Trouble In Mind

Trouble in mind is a public domain song* that has been recorded by hundreds of artists (from Janis Joplin to Johnny Cash). We played it with our bluegrass band years ago and thought it would be fun to do a more bluesy version now that BiaB has given us such a fine array of bands We chose a minimalist arrangement with a bit of a mashup regarding RT and RD choices. Like so many of these traditional songs many of the verse variations are a bit vague and rhyme schemes are sketchy but we tried to select some verses (of the many) that hung together somewhat.

As always we appreciate your time to listen and we appreciate any and all comments.

J&B

Vocal: Janice
Drums: Nashville Shuffle
Bass: 2435 New Orleans Shuffle
Guitar: 2436 New Orleans Shuffle
Piano: Comped from multiple generations of 2124 Country Shuffle Rhythm and 2123 Country Shuffle Solo
Bud: Mix/Master/Effects via Logic Pro X, Nectar 2, Ozone 6 and Waves LinMB

Trouble In Mind

I felt like laying my head
On some lonesome railroad line,
And letting the 219 train
Ease my troubled mind.

Trouble in mind, Lord I'm blue
Honey I won't be blue always,
The Sun's gonna shine in my,
Shine in my back door someday.

I'm goin' down to the river,
Gonna take me a rockin' chair.
And if these blues don't leave me,
I’ll rock on away from here.

Trouble in mind, Lord I'm blue
Honey I won't be blue always,
The Sun's gonna shine in my,
Shine in my back door someday.

I'm all alone, I'm alone at midnight,
The lamp is burnin low
I never had so much trouble
In my whole life before

Trouble in mind, I’m blue, now,
I won't be blue always.
That wind's gonna come,
It's gonna blow my blues away

Yeah, that wind’s gonna come
It’s gonna blow my blues away

© 2015 Trad Arr Janice & Bud Merritt

*Archive.org

www.janiceandbud.com

While Janice is singing "trouble in mind" I'm singing "A new bass I've found" -- Wow, that 2435 New Orleans Shuffle bass really rocks along. Shamelessly stealing your bass player man, offered him $5 more a gig and a six pack of beer to take home.

And the song, great performance, arrangement, mix and production. Enjoyed this one. Excellent at every level.


Charlie

Janice and Bud,

What a song to start my week, I hope it is prophetic as I sure need "that wind that's gonna come" in about 3 hours . I need sumpin' for the coming weeks for sure.

Anyway at the first few listens the change of tempo at 21secs threw me with the plosive at the start of the word trouble, In my ears it sounded like a bit of a vicious edit BUT at subsequent listens it got better . Wish I could have put the song on repeat tho'

Janice soon settled into her normal exquisite vocals at every listen.

Your version stands up proud with Nina Simone's and Johnny Cash's versions and is better than Janis Joplin's version IMHO.

A good way to spend 2.18.

An excellent version and "the band" played good!

Alyn

I think I'd borrow the piano player as well.
All sounds great and agree with Charlie it's excellent at every level.

Thanks Charlie! With our original arrangement Janice was going to play rhythm mandolin and I was going to dust off the bass fiddle and play a walking line. But the acoustic solo sw RTs were a bit too country for the sound we wanted; however, I stumbled into the NO guitar and bass and it changed the whole approach to the song. Yep, it's a great bass RT and even has a slight tuba feel. And with BiaB you can have the bass man on the cheap and he'll always be on time.

J&B

Hi Janice & Bud,

great band and great singer!
An excellent production.
Very enjoyable listen.

Guenter

Hi Janice and Bud,

Janice, your vocal-only introduction is brilliant. There's nothing quite like launching straight into vocals to grab attention. VERY impressive.

Bud, the mix is magnificent, perfect. I can't imagine any better framework than the instruments you used. You really know how to get the best out of Realtracks.

In a phrase... exceptional in every way!

