Hi, all:

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday and wishing you all nothing but the best in 2021. Here’s a collaboration with John Vaughan. From a production standpoint, it’s the first time I’ve played with the pan automation feature, which I used here on the Pedal Steel. In spots not only flipping sides but fading out the volume. I think it worked well enough, but let me know if otherwise. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it and my thanks to all of you in advance for the listen and feedback.

My best to you all,

Deej

Here’s the song:

TRY INSIDE OF YOU

Here are the lyrics:

You constantly remind me
you don't need me at all.
Things aren't what they should be—
I won't wait for the axe to fall

Keep the chair you brood in;
the seat you rule in;
your throne of misery.
Every point you need to win,
and you wonder why you’re losing me.

If you want answers don't look at me—
try inside of you.
There's your side, always only your side.
If you go looking for the truth—
try inside of you.

I longed for you to smile,
all the while you just dragged me down
A soul once so beguiling—
hey, are you smiling now?

A weight off my shoulders:
the burden you placed there.
Escaped, now it’s over—
it’s good to breathe the air.
I ached to be closer,
but you never seemed to care
not enough, not for us, not for love—
Why you wonder.

And here’s the band:

RealTracks 2590: Bass, Electric, RockPickedQuarters Ev 165
RealTracks 3184: Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm, Grunge Slow Quinn
RealTracks 1037: Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm, Northern Rock Ballad
RealTracks 643: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockThrashHollow
RealTracks 2644: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm ModernPopHardMurray
RealTracks 2643: Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Modern Pop HardHighMurray
RealTracks 2540: Pedal Steel, Background ModernCountryDreamy16ths
RealTracks 2503: Piano, Acoustic, HeldChords 085
RealDrums: PopPromiseEv16^5-a: Snare, HiHat , b: Snare, Ride

Nice collaboration, guys. Great singing as always, Deej. That lyric sounds like it's drawn from experience (though I kind of hope it isn't).
Regards,
Leon

Sounds like you've employed The Edge.
The panning of the steel works.
That tap delayed guitar adds a feeling or urgency and push to the song that isn't matched by the vocal until the weight of my shoulders section. and the outro.
It's a cool song and you've mixed it well.
Congrats.

Deej

Good song - clever use of the pedal steel which as Ray says sounds like The Edge playing.

Strong vocal and overall well produced track.

Nicely done.

Peter

Powerful, edgy stuff! It works and I love it. It feels like a departure, for you (to my ears, at least), from other styles you've written in ... and it sounds great, your versatility is one thing amongst others that shows off well here. I'm curious to hear which way your musical journey will take you next ... but I know that, whatever you write (and will write), in whichever style you will feel moved to write in ... I know one thing won't change and that's the level of quality you bring to every song. So continue to surprise us ... I will be listening for sure. Brilliant job on this one, in the meantime, once more ... genuine congratulations.

This is a really nice collaboration, well done! Very powerful, and I LOVED the small details in the mix to make it all hit harder. You incorporated the pedal steel perfectly, and the delays on it are well executed as well. Excellent use of the panning as well.

You two outdid yourselves, thanks for sharing

Deej,

An excellent production and a really good mix.
Your usual quality vocals (very well recorded).
Cool sound. Nice use of the BAND.

fj

Very Good!
A high energy ride into a turbulent relationship.

Well written lyrics with just enough depth.
Band and arrangement fit nicely.
Vocals, as always, Excellent!

moto

Deej, I liked the lyrics and of course I liked the vocal. Good production and the delays worked well. Very much enjoyed,Tom

Hi Deej,

that's a great tune, very well-sung and that arrangement, especially that unusaual guitar, really git me. Good job !

Take care,

Stefan

Deej,
A good write which you sing with great feeling- as always!
I like the production choices and especially the drive the delayed guitar adds,
An excellent collaboration.

Robert

DeeJ, this is really great. Everything is spot on and your vocal is outstanding. Super mix and a great collaboration.

Very interesting pan usage. It adds a lot to the production.

"Keep the chair you brood in;
the seat you rule in;
your throne of misery."

That, my friend, is a gem of a lyric. You could frame it!

This is different than most of your compositions I've heard, and you have created exceptional results with this production.

For me, this is one of those songs that stays with you.

