It's Birthday Song Time again!!

The regulars (old-timers? ) will know - Tom Adams (tommyad) and I share a birthday - March 4th.

We have been doing some type of collaboration or co-write posted on March 4th for the last 7 years.
Janice & Bud have joined us on several.

Tom hasn't been around much this past year (our loss, for sure), but I wouldn't let him off the hook...
(you can let life get in the way only so much...)

So here is this year's effort.

The Players:

tom adams: pedal steel, acoustic fills and harmonics
janice merritt: harmonies
fj: lyrics & music, vocals, arrangement, production, mixing, mastering, corralling, cajoling

RealTracks in song: 3469:Bass, Electric, AmericanaSyncSteveB Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 3503:Bass, Electric, NashvilleRadioBalladB Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 3057:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking SongwriterFolkAltBassQuinn Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 2448:Guitar, Electric, Background, PopDreamyBrent Ev 085
RealDrums in Song: NashvillePop16
BIAB MIDI Chords exported to EZKeys Grand Piano
Royalty Free Loops (chunk acoustic, pads, shaker)



ONE SURE THING

the sun comes up in the morning
like it wants me to decide
should i rope the world one more day
and take it for a ride
should i make a pot of coffee
or just finished last night's warm flat beer
seems everybody wants to know which way i'll turn
the answer's never clear

should i look for work today
or just get by on what i got
should i fix that silverado
or just let the damn thing rot
when jason asks my opinion of his girl
'cause he's got some doubts
should i take the moral high road
or the easy way out
   
   i need one sure thing
   one thing that i can trust
   one thing i know is true
   i hear a million different voices
   decisions questions choices
   all twisted distorted misconstued
   i need one sure thing
   i need it to be you

should i tell you you're a blessing
should i tell you i'm your curse
should i let you have the best of me
or let you see my worst
should i test those rocky waters
or leave my heart up on a shelf
should i tell you that i love you
or keep it to myself
   
   i need one sure thing...




We hope you enjoy it.

Janice - thanks for joining us! (Bud, too!)

Tom - Happy Birthday, bro.


fj



For those who are new around these parts...
Here are the previous Birthday Songs if you are interested...

Tell Her - March 4, 2014
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=242609#Post242609

She's Going Through Some Changes - March 4, 2015
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=286531#Post286531

Too Dangerous - March 4, 2016
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=338948#Post338948

A Hole The Size Of Texas - March 4, 2017
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=398420#Post398420

Pier Pressure - March 4, 2018
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=459749#Post459749

I Want You To Know Me - March 4, 2019
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=527305#Post527305

I was hoping you guys were going to going to continue the tradition, I've really enjoyed the last few you have done.

Really good, floyd! Great writing, vocal, and mix. Love hearing Tom on the Pedal Steel, and of course always enjoy hearing Janice do her thing.

Happy Birthday floyd and Tom!

Another great collaboration and wonderful use of a special day. Thanks for making your special day, special for the rest of us. It's always worth the wait.

Hi Guys and Happy Birthday, with many returns.

Loved the song.
Always superbly written and always with that signature vocal, plus cool backing vocals.
Great band, great structure, great mix and as fully professional as ever.

I'm not even going to mention the lack of a solo......

ROG.

Happy birthday, floyd and Tom!! Beautifully done. Yours & Janice's vocals and that pedal steel bring this song to a soaring height. So well done. Inspiring.

Hi Floyd et al
Many happy returns, Floyd and Tom. What a wonderful collaboration to mark the occasion. Excellent writing, the usual high quality vocals and the pedal steel is the icing on the birthday cake.
Regards,
Leon

Happy birthday Floyd, Happy Birthday Tom!

I knew this would be good when I saw the players - this is really top notch. Could have come straight off an album made in Nashville if you ask me - it's got that classic sound. Great work by Floyd, Tom, Janice and Bud. Really digging it at the 2:18 mark.

P.S. - I've been a Tom Adams fan for a couple years on SoundCloud - gotta love those sweet guitar sounds.

