Expectations (Original)

Well hi, ladies and gents, and whatever else lurks out there!!!

It's been quite some time. I'd like to blame the hiatus on life in general ... and that's somewhat true, but the truth is, I've been "stuck".

This song's been holding up the works for a while ... because I didn't quite know what to do with it. Not one of my best, but it's important ... it's part of my "concept" for the album, and, in fact, it's supposed to be the first song.

My previous attempts at it were all kind of ... "meh". Well it might not be the kickest-[*****] (that's a word, right) song ever, but it at least has to not suck.

Plus I like it. It's inspired by Chapter 2 in Norton Juster's "The Phantom Tollbooth". I marry it to life in general, because that's what Norton meant to do with it.

The first step in its re-imagining was to play up the samba beat. But it still wasn't ... whimsical enough. Well, Expectations itself was modeled after a travel agency/welcome center ... which we associate with vacations, and .., hey, steel drum! Only I don't play, and Band in a Box's midi steel drums are ... well. Let's just say I wish I had someone playing real steel drums here, but this was the best I could do.

It was better, but just like ... meh+. It still really needed something. I wanted a ratchet percussion track. Maybe even a samba whistle (it didn't end up with one, but I AM getting one :-) ) and then I stumbled on this "Afro Cuban" jazz style with congas and a bit of Cuban jazzy guitar and ...

Well you know what? I think I like it!

BIAB-wise, this is a real hodgepodge. Here's the BIAB info as best as I can summarize it for you (I've been toying with different things for, like, a year):

****** Song Summary *************
Title: Expectations
File:Expectations Afro Cuban.SGU
Key=C , Tempo 120, Length (m:s)=2:48
No intro. 80 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 80. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Styles are Style is _SHAKEIT.STY (Shake It Calypso Pop w Shaker),_CBOLGTS.STY (Cuban Bolero Guitar Quartet)

SoloistCustom Synth is Hi-Q 001 01 Piano, Acoustic, Grand Sforzando.tgs with midi steel drum patch
RealTracks in style: 1174:Bass, Electric, PopCalypso Ev 100
RealTracks in style: 1902:Guitar, Acoustic, Background Bolero Ev 090
RealDrums [in style:SalsaBolero: a: SalsaBolerob: SalsaBolero

*******************

I actually play rhythm guitar on this, and the "awesome" (extremely simple) solo is me, too. Well I want SOME of my playing to end up on the album.

I'd like to be able to explain what I did with the steel drums, but oh my God. I doubt I can. What you hear is a cross between a midi piano track I patched with a midi Steel Drum in Band in a Box, then I also used that midi track and duplicated it in Reaper with a few styles of steel drum I could locate, delaying some tracks ... trying to get it to sound less midi and more natural. I only succeeded a little.

Vocals are once again all me.

Lyrics. Song link at the top. Hope you like it.

----
Expectations
Phil Leith - Walking Bird Music

Welcome to Expectations
To the land of the untarnished dream
It's not but a pause between here and gone
And nothing is quite what it seems

Welcome to Expectations
Where the glossies are vivid and bright
What will you bring for your travels ahead?
And what will you leave behind?

There's adventure out on that open road
And it's likely not what you had in mind
Keep an eye out for things you're not looking for
Or you might as well be flying blind

Welcome to Expectations
To make your journey worthwhile
Best if your pack is fast and light
You can trade a few tears for a smile

Welcome to Expectations
Now don't you linger too long
Lay down your worries, lay down your pen
And just start singing your song

You can find your own way sure as you go
If you don't cling to any one dream
If you find mine, it was lost long ago
Would you please return it to me?

Welcome to Expectations
Welcome to Expectations
Welcome to Expectations

Hi Phil. Your hyperlink does not work because the last letter of the word 'original' is missing. I found the track by navigating to your soundcloud page and looking to "Expectations" there.

Nice song by the way

Thank you, I will fix it.

The URL link icon wasn't working for me so I hard-coded it, and apparently had a typo.

Your vocals and rhythm guitar add some important warmth to the track.
I think you did a good job naturalizing the midi.

It has been a while Phil...
This song sounds like a great start for your "concept" album...
Its catchy, happy, & bright...
And I really like the lines...

You can find your own way sure as you go
If you don't cling to any one dream
If you find mine, it was lost long ago
Would you please return it to me?

Pretty nifty lyrics indeed!

I really adored the lyrics, especially the following:

"There's adventure out on that open road
And it's likely not what you had in mind
Keep an eye out for things you're not looking for
Or you might as well be flying blind"

Great job! Thanks for sharing.

hi phil great job really nice mix and write and vocal loved it eric

I like the triple harmony with one duplicating lead vocal words and 2nd doing "oohs" and "ahs".

