Too Many Times

A Ray Price-type 4/4 Country Shuffle tune. It's kind of rough yet but looking for a little feedback before final cut. I intentionally wrote the lyric as I think it might have been done back in the late 1950s or early 1960s - not overly sophisticated but a typical Country theme.

It's a little rough yet ... especially the vocal. Any feedback appreciated before doing a final cut. Keep in mind, although I'm primarily a Country guitar picker, I'm not much of a Country singer.

Not doing much picking these days - broke the knuckle on the middle finger of my left hand. My best recollection is that human skin isn't supposed to be green and purple. Well, not while you're still alive! Hurts like a son-of-a-gun! It's the major knuckle, where the finger attaches to the hand.


Key=Bb , Tempo 102, Length (m:s)=3:41
Style is _CTRYSWM.STY (Medium Country Swing w/ Piano )

RealTracks in style: ~1547:Bass, Electric, CountrySwing Sw 110
RealTracks in song: ~~1549:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm CountrySwing Sw 110
RealTracks in song: ~950:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBoogieA-B Sw 110
RealTracks in song: ~~1112:Fiddle, Background CountrySwing Sw 110
RealTracks in song: 2167:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm Country12-8John Sw 065
RealTracks in song: 1999:Pedal Steel, Soloist Country12-8Paul Sw 065
RealDrums in Song: NashvilleSwing8^2-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride



Too Many Times
© 2017 Alan D. David, BMI / Diana Randall, BMI


(v1)
I didn’t want to face the truth, so I would just pretend
You were shopping at the mall, you weren’t there with him
I walked the floor so many times, pacing fast and slow
Pretending that I really didn’t know

(v2)
When at last you turned to him, for the love we didn’t make
That was the turning point, that was your mistake
I gave you everything you craved, I guess you needed more
So just stay gone next time you leave our door



1st CHORUS
Too many times I turned my back, when you went straight to him
But I can’t live that lie no more, I can’t take it, not again
Just stay with him the next time, you ring his doorbell chimes
The last time was one too many times


INSTRUMENTAL TURNAROUND


(v3)
I hear he left you for another, your life’s a total mess
Among the tears I’ve cried for you, there’s a smile I must confess
I didn’t want to see you hurt, but you took the chance
And now you pay the piper for the dance


2nd CHORUS
Too many times I turned my back, when you went straight to him
But I couldn’t live that lie no more, couldn’t take it, not again
So you stayed with him the next time, you rang his doorbell chimes
The last time was one too many times


TAG & OUT

Nice one, just my kinda country.

Thank you, Graham. Much appreciated! This is the music I grew up playing back in the early 60s. I love playing it - and listening to it. Thanks again.

Alan

Great job on this! I really enjoyed this one It's got a fantastic groove, and your vocals on this are on point as well.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks, Deryk! You folks at PG Music are great! It's always a pleasure to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks a bunch.

Alan

Alan,

This is some great country music... Love your vocal and the arrangement is so cool - sounds like a country music station in the early 60s..

Loved it.

Bob

Ack! So sorry to hear about your knuckle, but the song sounds great! While the vocals do sound a bit rough like you said, they still suit the song really well. I dig it!

You nailed it, right in the Ray Price wheelhouse

I like hearing a song from the man's or sugerdaddys pov

I grew up listening to all those women's "satin sheets" type songs

"Just stay with him the next time, you ring his doorbell chimes"

fantastic innuendo if that's what you intended

love the chorus progression, feels like an old friend

I really enjoyed the listen

Kenny

Alan

Sounds very good and authentic (not an expert here). A really nice write.
The knuckle story made me wince - hope it heals soon (and well)!

Peter

Alan,

This sounds so familiar -in a good way. Right in the pocket for the era & genre which seems second nature to you.
I enjoy the edges on your vocal and wouldn`t do much smoothing.
The punch lines on the second & third verses are great!

Robert

Very cool song. Super backtrack and Excellent vocal

Thanks a bunch! Well, that's what I was shooting for ... early 1960s radio country. Glad you enjoyed it ... thanks so much!

Alan

Hi Ember,

Thanks for dropping in. Sure do appreciate you folks at PG Music!

The vocal is a "one and done" - recorded it just once and this is what came out. I plan on rerecording it within a a week or two Hopefully it's a little better than. Thanks again!

Alam

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for the visit and all those really nice words. I plan on recording this again in a week or two. I plan on picking up the tempo from 1--bpm to about 106 or 108. I'll redo the vocal as this is a "one and done". I sang it one time with an acoustic guitar and then did this recording. Also, being over 70 years old (yikes!) probably doesn't help! I also plan on making the pedal steel a little less busy. And I might add some country strings - not sure about that yet.

