A little while back, and as a result of some emails between Janice and Bud and me, I got to thinking that I'd like to write a song to say "Thank you" to mothers. Here is where I ended up...

• ♫♫ The Best Gift Of All

Right now it's May 12, 2019, and I hope that all the mothers who visit this forum are having a wonderful and very happy Mothers' Day. In all sincerity, you deserve everything good thing that comes your way.

I'd also like to say a huge "Thank you" to Janice and Bud for taking on the role of muses for this creation. I am sincerely grateful.

As always, please feel free to ask questions or to comment on any aspect of the song and its production if you wish to.

Best regards,
Noel



The BIAB Band

• 1825: Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075
• 368: Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 065
• 1595: Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Pop8thsSteady Ev 065
• 1856: Cello, Background PopCountry Ev 085

• VST PLUGINS
• Strings: MIDI with Miroslav Philharmonik
• Guitars: run through CLA Signature Series Unplugged
• Bass Guitar: processed using Renaissance Bass
• Vocals: processed with Nectar 2
• Final mix: produced with Ozone 8

The Lyrics
Standing on this hillside, sun upon my face
Mama, thank you
And that gliding, circling eagle, a vision of nature’s grace
Oh mama, thank you
Without you, none of this could be
You gave me legs that walk, eyes that see
And a happy smile that keeps me standing straight and tall
Such amazing gifts
And I’m so thankful for them all

You carried me inside you and you never once complained
Mama, thank you
You taught me right from wrong and how to cherish every day
Oh mama, thank you
Because of you, I am who I am
You gave me endless love with all your might
And when I needed courage, you held me tight so I would not fall
Such amazing gifts
And I’m so thankful for them all

And I like to think, in a thousand years from now
Our souls will be together, sailing free
Exploring galaxies
Chasing stars
And unravelling the mysteries of eternity

Standing on this hillside, creation all around me
Mama, thank you
Whichever way I turn, the incredible surrounds me
Oh mama, thank you
Because of you, my every day is gold
You made me a heart that beats with joy and peace
That’s full of dreams and free to follow tomorrow’s call
You gave me Life
And that’s the best gift of all

Oh mama, you gave me Life
The most wonderful gift of all

©2019 Noel Adams, words and music, all rights reserved.

Oh my. Beautiful, and what a lovely vocal! Well done.

Man, you brought a tear to my eye with this one, Noel!

Just a wonderfully written and performed song, one of your best vocals I think. Nice arrangement too.

Well done!

Noel,

This is absolutely beautiful. The lyrics, vocal and pacing of the song are stunning.

Tremendous mix as well.

Bob

Nicely done... Nicely sung...
A very tasteful arrangement with pleasant build up of instrumental voices...
I guess you know...
You are an extremely talented songwriter & arranger!

Noel,
really pretty arrangement and a fabulous narrative.
My ONLY quibble, (& it's a common, modern issue), would be as a curmudgeonly grammarist:
When so is used there ought to be a conclusion based on it as in "You hit me so I hit you back"
"It was so hot that I burnt my fingers" etc.
"And I’m so thankful for them all" begs a conclusion such "that I pray each night for your safety." etc etc.
I only mention that because there's nothing else in the lovely piece that made me think "If it were me..."
I do take much from the fact that sentence, stanza, paragraph or lyric didn't start with so!
Moel,
Classic stuff and someone should pick it up and use it in time for Mum's Day 2020.

Thanks, Scott. I'm glad you liked it.

All the best,
Noel

I didn't make here on the 12th and I'm not a Mother

but I think it's a lovely tribute

simple, effective backing and melody

Noel, you have a great touch with arrangements

a really beautiful and timeless song,

thanks for sharing

Kenny

Noel,

A lovely song. I especially like the B section... good write.

The production is superb. The guitars sound as good as guitars can.

Your vocal is good on every level. Well sung, well recorded, well processed - and sitting perfectly in the mix. And the mix is excellent throughout.

A beautiful sentiment, a beautiful package.

fj

Wow - this is absolutely stunning You can tell it is right from the heart, and it is really touching and sincere. Definitely a truly capturing tune. It almost demands your attention.

Not a thing I'd change on this one - you should be proud. Thanks for sharing!

Another polished musical jewel from you with simple arrangement and perfect vocals. The message is full of love, beauty, sincerity and optimism, definitely the best gift for all mother

Janne

Nice work Noel, this was wonderful! The arrangement is wonderful to the ears and I really dug the chord progression. The vocals harmonize well with the other instruments. Looking forward to hear more!

