Hello forum friends. Happy Memorial Day weekend! Al David posts some great stuff. He has posted a few instrumentals which immediately caught my attention. And, I love some of his titles. This song started from an instrumental he posted with the same title. I contacted him, got the SGU, made some changes and wrote lyrics around the title line. WIll post the lyrics soon and also catch up on my listening on the forum. Would love to know what you think. Take care all.


https://soundcloud.com/gjohnson-2/heartbroke-in-la

Greg / Alan,

Outstanding! I could listen to a whole album of this stuff...

Great lyrics, vocals and mix. Love the instrumentation.

Loved it all!

Bob

Great song but sad & soulful story...
But often thats what makes some songs great ...
I enjoyed listening to your collaboration...

Greg (& Alan)...

I thought I was listening to a lost track from the Hotel California recording sessions! This is very cool. The opening acoustic sets that tone. And the leads sound like there was a Don Felder RealTrack!! Is that an RT?? - or did you get someone to play for you - it SO fits. And that vocal sounds like Greg Johnson "doing his Don Henley"...

Excellent write - cool story (only wish the lyric were up already to follow along).

Incredible stuff.

Cool. Cool. Cool!!!

fj

I agree completely and I couldn't have said it any better.

Who is playing that lead guitar? Very impressive!

A great collaboration.

Hi Greg and Alan,

What a song!!!!!!



I thoroughly enjoyed listening. This could be on any radio station, anywhere in the world, and people would instantly feel comfortable with what they're hearing... it's first class music all the way.

A terrific write and an outstanding presentation!

All the best,
Noel

Hi Everyone ...

Greg always does such a fantastic job turning my instrumentals into wonderful, full songs. No exception here. He's simply the best! Thank you Greg ... what fantastic job you did with this ... totally loved your touches.

Here are the tracks in the SGU I sent to Greg:

- Heartbroke In LA -

File:Heartbroke In La.SGU
Key=Am , Tempo 70, Length (m:s)=3:18

Style is _WILLFUL.STY (Willful Modern Dreamy Guitar Pop)

RealTracks in style: 1827:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: ~367:Guitar, Electric, Background Dreamy Ev 065
RealTracks in style: 1004:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Rhythm ClassicRockStrumming Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: 1828:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGroove Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1167:Guitar, Electric, Soloist RockBalladBrent Ev 065
Loop in Song: Dubstep\Dubstep - no_way_out_140_choir_f_sharp_minor.wav
RealDrums [in style:RetroPop^05-a:Bass, SharpeSnare, b:Bass, Snare

Greg dropped the key to Ab minor to fit his vocal. As far as the lead guitar, it's Brent Mason Track # 1167:Guitar, Electric, Soloist RockBalladBrent Ev 065

Thanks again Greg!!!!!

Alan

You're the best, Greg! You simply turned my little bit of guitar music into a splendid piece of musical art. I cannot thank you enough. What a voice!!!! Many thanks ...

Alan

Thanks, Bob. I was so lucky Greg approached me about this! Best to you ...

Alan

Thanks Jim. Greg is just so good! Wishing you the best ...

Alan

Hi Floyd ...

Di said something similar ... "What a great song this would have been for The Eagles". But I'm more than happy with the Greg Johnson version. Hard to believe they could have done any better than Greg did. Glad you like what he did with my basic offering. Best to you ...

Alan

I'm delighted you liked what Greg did with this ... he's the real star here. I just threw a few chords together, picked out a few tracks and let BIAB do the rest. Greg took those bits and turned it into this great song! Wishing you the best ...

Alan

PS: That lead guitar is Brent Mason Track # 1167:Guitar, Electric, Soloist RockBalladBrent Ev 065.

It was the first one I tried and I didn't sense a need to look any further.

Hi Noel ...

Thank you so much. Greg deserves the biggest round of applause. Isn't he just the best??!! Glad you liked it! Best to you ...

Alan

The perfect marriage here. The backing is outstanding and so west-coast. The vocal is outstanding and delivers this sad and seedy tale slowly and with such a sense of inevitability. I mean that two ways. It sounds like it couldn't (and shouldn't) be otherwise, and as a listener I just knew this wasn't going to end with a win on American Idol. Those stories, by definition, rarely do. Left me pulling for her and what's left of normal.

Boy do I love this song. I got the Eagles vibe too. What a cool collaboration. That guitar solo was incredible. Greg just loved your vocal and lyric. Such a nice compliment to Alan's instrumental.

One of the best songs I have heard on the forum and should be on iTunes. Well done

Greg and Alan

That came together incredibly well. Nice chord progression and track selection and Greg, what a vocal!
Stunning work on a great song.

Peter

Couldn't wait to hear this

two of my favorite musicians,

absolutely love the chord progressions (does have a touch of Hotel Cal.)

great write and mix Allen

Greg, what a voice! beautiful melodies

very creative

what a song!!!

Great one!

Thanks Bob! Just listened to your new one....Wonderful!! Take care. Greg

Greg and Alan, this is great. Love the song, the production ... AND THOSE VOCALS!

Blooming wow. This is absolutely top-notch. I'm not even going to start analysing it because I wouldn't know where to start. Everything is top quality, every single element of this. Genuinely, congratulations to all involved!!!

Hi, Greg and Alan !:))


This is absolutely superb
in every aspect, the tune,
singing, mixing etc. What
great collab guys !:))

Cheers
Dani

Greg/Alan, I can only endorse the previous comments here. This is a corker of a song, great backing tracks and a superb lyric fabulously sung. I also loved the vocal harmonies, not to mention the great arrangement. Wow all round! Well done guys.