Happy birthday gentlemen!

Tom, Floyd, Janice and Bud, individually you always give us top notch air play ready songs that we all enjoy. But together you are dynamite!

This is pro all the way. The vocals, steel guitar, harmonies, lyrics, well everything is perfect.

Happy B’Day floyd. Thanks for pulling me in on this one. You showed off your writing performing and mixing skills in a big way here. Janice is just a great harmony as well as lead singer. My apologies to everyone for being gone for so long and my thanks to all for the birthday wishes. Much appreciated!

Floyd and Tom (and Janice),

Love the acoustic guitar work in this—resonates through the mix. And Janice’s harmonies are so sweet behind Floyd’s strong vocal. Nice listen. And Happy Birthday to the both of you!

All the best,

Deej

floyd, Tom & Janice

First happy birthday(s).

Has it all- excellent lyrics, production, mix lead vocal, superb harmony and wonderful guitars.

Top notch collaboration (not unexpected) and a top notch song.

Peter

Top shelf, top flight, top stuff!
Tres cool - the added humans REALLY make it fabulous.
Well done team.
If sincerity were a VST you'd be Waves' biggest seller.
I enjoyed this very much, thank you.

Floyd / Tom,

Happy Birthday to you both.

This is by far my favorite from the two of you... Beautiful work.

"should i look for work today
or just get by on what i got
should i fix that silverado
or just let the damn thing rot"

Amazing...

Bob

Ok, how do I comment on this? This is amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing. Beautiful, tender and, above all, communicative. The lyrics are heartbreaking, sincere and go straight for and to the heart. The musical line is genius, because (amongst other things) it tells a story. It amplifies the lyrics and doesn't get in their way because it's so deceptively simple and sung as if by someone who's seen a hundred thousand heartbreaks in their lifetime. I can't praise this enough. Well done to all concerned and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both Tom and floyd ... you both deserve it so much after this kinda effort. Janice harmonises seamlessly with the singing line.

One of my all time favourites from this forum - be proud of this one!!!

Thanks, Dave!

Floyd,
Terrific contributions from your comrades on a lovely song.
The details in the opening verses are a great lead in to the warmth of the chorus; this is a memorable write!
Awesome lead vocals,backing choices and production.
I missed a few early Tom/Floyd birthday outings-heading there now.

Robert

Great track guys, not overcrowded musically, brilliant lyrics, and a good traditional style of country, which I really love.
Keep 'em comin

Hi Janice, Tom & Floyd ...

Have time for just one listen and I'm super happy I picked on this one! As I said over on Soundcloud ... when you folks collaborate, you make some of the best music my ears could ever want to hear. The selection of the tracks and real folks is so perfect ... just enough to fill the spectrum but not enough to get in each others' way. Every track was vivid and spot on. Another better than great listen.

Happy birthday to you gentlemen. My brother's birthday was the 3rd ... mine the 22nd. Difference is ... I'm really old! Will be 73. Yikes!!

Wishing All of you the very best. Continued health and much satisfaction with your music.

Alan

Hi gentlefolk,

Songwriting at it's best, what else can I say.

The lyric structure is perfect and the vocal sails effortlessly over the lines with all the right emphasis in all the right places.

'i need one sure thing
i need it to be you'

This resolve at the end of the chorus really gives feeling and emotion to that final line. So much so that I wonder if 'I Need It To Be You' shouldn't be the title.

Kudos to all involved.

Martin

Hi Floyd, Janice and Thom,

At first, congratulations on both your birthdays (you and Thom), although it has been a while ago by now.
This is another wonderful song from your hand!
The pedal steel always fits in nicely in this type of songs. The acoustic sounds so bright, I really like those very clear sounds in your songs! I think by now I would recognize your songs wherever I am. You have a very recognizable and cool style!

Cheers,
Hans

Keeping a great tradition alive !

Happy belated! And it makes for a good tune - loved the vocal on this, and the pedal steel on this is outstanding too. Top notch work on the mix as well, it sounds like it'd be ready for radio play.

