Alamo Moon

How about a little Texas Swing! This is still pretty raw. Thought I'd get a little feedback before continuing to a "finished" project. The vocal is a "one and done" - first time through and that's it. Will do a new vocal as I move forward with the project.

Also, I am playing the acoustic lead guitar riff. As most of you longtime members know, I lost most of the feeling in my left hand last summer (effect of 8 months of chemo). It's slowly coming back - about 60% at this time. My little finger is still mostly numb and you will hear when it drags across some strings when it shouldn't and mutes them in a couple of places. I also have focal dystonia, which makes typing and guitar playing a real challenge! But I decided to leave it as is so you understand why I rarely do my own guitar leads these days. I'll clean it up as good as I can as I go forth with this. Don't we love cut & paste! I'll have a much better tone on the acoustic guitar when I redo it.

We think it has somewhat of a "Asleep At The Wheel" feel. Maybe? Well, I don't have Ray Benson's voice and I ain't 6'8" tall. You're stuck with me instead of Ray!

Also, on the tag line, I said "Texas Moon", rather than "Alamo Moon" - my bad! Will correct it.

So I'm looking for whatever feedback you think will help. Thanks in advance!


Key=G , Tempo 165, Length (m:s)=3:46
4 bar intro, 148 bar chorus, from bar 5 to bar 152. Repeat x1 chorus
Melody has 1004 notes, Melody harmony is < no harmony >(0)
Soloist track has 974 notes, Soloist harmony is < no harmony >(0)
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Song is saved with bar changes for Volume Changes,
Style is _CBOOGIF.STY (Fast Country Boogie w/ Piano)

RealTracks in style: ~1848:Bass, Electric, CountryBoogieA-B Sw 140
RealTracks in style: ~1855:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBoogie Sw 140
RealTracks in style: ~962:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CountryBoogieCleanA-B Sw 140
RealTracks in style: ~965:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CountryBoogieGrittyA-B Sw 140
RealTracks in song: 1871:Fiddle, Soloist WesternSwingAndy Sw 165
RealTracks in song: 1675:Pedal Steel, Soloist WesternSwingPaul Sw 165 (jazz/laid-back timing)
RealDrums in style: NashvilleShuffle^01-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
Me on acoustic lead

*******************

Alamo Moon
© 2017 Alan D. David, BMI / Diana Randall, BMI

(v1)
I motored down south from Denver way
The sun now setting at the end of the day
In the back of my truck everything I own
A few more hours and I’ll be back home
I’ve been away for way too long
Texas is calling it’s singing my song
Can’t wait to plant my feet in San Antone

CHORUS
Lone stars shining on a Texas night
The sun can’t set too soon
I’ll find me a gal and we’ll take a stroll
Beneath that big ole Alamo moon
I might even steal a kiss
When those crickets start to croon
It’s Heaven on Earth beneath that Alamo moon

Fiddle and pedal steel instrumental

(v2)
Now I’ve been back for a month or two
I’m staying this time I’m sticking like glue
There ain’t no other place I know
Sweeter than my home by the Alamo
When that sun falls from the sky
The night winds push the clouds on by
And the moon shines on my home in San Antone

Repeat Chorus

Guitar Instrumental

(v3)
Don’t wake me up till the stars come out
The night time’s better than the day no doubt
Those Texas nights on me have grown
I’ll kiss that gal then I’ll make her my own
I don’t care what other people say
Texas us where I’m gonna stay
I’ll spend the rest of my nights in San Antone

TAG
It’s Heaven on Earth beneath that Alamo moon

Wow, now about some Texas swing you say! You nailed it! Man, this is really good. Not much that needs fixin' here. Great lyrics, great mix, great production and some really enjoyable live pickin'....

I enjoyed this from start to finish. It's also been joyful to see that you are back commenting and posting here on the forum.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

You're up bright and early - I haven't been to bed yet!

Thank you so much for all those very nice comments. Sure do appreciate them. You are much too kind. I'm delighted you enjoyed.

It's good to be back and active on the forums. Ii recently finished my latest novel and have a little extra times on my hands, so I decided to devote most of it to our music. Got a couple more in the hole but don't want to hog the board, so will wait till this one falls off the front page.

We're also working on a real nice one for Di. She's not been feeling well lately so we work around her good and bad days.