All the best,
Noel

• recent song: Walk With Me

Thanks Alyn and we hope things are going well with you. FWIW, I don't hear the pop on trouble but I have very old and worn out ears I use a breath controller on Janice's vocals to reduce (not eliminate) the breath intake before lines so I'll check to see if it is clipping the first nanosecond of the word. Dunno...but glad that you liked it!

Bud

I wish I had never mentioned it now because at each play it gets better! weird or what but now it is ok. Maybe my ears need looking at Although I have noticed that the vol control on my computer was at 100% when I normally have it at 75 or less.
Anyway still an excellent version.

Alyn

No need to wish that at all! We are always open to mix comments. I backed off on the breath controller and up the gain of the track 2db and uploaded the new version. Thanks!

J&B

This is quite exquisite Bud and Janice. What else to say?

The acapella intro really highlights the quality of Janice's voice!

... clear as a mountain stream's water

... sweet as a clover field's honey

... pitch perfect as um.. as perfect as Janice's voice! (that's the best example I can come up with for perfection!)


Apologies if all my comments sound the same for your songs, but I have a limited vocabulary in terms of superlatives. I use my whole stash on every song!

Bud, I hope you already know how highly I esteem the many talents you bring to all of your projects! Your skill in mixing, RT choices, song research, lyric writing etc etc have been proven over and over again!

Congratulations to both of you on yet another piece of well-produced ear candy!

Welcome to N'awlins! Janice your voice really rocks this style and Bud another great production.

A wonderful listen on a September afternoon!

Thanks Peter and I appreciate you mentioning the piano. I spent a fair amount of time trying to get the rhythm and solo RT's working well together.

J&B

You guys must have a factory. You just keep knocking these great song out.
Excellent of course.
Rob

I knew coming out the gate I couldn't afford THAT piano player! Bass players are plentiful but when you find that special pianist, you know there's also a special price to get em..... I'm too old to help lugging a piano around anyway.

Don't thank me, I thank both of you for that song, which is my anthem now! I play it every morning as I have linked to that soundcloud page!

Anyway I'm gonna rock away from this thread!!
Well after one more listen

Alyn

Well my backs not up to it either trying to keep the arthritis at bay

Man! I could listen to that opening over and over and over!

In fact, I did. Heaven.

I cannot imagine a better treatment for this song. Nice work, Bud - truly. You need to get a YouTube video out there, so that when people search for this song by others, they find yours, too. It ought to become the standard for "how to do this one".

floyd

Thanks Guenter. We always look forward to your comments.

J&B

what floyd said! (He has this magical way with words... much like the magical way Janice has with singing them)

Hi Janice & Bud,


That just about sums it up for me too. I remember hearing Josh White sing this way way back and it kind of got me interested in the blues. You two are amazing.

Don't know the song, but you guys have done a wonderful job with it!! Awesome vocal and perfect complimentary arrangement. Everything works perfectly. A real treat!! Take care. Greg

Noel, you are too kind my friend. We are really happy that you liked the a cappella intro. We thought it worked out but it is great to hear that you agree. Thank you for mentioning the mix also. I've learned to accept that the minimalist mix with fewer tracks works best for me. I would love to get that lush sound you and a few others do but it just seems to defy me. Too many years with a four piece bluegrass band I guess!

Thanks again.

Bud

Fantastic arrangement. Really liked the acapella intro, and the way the band came in so cleanly.

Really great work!

Thanks Joanne. We've enjoyed reading about your trip!

J&B

J&B, Killer vocal. That a cappella opening with the precision band entrance is just stunning. The arrangement is perfect and the mix is very clear with everything where it should be. Great job on the piano comps. No missteps here and I have come to expect nothing less. Congrats on another beautifully executed piece of art! Tom

I'm so glad to hear someone putting some of those New Orleans Shuffle instruments to good use, I've tried with no success yet.
I haven't heard this one before, that I remember. It sure sounds good here. Enjoyed!