Thanks for sharing

My acid test for a GREAT song is one that brings a tear......guess I love to cry!! This is SOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!! One Sure Thing is that Floyd Jane is one of the best songwriters I've ever heard!!! Another sure thing is that this is one of his best songs EVER.......Amazing!!! Love the harmonies and of course Tom's wonderful playing....miss you buddy! Great stuff guys!! Take care. Greg

Touching lyrics, warm and relaxed production. Great vocals interpret the melancholy very emotionally. Enjoyable guitar playing.

Janne

Charlie - glad to have you stop by...hope your birthday was special, too...

Dave, ROG, Marty and Leon,

Thank y’all for mentioning my small part. It was a pleasure to be invited in.

Janice

ROG - thanks for stopping by...and for the fine comments...and for not mentioning a solo...





Thanks, Marty!




Always pleased to see you drop by for a listen, Leon!..

Hi Floyd, Tom and Janice.
In this song, all is there where it has to be.
Nothing is superfluous and it's a real pleasure to feel the essence of lyrics, music and voices. Christian

Very cool song. Love when you three get together. Magic happens. Well done

Ed - that is really nice of you to say. We ALL appreciate those nice comments...




Mario - Thanks! - as always...

This is my second comment on this thread - I never comment twice, but this song deserves it. I just wish to add two quick things:

a) I can't stop listening to it; and

b) this may sound kinda strange, but, for what it's worth, I wish I wrote this myself :-)

Hats off, Janice, Tom, Floyd ... everyone involved with this. A classic. The emotional being that I am, I don't mind saying I've blamed a few onions for my emotional reaction on listening to this one, a couple of times :-) All that remains to say is that I wish myself luck, now, on trying to write anything at all ... what does one write after something like this? This, as far as I'm concerned at least, says it all for me - it both closes a door for me (in the sense that I realise what standard I have to at least try to meet if I am to write something new) and it opens a door (because it inspires me immensely, even if I don't yet put a word or note down). I know it may sound like gushing praise or whatever, but I mean every word. Congratulations.

Great performance, production and clear message.

Thanks for sharing.

James

Ed Z., Mario, Deej and Peter:

It was nice of you to mention the harmony!

Thanks,

Janice

Thanks, Deej.




Peter - thanks for the nice review... appreciated...




- I like that review, ray!!....

FJ, Tom, Janice.
Great team work! Listens very well. Gave it two spins, did not get boring, means heart was put into it. Composition / Vocals top level. I wish Janice would be a little louder at some parts. Loved the pedal steel. Thank you for sharing.

Happy belated birthday and keep up excellent tradition!

Misha.

Thanks, Bob!




Wow, James. That is quite a nice review!! Thanks so much for all of that!!!

Lyrics are king here, but it's not like the arrangement, singing or harmony are serfs.

I love the build, both musically as you add instruments, and lyrically as the song slowly zooms in from general indecision to the relationship.

Thanks for the birthday present! Sorry I was late to the party!

Hey this is really great y'all. Beautiful.

Happy birthdays!!

Super work all around.

"...corralling, cajoling"

HaHaHa

When my (Janice's) sister heard this song at the line, "should I tell you that I love you or just keep
it to myself" she smiled and yelled "TELL ME!" I guess you could say she liked this one a
bunch.

I loved singing on this and especially being part of the birthday song again for my two
musical brothers.

Bud said that as always this song is full of writing and production goodness! Another gem.

We very much enjoy it!

J&B

Man, I love this. Talk about Country!! that's country to the bone!!

Hey Floyd,

I've been gone for awhile, but it's sure nice to come back and find something like this! Everything is outstanding...
Songwriting, instruments, vocals, harmonies, mixing. It's all great.

Happy Birthday to You & Tom.

Greg

I've been working on something I'll be posting soon.

Thanks, Robert...appreciate that...

Wonderful song. Great mix. Fabulous lyrics. I love the harmony of voices. BIAB is used well here too. Nice pedal steel too. It floats in and out nicely. Acoustic guitar is good too.