I have three more novels in progress but hope to be able to spend a lot of time here as well. Just need to do a little schedule arranging. I have hard deadlines for the books so I have to keep that in mind.

Again, thank you very much! Wishing you the very best.

Alan & Di

Al,

I really love the way this one swings - excellent mix and vocal. For a work tape, this one sounds finished... Excellent!

Bob

Than a bunch, Bob. IUt still needs quite a bit of work but we're delighted you think it sounds decent at this point. Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement.

Alan & Di

We've listened to virtually unknown Texas Swing bands from the 30's to Bob Wills to Asleep At The Wheel for years and have done several TS productions.

You nailed it. Everything that defines the genre (sub-genre?) is there in spades. The performance and production have a very authentic feel.

Kudos

Enjoyed it!

J&B

This is a great song with an incredibly warm and rich sound all around, especially on the vocals. What a great chord progression!!

Knowing your unconventional methods for audio, I am impressed. Let's hear it for those tubes!!!

I assume you know there is some instrument cable noise at the very beginning, which you could clip. Though that sound is inaudible in this mix once it gets rolling, it will be "rumbling" through the mix in softer songs. That is where the use of an audio interface and a DAW comes in handy.

But great song though, and a really warm and rich sound. Congrats!!

Loved this tune. What a pick me up. Backtrack was very cool. Loved how your vocal just swirled around with the tempo and rhythm for the song. Very cool indeed..

Sounds great, Al-David. Really liked your lead on the acoustic. Great playing.

Thanks you two! Your comments always put a smile on my face. I'm glad it works for you. Once I'm finisged polishing it, I'll repost it.

Yeah, I guess it's technically a sub-genre of country ... unless you live in Texas (I did for 6 years). Therte, it's "The' genre.

Many people don't realize it but Texas has its own music charts, in addition to the traditional ones. Many Texans and other independent artist have made a good living in Texas on those chart. Folks like Nancy Griffith, Rusty Weir, Kinkt Freidman, Jerry Jeff Walker, Elizabeth Queeny (I really like her!), Robert Earl Keen and many more.

Thanks again! Best to you,

Alan & Di

David,

Thanks a bunch, amigo! Glad you liked that chord progression. It's fairly basic but just different enough to be noticeable. I was happy with the quality of the vocal recording - thanks for noticing. When I redo the vocal, I'm going add a very slight amount of mid-high EQ. Not much, though.

That hum is from our electrical wiring in our house. The house was built in 1953 and has the original wiring (no grounding on the wall outlets. I didn't remove it from this as it's just a work "tape". But I will when we redo it.

Always appreciate you and your input! Best,

Alan & Di

You're too nice, Scott. But we sure do appreciate all that positive feedback! I don't get many compliments on my vocals so i really enjoyed that!

Best to you,

Alan & Di

Thanks so much, Charlie! The lead guitar will sound much better when we redo/polish this. But I'm delighted you enjoyed it as is. Thanks so much.

ALan & Di

That is an enjoyable listen, Alan.

Your vocal sounds like a keeper to me. It's "real", fresh.

I really liked your acoustic guitar work, too!

Keep 'em coming...

fj

Hello, Alan & Di

This is very fun!
I have little knowledge of what Texas Blues is like.
A little jazz blues, a little country, a little boogie and very very swing.
Yes, it's really fun.
Your interpretation and your acoustic guitar solo are also very nice.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Thank you , Floyd. So glad you like it. I'm going to polish a bit (and get the right vocal on the tag line!) and repostr it. It'll probably be a couple weeks or so. We like the song a lot and hope to do it justice with a little sprucing up. Thanks again for the kindness! Wishing you and yours the bery best.

Alan

Di says hello - still not feeling well.

Hi Shigeki,

Thank you very much. I'm glad it was fun for you - that's always our desire. Thank you for letting us know. The best description I've heard for it is very simple - Jazz with Country influence.

And yes, your description is pretty close. It is a very popular genre in Texas, Oklahoma and many of the western states.

Thank you very much.

Alan & Di

It does have that Asleep At The Wheel feel to it

but there's a lot of Alan in this that makes it very good.

Nice write and your guitar solo is awesome,

those half note slide ups, that not only sounds great

but it shows someone who knows something about playing.

I almost thought John Mayer invented that and then oh no

good guitarist were doing that way before his time.

