Happy new year to all the PG Music forumites. I hope that everyone has a productive and musical 2019.
I went away to a fishing spot for New year and since I dont fish I had a bit of time and managed to write two songs. This one is a love song called "For the Last Time". It seems worryingly familiar but I don't know why!!! I cant place what would have influenced it but if anybody has some ideas by all means let me know...
I made a play along video for this so you can take out your guitar and strum along.
Lyrics:
For the very first time in my life Everything is clearing in my world Meeting you reminds me of a song Worries gone, nothing's wrong
For the very first time in my life I found someone who takes me as I am never tells me that I need to change Always stay, just this way
At last the stars are starting to align At last I've found, at last I've found Someone that I can fall in love with I think I've found, think I've found Someone for the last time
For the very ;ast time in my life I've looked for one to help me share my load I've wanted one I'd never want to leave Through the years, no more tears
For the very last time in my life I've tried and failed to live my days alone I've finally found the strength to take my part From the start with all my heart
At last the stars are starting to align At last I've found, at last I've found Someone that I can fall in love with I think I've found, think I've found Someone for the last time
Tracks used: I just used the style as is for this one: Style is _SL16ELG.STY (Lite Pop Ballad w/ Electric Guit)
RealTracks in style: 1592:Bass, Electric, Pop16ths Ev 065 RealTracks in style: 1599:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Pop16thsA-B Ev16 065 RealTracks in style: 1596:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 065 RealTracks in style: 1600:Guitar, High-Strung Acoustic, Rhythm Pop16ths Ev16 065 RealDrums in style: RockNorthern^1-a:Snare, HiHat Closed , b:Snare, Crash Ride
Joanne a really pretty song - lovely vocal and arrangement. Perhaps what you are thinking of is that the first line possibly has a hint of "Whiter Shade Of Pale"?
Right off, I'm going to offer two differing interpretations of the lyrical "message" that I believe you were offering to your audience in your song. The first idea is that you are describing your new-found ability to accept and love yourself as you are. The second thought is that you were telling the story of how you met a person who demonstrated to you that they could "love" you strictly and only as you are, without putting pressure on you to become the person that they want you to to be.
Regardless of which view is correct, your song, "For the Last Time", is a deeply moving and revelatory thing because it seems to have to do with a problem that I think all of us human beings -- male and female -- struggle to resolve everyday, every minute, every second of our lives: who are we? What are we supposed to be doing with ourselves, and most importantly, how in the world do we get the love we absolutely, positively want and need to be confident that we matter to others, to our parents, our siblings, our relatives, our lovers, without doing things to get it that damage us emotionally and spiritually?
Musically speaking, your Real Track choices summon an intropective feeling that is neither sad, or casually upbeat. It is calming in texture and tone, as it creates and maintains an atmosphere of placid self-reflection that leads to inner discovery:
For the very first time in my life Everything is clearing in my world...
And, this:
I've finally found the strength to take my part From the start with all my heart...
You even describe the interior sensation of coming into your new self-awareness as being analogous to perceiving the cosmic order of the universe:
At last the stars are starting to align... That's just an incredibly exhuberant insight, almost like being born again, and being fully aware of it.
Regardless of how close I may come to divining the thoughts that led you to compose the song, just know that it inspired me to pay closer attention to the women in my life, in my family, my female siblings, and lovers past and present, so that I may "see" them as clearly, and as affirmatively, as you appear to "see" yourself, through the experience of listening to "For the Last Time".
I really hope I don't offend anyone, but this is by far the best vocal performance I have heard on this forum in the 3 months I have been a member. The melody and the chord progression is wonderful as well - I truly believe you have a hit here! I had an instant "I got to hear this again"- reaction.
There are small signs of Bach-inspiration in the verses (or Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale"), but nothing criminal. With the millions of songs and compositions that have already been made, it is almost impossible to make a good sounding chord-progression or melody without sounding like somebody or something else, so don't worry about that.
I hope that you will share more music with us in the future! Will
Edit: Actually I enjoyed the chord progression so much that I felt a bit disappointed that you didn't let it fade out over 8 bars... but that is just me.
Peter. Thanks for the comments and definitely see the similarity with "Whiter Shade of Pale". I used to play that one quite a bit but haven't for years.
Ray and Bob. Thanks for the kind comments.
Misha. Glad you also found it familiar. Definitely a touch of something personal for me. I have been doing a lot of reading and soul searching recently (on the beach in Mozambique!) so maybe that came through in the song.
Donna. Thank you for listening and commenting. Scott. Thank you. Always glad to get nice feedback about my harmonies.
Dani. Happy New Year to you too. I hope you have a fruitful 2019.
Kenny and Clifton. Thank you both for listening and commenting.
I'd forgotten how long it has been since I heard something new from you. Glad to hear you back at work again.