Congrats on a nice production to all involved.

Thanks, Graham.




Appreciate all of that, Alan...

You work at such a high level that it's easy for us as listeners to expect that. Yet you never falter, it's always something really good, really worth hearing. I'll never understand why you aren't a big name in the country genre, you got all the qualifications. Thanks again for such an enjoyable tune!

Martin - I really appreciate that nice review... thanks!!




Hans - thanks from all of us!!

Where have I been? Damifino......

Nice work. I like this.

Carry on.

Indeed.




Thanks for stopping in, Deryk...

Greg - I always love reading your reviews!!

Hopefully, Tom will spend a little more time hanging out with us this year...






Thanks, Janne....

I always enjoy your lyrics, and this is definitely one of my favorites. You sound great!

Dear Mr. Floyd Jane, Mr. Tommy Adams, Ms. Janice & Mr. 'Bud'...

Listen to me, please, because I am exposing my guts, my heart to you, okay??? You ready for this??? Okay. I wish I was a music agent, publisher, producer, whatever, so that I could shove your CD's in the music industry's pick-pick-picky, wishy-washy, "Oh, well, gee, we really do appreciate your submission, but, uh, um, we only accept songs from established artists'" faces, and tell them, "Here's what you been lookin' for. Here's what your audience needs and wants to hear. Now, what in the blazes are you going to do about it, huh???"

Every time I listen to you folks post your well-written, well-produced songs on this User's Forum, every time I listen to your memorable, oft-times unforgettable music, every time I read your thoughtful, revealing, surprising, emotionally affecting lyrics, every time I hear your voices sing out what's in your souls, I feel as though I've experienced a complete lesson in the mechanics and the art of professional songwriting. I feel like I've been exposed to true emotion, to true feelings.

This song, this One True Thing you've presented to us BIAB users, is just one more example of the care, the committment, and the love of making music for people to listen to, that I believe is always, always present in your songs. There is real poetry in your lyrics, real musical invention and involvement, real meaning in the finished product. I would LOVE to quote lyrical lines in the song that impressed me the most, but I can't, because they're all worth absorbing and thinking about, slowly, and with deliberation.

I'm done.

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

P.S. Forgot to wish Floyd and Tommy, "Happy Birthday, fellers !!!

Ray, James, Greg 1, Greg 2, Scott, Misha and jptjpttjpt

Thanks for mentioning the harmony. Singing with floyd is something I always look forward to!

Janice

Christian - thanks for having a listen and for the nice comments...




Thanks, Scott!!

James - it is always satisfying when someone finds a song meaningful enough to revisit it and to find it "inspiring" in some way...especially if that way is to propel you to continue writing yourself. Keep writing!!

Thanks, James.




Thanks, Misha. Mixing Janice any louder made it sound more like a "duet harmony" - which I did not want for this one since it shifts the focus of the lyric when you do that. She will be louder on the next one because it is the sound I wanted for that one...





David - I always appreciate your thoughts on a song... thanks...

Thanks you, Mr. Snyder. RETURN FROM THE VOID SOON!!




Thanks, Ronnie...

Yeah, way back I may have set that flat beer down, ha, Great song!!!! You guys have this thing just right. I love it!!! Cliff

Thanks, Greg. (and your new one is a goodun.. )




jpt3 - thanks really appreciate that...

TM - a humbling review. What can I say but... Thanks!!!




Thanks for stopping by, Herb.




Scott - thanks for having a listen...

LOREN - It is, of course, a real joy to read your comments on this (or any) song. You are always so very supportive - of everyone. That is a nice trait. If only THAT were the kind of thing that spread around the world uncontrollably...

THANKS! From all of us.






Cliff - always good to see you drop by! Thanks...

Tom - SO glad you could come along for the Birthday Ride again!... A string that shouldn't be broken until we simply no longer can. Hopefully that will be 30 years or so..

Stay well, buddy...


Janice - Love ya girl! (You, too, Bud )