Hello forum friends. Thanks so much for the warm response to The Next Big Thing. It was a thrill to write one with Floyd, one of my favorite writers! I got the idea for this song from an instrumental Al David posted last Fall. I loved the lonely city feel with the solo trumpet. I stole his band (again!) and wrote this. Al posts some wonderful instrumentals. Some great vocals also but I can't steal them as they're already written. Hope you enjoy. I encourage all comments......you are my only audience. Take care all. Greg


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


ME AND THE MOON

I’m alone in the darkness
I’m alone on the street
In this city of strangers
That I never will meet

These first days of November
Bring that ominous chill
That cold isolation
That strangles the will

That conjures the feeling of lost and alone
A tender heart in this city of stone
It seems my only friend now is that cold, silver balloon
Oh tonight, it’s just me and the moon

Once there was light
In this dreary place
The sun shone bright
On her beautiful face
Those eyes, those lips
Those days were eclipsed much too soon

I’m alone in the darkness
I’m adrift on the sea
I’m consumed by the hunger
For some warm company

I don’t know where she is now
Probably far, far away
On some tropical island
Where the tall palm trees sway

And the scent of her perfume is locked in my brain
The sweetest mixture of pleasure and pain
Once we danced closely to some sweet lover’s tune
But tonight, its just me and the moon
Oh tonight, it’s just me…….me and the moon

Greg

I'll kick of the reviews of this stunning performance by saying the song is superb.
A stellar vocal, brilliant backing tracks (loved the trumpet) and a great set of moody lyrics.
Deserves to be heard by more than the lucky listeners on this forum.

Peter

I read the lyrics and said wow! What a write! But I had no idea how good it was until I listened. Brilliantly done! I love the use of the extended solo. Hammers home the feeling. Loved it all. Among your best, Tom

Greg,
very wholesome and soulful tune.
Everything moves very nicely. I am traveling and my headphones are not studio grade, but seems vocals sit perfectly!

Thank you,
Misha.

Greg,

I am so honored to have inspired this piece of musical magic. I am humbled beyond my ability to properly respond. I think the song you're referring to is "Any Other Day".

Simply marvelous! Such a beautiful song and holy smoke - that vocal. The velvet of your voice beautifully spreads itself over the lyric and hovers magically over the perfect combination of backing tracks. I wish I knew all the right superlatives that apply. Regardless, this is just so good and pro all the way. Love the trumpet outro. You are one of the best friends music has.

Wishing you the very best.

Alan

PS: The world should be your audience. You deserve it - and so does the world.

Awesome vocal Greg. Very cool lyrics. The trumpet was so good in this song. This song should be on iTunes. Professional quality Greg. You so many first rate songs. This one is at the top of the list as well.

I'm happy to echo ALL comments already stated.

Good mood setting with instrumentation and temp.
Great vocal that was relaxed and confidently performed/delivered.
Very well done on all counts....I enjoyed the listen.

Back to it.....

A big WOW from me!

This checks all the boxes, great write, wonderful music (love the trumpet!), and man, that vocal!

Really excellent work, Greg, doesn't get any better than this.

Greg,

This is stunning... I would love to have a whole album like this.

Absolutely the best!

Bob

Great work on this Love the smoky vibes on it. Really easy on the ears, and nicely catchy. It is perfectly relaxed, and calming to listen to. Brings to mind imagery of drinking a cup of coffee indoors on a rainy day - smooth and peaceful.

Really well done - thanks for sharing!

Greg,

Your vocals are invariably excellent; on this song you`ve raised the bar!
You have a feel for this jazzier style- so relaxed and a bit of smoke in your voice.
Al does write some very good instrumentals that invite lyrics... your inspiration has resulted in a fine song.

Robert

"you are my only audience. "

Love that line from you, I think it's the same for most all of us.

It makes me appreciate this group all the more.

Super arrangement, beautiful sound

Your voice works so well on a smokey ballad like this (and what a voice!)

like early Sting (post Police) he could a song this good now-a-days

excellent!

Kenny

REALLY enjoyed this one Dave. Fabulous production with equally fabulous vocals. Great job

Hey Greg,

This is really gorgeous. It kind of reminds me of Sting a little. A lot, actually. Both lyrically and musically--and even vocally!

And that's a good thing.

Great job!!

Greg,

You know how much I love this song...

"And the scent of her perfume is locked in my brain
The sweetest mixture of pleasure and pain
Once we danced closely to some sweet lover’s tune
But tonight, its just me and the moon"

An absolutely GORGEOUS write. I could quote every line in the song, but let the 4 above suffice... GORGEOUS!!!

The mix on this might be your best ever. Everything in the right place. The drums sound like they were recorded in a "just right live room". The bass is warm and punchy at the same time - buttery. The piano, sweet and smokey. Super trumpet!!

Your vocal is amazing.

This is top-notch, professional from every angle.

WOW. WOW. WOW!!

fj

You've got that smokey vibe going... Hopefully sung once the air finally cleared up over there!

As floyd said so eloquently: WOW!

The vocals are perfect, the arrangement is exquisite, lyrics stellar and I love the trumpet solo.