Thank you, I really do like choosing the right words and trying to fit them. I'm a lyric guy.

I wish I could take full credit for the lines about finding your own way and "if you find mine" were actually almost directly from the book. I mean, not quite. But really close. It is really quite clever as is the whole book. And the song was written as a tribute to the book.

Like I said it was literally inspired by the short blurb in the book about The Land of Expectations, and I was looking back to this book I'd read many times as a child (and several times as an adult as well) and how much it really fit the story of my adult life. Expectations, where everything's a possibility and you try to decide how your trip (or your life) is going to go, and then the difference between those expectations and what you actually encounter in life.

I've always been a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of guy, and that has served me well in this regard, after some rough social lessons in early adulthood.

Anyway, see for yourself the bits I lifted from the story to that verse... it's the most direct correlation you'll find between the song and the story other than "Welcome to Expectations".

``"Expectations is the place you must always go before you get to where you're going. Of course, some people never go beyond Expectations, but my job is to hurry them along whether they like it or not. Now what else can I do for you?," asked the Whether Man. Before Milo could reply he rushed into the house and reappeared a moment later with a new coat and an umbrella.

"I think I can find my own way," said Milo, not at all sure he could. But since he didn't understand the little man at all, he decided that he might as well move on -- at least until he met someone whose sentences didn't always sound as if they would make as much sense backwards as forwards.

"Splendid, splendid, splendid," exclaimed the Whether Man. "Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty. You did say it was going to rain, didn't you?" And with that he opened the umbrella and walked Milo to the car.``

It's been a while since I've read the book (or seen the Chuck Jones' film adaption), but the song certainly fits the spirit of the text, but stands alone quite well.

Good job with the lyrics, and managing to find something that works well for you. One of the things about BiaB is that you've got too much... until you want something exactly some particular way. But as you pointed out - sometimes being willing to try something another way will get you to what you wanted, even if it wasn't quite what you had in mind.

Something about setting you're expecations aside or something...

I like the mix, but think the reverb on the background vocals are a bit much. It's not at all a bad sound, it just calls attention to the vocals, instead of helping them sit in the back in the mix.

An enjoyable song - well sung, catchy and nice lyrics.

Nice work on this - makes for a really unique and enticing listen, and as others mentioned the lyrics are a definitely standout. Some really great harmonies, and your vocals are top notch as well.

Thanks for sharing!

Enjoyable and catchy melody, lots of wisdom in the lyrics, definitely a feel good song making me smile

Fantastic vocal harmonies, gives some African mood. And together with that excellent Latin rhythmic background, this is something Paul Simon could have done, but still very original. It's hard not to listen to this again and again.

Janne

"Welcome to Expectations
To make your journey worthwhile
Best if your pack is fast and light
You can trade a few tears for a smile"

Nice positive write.

Nice positive backing tracks vibe.

Nice heartfelt vocals.

NICE!

J&B

Great work on this Phil, wowzers! The arrangement is wonderful to the ears and the mix sounds well polished too. Very captivating lyrics. Looking forward to hear more!

Very cool song!! The vocals are exceptional and the instrumentation completely fits the mood. Enjoyed a lot!! Take care. Greg

Loved this tune. Loved the vocal and lyric. The rhythm section on this some was also very cool. Really nice choice of instruments..

Phil,

A really enjoyable listen. A nice write.

I thought the steel drums sounded quite good. And the rest of the instrumentation fits well.

The vocals are nice, though often get a bit too much in-you-face as the harmonies come in and combine with the lead. The secondary vocals (harmonies and ooohs) need to be "softened" to fall behind the lead vocal - a bit more reverb and delay and a bit less volume.

I like it.

fj

I enjoyed this. Somewhat Paul Simonish to me with a slight nod to the Ladysmith Black Mambazo days. Very nicely done!

Ok! Thanks for all the feedback. I have gone back and addressed some timing issues and toned down the background vocals, which in turn exposed too much verb in the lead vocals. So I toned that down, too.

I'm a sucker for big harmonies that jump out and hit you and I have a tendency to hit you too hard with them :-D

You guys are a great sounding board! I updated the soundcloud file with the new mix, and I think it sounds like it's ready for the album.

I'm getting there! This one had me stuck for ... a very long time.

I've got two Christmas songs I'd like to get out on a single by mid November, though. I'd better get started on them.

This and being a grandpa and having a full-time job! It's such a fun side project, though, I wish I could make more time to devote to it. I guess it goes in phases and Spring/Summer 2018 were an "on" phase.

I'm tryin'!

You've really lightened the mood with this. Strong lyric, great band, and a playful mix. Much enjoyed.