Been a little bit sick (to understate things - thankfully, I'm at 100% now), so I've fallen behind on what's been happening here and listening to your wonderful songs - sorry :-( I'm better now ... and wrote this this afternoon ... hope you enjoy? Thanks for listening and for any and every feedback! I will now go eat and then come back to listen to as many of the songs that have been published while I was recovering as I can :-)

BIAB tracks are below, mixed in Audacity with 20% reverb and a compressor thingie applied to my voice :-)

https://hearthis.at/jamesdelsono/happy-birthday-baby-jesus/

Lyrics:

Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus,
Happy Birthday - don't you cry,
Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus,
We can do it if we try.

Though the dream of your birth
Will lie shattered one dark day,
Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus,
Thanks for coming anyway.

We are weary; for the world
Still the dark prefers to see,
And the candles that burn bright
Are so quickly snuffed away ...

If you're tired, don't you worry,
Please don't tarry just for me,
Holy Infant, Baby Jesus,
Hold me in your memory ...

Happy Birthday, Holy Infant,
That for us is born today,
Happy Birthday, One and Only
That can point to us the way,

Though such trials, tribulations
Fill your chosen destiny,
If you can, when you are weary,
Don't forget how you loved me.

****** Song Summary *************
Title: Happy Birthday (Baby Jesus)
File:Happy Birthday (Baby Jesus) - 8 November 2019.SGU
Key=C , Tempo 75, Length (m:s)=3:44
No intro. 66 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 66. Repeat x1 chorus
No Melody
No Soloist track.
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Style is _WOEFUL.STY (Woeful Songwriter Fingerstyle)

RealTracks in style: 1825:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 2334:String Quartet, Rhythm PopChamber Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 2552:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Songwriter16ths Ev16 075
RealTracks in style: 1837:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075
RealDrums [in style:BluesRockSlowEv^3-a:SideStick , b:Snare, Ride

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

It's been three days and no-one's commented on this, so it's either utterly rubbish or it somehow got lost in the mix, haha. Hoping it's the latter, I'll bump this up this once ;-) No worries if you don't feel like commenting, though - or if it indeed is too dire for comment ;-)

I guess I missed it. I really like the mix of the whole song. It sounds really good. The kick drum stands out real nicely for me. Your vocals sound good with the effects you added as well. Keep up the good work!

It's good that you bumped this. I don't get to spend as much time on the User Showcase as I did in the past and I caught your comment in the Latest Topics.

There's a lot to like about your song and production. The music and the way you did the vocal phrasing were a good match. Your mix was very good, better than I expected from your comments. Compression thingy was a new expression for me... Your use of it demonstrated to me what you may lack in technical knowledge you overcome with a good ear...

Enjoyed my listen.

sslechta: Thank you! Very kind of you to listen and comment :-)

Charlie Fogle: haha. I'm totally clueless when it comes to production techniques! as you can no doubt tell :-) but I like making music anyway, so I do my best ;-) lol. Thanks for a really nice comment!!! much appreciated :-)

The backing seems pretty tidy though there's a lot of string noise in RealTrack 2552.
The stereo image is good too.
I mentioned my concerns regarding your vocal tracks so won't go into them again.
Lyrically I'm confused about a song addressed to new born that is believed, generally, to have become an adult. I don't understand the many positions on trinity, monotheism etc. and this one made me even more lost.

Nicely done - I thought it flowed nicely, and your vocals match the instrumentation beautifully. Overall a really engaging tune. Thanks for sharing!

James,

Nice backing tracks. (the vocal is a bit "hot").

Wishing you the best for full recovery, James.
Very nice job on this on. You are getting that unique style down pat, James.

rayc: I'm very much learning how to produce songs and I don't pretend anything otherwise, so I'm not surprised that the same issues with voice levels, etc., re-surface. Trust me, it's a lot better than the original recording ... I'll work on it!