Greg Johnson...

There's some heavy-duty romantic balladeering of the exquisitely bluesy and jazzy kind in your song, "Me and the Moon". I'd love to communicate the pleasure I experienced while listening to it by comparing it to popular standards of similar genre recorded by famous performers, but then I thought that they might not live up to the the "standard" that you set with your song.

What a noirish, elegantly arranged production this is! The mood is deliciously cool and sultry. Your lonely, wounded vocal teases the after-midnight poetry out of the lyrics like a magician performing amongst the shadows of his secrets.

I wish I was in an audience so you could watch me get to my feet and applaud you along with the other patrons as you take bow, after bow, after bow!

Magnificent.

LOREN

"That conjures the feeling of lost and alone
A tender heart in this city of stone
It seems my only friend now is that cold, silver balloon
Oh tonight, it’s just me and the moon"

Man of man, only if we could write half as good as this song!

As always with your songs all the accolades have quickly been exhausted by the time we comment

Your vocals are always standout and this is over the top standout. And did you ever put together a "band" to support it! The piano and trumpet players sound like folks you've worked with for years and honed it all to perfection.

Just wonderful!

J&B

This is an absolutely gorgeous production. Vocal is superb! Melody is pleasing.

Thanks so much Peter for those very kind words! Take care. Greg

Very nice song, one of your best.
Great real tracks in this one.
Excellent melody you created and sing.

Sergio

THanks so much Tom! Yeah, I love the feel of the solo trumpet. That was what got me going on this idea...when I heard that trumpet in Al David's tune. THanks again! Take care. Greg

Thanks for the listen and the kind words Misha! Take care. Greg

Hi Greg,

what a gorgeous song that is. I love eberything about it: the write, the lyrics, the backing track, the mix and of course your wonderful singing. I' deeply impressed.

Cheers,

Stefan

That paints a picture in the listener's mind. I could see this in a movie soundtrack.

So many good things about this from the smooth jazz to the melody to the lyrics to the production. It's all top bar stuff.

Thanks so much for those incredibly kind words Alan! You are a great composer/arranger/musician! I always find your music inspiring! Take care. Greg

Greg,

Great tune—very atmospheric, very tangible—you feel the darkness and the chill; it drips with loneliness. Love the melody in that chorus, and you just nail the vocals. Excellent stuff, wonderfully written and put together. That sax is sweet!

All the best,

Deej

Greg, I love your work man! You are one of the top vocalists presenting work here and I have no doubts about that! You could make a living with your voice!! This is such an enjoyable listen and I want to encourage you to keep at it because you have a lot of fans here! Thanks, T

Well done Greg. What a great song and production.
Love it!

Hi Greg,
this is a fantastic song !
Very high quality from beginning to end.
There's a great sensitivity in your voice...
Congratulations. Christian

Thanks so much Scott for your wonderful support and kind words! Love your playing! Take care. Greg

Thanks for the listen and the very kind words! Take care. Greg

Greg,

Very nice soulful jazz song!
Stunning performance!
Trumpet is very effective.
The melody and the chord progression are splendid.
It reminds me of "Cry me a river", "Sunny" and so on.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Thanks so much Dave! Love you new one!! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Bob! Your new one is really cool...great feel!! Take care. Greg

Wow Greg, what a fabulous song and performance! Stunning production, utterly professional in every respect. Reminds me of George Michael's big reverb-washed jazzy ballads. You have a similar voice timbre and 'yearning' delivery.
Are these BIAB RealTracks, live band or bit of both?


Best
John

Thanks so much Deryk for the listen and kind words! Take care. Greg

Thanks much Robert! Listened to your new one today.....very good stuff!! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Kenny! Really glad you're posting again! Take care. Greg

This is such a great song, I would pay real money for this...

Thanks Graham! Really liked your last one. Take care. Greg

Thanks David. Sting has always been one of my heroes. That is a very flattering comparison! Your new one is GREAT!!! Take care. Greg

Thanks SO much my friend!! It is tempting to print this review and put it on my studio wall for inspiration. Means so much to me! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much David for the kind words! Much appreciated! I noticed recently that we are virtually neighbors. Should have a beer some time. Take care. Greg

Greg,

This truly is stunning. You've definitely raised the forum's singer/songwriter bar immeasurably with this creation and its presentation.

All the best,
Noel

WOW, what a wonderful review! Thanks so much Loren. Means a lot to me! Take care. Greg

THanks for the ultra kind words guys!! You write some damn good stuff yourselves! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much for listening and for the kind words! It's nice to have you active on the forum....you do some really good stuff!! Take care. Greg

Thanks Sergio! I'm glad you're posting again. Missed you when you were gone! Take care. Greg

Thanks Stefan for the kind words! Just listened to your new one.....fabulous! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Herb for that great review! Yeah, I kind of had a Town without Pity emotion in mind...trumpet just set that mood. Glad to see you posting a lot lately....gooood stuff !!! Take care. Greg

Wow, somehow I missed this but I'm glad someone gave a 2nd chance...
This is one great write & performance.
Your lyrics & music build right up the the hook "Me and the Moon"
I love it... Great job!