep don’t come easy, lord give me sedative. Mind stuck in fight or flight just won’t let me be. Lay my head on the pillow, not feeling too sleepy, A loud troubled heart, thumping in my temple. Time, body and mind converge, aflood with cortisol. Tell myself I’m gonna be alright, dwelling on my vulnerability.
Wake up call, coming through loud and clear, howling in my ear. Wake up call, the universe is telling me, you’re no longer twenty-three, Wake up call, wake up call, wake up call. No longer twenty-three, I’m sixty-three that’s my vulnerability . I got my wake up call.
BIAB Info.
Style is _CEDAR.STY (Cedar Woodblock Acoustic Praise) RealTracks in style: 1255:Bass, Electric, PopShiningA-B Ev 120 RealTracks in style: 1277:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopUpliftA-B Ev16 120 RealTracks in style: ~405:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 120 RealDrums in style:PraiseWorshipShine-01-SCHt,SRCy [Multi]
Real Instruments: Seagull Coastline Electro-acoustic - rhythm Vox - yours truly BVs - me too.
Welcome back! Sorry for your recent medical episode, glad it wasn't too serious. Many of us have had that wake up call telling us we weren't 23 (or 53) any more. Sounds like you've put it in the right perspective, which is of course important.
Cool song! That Seagull sounds great early on, and sets up the rest of the tune nicely. Super harmonic progression and strong arrangement to keep momentum throughout this long-ish song form. Think your vocals are perfect for the tune. "Fragile" works perfectly.
Great example of making lemonade when all you have are lemons. Nice one!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Hi Lee! I wondered when you were going to post next - and this is a good re-entry. We’ll have to give it a strum next time we meet. That initial chord change I - III (e.g. C - Emajor) is the gift that keeps on giving and never grows tired - well deployed by you. I like that piano break in the middle - some very tasty notes in there. Listened three times already.
One question - is that you (with FX) or the missus in the intro?
Lee, Great intro. "No longer twenty-three, time to back off, take it easy" what great line that I can relate. Great vocals, guitar, and mix. As I have had a wake up call I can relate to the entire song. I loved everything about this song.
The bumper sticker said "I'm a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal". Suddenly I realized how many proctologists are on the road.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Good autobiographical lyrics and story, beautifully and openly told. Real life (unfortunately too often) writes the best stories. Good to hear that your life is (more or less, I guess) back to normal, whatever normal is...
I’d like to take the credit for playing the Seagull early on, but in fact it’s the Realtrack for the intro and first verse. The Seagull comes in when the bass does and it’s overpowered by the bass as I tried to imply a sense of foreboding in the second verse. Then the chorus comes in and the Seagull is a bit more prominent. I think you’re right that the fragile vocals work well with the subject. I recorded them whilst I was still in that worried headspace and it adds to the feel.
Thank you for your listens and review. I’ve caught you out buddy, that initial chord change is C to Cmaj7. I just played C to E major, whilst that works, C to Cmaj7 has that little bit of extra melancholy to it. As per the message to DC Ron, I can’t claim credit for the piano either, that’s BIAB too. I did think about putting a solo in the break, but I gave it to the Piano because as you say, there were a few tasty notes in there.Yep, we’ll definitely give it a crack at the next meet. Alas, I again can’t take credit for the opening or give credit to the missus, it’s a sound bite off the net. It would be ironic though if it were her, as if anything it would be me waking her to stop her snoring!!
Yes, the intro and first verse came up well, and as I mentioned in a prior post, up until that point it’s all BIAB. I said in other reviews that singing, playing, writing and recording is great therapy, and I felt I needed to get this song “out of my system” as part of my recovery and mental healing.
Im glad you could relate to it, and that enjoyed the song. Hope all is good for you after your wake up call. Much love buddy.
Thank for the listen and kind words. I can’t agree more about real life writing the best stories, good or bad. Yeah, getting back to normal mentally can take a while after the physical event, but really mine was minor compared to what other people go through. But it does hammer home, to not take things for granted and live in the moment.
Many on this forum are no longer 23, and health problems often appear with age. So you need to take care of yourself by maintaining a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet and regular physical activity. It sounds silly, but many people believe that age has no effect on them, but unfortunately, that's a denial of reality. When you accept this and correct certain harmful lifestyle habits, you often feel much better as you get older.
Jacarandas can be spectacular can't they? A lovely canopy to sit under. Cool song and mix. Some of the intro percussion could be softened with some reverb but that's just me. At my age, 68, every thing, from putting things in the dish washer to mowing, is a wake up call. Once the songs settles in your vocal is perfect in it's slightly fragile emotional state.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Yes agreed, Jacarandas are beautiful in flower. The street we moved into 12 or so years ago are lined with them. Come November/December here in Australia, they come into flower and drop their flowers. It prompted my daughter, having come from England five years prior, to comment upon seeing all flowers on the road, “look, purple snow!”
Thank you for the listen and review. Yep, we have to consider our next action at our age, we don’t know what’s going to hurt or drop off!
Very cool, Lee. The fragility you mention in the vocal effectively delivers the lyrics that can draw out gobs of empathy from even the youngest listener. It sounds like something John Lennon would've written and played in his white piano room if he lived long enough. I like Beth's comment on Harrison too. Yeah, when the song progresses with the harmony I hear the Wilbury's too.
Enjoy whatever happens! marty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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 new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean