Waiting

This song started as a Christmas blues with a thought about prison cell feeding hatch as an advent calendar. But Christmas went by and I still had only some bluesy chord progression. I started a new approach and wrote the lyrics quite easily, probably because the waiting has been a close theme lately. There is this pandemic going on, winter seemed to last forever and then I've been waiting for a work related resolution - feeling that the outcome doesn't matter, just that the wait would be over and I could go on. I managed to say everything I wanted, here is finally the end result, I'm back to my normal style Feel free to tell if something is not working

I used the _MY_AMP.STY style as the starting point and added some extra RTs. The most difficult selection was the soloist. The guitar soloists didn't work, I tried also a sax, but there were no good ones in this tempo/feel. Finally I found the harmonica which also fits the prisoner mood. After many multiriff generations I finally had a working solo.

Instruments:
RealDrums in style:BluesRock128^3-a:SideStick, HiHat , b:Snare, Ride
RealTracks in style: 2674:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm Blues12-8Brent Sw 065
RealTracks in style: 1924:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm TexasBluesRockSlow12-8Sol Sw 060
533:Bass, Electric, 12-8 Crystal Sw 065
2733:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm BluesSlow128Mike Sw 065
2856:Harmonica, Background CountrySlowSwingJellyRoll Sw 085
3278:Vocal Mmms, Rhythm RockNRollGospel12-8 4-part Sw 065

Vocals by me

Mixed in Cakewalk by BandLab (Neutron 3 used on drum and bass)

Lyrics:

Droplets falling down
on the stone floor
squeaking when opened
the hatch of the door
Still no decision
just my daily meal
somewhere in a court
my ultimate appeal
the exit or the chair
the end is all I care.

Waiting is a clock face
forever ticking round
when your days are numbered
but you don't know the count (you don't know the count)
Waiting's a horizon
only eyes can reach
when your March is a long wade
through the snowbanks on the beach (snowbanks on the beach)

Flakes are falling down
on the walled yard
winter prevailing
its grip is my guard.
Still no dismissal
I wish I could just walk
to the eve of no return
but the cold front doesn't talk
who's to make a move
one's portion to approve.

Waiting is a...

Most of the life waiting for
starting from Santa Claus
the summer's arrival
the end of the lockdown
the amnesty
exes to call.
In life's many prisons to sit
if the wait is the key
then in where does it fit?
Even if learned
how to cope with a puzzle
the next wait might
call for more grit.

Waiting is a...

------------
Janne

Janne,
The imprisoned theme is a strong one for the times and you explore it well.
I enjoyed the bluesy swing style - it gives that ticktockticktok feel of stretched locked-up time... which can lead to fantasies of calling those exes!
Yes, the harp is a good fit.
A thoughtful and original song.

Robert

Cool tune Janne. Loved the backtrack and excellent vocal and lyric. Well done

This song has a really lovely tone to it, and I think that the particular arrangement you chose was an excellent choice! I'd be curious to see if you end up revisiting it again closer to Christmas time for a twist on the mix. Awesome job and thanks for sharing.

Very cool!! You have such a unique and wonderful sense of melody......always love hearing the changes you come up with!! I really like the vocal arrangement and processing you used!! Nice work!! Take care. Greg

Super song! Great chord progression. Excellent choice and mix of RTs. Love that lead harp.

I would have liked to have the vocals a tad louder but that is just my opinion.

Good job! It was all clever (and a nice listen), but I thought the ending especially so.

Excellent write Jan. Cool song and one of your best lyrics.

Josie

"forever ticking round
when your days are numbered
but you don't know the count
Waiting's a horizon
only eyes can reach" very well written.
Well done.

Interesting subject matter, juxtaposed against your unique progression. The harp was a natural, could have used even more of it, I think. Not sure how I felt about the ending, will go back and listen some more.

Hi Janne,

There's a heap of fine imagery in these lyrics. You've really excelled yourself! The "Blues" were definitely a great starting point for a song like this.

COVID sure is an experience that the whole world shares. Whatever country I watch shows from, there is a consistency in language surrounding COVID that transcends everything... flatten curve, quarantine, social distancing, etc. That feeling of imprisonment that you write about is also shared.

Nice work!

All the best,
Noel

Love the groove happening on this one. Very well written also!

Good production and mix.

Not sure about the ending, but, quite clever what you did there.

Overall very good, enjoyed!

Captivating melody and well sung, Janne. Love the way your changes move the song in an enjoyable groove. The harmonica sounds great. I usually get lost picking pieces of Multitracks. I kinda like how the one guitarist doesn't realize the song is over, but feel it should be faded.

For me, first lines are extremely important for drawing the audience in, and you have hit the mark with yours: "Droplets falling down/on the stone floor." That sets up the tone of the lyrics.

The music/instrumentation contrasts with the mood of the lyrics, yet it works so nicely.

Thanks Robert for your nice feedback Glad you noticed the tick-tock feel, I was almost leaving out that guitar until I realized how well it fits the theme.

Janne

Thanks Scott for your kind words I wouldn't call my vocal excellent, but I did practice more than usually before starting recording.

Janne

Thanks Ember for your nice comment Glad you liked the arrangement. Thanks for the Christmas idea, I thought blues is not a good style for Christmas song, but maybe with some decoration it could work

Janne

Janne

Very strong write, especially the chorus.

As usual an interesting chord backing track and the harmonica works well.

I like the ending, seems to fit the song mood.

Well done.

Peter

Thanks Greg, always a pleasure to receive your heartwarming positive feedback

Janne

Thanks Mario for your kind words Always pleasure to hear that my chord progression is great Right, my vocals could be louder, it's always difficult to mix your own voice.

