This time last year I rerecorded one of the first songs I shared on the forum- thought I`d post the new version before another October passes...and before I catch up on the songs I`ve been missing in busyness lately.
I`ll get there - don`t deduct my karma points just yet!
Track info is buried somewhere...hate it when Biab updates and tells me "style not found"

October Vow


October Vow

V1
when the lights of the last fishing boat
go winking out o`er the sea
and the eyelids of my children
are saying "yes" and "no" to sleep

when the trees on the hills are all bundled up
in their capes of calico
the golden harvest moonrise
looks down into my soul

C
with a curse, a whistle and a bow
I make an October vow

V2
all through these days they thresh the grain
`til the windy blades are still
I stand before my children then
an oak bidding swallows farewell

for down in the dark,dark cellar
with the apples and plums so red
all the days of my youth lie
asleep in their blankety bed

C
with a curse,a whistle and a bow
I make an October vow

V3
my life I`ll live beholden
to autumn`s unbending law
like the green leaves of the Rowan
I`ll darken and deepen and fall

C
with a curse,a whistle and a bow
I make an October vow
forgive as the worm forgives the plough
when I make an October vow

© Robert Cordrey Aug.1996

Robert,

This sounds really good.

Excellent BAND choice, good arrangement and a good mix. Solid vocal.

Everything about this works.


fj

Robert, this is a super song. I really liked the backing tracks, brilliant! The violin solo was spot on. Your vocals were perfect. The harmonies were icing on the cake.

More great work from the Showcase laureate. Enjoyed it as always.

Hey I was just about to throw up another flare. :-). I am so glad you reposted this. Such a cool tune. Loved this...

Really cool arrangement.
The harmonies work a treat to conjure the autumnal images.

Really love how you created the arrangement on this one. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Robert,

I don't think I remember this one from before.

Lovely vocal, especially when you bring in the harmonies. I think you really have that nailed, the way you mix them in, sounds fabulous through the 'phones.

Good song, enjoyed!

Thank you,Floyd.



Mario,
I appreciate those positive comments.



Thanks for having a listen and commenting.




Scott,
Well it`s approaching the time I usually feel ready for a break... my hibernation this year may be a bit delayed as I have a few new songs perolating.
Glad you remembered this one!

Robert

Robert

The song sounds excellent and the vocal is top notch.

A wonderfully evocative tune and of course the lyrics are wonderful.

Lovely.

Peter

"and the eyelids of my children
are saying "yes" and "no" to sleep"

Nice! That'll certainly make the listener
want to stick around...

Fine vocals (really nice harmony), arrangement and mix.

The fiddle sits in perfectly with the great band choice.

Thanks for bringing it back!

J&B

Thanks RayC!



Ember,
Apart from comping the fiddle solo from multi-riff I think BiaB made the arrangement a breeze on this one.
Thanks forlistening.



Thank you for that, Dave.
I find it uncomfortable to listen to the early songs I posted- its a relief to be able to bring better vocal & production skills to them.I know some folks would prefer to be able to listen to both versions... I like to sweep out the old!


Robert

Hi Robert,

You made a very lovely sweet song with clever lyrics. And the harmony-vocals come in very nicely.
Gives me a (melancholic) smile on my face when listening. Love it!
Nothing to complain about...

Hans

Good mix. Kinda soothing music, simple but effective. Well done!!

Robert...

My god, man !!! Your lyrics, your lyrics, your lyrics for October Vow...they're positively over-flowing with eye-opening, wondrous, seasonal and natural imagery, and the feelings they express about the things that give us so much pleasure in our lives, are as timeless as the created universe. I honestly don't want to quote any of them, for fear of implying that some of them are better than the others, but I can't help it:

"When the lights of the last fishing boat
go winking out o`er the sea
and the eyelids of my children
are saying "yes" and "no" to sleep..."

Do you know how beautiful that is??? Who needs music when you can read such inspired poetry??? But, of course, the music only deepens the pleasure of reading/listening to the words.

My memory of listening to your Users' Forum posts over the years tells me that I've encountered this lovely gift of yours for composing words that evoke such moving feelings, many times before. Thank you for sharing that gift, again, with your fellow forum members!

Always waiting for more,

LOREN (a.k.a. 'bluage')

Hi Robert,

This is great!

That refrain, "With a curse, a whistle and a bow, I make an October vow" is incredibly visual. When I first heard it, I smiled right across my face... very clever -- I'm sitting here thinking that it's like poetry meets lyrics meets Technicolor!

I absolutely love your ensemble that you've assembled for this. The gentle lilt of 6/8 or 12/8 was like sitting in a boat and rocking back and forth as waves slosh to and fro.

Wonderful writing and terrific presenting!

All the best,
Noel

• Kurt Schneider remakes and produces “Fight Song” in a single take – very impressive watching!

Really nicely done - really loved the harmonies, and how vivid the imagery is with the lyricism. It really paints a picture, and sets a fantastic mood. Thanks for sharing

The song really swings like a boat on a sea. It is so easy to sink into the beautiful lyrical landscape. You have selected great inspiring backing band, the fiddle expresses the autumn exceptionally well. Great vocals and harmonies.

Janne

Thank you, Peter!



J&B,
Opening lines are so important-coming up with a keeper one of the joys of songwriting!
Even a year on from this recording I can hear little things that I hope I`m doing better now, but I appreciate your kind comments... and it does feel good to have replaced the original Helicon harmonies with my own.




Thanks for your listen...and for not complaining!




Thank you!




Loren,
Your review leaves me wordless- not a common occurrence, so thank you very much!
Since you kindly highlighted the opening lines though...on the original posting a few years back I think I told how I was riding my bike over the Lions Gate Bridge one dark morning and saw the lights of a small boat just going over the horizon-having just left a sleeping child at home, something connected the two images.
Thank you for your amazing review.

Robert

Nice overall sound and mix, melodic flow along style, I haven't heard the first version so commenting on this one only

Noel, Deryk,Jannesan & Beatmaster- thank you all very much for your kind comments.
(Whoa....miss a day and you`re on page3... how to hack the forum so my songs bump themselves?!).

Robert

Very poetic...-
And a pleasant mix...
I enjoyed listening!

Excellent presentation all the way through.

Great lyrics, vocal harmonies and the violin fills are superb.

Well done, no question.

Robert ...

You have such a pleasant and enjoyable voice. And everything about this song is so well mixed and crafted. What a true treat this is ... loved that mandolin! Wishing you everything good ...

Alan

Robert,

A very nice melody.
I think this is the royal road of folk music.
I agree with Noel.
The gentle lilt of 6/8 or 12/8 was like sitting in a boat and rocking back and forth as waves slosh to and fro.
Again, I understand that you love these styles the most.
Your vocals and harmonies just fit this tune.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Hi Rob,

I guess that the first post was before I joined this forum, so I heard this song for the first time today.

Very nice, really catches the mood and you sing it so well and dedicatedly.

A very fine mix, too. Liked the whole song a lot.

Stefan

Thank you Jim, Video Track,Alan,Shigeki & Crossroads for all your kind comments.

Robert

Very nice song Robert!! You are such a poet! I don't remember hearing this before.....like it a LOT!! Take care. Greg

Thanks for that, Greg...maybe the second or third song I posted here ( after about 70 songs I wouldn`t expect anyone to remember all my tunes- I don`t!).

Robert

Beautiful work Robert! You are a master at using the program now as well as being in the top tier of lyricists here! Great song! Thanks, Torrey