My wife has the most disarming smile and placid demeanor...until she doesn`t, at which time its duck and cover.

Conducting Lightning

Style is _HOMESIK.STY (Homesick Soft Pop Serenade)

RealTracks in style: ~2474:Bass, Acoustic, Held Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 2195:Piano, ElectricVintage, Rhythm CoolJazzPopHeld Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 3059:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Muted16thsFintan Ev16 080
RealTracks in song: 3230:Guitar, Electric, Background CinemaHeldLowDarin Ev16 090
RealTracks in song: 3231:Guitar, Electric, Background CinemaHeldHighDarin Ev16 090
RealDrums [in style:CongasEv16[single] [Multi]




Conducting Lightning

she once seemed serene as earth
dark sky never raised a frown
when stars are falling
her bravados walking
not looking up

should have known the quiet ones
keep their powder dry
her jagged gaze
cuts through the haze
of trash talk


I heard waves crash round the king
tried to turn the tide
felt the white heat of truth
shine brown eyes
I`ve seen a grown man face the music
shaking in his boots
I saw you
conducting lightning

her elusive smile sparks my spine
I see pie in the sky
she says I`m passing through
the little house you drew
`til its clear who`s boss

you might think still waters
that`s my Mona Lisa
that little mood apart
isn`t all her art
she`s nobody to cross

I heard waves crash round the king
tried to turn the tide
felt the white heat of truth
shine brown eyes
I`ve seen a grown man face the music
shaking in his boots
I saw you
conducting lightning
I`ve seen this grown man face the music
shaking in his boots
I saw you
conducting lightning

© Robert Cordrey Oct. 2019

Very well done, Robert! I enjoyed listening to this song.

Will

Really great use of the Style you chose! Thanks for sharing.

Listened to this last night on my phone and them again on the headphones. First super vocal and lyric. Loved your backtrack on this. Some very cool instrument choices and chord changes. Well done..

Robert,

Great musical opening. Subtle and ear-catching. So good I started it over 3 times before going on to the lyric.

"should have known the quiet ones
keep their powder dry"

Good line and cool melody...

"I`ve seen a grown man face the music
shaking in his boots
I saw you
conducting lightning"

Nice.

That acoustic guitar RT is a perfect sword for you. Cool production.

Excellent mix.

Really liked this.

fj

Sounds like a desert symphony - Joshua Tree lightning rods et al.
Nice one.

Robert

Extremely atmospheric, and a very nice overall production.
No surprise the lyrics were top notch and the vocal was assured and nicely done.

An impressive piece of song writing.

Peter

Hi Robert,

where to begin...?

The most interesting combination of the beautiful melody and that RealStyle - terrific!

A great write - really caught me.

VERY well-sung !

Awesome !

Take care,

Stefan

Excellent intro! Sounded great through the 'phones.

I always enjoy your lyrics, and I like your vocal too, the falsetto you added to "dry" and "Lisa" is cool.

The lightning fx at the end was a nice touch.

Enjoyed!

Very calming. Love the chord changes. Deep.

Thanks Will!



Thanks for listening Ember.




Scott,
You turned me on to those cinematic guitar tracks... fun to use them here.
Thanks for your support!



Floyd,

I appreciate those comments- glad you liked the atmospheric intro and the chorus lyrics ( hope I made it clear who was shaking in their boots!).

Robert

Nice backstory leads to the excellent song title. And then starts the super intro, those cinematic guitars really fit the mood. Later the congas join in nicely.

Dynamic melody with nice leaps. Great chording, especially in the beginning of the catchy chorus.

Lyrically full of great images like "should have known the quit ones keep their powder dry", I really enjoy the story, you are really a gifted songwriter with original ideas

Janne

Robert,

Excellent vocal on this—really crisp. The production on this is just so clean . . . very nice touches and this throughout. Not sure why this reminds me of a Counting Crows song . . . just strikes me as something they would do. Really cool tune—enjoyed it a lot!

My kind regards,

Deej

Hello, again, 'Robertkc'...

'Conducting Lightning' is an appealing and wryly diverting title for such an introspective song. That being said, in Conducting Lightning, I feel you've used words as lyrics in a sublimely poetic way to paint a picture of a singular and unique indivdual whom you appear to know in a deep and unbounded way. In fact, I'd say you've achieved something that I have always yearned (and still hope) to do -- to compose a song about a love relationship, but without ever using the word 'love'.

Conducting Lightning is some kind of notable achievement, seriously, because 'true love' in my opinion is really about having an depthless, fathomless capacity to take in the entirety of the loved one's mind, heart and soul, without fear, judgement, or insecurity. It's a tall order, for sure, but not impossible. I believe you acknowledged that challenge and revealed your acceptance of it in your sweet song.

The Real Style you selected to convey your feelings in music is perhaps one of the most perfect pairings of Band-in-a-Box’s instrumental tracks with lyrics that I've heard on the User's Forum. It has just the right quality of fragility and sensitivity of tone that your lyrics needed. It's dreamy-sounding, quietly stirring in spirit, serene as the endless cycle of waves at low tide rolling onto the shore and then rebounding lazily back into the ocean. The congas add a playful, low-key but lively feel to the song.

