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Posted By: JoanneCooper Whispers of You - 10/03/19 08:58 AM
Hello Band-in-a-Box lovers

Here is the last song I wrote for the 50 90 songwriting challenge. Only 8 songs completed but I still consider it a win!

The lyrics for this one were written by the wonderful and prolific Liz Petty.



Lyrics:
sitting by the shore
watching the river run by
I see the time passing
as clouds blow in the sky
the air is getting colder
days are growing short
I feel you all around me
deep within my heart

I hear whispers in the willows
I hear whispers in the wind
Whisper your laughter
and the love we were in
I hear whispers in the wind

underneath the willow
sheltered from the storm
I feel the cool rain fallling
longing for your arms
I wonder what you’re doing
if you ever think of me
I feel the chill of loneliness
Beneath the willow tree

I hear whispers in the water
I hear whispers in the rain
Whisper your love songs
and a sad refrain
I hear whispers in the rain

B
the wind and rain remind me
how everything can change
as I feel the tears start falling
faster than the rain

C
I hear whispers in the willows
I hear whispers in the wind
whisper your laughter
the love we were in
I hear whispers in the wind

I hear whispers in the water
I hear whispers in the rain
whisper your love songs
and a sad refrain
I hear whispers in the rain

RealTracks:
RealTracks in style: 1827:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 1839:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 1596:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: 1947:Mandolin, Rhythm PopModernGrooveAndy Ev16 075
RealDrums [in style:PopModernGrooveSync16^1-a:Snare on 4, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride


Listens and/or comments are always much appreciated!
Posted By: HearToLearn Re: Whispers of You - 10/03/19 09:27 AM
First off, Liz did a great job with the lyrics! Now, you're musical interpretations of those lyrics are wonderful! What a cool song. You melodic choices along with that style is really enjoyable all the way around.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but there is something very John Denver-ish to your writing style to me. If you knew how much I love John Denver songs, that statement would probably have much more impact.

May I ask how you did the harmonies/backing vocals? They sound slightly synthetic, but not too much to me. I actually really like that sound. Just super tight supporting backing vocals. Very cool in my book.

Thanks again for another great song. It's stuck in my head in all the right ways. smile Great job Joanne!
Posted By: floyd jane Re: Whispers of You - 10/03/19 09:36 AM
Joanne,

I agree with HTL - there is a John Denver vibe, for sure...

A really nice arrangement, nice use of BIAB. And a good mix.

fj
Posted By: Charlie Fogle Re: Whispers of You - 10/03/19 10:31 AM
Wonderful write, arrangement and performance. Enjoyed my listen. Your folk sound is a great niche for you and fits you well. Check out the DADGAD tunings RT's by Quinn Bachand. While the RT's may not fit every song you write, the tuning will. Tune your guitar to DADGAD for your next write and see where it may take you.
Posted By: musician17 Re: Whispers of You - 10/03/19 11:08 AM
Beautiful. Well done!
Posted By: Deryk - PG Music Re: Whispers of You - 10/03/19 11:17 AM
Nice work, Joanne smile This is the kind of tune you can listen to and it just puts you in a good mood. Very upbeat and pretty, and I found the mix to be lush as well. Some really great instrumentation on this one, and a really well rounded track.

Thanks for sharing!
Posted By: rayc Re: Whispers of You - 10/04/19 04:40 AM
Stellar vocals as usual. I don't hear anything synthetic in the harmonies.
A really nice arrangement to support the song based around a lovely melody and chord progression.
Top stuff.
Posted By: beatmaster Re: Whispers of You - 10/04/19 04:51 PM
This is taking me back to as been said before John Denver / Olivia newton John style.

Beautiful vocals fit this to a T.

And delivered in a beautiful easy listen way .

Thanks
Posted By: Rustyspoon# Re: Whispers of You - 10/04/19 08:10 PM
Joanne,
Beautiful vocals, phrasing stands out too! Mix is open and airy! Listens very well.
Enjoyed it.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.
Posted By: MarioD Re: Whispers of You - 10/04/19 08:32 PM
Originally Posted By: Rustyspoon#
Joanne,
Beautiful vocals, phrasing stands out too! Mix is open and airy! Listens very well.
Enjoyed it.

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.


I agree. Your harmonies are perfect. As usual you have raised the bar again.

Super song.
Posted By: Noel96 Re: Whispers of You - 10/06/19 03:57 PM
Hi Joanne,

Everything sits nice and comfortably in this presentation... the music, the lyrics, your vocals. As I listened, I kept on thinking, "Joanne has such a great voice. She carries these lyrics and tells Liz's story very, very well. The musical setting of them is excellent."

As others before me, I also noticed the hint of John Denver weaving its way through this presentation. And I say that as a sincere compliment.

In short, I really enjoyed listening.

All the best,
Noel
Posted By: AudioTrack Re: Whispers of You - 10/06/19 05:08 PM
Joanne, exceptional from start to finish.

The vocal work is extraordinary, which simply matches the caliber of the lyrics.

Really enjoyed this.
Posted By: bluage Re: Whispers of You - 10/07/19 03:53 AM
Dear Ms. Cooper & Ms. Petty...

The title of your song, Whispers of You, is lovely and evocative enough to have its own music heard in the simple speaking of those words…but in a whisper, of course smile . The title can't help but evoke the mutual experience of shared intimacy, as in 'into me, see'.

Also, you can't go wrong as a songwriter when the lyrics composed by Ms. Petty find their inspiration in the near-inexpressibly beautiful things she observes in our Mother Nature that rival the beauty we see within (and without) the persons we give our love to, and whom we hope will accept it from us, and give it back.

What I mean is, this Earth feeds us, shelters us, clothes us, provides us with enough mundane and mystical wonders to contemplate for the span of our entire lives, and all these things are given to us absolutely freely by Her, without us even having to ask for them. Now, if that ain't love of the unconditional kind, I don't what is. All we have to do, is follow her example, and I get the strong sense that you and Ms. Petty are doing just that, through the way the lyrics discover and explore the way human beings' feelings for each other are mirrored in the moods and movements of 'Nature'.

Musically speaking, I really like the way the voices are doubled and delayed in section C of the song. They have the rhythm of waves that rush to the shore, retreat, and then return to the shore, ceaselessly, inevitably and, perhaps, joyfully. Who knows? At the very least, you could say they are always there for each other, ha, ha smile !!! The Real Tracks underscoring your arrangement radiate warmth, and a sense of the peace and contentment that comes from two hearts/people/lovers that have committed to each other.

It’s a reflective, refreshing, and reassuring song. Thank you and Ms. Petty for unveiling it on the User's Forum!

- bluage -
Posted By: PeterF Re: Whispers of You - 10/07/19 04:09 AM
Joanne,
Never easy following Loren, lovely folk feel, pretty vocals, and harmonies, nice lyrics and a good mix.

Top stuff.

Peter
Posted By: Greg Johnson Re: Whispers of You - 10/07/19 01:50 PM
Really nice song all the way around.......lyrics, melody, arrangement/mix, and of course, the vocals!!! Great job Joanne!! Take care. Greg
Posted By: Janice & Bud Re: Whispers of You - 10/07/19 07:56 PM
As always you show just how good you are with a traditional folk feel. Perfect for your vocals.

And what a nice lyric you had to work with!

Well done...

J&B
Posted By: TuneMonger Re: Whispers of You - 10/07/19 09:16 PM
Another gem from you, I listened several times which is always a good sign that you've done something well.
Posted By: jannesan Re: Whispers of You - 10/08/19 03:44 PM
Enjoyable folk tune with great band. I like especially the strong chorus and vocals & harmonies there. Beautiful nature imagery in lyrics.

Janne
Posted By: Tangmo Re: Whispers of You - 10/08/19 05:40 PM
You and this style of music are a natural match. Love the imagery and alliteration in the lyric and your melodic and rhythmic rendering of them is spot on. The band sounds great, smooth on the bottom and light and percussive on the top...kind of like those clouds blowing in the sky. Very, very nice. Congrats on 8. It's not a race or a contest. It's a challenge.
Posted By: dcuny Re: Whispers of You - 10/09/19 12:41 AM
Good arrangement and lyrics, melodic, well sung. Simply put, really nice! laugh

Nits:

For some reason, the delayed vocal (you can hear it at 2:00) had a sort of digital delay vibe, which felt out of place given how "natural" the rest of the arrangement was. Which is ironic if you consider that all the BiaB instruments are actually digital manipulations of sorts. crazy

The mandolin seemed a bit aggressive. I love the mandolin, but perhaps it was a bit too forward in the mix. Or not.

Not Nits:

Everything else. wink
Posted By: Leon1 Re: Whispers of You - 10/09/19 12:55 AM
Hi Joanne
What a lovely song. Great vocal, lyrics and arrangement. Really enjoyed it.
Regards,
Leon
Posted By: animarorecords Re: Whispers of You - 10/09/19 02:55 AM
Joanne,

Stellar vocals as usual.
I entirely agree with rayc.
I don't hear anything synthetic in the harmonies, either.
A really nice arrangement to support the song based around a lovely melody and chord progression.
Top stuff.
I'm always impressed with your constant challenges to the competitions.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi
Posted By: Deej56 Re: Whispers of You - 10/09/19 03:11 AM
Joanne,

Beautiful vocal . . . lovely harmonies . . . nah, check that, KILLER harmonies. Nice hook going into that chorus; definitely an ear worm vibe going on there. This is solid from start to finish. Deserves a ton of listens, and a ton more after that. Very pretty.

Humble regards,

Deej
Posted By: Al-David Re: Whispers of You - 10/09/19 04:39 AM
Originally Posted By: rayc
Stellar vocals as usual. I don't hear anything synthetic in the harmonies.
A really nice arrangement to support the song based around a lovely melody and chord progression.
Top stuff.


Good Morning (It's still early morning here in Alabama).

Ray said most of what I was gonna say ... probably said it better than I would have. I get a hint of Nancy Griffith in your voice. And that's a good thing in my opinion. You always post some of the nicest music on this forum. This was a real pleasure to listen to. Wishing you & yours the very best ...

Alan
Posted By: Scott C Re: Whispers of You - 10/10/19 02:31 PM
Another lovely song Joanne. Beautiful lyric and excellent vocal. Well done
Posted By: gruverider Re: Whispers of You - 10/12/19 02:18 PM
Wonderful song! I really love the chorus. So well mixed.

much enjoyed!
Posted By: Birchwood Re: Whispers of You - 10/13/19 12:46 PM
Hi Joanne,

This is a very nice example of how Folkmusic must be made.
Your voice(s) gave it a sentimental touch that made me smile.
And the mandolin gave some sort of contrast to the soft tones of the song/voices.
I like how that worked out.

But you have to explain what you have to do to win that 50/90 contest.
I don't get it and Google wouldn't help me with it.

Hans
Posted By: Al-David Re: Whispers of You - 10/13/19 08:12 PM
Originally Posted By: beatmaster
This is taking me back to as been said before John Denver / Olivia newton John style.

Beautiful vocals fit this to a T.

And delivered in a beautiful easy listen way .

Thanks


Hi! My second time to chime in on this great song ...

I have to fully agree with Beatmaster. This is so darn beautiful. Your voice is lush but so explicitly clear. That was quite a musical treat! Totally loved it! Wishing everything good ...

Alan
Posted By: Mark K Re: Whispers of You - 10/28/19 12:58 PM
Lovely song with engaging vocals and well done harmonies. The vocals are mixed "strong" without drowning the instruments. Enjoyed the listen.
Posted By: Guitarhacker Re: Whispers of You - 10/28/19 02:31 PM
Yep... a great folk song for sure. Loved the work you put into this. Great selection of tracks too.
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