Fantastic Noel! You've put in words and song what so many of us feel! Your vocal is exceptionally good! Perfect actually! What a wonderful tribute! Thanks, Torrey

Mother's Day is hard for some folks. I often try to get through it by convincing myself it's really just a man-made holiday invented to strengthen certain economic sectors. But, like other holidays, if it can get a human for one day to look through the small end of the telescope and begin to connect some of the dots of creation than I can be thankful for that, for this, and for her.

Nice one, Noel.

Beautiful song Noel. A very touching tribute. Made me think of my mom while listening to your lyrics. Backtrack was perfect for the song. Excellent vocal. Well done.

Noel, this is simply beautiful. And I mean just that. The simple arrangement makes room for the powerful message, and builds so tastefully, it only serves to enhance the sentiments expressed. Well done, my friend!

Your vocals have never sounded better, and your lyrics really shine on this one.

This is one of my favorites of yours!

Steve

Hi Dave,

Thanks for visiting. And thank you, too, for passing on your comments. I really appreciate the insight.

All the best,
Noel

Very sweet song!! A great reminder for all of us on Mother's Day. I lost my Mom about 8 months ago....very hard. Thanks for sharing this Noel!! Take care. Greg

Noel,

What a pretty, pretty song . . . and wonderful tribute to Moms. Done with your usual expert production. Really compelling song, beautiful construction lyrically, with the internal rhymes and phrasing. And so well sung. Just . . . . awesome, every little bit of it.

My best to you,

Deej

P.S. Thanks much for your wonderful comment on my song “If I Stop Loving You”. I’m not going to comment on that thread as I’m reluctant to “bump it up—but didn’t want to let it go without a word of thanks.

Hi Bob,

Thanks heaps for visiting yet again! I really appreciate it.

All the best,
Noel

Noel,
Very nice theme song. Composed and sung very well!
Honest and soulful.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

Thanks Jim. I sincerely appreciate your comments and I'm glad you had a chance to visit Soundcloud and listen.

All the best to you,
Noel

Noel with your permission I would love to play this song on my easy does it show on hospital radio here in Scotland. Perfect fit for my 2nd hour on Friday nights. This is only the 2nd song I've listened to so far so this makes it two in a row. I'm a sucker for lovely ballads and I really love this one

Graham,

Seriously... you've made my day! (and it's only 7:25 am on Sunday so far). Thank you Please feel totally free to use this song.

Hope you're feeling better soon!
Noel

Noel, IMHO this is your best to date. Your backing tracks are perfect! Your vocals are excellent, as usual, but your lyrics took it over the top for me. Your mix is also perfect!

Noel, to have played ANY part in this song is an honor.

It's a touching production in ALL aspects.

It meant so much to Janice's mother...more than we can ever express.

Coming from the depth of your soul and heart makes it a very special production.

Thank you.

J&B

Beautiful music and lyrics. And most excellent use of instrumentation. Your voice sounds great on this.

Hi Ray,

Thank you for the insight both musical and grammatical. I wasn't aware that "so" was used in such contexts. Where I grew up, "so" was used in the way that I used it so it's probably just a local vernacular thing.

Thanks again for taking the time...

All the best,
Noel

Hi Kenny,

Thanks for the uplifting comments! I'm glad you found time to have a listen. Really appreciate it.

All the best,
Noel

Hi floyd,

Thanks for visiting.I sincerely appreciate your comments. Mixing is still a work in progress for me. It doesn't come easily at all... maybe one day. Thanks for the positive feedback. It makes it all worthwhile

All the best,
Noel

Noel,

That was very pretty, a moving tribute, and some lovely sentiment.
I liked the build, production and performance.

Peter

Thank you, Deryk. I really appreciate your listen and your words.

Best regards,
Noel

Hi Janne,

It's great to see you. Thank you! Appreciate the visit and your comments.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Joe,

Thank you heaps for finding the time to have a listen.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Torrey,

Thank you for taking the time. I appreciate the visit and your words on encouragement.

All the best,
Noel

Hi, Noel !:))


What a beautiful tribute to
your mother as well as all
other mothers ! Thank you for
that lovely tune and wonderful
lyrics !:))

Cheers
Dani

Hi Tangmo,

Thank you heaps for listening. I really appreciate it.

All the best,
Noel

Noel ...

Stunningly beautiful!

You've never sounded better. Everything concerning this is just so well done. This song is universal, timeless and gorgeous. Thank you for that emotional listen. Wishing you and yours the very best ...

Alan

Thanks for listening Scott. Much appreciated.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Steve,

It's always a pleasure to see that you've visited. Thank you passing through. I sincerely appreciate you comments.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Greg,

Thank you for both the listen and your comments. Appreciate it.

Best wishes,
Noel

Hi Deej,

Sincerely, thanks for ton for taking the time to pass through the thread. Your words brought a huge smile to my face because mixing and singing is something I've only been working on for the last 10 or so years. It's been a slow road of learning on both fronts.