Hi Herb. There is a bit of story here. I took part in FAWM and 50 90 in 2018 (didn't get to 50 and didn't post them all to the forum). In both I "trawled" for lyrics written by other people and wrote the music to those lyrics (mainly because I feel I struggle with writing lyrics and can write the music fairly easily using BIAB).
But something very interesting has happened to me recently. I have started performing my original songs at a twice monthly song-writer's round in Johannesburg, on my own with just my guitar. (This is quite a thing for me since I am not very confident in that particular setting and the quality of the other performers is off the scales good.)
The songs that I am enjoying performing, and the ones that seem to go down the best, are the ones that I have written both lyrics and the music for. I guess I am probably more convincing in my performance because these songs are so personal.
So I have decide for this FAWM I am not going to do any collabs.. I am going to aim to write the lyrics and the music ... Lets see what happens.
I have also decided to perform at our National Arts Festival on my own with just my guitar and tell the stories and perform the best of my original songs. I am also going to record a CD of "acoustic" versions of these songs so that people can buy something to remind them of the performance (thanks to BIAB!)
So thanks for providing me with a bit of motivation! I really appreciate and needed it.
Right off, I'm going to offer two differing interpretations of the lyrical "message" that I believe you were offering to your audience in your song. The first idea is that you are describing your new-found ability to accept and love yourself as you are. The second thought is that you were telling the story of how you met a person who demonstrated to you that they could "love" you strictly and only as you are, without putting pressure on you to become the person that they want you to to be.
Regardless of which view is correct, your song, "For the Last Time", is a deeply moving and revelatory thing because it seems to have to do with a problem that I think all of us human beings -- male and female -- struggle to resolve everyday, every minute, every second of our lives: who are we? What are we supposed to be doing with ourselves, and most importantly, how in the world do we get the love we absolutely, positively want and need to be confident that we matter to others, to our parents, our siblings, our relatives, our lovers, without doing things to get it that damage us emotionally and spiritually?
Musically speaking, your Real Track choices summon an intropective feeling that is neither sad, or casually upbeat. It is calming in texture and tone, as it creates and maintains an atmosphere of placid self-reflection that leads to inner discovery:
For the very first time in my life Everything is clearing in my world...
And, this:
I've finally found the strength to take my part From the start with all my heart...
You even describe the interior sensation of coming into your new self-awareness as being analogous to perceiving the cosmic order of the universe:
At last the stars are starting to align... That's just an incredibly exhuberant insight, almost like being born again, and being fully aware of it.
Regardless of how close I may come to divining the thoughts that led you to compose the song, just know that it inspired me to pay closer attention to the women in my life, in my family, my female siblings, and lovers past and present, so that I may "see" them as clearly, and as affirmatively, as you appear to "see" yourself, through the experience of listening to "For the Last Time".
Sincerely,
LOREN (a.k.a. "bluage")
LOREN. Reading your comment has brought a lump to my throat. If I have inspired you to pay closer attention to the women in your own life then my job is done. Bless and thank you
I really hope I don't offend anyone, but this is by far the best vocal performance I have heard on this forum in the 3 months I have been a member. The melody and the chord progression is wonderful as well - I truly believe you have a hit here! I had an instant "I got to hear this again"- reaction.
There are small signs of Bach-inspiration in the verses (or Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale"), but nothing criminal. With the millions of songs and compositions that have already been made, it is almost impossible to make a good sounding chord-progression or melody without sounding like somebody or something else, so don't worry about that.
I hope that you will share more music with us in the future! Will
Edit: Actually I enjoyed the chord progression so much that I felt a bit disappointed that you didn't let it fade out over 8 bars... but that is just me.
Ah thank you Will. You made my day. I am glad you enjoyed the chord progression. Fading it out over 8 bars would be a very good idea. FAWM is coming up shortly so I will definitely be sharing some of the songs I write and record then. Thank you
Your voice and writing is especially beautiful, Josie. I've completely run out of superlatives.
Donald. It is always a pleasure when I can share something with you. BTW: Have you moved out of the place that I came to visit you in? If so, how is the new place of abode?
This is really beautiful song, simple and deeply touching lyrics. Your vocals are excellent, surely the best I have heard from you. Those first three chords are naturally used in hundreds of songs, but that's why I like this song even more, besides, the melody sounds your original. Chording in the chorus is also very beautiful. Nice arrangement, I like the use and mix of the electric guitar.
Great job on the song. And i love the sound of the production. It sounds great on my JBLs in the music room and on the mini el cheapo headphones on my tablet which is not the case with all the productions I hear. So double kudos on that girlfriend!! Especially love that bass tone and the vocal chain you're using is perfect on your voice - just gorgeous.
Mario, Jim, Lawrence, Ezekiel, Floyd, Janice and Bud, Janne, Stefan, David, John, Greg and Josie Thanks so much for listening and commenting. You guys have encouraged me! I am going to perform this one live at the song-writers round on the 20th Jan.
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