Kenny

Pat, Bud here, I can't begin to tell you what a smile you put on Janice's face with those comments. When I suggested a slow a cappella kickoff I could tell that she was a bit apprehensive about it but she nailed it in a couple of takes. It means a lot for you to say that. And I myself genuinely appreciate your remarks about my part in these productions. I'm a work in progress and your support helps a lot.
Thank you,

Bud




Thanks mr gruve. N'awlins, indeed! We appreciate the comments very much.

Check out the Biab Facebook page!!!

Love the bluesy path you took on this rendition, completely fit the bill for my liking

That's mighty nice of you Rob! No factory here...just one mic, some great music friends, Biab and an iMac

Thanks!

J&B





Thank you so much floyd. I'll definitely think about a video. And thanks for Janice's big smile while reading this!

Bud

Thanks! Glad you had a reference song for it. It's amazing how many versions are out there. We tried to take it in a little bit of a different direction.



Thanks you Greg. Cool that it all worked for you!


J&B
www.janiceandbud.com

Janice / Bud,

This is excellent. Love the arrangement and delivery - so nice all around. Great mix as well.

Bob

Thanks and cool that the arrangement worked for you!

J&B

J&B,
I think you did a wonderful job on this.
SD

Thank you Tom. We really do appreciate that and especially come from the mix master! Glad that you liked the opening. The song has been done so many times that we really wanted something a bit different. The band entrance was a little tedious in getting everybody to step on it at the right time...glad you noticed and liked it!

Thanks again,

J&B

Nice work. Love the groove on this.

I love what you did with this song. I listened to the original first and man you guys did a super job with your version. Great vocal and instrumentation!
Sonny

Thanks Kenny. We tried several genre's of RT's before settling on the NO shuffle. Glad you liked it.

J&B

Hi Janice & Bud,

I am really glad I got to hear this tune. The intro was a first rate pro vocal. Actually I really enjoyed the listen. Bud, you did a very professional job with your part of this.

This song is better than most of the stuff I hear on the radio.

I have been working sixteen hours a day for the last few weeks. This was a nice thing to come home too.

Sorry for all the stuff I have missed but I think next week things will return to normal in my life.

Put it on the internet....I will pay a dollar to download a copy!!

Best of everything to you folks.


Billy

Well, the family and friends loved that!

Bud




Thanks! It's hard to keep Janice off of that bluesy path.

Bud




Thanks Bob and glad to see you back around!

Bud

Janice and Bud,

I have been out of commission for the past few weeks, and almost missed this one. Usually when I have been away from the forum for any length of time, when I return I look for anything you, Floyd, or Tom have posted, as I am never disappointed with anything you guys do. I sure am glad I got to hear this one.

Up to your usual standard of excellence. Love the vocal intro. Love everything about this one.

Steve

Now this little tune was a big dose of encouragement with the breezy arrangement and heart sung vocal.
Rats - (pun intended LOL!) It's really hard to be one of the last commenters because there's nothing left to say....other than thanks y'all I needed that.

Josie

Hi J&B,

Public domain sure is a good source for redoing songs with BIAB.
Like all your recordings this one sounds very professional (good mix).
The acapella intro part works great, the subtle buildup after that and of course Janice's excellent vocal.

Rob

Thanks guys. We appreciate it.

J&B

I'm, so late to this party.

But unlike the where the old and stale cake from yesterday's office party, this is still tasty and sweet!

Thanks Sonny. We tried to get away from the way so many versions had been presented.



Thanks Billy! That is nice of you to say and BTW you can download it from soundcloud for $0

a recurring theme any time Bud and Janice post a song!

Coincidence?

I'm thinking that the statistical probability that everyone would conspire to lie in exactly the same way is so low that what everyone says must be true!

Thank you so much Steve. You put us in some mighty fine company! Thanks for mentioning the intro also. We are glad it works for you.

J&B

Hey Josie, thanks for the nice words and we're glad the song came at a good time for you!

J&B



Thanks Rob. Given the high bar of your projects it feels really good to hear you say that!

J&B




Thank you! Glad it survived the party in good order for you. We appreciate it.

J&B