Dear PG forum community, his is a song I wrote in the 90's. At the time, my fantasy was to have Bonnie Raitt record it. Hearing Janice sing on the forum, I thought she would be a great singer to go for that feel. She BLEW ME AWAY with her vocal. I think it's just beautiful. Thanks to Janice, and to Bud for helping engineer and coordinate everything. I would also like to throw a big shout out to my "ghost" producer, the person who has been an endless source of help, education, advice, encouragement, friendship, and almost everything else that helps to sustain people like us, songwriters/singers doing it just for the love of it. He is also the Godfather, the glue, and the guru of this forum. You may have guessed I'm talking about Floyd Jane. Thanks for immeasurable help and support Floyd! Comments always appreciated. Take care all.

Sincerity

https://soundcloud.com/gjohnson-2/sinceritymix-1


We’ve approached this love from every direction except for straight ahead
Our words have been disguised and measured before they have been said
We’re veterans of the game of love and virgins of the heart
We both sit back and play our cards so smart

But I have to tell you honestly, I’ve been prayin’ for a change
So, I’ll wear my heart out on my sleeve, though it fits me kinda strange
When you look at me I long to see the child within your soul
Not a shadow of the man in control

Let’s try Sincerity
Let’s try Sincerity
I’ll tell you what I feel for you and you can talk to me
We’ve been playin’ at this love to long, let’s set our feelings free
It’s time we tried a new approach
Let’s try Sincerity

We’ve always had unspoken rules on which we have agreed
But I’ll risk this love I want so much for the one I’ve come to need
Though your hands have learned their craft so well, I need a lover’s touch
I believe that you might need it just as much

Let’s try Sincerity
Let’s try Sincerity
I’ll tell you what I feel for you and you can talk to me
We’ve been playin’ at this love to long, let’s set our feelings free
It’s time we tried a new approach
Let’s try Sincerity


I lost the will for playin’ this same old game we’ll never win
But still I keep on prayin’ we find a new place to begin


I used BIAB RT for bass (I'll try to give the specific). EP was from EZKeys electrics, using BIAB Midi track (I lost track of which one, and actually had to construct the bridge by pasting and transposing segments from elsewhere in the song). Drums were RT (I'll post number) and EZDrummer (Floyd explained how to marry the two since I needed a sparser part than the RT had), and the cello is Embertone Blakus. This is an unbelievable beautiful sampled instrument. I used it very poorly as I'm just learning how to control it. I encourage those string lovers to check out Youtube demos from this company-unbelievable! Thanks!

Greg, Janice, Bud and floyd,

This is exquisitely beautiful. The song is written with great skill, the arrangement and production abound with musicality and the singing is way up there somewhere in the stratosphere with the best I've ever heard. Wonderful music on every conceivable level.

"Sincerity" and everything about it is a testament to all involved... such an outstanding creation and presentation.

Regards to all,
Noel

P.S. I just saw Trev's comments about Bonnie Rait. I agree.

Lovely song, Greg. Nicely produced and I love Janice's vocal.
-Carolyne

Greg, Janice, Bud, Floyd.

What a beautiful presentation. A brilliant effort by all.

And I definitely agree with your acknowledgment to Floyd. He does set the bar high.

I thoroughly enjoyed the lyrics, the sensitive delivery. Outstanding all around.

(PS: and I reckon Janice did it better than Bonnie Raitt might have)

Trev

Greg, Janice, Bud and Floyd
Beautifully written, produced and performed.
Great song structure and memorable chorus.
Nothing against Bonnie Raitt but I agree with the fellow Australian contingent Noel and Trevor about Janice's vocal performance.
All class.

Gorgeous song and performance. This one should shoot right to the top of the charts on BIAB Radio!!

Greg and Noel, I am overwhelmed that y'all would mention me on the same page as Bonnie Raitt much less compare me to her. Greg offered a real gem for me to sing and that makes it so easy to give it your best. I am humbled by your comments. Thank you.

Janice

Hi Greg, Janice and Bud,

beautiful song, great production and
performance. Janice's vocals are outstanding.
Can't stop listening.
Thanks for your acknowledgment to Floyd. I'm a fan, too.

Guenter

Beautiful ballad Greg and team.
I always love the sensitive intimate Brown with a little Henley influenced retro vibe you weave into your songs Greg.
Beautifully produced.
And beautifully sung by Janice.

