Hello community members. Here is a song which is unique for me in two ways: 1) I wrote the music and lyrics to the chorus in my head before playing anything or writing it down. I frequently get musical pieces which fall into my mind at random times and maybe a hook line or intro line but this was very different for me. I was driving at night down the California central valley (which defies all of the glamorous notions of California-it is hot, flat, and ugly) and my family was all sleeping. The idea came to me and I chewed on it so that I had a finished chorus in my head by the time we arrived at our motel. 2) This song uses every note of my huge 1.5 octave range (being sarcastic). It is meant for a real singer but I had to give it a shot. Another unusual thing about it is the chorus is LONG, which meant that I had to write the versus quite short and stick with the metaphor throughout. Hope you enjoy it. Comments encouraged and much appreciated!! Take care. Greg

https://soundcloud.com/gjohnson-2/wheelmix

TAKE THE WHEEL


Now the shadows have grown longer underneath the setting sun
And I know they’re weighing on your mind
There was a time your faith was stronger, but you’re not the only one
Who ever journeyed without knowin’ what they’d find

From your lonely little window, you see that old car there up on blocks
But you got the means to fix her, and the doors are unlocked

So take your life, take the wheel
Believe in what you think and feel
Fill your soul full of premium ambition
Let your journey start with the road map in your heart
Let your dreams be the key to your ignition
Chase your rainbow, feel the wind blow
Let it carry you away
Down the highway that let’s your spirit thrive
The time is now; here it is baby
Take the wheel and drive

It’s like your trapped beneath the wreckage of some long abandoned dream
And you’ve given up the notion of escape
But the promise of redemption may be closer than it seems
And may be more than worth the chance you’ll have to take

In this vast and wondrous universe, it still remains unclear
If anything exists that’s greater, than what we have right here

So, take your life…..

Your can spend your whole life wrestlin’ with the demons of the past
Or head out on the highway and try to lose them at last

So, take your life…

Beautiful beautiful Greg. What a wonderful write. Well I think your voice sounds quite wonderful..don't knock it. I love the message in this song. I keep my iphone handy when I am driving so that I can record ideas while I am on the move.

Excellent at every level Greg. I truly enjoyed every second.


Charlie

I agree with above.
Very pretty tune.
Thanks for sharing.
Rob

Hi Greg,

what a beautiful write and melody.
Your voice is great.
Very enjoyable arrangement and mix.
I'm excited.

Guenter

Greg, You are at the very top of your game here. Great write, excellent metaphors, super melody. Sung with great skill and the chord progression and arrangement is just outstanding. Love the editing. Those little steel pads before the chorus are perfectly placed and very natural sounding. The organ in the chorus adds to the spiritual feeling and was just right. Really beautiful listen and a great way to start the week. Love it! Tom

Greg,

Love this! Beautiful from every angle. Pro at every level.

Stunning production - each part sounding like it meant for the song.
Piano is just right. Steel is perfect. Organ - perfect.

Your best vocals. In the pocket. Oozing feeling. (well recorded)

A gorgeous write. Somewhere right in the middle of Jackson Browne and Don Henley.

Amazing.

floyd

Simply beautiful Greg!
Second best after "How love is supposed to feel"
We are very curious to hear about the RT's, especially about the keyboard/synth on the chorus. Or is it Vocals?
Anyway, one of your best!

Regards,
Rob and Anne-Marie

Greg,
You too were driving down that long old road!! Sometimes driving is a great space to write songs and your journey produced an absolutely out-standing song.

The others have said it all. Beautiful, beautiful song.

floyd wrote Somewhere right in the middle of Jackson Browne and Don Henley. ABSOLUTELY.

great listen

Alyn
ps My neighbours got to hear this too as I opened the doors and wound it up. No complaints from them, so far

I finally got some time to listen to some songs.

I disagree with you in that you are a real singer and an excellent one at that!

I agree with everything that Floyd said, especially his " Beautiful from every angle. Pro at every level." And " A gorgeous write. Somewhere right in the middle of Jackson Browne and Don Henley."

This is your best to date IMHO.

So, yesterday opening a neglected how to songwriting book and after an hour or so stopping to digest the chapter on metaphor's. Fast forward to today and your song gives me a great lesson on how to do it correctly. Thanks. Great write and delivery!

It's not often I quote someone on the comments..... but Floyd nailed this one perfectly.

Loved the chords you used in this... the progression was great. This would be a great one to get into the proper hands.....

I agree with Floyd on this, a great track! And don't make excuses for anything when you present your songs, you don't need to, your vocal fits perfectly.

1.5 octave, 3 octaves....who cares. For us the key is
whether or not the singer has soul. A soulful voice
grabs us from the get go irrespective of the genre.
No soul = no interest for us regardless of the
technical chops. floyd really articulated how
we feel about this song Getting in the middle of
Jackson Browne and Don Henley is a heckuva place
to be. I could live there indeed.

Every major component and every tiny detail just
shines here. This is a great production. The write
is introspective but not overwrought. That's a balance
few have. Outstanding.

J&B

Great song Greg. Interesting approach. Writing the chorus first seems to be a darned smart idea, because that is the part we are all working towards. Clever!!

I read an interesting chapter in a book recently where Paul Simon described how he made a working style transition in Graceland. Heretofore, he wrote with a guitar in his lap, working on lyrics and music all at once. On Graceland, he just did all the music, first, and when all the music was complete and recorded he went back and wrote lyrics and did the vox.

Interesting. Hmmm..

Well, anyway, great tune and great production man!!!

Greg,

I totally agree with every good thing said about this one. While I was listening, before reading any of the comments, I kept thinking this has a real Jackson Browne feel to it (and that is a real compliment).