Janne

Thanks David for your kind words Glad you liked the ending, it is telling how difficult it is to know when the waiting ends.

Janne

Thanks Josie, I appreciate your kind feedback Glad you especially liked my lyrics.

Janne

Hey Janne,

This is wonderful. I don't know why but this reminds me a little bit of some of the experimental stuff on the Beatles White Album.

Very well produced. I really enjoyed it!

Janne,
Nice chording and musical bed! Fun take on prison blues. Interesting lyrics and your signature performance. Harmonica fits very well. Cool ending. Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

Hello, 'jannesan'...

I believe there is always something interesting to listen to in any song, and your's is no exception!

I liked the moody feel of the song. It sounded like waves of major and minor chords rising and falling from bar to bar, diatonically or chromatically, now mellow and harmonically reassuring, now tense and aching with that fateful, despairing touch that only the blues can contribute. The melody was filled with chordal surprises, too. The vocal 'mmms' were haunting and added to the weight and richness of the bass track. They also provided a nice contrast to your higher-pitched vocal. The harmonica soloist sounds inevitable. The 'ending' is startling, but was immediately sensible to me in that nothing in the song is resolved musically or lyrically, a feeling that the dissonant guitar strumming communicates in a powerful way.

I sensed darkness in the lyrics. I hope the "work-related resolution" you're waiting for presents itself in a way that will benefit you personally and professionally.

Thanks Ray for your kind feedback I wrote those chorus words easily and was very satisfied with their expressiveness so I'm very glad that you quoted them.

Janne

Thanks TuneMonger for your nice feedback I'm glad you liked the harp. I hope the ending has grown on you, it is supposed to express the uncertainty of the waiting.

Janne

Thanks Noel for your very encouraging words Glad you found good things in my lyrics. Although the song is not about the COVID pandemic itself, I wanted to reference it with a metaphor, because it fits the current situation well. I didn't think about social distancing, but you are right - it surely feels like imprisonment for many people on Earth.

Janne

What Greg said.

Very nice. Enjoyed this!

Steve

Firstly, your rhythm arrangement offered us an immediate image of a large clock hanging on a bleak wall with the music accentuating the ticks.

Janice mentioned a bit of a McCartney vibe from some of his early solo albums.

"Droplets falling down
on the stone floor
squeaking when opened
the hatch of the door
Still no decision
just my daily meal
somewhere in a court
my ultimate appeal
the exit or the chair
the end is all I care."

That is a very strong lyric entry as it grabs and immediately engages the listener.

The mix is excellent and that harmonica is in our opinion the best of the harmonica RT's by far.

The weary feel of your vocal added the right touch to all of the above.

Well done!

J&B

Janne,

I really enjoyed this song. Some of your best lyrics and a great vocal to go along.

Crisp mix as well.

Excellent!

Bob

Terveisia Janne.
Everything here works well . Band and vocals compliment each other with the interesting lyrics telling a story of frustration, which the listener, (me), can feel and empathize with. I had a few listens and enjoyed the song incrementally more each time . An enjoyable listen Janne.

"through the snowbanks on the beach (snowbanks on the beach)"
I played your song to my partner and she liked it. We actually live by the beach and she is 65 and has never seen snow !

terveiset
Gary.

Thanks Dave for your positive comment Those RTs really gave a good groove, and at the same time, gave inspiration for the groove of the story.

I hope the ending will grow on you

Janne

Thanks Marty, I appreciate your kind words, especially about my singing Glad you liked the harmonica, required quite much work to make it sound decent, because there was one section where there was silence on almost every regeneration, maybe the player didn't like my chord progression

Yep, that guitarist is waiting, waiting for the end signal but doesn't know when it will come. Fading wasn't option for me because of the ticking, good to know that my idea wasn't total disaster

Janne

Thanks Mr. Storm for your nice comment I'm glad you liked the start of the lyrics, that initial scene was clear in my head so it was painless to write the first verse.

I somehow agree with that contrast observation, I was thinking about going for a jazzy direction to get a softer mood, but decided to stay in blues because the scene was stone floor, not very soft... however I tried to tame the aggressive instruments a little.

Janne

Thanks Peter for your kind comment I'm glad you liked the harmonica and the ending, ideas for them were born quite late in the production process.

Janne

Thanks David for your very nice comment The Beatles mentioned - that's an honor

Janne

Thanks Misha for your positive feedback Glad you accepted the harmonica and the ending.

Janne

Thanks 'bluage', your insightful comments are always pleasure to read, art themselves Nice to hear you liked the mmms, they are one of my favorite RTs, fit almost every song. I hope too that the resolution will give a new direction and benefit also.

Janne

Thanks Steve for giving a listen and commenting kindly

Janne

Interesting topic.

You did a nice job of conveying the lingering anticipation.

moto

Thanks Janice and Bud, always pleasure to read your sympathetic comments Glad you liked the clock rhythm, that was subconsciously intentional, I never planned it. Thanks for another McCartney reference, I'm honored, now I'm listening to his early albums, somehow I have only familiar with his 80's solo records.

Janne

Thanks Bob for enjoying and listening to my little song Very nice to hear that this was one of my best lyrics, maybe the ease of the lyrics writing shows.

Janne

Thanks Gary for your positive and insightful comment Glad to hear that you can empathize with the story.

I hope you can give your partner an opportunity to see and touch snow, but of course I'm not hoping that your beach will be covered in snowbanks

Janne

Thanks moto for your kind comment

Janne

Hi jannesan,

It is a very relaxing composition and very pleasant to listen to. The harmonica is well placed and its melodic line fits perfectly. Well done.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackFlash

Thanks Derochette for your kind words Glad you liked the harmonica, BIAB provides so many nice instruments to choose from.

Janne