This is a fine write and no need to parse out a favorite line as it is strong all the way through
and we mean the lyric and melody.

Your phrasing is especially creative on this production ... very nice.

And, as always, you make outstanding use of RT/Rd's -- an excellent band.

Lastly, the mix sounds excellent on the KRK's.

Well done y'all!

J&B

Hi Deej66,

Very nice composition both in terms of the well-written lyrics and the vocalist and the arrangement well done. I appreciated.

Kindly regards
Take care of yourself

Derochette
Alias JaniJackFlash

Catchy, weighty, and with great lyrics. Loved those guitars swirling in my head and of course the vox are the best. Way to go, Deej!

Deej ...

You have a signature sound that never fails to make me smile. You and John have created a great song. And the recording technicals, to include mixing and arrangement, are outstanding. And yes, the panning is a very nice effect. Your vocals are always outstanding. Totally enjoyed my listen!

Wishing you well,

Alan

Leon, rayc, Peter, musician17, Deryk, Floyd, Cap’n, Tommy, Stefan, Robert, Mario, Ezekiel, J&B, Derochette, TuneMonger, and Alan:

Thanks all so much for the listen and kind feedback. The fun thing about using BIAB is to see what direction it takes you from a production standpoint. I had imagined a Matthew Sweet or Tom Petty feel and ended with something a bit different perhaps . . . but happy enough with it, and glad it seemed to work. Again, appreciate much the kind words.

Leon: I think it was a personal write on John’s part. I did I change the original lyrics some to fit the music, adding a line in the second verse, changing the last two lines of the third, and adding a bit more to the bridge. But it’s all John at its core—I’m sure he’ll be pleased it resonated.

My best to all of you,

Deej

Hi, Deej and John !


What a superb tune you´ve crafted
to that super nice backing that I
really dig so much !

I enjoyed the tune and the production
really much !

Stay Safe and Take Care !

Cheers
Dani

Very cool song Deej!! Love the swirling guitar sound.....really part of the hook!! Some really good lyrics, and GREAT vocals as always!! I dig it!! Take care. Greg

It's a fine song deej and John.
I like the guitar riff too.

Vic

Very cool track. Super vocal. Loved your instrument choices for the backtrack. That repeating riff was very cool. Well done

dani, Greg, Vic and Scott:

Thanks for much for the listens and comments . . . and sorry for the delayed reply. So please you all enjoyed it—John, I know, is very appreciative of all the kind words on the effort.

Wishing you all well,

Deej

Deej...this is a great song in every way...love the vocals and harmonies...the lead vox is a perfect match for the tempo and genre...lyrically brilliant and conceptually fresh...many of us wish we could write like this... I really enjoyed listening...thanks...Dan

Catchy, tuneful and well arranged.

Excellent pop song.

Sorry to be late to the party on this one, missed your original upload somehow.

This is GREAT! Man, that auto pan really works well, just a fabulous sound through the 'phones.

Guitars remind me of U2.

Excellent lyric and vocal, good mix.

Enjoyed!

Excellent mix, Deej, and a good collab, John. Love that vocal --those vocals. Sounds great in headphones AND the floor speakers.

firesong, David, Dave and Marty:

So happy you stopped in to give this one a spin (and, Dave, no such thing as being late to the party . . . particularly when the host absconds for a couple of weeks). Glad you all enjoyed the tune.

My very best to you all,

Deej

DeeJ,

The nostalgic sound somehow is very comfortable.
The vocals are very attractive, and I think the effects applied to them are really suitable.
The guitar (or Pedal Steel?) riffs played throughout the song are skillfully directing this song.
I think it sounds great.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Hi Deej,

Again a very good song from you!
Everything sounds well, as far as I can tell.
The mixing was well done, though I didn't noticed an extreme panning from that pedal.
I more like to listen to the vocals (great) and read the lyrics (strong). Maybe that's why I didn't hear that.

So, I enjoyed listening to your song,
Hans

Shigeki and Hans:

Thanks much for the listen and kind feedback. Yes, that's the pedal steel playing throughout that sounds very guitar-like. If you play the tune over a laptop you won't pick up the panning as much; best with a set of headphones to really hear it. Definitely a technique I will look to use more of.

Stay well, stay safe--

Deej