In my opinion, this song is not only one of your best, but one of the best songs I have heard on this forum. I agree with Herb, this one needs to get in the right hands.

Steve

After reading your intro for the song, I must admit I wasn't expecting much - you tricked me!!

No seriously, you completely undersold this one. I mean, sure, you could've delegated the singing to some 'pitch perfect' alternate, or even added vocals to the chorus, but I'm telling you - you would have lost more than gained by any such fancy treatments.
This is a fantastic piece, from start to finish, and the hair prickling on my neck & arms is all the testament I need.

Not many songs give this old lump goosebumps, this one does!

THanks so much Joanne!! Really appreciate your support and kind words. Congrats on the completion of your collab project-very cool indeed! Take care. Greg

Thanks Charlie and Bob. Your nice compliment means a lot to me. Always appreciate hearing posts from you guys! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Guenter. I really appreciate your support. You are doing some incredibly creative stuff!! Take care. Greg

Hi Greg.

Super soulful song and beautifully delivered.

A combination of the storyline and the vocals put me in mind of "Desperado" which has got to be a good thing.

Great mix and a very professional offering all round.

ROG.

Hi, Greg !

Most superlatives are already used
and for a good reason ! I don´t
find the right words to describe
this masterpiece, so well written,
arranged ad sung !


Cheers
dani

Thanks so much for all the nice words Tom! I played with the pedal steel a bit and on some parts it seemed a bit at odds, but for that ramp section I really loved how it felt. I use the B3 all the time. Always loved the B3 for as long as I can remember. Great to have access to one with BIAB. Thanks so much for your encouragement and for posting such cool songs. Always excited to see what you've come up with, and never disappointed! Take care. Greg

Floyd, your words mean a lot to me. Especially as you have such a great ear for the song and the mix. Thanks so much for all your support and help on my projects. It's been amazing! And, your song posts are truly inspirational for everyone on the forum. You rock! Take care. Greg

Everything that has to be said about this song has been said in previous posts.

Really brilliant lyrics and good melody and production, enjoyed listening to it.

All the best,
Musiclover

Love the analogy. Beautifully done.

R and AM, thanks so much for your kind reply! It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the song. I always love to hear what you guys are up to musically. Thanks again. Take care. Greg

Thanks for the very positive remarks Alyn. You're right about being on the road. It's a great place to think, a great place to talk, and just about the only place these days where one can get any peace. I love to drive as long as there is no traffic. Really appreciate your taking time to listen and post. You are an amazingly creative person and your feedback is very valued by me. Take care. Greg

Beautiful song, Greg.

It's all been said...

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to listen.

Thanks so much Mario. You are too kind! Really appreciate your flattering remarks, and really glad to see you so active on the forum again. You were missed! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Patrick! I always enjoy metaphors. If you want to hear a true master in that kind of writing, check out David Wilcox-he's amazing! Thanks again. Take care. Greg

Thanks Herb. Much appreciated!! I know you are one of the most critical listeners on the forum, and your remarks are very flattering. I doubt the song will go beyond the forum but I always hope for more! Take care. Greg

Thanks Chris!! Haven't seen you post a song in a while but I still remember really liking the last thing I heard from you. Hit us with another one!! Take care. Greg

Thanks J and B. Jackson Browne and Don Henley are two of my heroes, and it means a lot to me that you guys can hear that influence. Always love hearing from you (comments and songs!) Take care. Greg

THanks so much for your kind words David. It is interesting how many ways there are to approach songwriting. James Taylor (one of my favorites) says he always comes up with the music first. I usually get a musical idea, sometimes with a lyrical hook line. Steve Seskin advocates writing a chorus first and working the versus around it. I think you just gotta go with whatever works for you! Take care. Greg

Hey Greg,

Yer sounding good my friend. Intonation right on the money, big voice, big sound. Whoa!

Dean

This is outstanding work; thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much for your support and kind words Steve. Really love what you've been doing lately! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Eddie!! One of the nicest compliments I've ever received. Your words are very much appreciated. Nice to see you back around the forum! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Rog!! The Eagles and Don Henley are no doubt huge influences of mine, and being compared in any way is a great compliment. Always love hearing your stuff-you are the king of BG vocals-they jump out in a great way! Take care. Greg

Dani, you know how much I love hearing from you. Great to see you back!! Don't be a stranger! Take care. Greg

THanks so much musiclover!! Always nice to hear from you. I've enjoyed your presence on the forum and your thoughtful comments! Take care. Greg

Sundance, always love to hear from you (comments and songs)!! Thanks so much for your nice comments and your encouragement over time. Means a lot to me!! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much for the kind words Dean! Great to have you active on the forum again. You can really play!! Take care. Greg

What a song! So beautifully crafted. I enjoyed everty second of it (several times now). You can be in my live band (if I had one) any day..lol. Thanks for your story about BIAB getting your songwriting back on track (your comment on my song). Makes me even happier that I found all of this. California? The I-5 in the central valley is punishment for not taking the longer coastal route..heheh. CHEERS!

Hey Greg, what that lady jes' said. You're centered on those notes as though your voice has superglue in it. Big timbre, good changes.

Dean

Very beautiful song Greg. Your voice fit the song perfectly. Well done

Very nice write and mix! I know what you mean about lines or pieces of a song coming into your head when you're driving or mowing the grass or doing some little task. you just have to be quiet inside and listen for it. Enjoyed this very much.

Kenny

Yes! Don Henley and the Eagles came to mind because of the solid songwriting and the musical hooks. This is so good!

I feel like the chorus starts with 'Chase your rainbow....' and the lines before that are pre-choruses or climbs - if I'm even using the correct terms - but whatever they are, you used them masterfully.

Well done!

Thanks so much for the kind words Scott. Really love your new one! Very live and a lot of feeling with great vocals! Take care. Greg