I'm a huge Ray Price fan. I thought this was close to his style, but it also gravitates toward something Gene Watson might have done.

And yeah ... a double intendre on that line ... glad you clued into that!

Thanks again for the listen and encouragement. Much appreciated.

Alan

Hi peter,

Thanks for the listen and kind words. Heck, the only thing I'm an expert at is not being an expert about anything! The knuckle is feeling better - swelling has receded and the discoloration is almost gone. It;s not too painful now as long as I don't bump it.

Best to you,

Alan

Hello Robert,

Thanks for dropping in for a listen - much appreciated! Glad you enjoyerd it. I'm gonna recut it in the next week or two and repost it.

This is the music I grew up with. I played lead guitar in country bands for about 50 years but this is my roots. I still love the 60's era country. Not much of it's being written now, so I thought I'd add my minor contribution.

Thanks again.

Alan

Scott,

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it. I appreciate the listen and very nice comments. Best to you,

Alan

Alan,

That is about as "classic" as Country gets... really captured that Ray Price sound. A good arrangement, good mix...

"I hear he left you for another, your life’s a total mess
Among the tears I’ve cried for you, there’s a smile I must confess"

...got a real kick out of that.

(hope that knuckle heals soon).

fj

As floyd said "as classic as country gets."

I'm perhapsonly a year or two older than you so we have many similarities in music background, etc. I used to go to sleep as a boy listening to all night "clear channel" radio where you'd hear rockabilly, blues and classic country on the same program. Those influences remain to this day. Janice is more than a decade younger than me but she heard this music (your song) when young from her parents (and her daddy playing harmonica based country songs).

All that above ramble means is that we just fell right in with this from opening to closing. Tears in the beer? Reflective of "true life?"
Yep, and folks who don't get it are missing a lot. Blues and country have soooo much in common.

Keep 'em coming!

J&B

This sounds like an old classic.
Well done.
Rob

Hi Floyd,

Thanks a bunch! I cut my teeth on this kind of music. If I had a dollar for every time I'd played the Ray Price "Night Life" album - three or four times a day for close to a year! I was also a big Faron Young fan.

I appreciate the kind comments. And the knuckle is doing much better. Most of the swelling is gone and the color is back to normal. A few ibuprofen keep the pain in check. I even played a few chords on my Yamaha acoustic earlier today!

PS: Gonna recut this in a week or so. I think I'll pick up the tempo just a touch (maybe 5 ot 6 bpm) and get a less busy pedal steel. And maybe my vocal will be a little better by then!

Best to you.

Alan

Hi Bud - Janice, too,

Loved your comments! I went to bed listening to WSM. We got it pretty clear in St. Louis. After the Cardinals baseball game was over on summer nights, I'd switch to WSM. I love playing this style of country music. Alan Jackson and George Strait gave a few years of somewhat similar music. But other than that, it's almost forgotten by commercial radio,


However, there's a young lady from Missouri named Teea Goans who sings almost nothing but classic country. She's getting to be somewhat of a name in Nashville. If you're interested here are two links to her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdNCS0zg1nA (Jimmy Capps on guitar and Mike Johnson on pedal steel)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtFywTyEEKc

Anyway, thanks so much for your kindness. See ya at the nursing home in about 10 years ... Ha!

Alan

Thanks Rob,

I appreciate your comments. Thanks for dropping in for a listen ... much appreciated. Best to you.

Alan

Hello, Alan

Simple but very nice melody!
I think your intension it might have been done back in the late 1950s or early 1960s was well succeeded.
These types of songs were frequently broadcasted with other American Oldies in Japan as well.
Good old song. I feel nostalgia.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Really lovely song that captures that Classic Country sound.Well written and produced thanks for sharing
cheers brad

Alan, I have spent a lifetime playing this kind of shuffle and this is the real deal. Excellent editing of the fiddle and steel. Well sung and everything is in it's proper place. I enjoyed it. Tom

Hi Alan,

I really enjoyed this. It was like stepping into Dr Who's TARDIS and sailing back to my young days.

I agree with all the comments above. This is 100% authentic sounding classic country from the 1960s. You've done a great job.

All the best,
Noel

P.S. I hope your knuckle fades back to pink soon.

Alan, you hit the nail on the head with Ray Price reference! Man I could hear him singing this! My grandmother (if she was still with us) would be asking you for a copy of this one. Good job! T

Alan, I am a throwback I guess, but I have always loved this stuff and I'm not likely to change now. You did a great job on the vocals. I'm just getting back from a trip and this is a good one to start with. I hope you will post the finished version. I would like to hear it.