Greg, so much to say about this song!

First of all, I hope we get to meet someday... I think we are kindred spirits in every way except song writing talent (I don't have any). So many of the observations you make (whether through song lyrics or even through forum reviews) resonate strongly with me! And I don't get that vibe from very many people, so it jumps out at me when I find it. I agree with your shout-outs to the people who participated in your project! What a great community!

Regarding the love this song speaks about: I have to identify through discussions with my son about his efforts to find a compatible mate. He describes the games in much the same way as your song does. I thought your various word choices were brilliant:

"We’ve approached this love from every direction except for straight ahead" (clever use of terminology, segue between physical direction and tactical direction)

"Our words have been disguised and measured before they have been said" (considering the importance of trust in a real loving relationship, this line reveals the core problem)

"We’re veterans of the game of love and virgins of the heart" (masterful line, comparison and contrast! Experienced in the least important things and inexperienced where it really counts)

"We both sit back and play our cards so smart" (makes the point that relationships without trust become a game, which results in a further eroding of trust, ad infinitum)

"So, I’ll wear my heart out on my sleeve, though it fits me kinda strange" (another use of terminology that can have more than one meaning, and it works in both ways... as though the heart were an improperly fitted garment worn in the wrong place, creating social anxiety and potential to fail)

"When you look at me I long to see the child within your soul" (kids tend to be straightforward and sincere, so this line echoes your title in a very interesting way)

"Not a shadow of the man in control" (Ouch! Let the sincerity begin! I see this as a make it or break it challenge, which would tell her whether the person she's talking to is capable of sincerity. If he responds with a sincere acknowledgement of the strategic distance he has put between them... then there's hope. But if he responds with yet another tactic, then she's outta there!

OK, I'll stop there or I'll be writing a Cliff's Notes on your whole lyric set!

I think you've presented a really complex and interesting story to the audience in very succinct and easy to understand (but certainly not simplistic) terms.

Moving on to Janice's part, I think that two of her strengths are that she sings with sincerity and with a certain amount of vulnerability... two traits that make her presentation in this song particularly powerful and believable. Two traits, in fact, that I think she has in more abundance than Bonnie Raitt. I LOVE Bonnie Raitt, but she has a chutzpah about her that would be wrong for this song, whereas Janice's delivery is just perfect.

Josie mentioned a Henley influence, and I hear that too. In fact, I've noticed that your songs typically have a west coast flavor that I don't hear in the songs of other people who post here. We all love the eagles... so why are YOUR songs more inclined to evoke that reference? Interesting. You manage to capture a cynicism mixed with regret, a desire for honesty, but a reluctance to do the things necessary to go there.

Regarding the cello, here are my thoughts:
1) I've noticed that cello in particular benefits from a lot more reverb than most of us feel comfortable using. I think that's because large bodied wooden instruments have a natural reverberation that needs to be accounted for.

2) but most of all, bowed instruments almost always need to be tweaked in the lower pane with envelopes. Bowed instruments start out quiet and get louder, so you have to tweak the attack of almost every note.

3) Also if you know how to tweak the velocity, that can make a HUGE difference in the way strings sound. If cellos and violins are produced with all notes having approximately the same velocity it will tend to sound like they were not bowed.

In summary, I just LOVE your songs! I could ramble on and on without ever touching the secret of your excellence, but its there whether I can describe it or not! Great job!

Greg and Janice, this is a terrific piece !!!

At the first listening I found the cello nice but not discreet enough in backround of janice, but at the second playing, her wonderful voice was finally prevailing. So, no other comment than "Hats off"

Pascal

Greg and Janice...

This is exquisite. In SO many ways.

The writing here is top-tier. I'll say the same thing you said to me recently - if I were to quote the good stuff, I would copy the entire thing. No lie. Every line in this song is the type I hear and say "I wish I had written that". Cannot hear a song like this and not think "Diane Warren"... The words alone would be enough - but the melody is every bit a match for them... This is real songwriting talent.

The production is your best ever, I think. Just what the song needs. Presenting the song and the singer, never getting in the way - perfectly supportive.

Janice - everything you do is praise-worthy... this might be the best ever. I can't imagine ANYONE singing this better. It's just...so...right!

You both have out-done yourselves.

Truly stunning.