A few more hours and I’ll be back home
I’ve been away for way too long
Texas is calling it’s singing my song
Can’t wait to plant my feet in San Antone

this hits home for me, most of my relatives live south os San Antone

and I feel this way every time I fly in for a visit.

Why redo this? It sounds great, I post things all the time with (clams) in.

Wouldn't have noticed the ending(Texas instead of San Antone) if you

hadn't mentioned it. Vocal is solid and enjoyable.

Kenny

I think what you have done is just great -- wouldn't
know what to add or take away.
I have been told that 3:20 is the wall, but I could
listen to that song for 6:00 -- then again, I was
raised on Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

I'm wondering, when you get a great backing track with leads, is it possible to write poems for that same track? I mean, I know it is possible, but in reality, once we finish a song, lyrics and accompaniement, we are conditioned to think to our selves, "Well, that's that, time to move on to another song." This song got me thinking.
The same principle could apply to recyleing, as it were, lyrics.
Is this alll just an esoteric flight of fantasy, or could there be something to it? I know on the songwriting thread, something like this has been touched on.

WOW, I wasn't expecting much from your solo the way you played it down but it was great!! I wish I could play anything close to that level. Cool song, very good vocal. Everything works! Enjoyed much!! Take care. Greg

Al-David, the song has a wonderful feel to it! I loved those chord changes and the guitar work toward the end was inspiring to me! Thanks, Torrey.

Thanks so much, Kenny! I really appreciate all those very nice words. The acoustic guitar part is quite a bit below my normal level of performance. but, it is what it is. Glad you liked it!

And now I know why a guy living in Pennsylvania speaks Spanish! I lived in San Antonio for about 5 years in the middle 1970s. I don't know what part of Te4xas your relatives live in south of SA, but I used to get down to Poteet, Pleasanton, Jourdanton and Calaveras from time to time.


H ave goodern,

Alan & Di

Hello Ed,

Thank you so much for those fabulous comments! I grew up playing Bob Wills, Hank Thompson, Ray Price, Sons of the Pioneers and all the early country greats - Webb Pierce, Faron Young, Carl SMith, Goldie Hill, Billy Walker, Charlie Walker, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Ernie Ashworth, and so on. I had a pretty good education in Western Swing and Traditional Country. Western Swing is one of my favorite genres. Like to dance to it, too!

To answer your last question - yes it is possible and I have done it a few times. The problem is usually the audience. Once they've heard a lyric a certain way, they're usually disappointed to hear it another way. People are creatures of habit and like to follow their cues. A poem is spoken differently than a lyric is sung. Poetry also tends to flourish with more "glamorous" words. Thus, the folks who heard the original lyric in a song are usually no very receptive to it as poem. And the lovers of poetry are usually left a little flat, not getting the flourish the anticipate. When a person's anticipations are high and the product they receive does not fall within the parameters of the expectation, they, too, are generally left disappointed. I've decided that although I might personally enjoy it, most readers do not. Anticipation is a strong emotion that does not react well to a failure to provide.

Thanks again for the interest and your very kind comments. Wishing you the very best,

Alan

High Greg,

You are too kind. But thank you for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the cut. The acoustic lead is quite a bit below the level at which I typically performed before the che4mo. But it is slowly returning.

Wishing you the best,

Alan

Somehow we missed this one, but.... better late than never!
So good to read you picked up guitar playing after all your treatments.
And you still do it very well!

Cool song!

Rob and Anne-Marie

Alan, I am very familiar with the genre and you nailed it. Great chord changes and your acoustic solo showcases your experience with some fine playing. Loved it. Tom

Great song. I bounced along with it. Pretty damn good for a rough. I know nothing about the genre, but I enjoyed it and floated of to somewhere in the big old USA whilst listening.

Really enjoyed this one Al-David, thanks for sharing! As someone else said, it is absolutely reminiscent of Asleep At The Wheel. Wouldn't have thought it was a rough draft as all!

_______________________
Cheers,
Deryk

Thanks a bunch. Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you, Deryk. Glad you liked it. Always appreciate hearing from ther PG Music Staff!

Hi Rob & Anne Marie,

Thank you. And I'm glad you liked the guitar part. It's kind of clumsy yet, but getting a little better every couple of months. Wishing you both well,

Alan

Hi Tom,

Yes, I know you are quite familiar with the genre - and play it well! I'm glad this one was pleasing to you. And thanks for the nice words on the playing. It's still pretty clumsy but slowly getting better. Best to you.

Alan