All the best,
Noel

Thanks Misha. I appreciate your visiting

Regards,
Noel

Hi Mario,

Thank you for noticing the lyrics. There were some challenging moments when putting them together. I've found that the more words I use in sections, the harder it is to find suitable rhymes as well as getting the melody's rhythm to align with the rhythm of the words. These lyrics kept my head very busy!

All the best,
Noel

As others have said, you've done a truly excellent job here.

I especially liked how you added variety to the melody, adding syncopation in some spots, and speeding it up in others.

I can't help but mention this lyric:

You carried me inside you and you never once complained

How does the singer know the bit of information? After all, they're not likely to have complete recollection of the experience.

But seriously, well done. This sort of write isn't easy, and you've done a fantastic job of it.

Hi Noel,

I feel embarrassed that this masterpiece of music slipped under my radar for so many days... so sorry!

It really is a masterpiece show-casing your talent for song writing, arrangement and producing unforgettable melodies.

And your vocal performance is just outstanding... I wish I had just a little bit of your talent for singing.

You are one of the artists that makes this forum a "must-visit" place for me!

Will

This is really beautiful Noel!

The first string part when it comes in is goose-bump material.

Your vocal sounds awesome. The second string part is genius. The third one blew me away. Then the fourth...Mozart dude.



Thanks for this.

Hi Janice and Bud,

I huge "Thank you" for making this journey possible. I know that I would never have thought of putting a song like this together without the stories that you shared. I'm forever grateful for that. In all honesty, Janice's mama was the inspiration behind every word of my lyrics. What an amazing lady!

May good things come your way!
Noel

Hi Scott,

Thank you! I really appreciate your listen and comments.

All the best,
Noel





Hi Peter,

Thanks for taking the time.

All the best,
Noel





Hey Dani,

Nice to see you Thank you for dropping in and having a listen.

I hope that your summer in Finland was worth the winter wait!

All the best,
Noel

Hi Alan,

Thank you for taking the time I know that you are a busy man and I am very grateful that you managed to have a listen.

Best regards to you and Di,
Noel





Hi David,

Thanks for visiting the thread. Appreciate it.

Thanks for isolating that line, too. It caused me all sorts of grief! As you mention, it was exactly for the reason you described that I pondered that line many, many times. I couldn't come up with anything better however much I thought about it, though. As you say, for a foetus to know this information first-hand is impossible. I was having lunch at work one day when I heard a colleague talking about her daughter who'd just had a baby and she said something like, "It wasn't an easy pregnancy. She never complained though and just took each day as it came."

That was the "ah-ha!" moment that I needed. It occurred to me then that reported conversation is very common where pregnancy is concerned. As a result, the more I thought about it, and even related it to my own experience, the more I realised that it's a phrase that a father or grandmother would say at some point to a child or granchild if it was something out of the ordinary (and to be proud of) given the circumstances surrounding a pregnancy.

... so I kept the line.

All the best,
Noel

Hi Will,

Thanks for dropping in. Rest assured that there is nothing to feel embarrassed about. I never have expectations regarding who does or who does not visit my threads. The forum is a very busy place and I know from my own experiences that it's quite a challenge trying to keep up with it all. If it's any consolation, at the moment I'm feeling REALLY guilty because I'm two songs behind in commenting on floyd's works....

Thanks for the really positive thoughts, too. I'm very grateful for those.

I don't see myself as a good singer at all. It's something that I've struggled a lot with over the years. One day a few years back, I just thought "What the heck!" and decided if I'm going to sing, I'll do it with lots of bravado and try to fake it: as the saying goes, I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. So I turned on "sheep" mode for my next song, boldly faced the microphone and gave performing the song my all, recorded eight takes, comp'd a final vocal track from the eight takes and fixed up any wonky notes with Reaper's Reatune.... and I have never looked back You should try it!

Thanks again for taking the time,
Noel

David,

One thing is for sure, you know how to give someone the biggest smile! Thanks for that. I'm glad that you found time to have a listen. I know that you are a very busy man these days.

All the best to you and your songs,
Noel

I, too, would like to make an incredible gift for my mom. I would like it to be something unique. I want it to be different from anything other people give her.

First off, I'm sorry for your loss. Losing a parent is never easy, and it can be especially tough on occasions like Mother's Day. I'm glad this sweet song could bring you some comfort and remind you of your mom. I also wanted to chime in and mention a gift idea that might be meaningful for you. Have you heard of custom-made figurines? I recently came across myfacebobbleheads.com myfacebobbleheads.com and was impressed by their work. They create personalized figurines based on photos you provide, so you could have one made in the likeness of your mom. It might be a nice way to honor her memory and keep her close to you.