In a just world Janice would be a star. Greg would be a famous singer-songwriter. (And they would both still call me a friend...)

floyd

(it is nice of Greg to thank me - so very nicely - but make no mistake - this is all about Greg's song and production and Janice's beautiful vocal - I just lend an ear now and again.)

Outstanding song.Great words. Well sung as always Janice.
Rob

Greg / Janice / Floyd,

This is an absolutely stunning piece - outstanding performance by Janice. Great work all!

Bob

Top notch in every way! Writing, music, performance, mix.

Wonderfully done!

Hats off to everyone involved.

Greg, Janice, Bud and Floyd,

Top notch song! Super vocals from Janice.
One very very very very small nit, the music, which is very beautiful, might have been a tiny bit louder.

Rob and Anne-Marie

Beautiful song, great lyrics and awesome vocals!!

Hello, Greg, Janice & Bud and floyd

Very beautiful song and very beautiful vocal.
It reminds me “A Song for You” of Leon Russell sung by Karen Carpenter.
Deeply impressed to my heart.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Best Regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Carolyne and Trev, thank you very much. I much appreciate it!

Janice

Thanks so much for the incredibly kind words Noel. Yeah, I'm not sure that Bonnie herself could have done this one as nicely as Janice! I was awestruck when I heard her vocal! Take care. Greg

Thank you Peter. I remain humbled by being mentioned along with Bonnie Raitt. Greg invited me in on a great song and that made my part a lot of fun.

Janice

Only one thing to say on this one WOW!

Thank you Charlie. Bud and I always appreciate your comments!

Janice



Hi Guenter, this was a very enjoyable project and it is very nice of you to acknowledge everybody's part in it. Thanks!

Janice

Excellent song, arrangement, and performance!!! I tip my hat to Greg, Janice, Floyd, et al. I like the cello part--simple but effective.

Hi Josie. You know I'm always looking for your posts! Very flattering words. JB and Don Henley are two of my biggest heroes, and YES, Janice did knock it out of the park didn't she! Thanks for listening/commenting. Take care. Greg

Absolutely fantastic! Her vocals are perfect! Adele like (I hope she takes no offense) LOL!

What a beautiful tune! Great stuff!

Beautiful song Greg. Awesome vocal Janice and excellent production vocal.

Hi, Greg, Bud & Janice & Floyd !


With my limited vocabulary
I can´t find such superlatives
that this masterpiece would
require ! This is just great
in every way ! It is my
Gregfav from now on !

Congrats to everyone involved
the end result is a masterpiece
a rare jewel for us to cherish !

Cheers
Dani W

Greg, Janice, Bud and Floyd,

An absolutely gorgeous sounding song, well written,performed, and produced.

THanks Pat, for the incredibly nice words!! I'm so glad to see you back on the forum. You are such a careful and thoughtful listener. I also hope we can meet some day! Stick around, and keep posting (songs and comments)! Thanks again. Take care. Greg

Thank you Josie! Bud and I also thought of Henley when we first played the song with Greg's vocal.

Greg, a great write.
Janice, fantastic and beautiful vocals.

Thanks Pascal! I like the cello sample, but Janice definitely steals the show! It was such a treat to have her sing it! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much for your extraordinarily kind words Floyd, and for all your continued help and support. I truly treasure your wonderful review! Take care. Greg

Pat, normally Janice responds to the collabs where she sings and I go along for just the vocal engineering ride...but I want to take the opportunity to thank you for pointing out that she sings with both sincerity and a certain amount of vulnerability. That part of her singing has become more apparent to me the further we move into different genres and Greg handed her a wonderful song to showcase that feeling with. From hardcore traditional bluegrass to tackling a song like this has been quite the journey. I'm very proud of her!

Bud

Wow ! What a crystal-clear sound of a beautiful song and and such a great vocal ! Great all the way Greg and team !

THanks for the nice words Rob! Janice did nail it! Nice to see you posting again-our own forum version of "the King"! Take care. Greg

Thanks for the great compliment Bob. Very much appreciated! Loved you recent posts! Next one coming soon I hope? Take care. Greg

Great to see you pop up Lawrence! I miss seeing you around here. Come back!! Thanks for your nice comments. Take care. Greg

How sweet of you to say that Pascal. Thank you!

Janice

I just saw this... and had a listen. (or two or twenty....)

I really like this. Yup....lots of good comments that cover it so well.... excellent writing skills. Yup, like someone else said.... if I was to quote the good lines, I'd have to copy the entire song. Such insightful observations on the relationship between two people and put into words perfectly.