John

What a tune! Incredibly ear-catching right from the opening chords. Someone else mentioned the Eagles - and that is a formidable comparison. It flows gorgeously, and really has some outstanding progressions. And that chorus - I was sold.

I wouldn't change a thing - thanks for sharing

Greg and Alan,

Wow, this is great! Really love what you have done here. Great write, guitar solo really fits, good mix. What's not to like?

Steve

Great treatment of Alan's song in this one Greg! Top vocal as always! Thanks, Torrey

West Coast in sound and title.

All kinds of influences from some of the best of that sub-genre and era. Very Henley like phrasing and that is always a good thing.

Love what Tangmo said "he vocal is outstanding and delivers this sad and seedy tale slowly and with such a sense of inevitability." Yeah!

Beyond the phrasing it's just a great vocal and harmony. And write, and arrangement and mix. Super cool melody.

We love forum collabs and this is one of the top ones showing off the talents of two forum members and the power of BiaB.

Kudos!

J&B

Greg & Alan,
Excellent collaboration! Arrangement vocals and production are sparkling on this. Powerful, yet very gentle on ears. Enjoyed it very much!

Thank you for posting!

Misha.

Thanks to everyone who has commented so nicely on this song since my last comment. As I've mentioned ... Greg is the real star of this show. I'm sure he'll be along to follow up with all of you soon. He's pretty busy in his personal life right now.

Again, glad you are enjoying the song. Greg's pretty dang good, wouldn't you say?

Alan

Thanks Jim! Yeah, I really love sad stories. Take care. Greg

Wow love this song just awesome work here thanks for the listen eric

Thanks Floyd for those incredibly kind words! Any comparison to Henley and the Eagles is gold in my book. Appreciate it so much! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Mario! Just listened to Lost in my Thoughts....WOW!!! Take care. Greg

Love it!
Great job!

Very nice chord progression, some Hotel California and some While My Guitar Gently Weeps feeling there. That guitar solo is perfect. Superb vocals and lovely harmonies.

Janne

Pardon my un-originality, but FJ's critique is right on. 30 seconds into this I'm like 'So that's what Henley's been up to.'

Excellent collab, guys.

Thanks so much for that wonderful review Noel! Much appreciated! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much! Been digging your recent posts! Take care. Greg

THanks Scott! Love your new one with Robert! Take care. Greg

Greg and Alan,

Terrific collaboration—very Beatlesque sound to me in spots. Great production—love the chord changes. And Greg offers up another compelling vocal—those complimentary melodies in the bridge just before the guitar solo are a thing of beauty. The whole thing works—first rate, professional sound. Really enjoyed this one!

My best to you both,

Deej

Great song and a great collaboration. Top quality write, production, arrangement and performance. Greg's vocals are spot on. Enjoyed my listen.


I did experiment a bit with this song after pondering if the same as Hotel California, how would this song sound and work as an acoustic version? I downloaded the song, processed it through the ACW, isolated Greg's vocals and off I went. Playing with the song acoustically gave me more of a bluegrass/folk feel that moved away from the Hotel California feel, so I changed a few chords and found a great acoustic style, _OLBONES.STY and captured a completely different feel but a feel that I think worked wonderfully well with Greg's vocal phrasing. To me, that makes me think this a really strong write for you guys. Good job.

Darned, all the superlatives are already taken.

Everything is great, but that vocal... so good.

Yeah, this REALLY good y'all.

I too felt a little Don Henley, but it was totally original.

Was that you guys playing?



Killer song!!

This is great Alan and Greg!

Love the eagles vibe happening on this, very cool indeed.

Great progression and arrangement, and that lead guitar is right on the money. Loved the lyric, and man, those vocals!

Outstanding collaboration!

What a fabulous collaboration! I love your voice: a clear and pleasing tone and very expressive. I enjoyed every aspect of this song.

Thanks Peter! Much appreciated! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Kenny!! Really appreciated from a quality writer like you! Take care. Greg

Alan Here ...

A big thank you to all who have commented so nicely. Greg really put a shine on this one! To have such a voice ... sigh. And again, a big thanks to Greg for working his magic with this!
I've been kind of hit and miss lately ... life got in the way. But, should be back more often real soon.

Again, thanks to all ...

Alan

Compelling well written story song. Y'all created a wonderful collab. The vocals, arrangement and that guitar solo really made the hotel california vibe your own. Kept my attention throughout. As Mario likes to say this one is a keeper for sure. Impressive!

I'm always happy when an instrumental is "converted".
This is a grand job by all concerned - including BIAB.

Great work on this Greg and Alan! I found this very easy to listen to and has a fantastic choice of instrumentation on this. Quite enjoyed those guitar licks too!

You guys really kicked some tail on this one, excellent song, love the vocals and guitar work especially.

Thanks so much Mike! Loved your last instrumental! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much for those nice comments! Appreciate the listen and kind words. Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Dani!! Take care. Greg

Thanks John! Listened to your new one...blew me away!! Take care. Greg

Thanks Deryk! Appreciate your very kind words! Take care. Greg

Thanks so much Steve! Always love hearing your songs! Take care. Greg

Thanks Torrey! You've been killing it lately! Take care. Greg

Just want to add my thanks to Greg's for all the nice compliments and comments on the song. As does Greg, I sure do appreciate them!

Alan

THanks J and B. LOVE your new one with Floyd!! Killer! Take care. Greg

Thanks Misha! You've been doing some great stuff! Take care. Greg

Thanks Eric. Love your latest.....heard it yesterday! Take care. Greg

Thanks Buja for listening and commenting! Take care. Greg

Thanks Janne! Heard your new one yesterday....one of my faves from you! Take care. Greg