As for the "baby who became adult" thing, I believe it's customary at Christmas to address the "baby" version of Jesus if one wants to ... regardless of the fact that He became an adult later :-) ... so that's my excuse ;-)

Deryk: thanks. Really and genuinely appreciate your feedback!

floyd jane: "vocal is a bit 'hot' ". What does that mean? I'm hopeless at "technical slang", lol ... ;-)

edshaw: thank you. I'm at full speed now, I hope. Very kind words - many, many thanks :-)

Hi James,

I'm a little late in getting to this one. Sometimes life takes control and it's just necessary to go with the proverbial flow (good or bad).

I agree with Deryk. This really is "Nicely done... your vocals match the instrumentation beautifully."

You're developing quite a flair for presenting narrative against music.

I enjoyed listening!

Regards,
Noel

Dear 'musician17'...

Could a song be sweet, and reverent, all at the same time? I think it could, if I used your production of Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus as the best example of such a thing. It could be a seasonal 'standard' for children's choirs because of its simplicity and innocence. Your lyrics are blessedly inspired, and sound as though meant what you expressed concerning being happy for Jesus' birth.

May I make a request? Would you re-post Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus to the forum, but with you singing your lyrics instead of reciting them? After enjoying it on your website, I stuck around and listened to you sing Postcards at Christmas. It was a memorable experience because of the obvious conviction and warmth in your voice. You sing from your heart, and that's as powerful as anything!

Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a happy, promising New Year to you and yours .

Truly,

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

Hi James,

I have missed your song, although I remember seeing it, because of the title.
But now I listened to your song, after reading all the posts.
And I was impressed!
I think the title must have put me on the wrong leg. I expected something totally different from what you made.
The way you brought the lyrics to the listener, in a way reciting it, makes the song so impressing to me.
You can feel the tension and the load of the words, while the melody was soft and somewhat heaving.
That was beautiful.
I only have one tiny remark on that; to me sometimes you took too long between the words. Especially at the end.
I know you did that to build up more tension, but it felt a bit artificial.

Hans

Wow, thanks everyone!

Noel: thank you! Very kind, as always. No worries and no need to be "on time" with anything ... life is crazy and we have to follow its flow sometimes. I'm so happy you did get to listen to it, though - thank you :-)

Loren: what a thoughtful and kind comment, as always! Really grateful for your words, it always means a lot when someone that thoughtful appreciates one's work! I'll do my best to write a melody for this song ... the only problem is time, but I'll certainly try :-) I'm also really happy you liked "Postcards at Christmas" ... that was last year's offering ... thanks again!

Hans: haha. I messed up my original intended timing at the end of the song and was too lazy to re-do it, hoping no-one would notice. How you noticed that is impressive to me, because you are spot on. Ah well ... will have to re-do that particular end section at some point, I guess - maybe when I sing it, as above? In any case, thanks and well done on a particularly sharp ear! :-)

Nowadays if you take a day or two off the forum active songs have ended up on
the third page. A LOT of activity.

We like Loren's comment about the children's choirs and we enjoyed the song.

J&B

Well done - nice use of spoken vocals and backing tracks.

Peter

Very nice. I love the chord changes. The vocals work well with the song. Good job.

Another nice one James...
I enjoyed it.

James, first of all I'm glad that you are back to 100%.

Your backing tracks are spot on for this one. I agree with Floyd that you vocals are a little hot. In layman's terms that means they are a little too loud.

Excellent spoken verse!

James,

I enjoyed the sincerity and intimate feel of your spoken delivery for the beginning of the song...and agree with Loren that singing at least part of the lyrics would be good ( the melody already suggests itself in the spoken parts). A chorus of those RT oohs&aahs might work too.
I`m glad you bumped this for us to find again.

Robert

Oh wow ... thank you everyone :-) I'm probably going deaf, haha, because the vocals are always a little too loud on every single track I do ... next time, I'm just going to put it a few notches quieter than usual and see what happens ;-) but, jokes apart, many thanks for listening and for commenting!