Of course Janice translates it to song so very well.


Excellent job on this to the both of you.


Nits and other things that are more personal taste than crits:

I wasn't as big of a fan of the backing tracks as I was the song itself and the vocals. ( a simple matter of personal taste vs any other legitimate reason) They were good and worked fairly well, as they had a superb song... a classic example of how the tracks don't really matter as much when the song is stellar. Don't get me wrong...I know you spent a lot of time on this and the work is good.

IMHO,
An acoustic piano would have been my choice for keys.
The cello may have been a fine sounding sample, but it was probably used a bit too much. Toward the end I was hating on that cello because it really started to sound like a cheesy synth.
Drums.... there were a number of places I thought.... shut those drums off, heck why are there even drums in this part? ..... this is the kind of song where, if the tracks are done right.... no drums would be needed at all. The drums in fact gave a certain "plodding along" feel to this otherwise stellar song.
A nice turn around towards the end, moving into a full blown, but appropriate band with electric guitars, B3, steel, would have been interesting for the final choruses as another possible option.
The fade didn't work for me, and fades rarely do. A nice slow down ending to a held chord would have been the perfect ending.

Length.... I know I'll catch some grief on this, but I'm never one to hesitate to step into it..... 5 minutes is a bit too long. Lose a minute in there somewhere. 4 minutes or less is the perfect length for a song like this. You have to ask yourself....What can be cut out that doesn't affect the song in any major way? Me? I'd cut the bridge and everything that follows it. Simply go back and tag the last line.... "Let's try sincerity" twice.... to a 4 note slow down held chord ending. Puts you under 4 minutes, and man...I think that would be an easy, easy song to place in a movie with that arrangement. Of course, if you have no intent to try to place the song, it's perfect at 5+ minutes.

But Greg.... man, all the nits and personal opinions aside..... I am constantly being blown away by the caliber of your writing skills..... every time I hear one of your songs, I think... man that's going to be a hard one for him to top..... then you come out with the next one and I'm blown away all over again. Any number of your songs could easily be the theme song to a movie.... or at the very least, be placed in a very prominent scene.

Superbly done.

I am humbled and overwhelmed by your comments. You have played a huge role in encouraging me over the last few years to try new vocal ventures and I'm very grateful for that. Bud will tell you that reading this put a big smile on my face. Thank you!!

Janice




Thanks Rob for listening and commenting!

Janice

Thanks R and AM! You may be right about the balance of volumes. I was so thrilled with Janice's vocal, I wanted to hear every detail! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much for the kind words David! You'v been posting some great stuff lately! Take care. Greg

Thank you Bob!

Janice



Thanks!

Janice



Thanks y'all!

Janice



Thank you David!

JAnice



Thank you! I will listen to that song It was very kind of you to say that.

Janice



Thanks!



Thank you and everybody that commented. I deeply appreciate it.

Janice

Wow! One the best songs I heard in the last time (including songs from the hit)
So great work guys. Greg the music is beautiful and Janice the voice is beautiful

Sergio

Mike, I am HUGELY flattered to be even mentioned in the same post as Adele. That is so nice of you.

Janice



Thank you Scott. I do appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment.



Dani, thank you so much. Greg invited me in on a real treasure that he wrote!!

Janice



Thanks!!!

Janice

WOW INCREDIBLE SONG!!!!! Janice, What a Voice! You could sing the newspaper and make me smile!!!!!!!

Thanks Shigecki! Never heard "A song for you". I'll have to check it out. You're posting some great stuff! Take care. Greg

THanks Joanne! Your kind words are much appreciated! Take care. Greg

Thanks for the nice comments Fred! I really love cello. This is a beautifully sampled virtual instrument. I just have not spent enough time yet to get the best out of it. Really enjoying your 52 song project! Take care. Greg

THanks Mike! Yes, Janice did pretty much nail it!! Take care. Greg

THanks Scott! Really appreciate your very kind words! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Dani! Glad to see you back as an active participant on the forum!! Take care. Greg

Thanks dga! Your very kind comments are very much appreciated! Take care. Greg

Thank y'all! It was a lot of fun and what song to be handed to sing by Greg. It was like singing an Eagles song.

Janice

Hey guys, thanks so much for mentioning my vocal. I really appreciate it and also the opportunity Greg gave me to sing this wonderful song.

Janice