You sing like a man who is planning to present the song to his heart’s pleasure as though it was her birthday gift. It's lovely, loving, and eternal in it's personal testimonial of what you see within, from without.

LOREN

Another good bit of writing, RKC, perhaps a little less poetic than usual, but tailored, I'm sure, to fit your subject. Enjoyed it a lot as I do all of your work.

Hi Robert,

I told you before, it seems I like all your songs. You don't have a song makes me say "Mwahhh..."
But, of course, that is not a complain, if you might think so (although you could try to make an awful song once
The way you play with the words in your lyrics makes me (a bit) jealous.
Your vocals are very good. They make the melody of the song, althougt those chopping strings do their best to match them.
I have used these chopping violins and cello often. They bring a nice tension in a song. Surely they do in your song. I would say: Chapeau!

Hans

Nice one Robert. I really love the mellow vibe from that style you used. It reminded me a lot of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on fire", from the early 80s.

Very well written lyrics too, completely understand and relate to them.

Keep up the excellent work sir!

Really well done - I really thought the lyrics added a nice dynamic, and your vocals are top notch on this one. It display some strong song-writing abilities, and the mix on it is concise and professional.

Great work - thanks for sharing

A nice production & mix...
With great vocals...
I liked unique concept of the song as well as the lyrics...
You had many notable lines...
But undoubtedly my favorite was...

"I heard waves crash round the king
tried to turn the tide"

That lyric & corresponding melodic phrase really made it shine...
As usual good job!

Now here is an excellent song, the vocal is just awesome!!!,,, Great song all around Robert!! Cliff

A very fine work of art Robert! You are a tremendous lyricist! I envy the skill with which paint pictures with your words! I can really relate to your imagery in this one! I love the way you keep stretching your boundaries musically with each new offering! A haunting lovely sound in this! Very nice work! Thanks, Torrey

Ok,maybe the cinematic guitars have that atmosphere.
Thanks for listening.





Thank you Peter!



Stefan,

I appreciate those positives!




Dave,
I enjoyed finding I could carry that bit of falsetto!
Thanks for your likes.



My thanks -also to my wife for keeping her depths hidden for me to discover!




Janne,
I`m happy you heard the and liked the chords I used for the chorus- worked hard to bring some drama there.
Very kind comments-thank you!

Robert

How could anybody not listen after reading your description of the tune?

What a strong hook and write. To us you've taken your poetry and applied
it to a relationship situation that many can readily relate to. The result is a
write with a boat load of great lines. An intelligent write that could fit
many different genres.

And the vocals, the melody, the arrangement and the backing tracks are
all hittin' the note aided by a fine mix. Love the ending too.

We like it...a lot.

J&B

Thank you, Deej- been a long time since I heard a Counting Crows song, but thanks for the likes on this.




Loren,
What can anyone say having been blessed with a review like that, except THANK YOU!
I find it especially supportive that you heard this as a love song...though I`m thinking it might not meet the lady`s approval as a birthday gift unless flowers were attached.



I tried to make the lyrics a little sharper on this-yes, they are different from my songs of late. Thanks for your comments.



Hans,
I think you`re hearing that damped guitar track when you thought of the mountain fiddle chops (I love those RT`s too).
I appreciate your listens and very positive comments on my songs!

Robert

I`m glad you liked this and could relate!





Thanks for listening Deryk.



I appreciate that, Jim: I was quite happy when that classic man-trying-to-defeat-nature line came to me!




That`s very kind- thank you Cliff.


Robert

Robert,

This song is a showcase for your style of folk... A beautiful mysterious lyric and a great vocal / delivery.

A great mix as well - you always deliver!

"I heard waves crash round the king
tried to turn the tide
felt the white heat of truth
shine brown eyes"

Wow!

Bob

Great song Robert!! Love the arrangement and vocal....one of your best! And your lyrics are always great....love that title!!! Take care. Greg

Torrey,
I`m glad some of the images sounded familiar to you and that you heard something new in the song-thank you for your comments.



J&B,
I thought the play on words in the title would get attention... and maybe distract from the subject, so I appreciate that the relationship theme can still be heard.
Your listens and supportive comments are appreciated!




Bob,
Thanks for your listen and generous comments- good to see you back on the forum.



Thanks very much Greg!


Robert

Hi Robert,

You've really established a niche for your songs here in the forum. Your lyric and musical 'voice' comes across strong and clear in all you do.

These lyrics contain some mighty powerful images as they're artistically sprinkled throughout a wonderful journey in words. You really are an excellent wordsmith!

That opening was incredibly mood-inducing... very inventive and it pulled at the imagination. You had me wondering where on earth you were going to take me!

I enjoyed it!
Noel

The introduction is hauntingly beautiful and establishes the mood of the song quite well. The song is chock full of lyrical nuggets, and I am going to point to my favorite lines, which are the same as Floyd's.

"should have known the quiet ones/keep their powder dry"

Excellent lyric writing with those lines.

And your hook "I saw you/conducting lightning" is a fantastic image.

Noel,
Glad you enjoyed the intro- the title seemed to demand opening with atmosphere!
I appreciate your generous comments.



Thanks for that review- most encouraging!

Robert