Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
© 2021 Public Domain (Jimmy Cox 1923) B. Merritt, J. Merritt & P. Fulham

This nearly 100 year old song has been popularized in more modern times by many artists and especially by Derek and the Dominos on the 1970 Layla album. We slightly tweaked the lyric to give it the perspective of a lady done wrong telling her man she’s gonna be OK. Marty posted a fine version several months ago and we were excited to have him join in on our version. Thanks to our partner in music Peter, to Marty and to PG Music. Your time to listen and comment is appreciated.

Peter: guitar intro, solos, outro, slide fills and arrangement

Marty: bass par excellence

Janice: lead vocal, BGV’s & arrangement
Rodes NT1 > Scarlett 212 > Nectar 3 > Logic Pro X

Bud: mix, mastering and photo

Piano: MIDI SuperTrack 2848 Rhythm BluesSlow128Mike > Grand Steinway Sound (Logic Pro) > Logic Pro Direction Mixer > Waves CLA Unplugged

Rhythm Guitar: RealTracks 565 Blues Monday Sw 065 > Logic Pro X Tweed Stack Amp

Drums: RealDrums BluesMondaySw8 > Waves CLA Drums
Double snare and additional cymbals from the RD audio file > Neutron 3 & Waves JJP Cymbals & Percussion

Logic Pro X: vocal recording, mix and mastering.

Mastering chain: Ozone 9 EQ > Ozone 9 Imager > Ozone 9 Limiter > Ozone Tonal Balance 2 > Logic Pro Loudness Meter

Hi Janice, Bud, Peter and Marty,

I see I am the first to respond to your so nice song!
Janice is shining (as ever) in it. You almost could hate the guy doing all this to her...
Peter and Marty's input helps quite a bit to make this song sound so strong. THAT'S FOR SURE.
And then we have Bud, the master behind all of this.
Well Bud you have quite a of musicians here to lick your fingers. The song is a joy listening to. That's what I did.

Do I have something to complain about? I think a lot, but not on this song. Maybe that guy...

Have a nice day,
Hans

Janice, Bud, Peter and Marty,

Oh yeah! This one does the slow-burn throughout...

The track selection is perfect and the live tracks are outstanding, especially that blistering guitar.

Janice really injected this song with new life - just an awesome full-throated vocal!

Stellar mix and production overall - also love the album artwork!

Bob

What a wonderful choice and rendition. I didn't know what public domain even meant. I thought it was "Bicylcle built for two." I heard Eric Clapton's "Nobody Knows You," and that all changed.
I think we are talking '70s.

Hi Guys,

Well done.

You were very quick picking up on my suggestion for some Public Domain songs.

Maybe we can do more of those this year and have multiple versions as well.

Best Regards
Nigel

Well, that was nice!

A classic done with class.

moto

Cut that wax and get it out on the street! Great rendition from the Forum All-Stars! Way to go, all!

Thank Hans. It's always nice to read your remarks. Yeah, that was a bad guy!
We had a lot of fun with this and are glad you liked it...indeed.

J&B

Thanks Bob. The four of us love the blues and this seemed like a good one to sorta open up on and see what would happen. Thanks for helping us feel it worked out!

J&B

Excellent version of an old favourite. Clever tweak of the lyrics to give it a female perspective. Great singing by Janice as always and wow, those backing vocals! Great work also by Marty and Peter and a pro mix. Top shelf.
Regards,
Leon

Fabulous version of a great classic.

Great take on an old classic, you retained the feel of the original while making it your own, well done!

Janice, bud, Peter & Marty,
thanks for resurrecting a classic so well.
The rhythm section sound live and in the pocket (well, something had to be with no pennies).
The guitar sits well in the mix and has a modern blues tone that, sort of, reminded me of Gary Moore.
The RTs & MIDI fit like a bar band in the 2nd set...warm and confident.
The vocal is the star and sits perfectly in the mix supported by those silky bvox.
It's a terrific exhumation sparked back into life by electrickery.
Loved it.

Straight to the point.

Quality vocals from Janice but maybe could use a little more angst to match the songs narrative .
Would prefer the drum pattern to vary between verse and chorus with appropriate fills
Would prefer the guitar solo forward in the mix and move the kit further back.

Bass playing and guitar solos are excellent.


The biggest drawback IMO of doing a cover is that one is instantly compared to the gazillion other versions of the same song and I am hearing Bessie Smith pulling at my heartstrings with her mournfull voice so I realise that I am being a bit unfair to you.

Am I still on your Xmas card list?
Your Fan
Gary.

Thanks Ed! We were definitely trying to channel the Layla version rather than the older ones. Glad you liked it!

J&B

J&B and all the rest of the gang:

Wow, this is outstanding! One of my favorite Clapton covers, and you do it more than justice. Really crisp production, great vocals. Peter’s lead guitar is first class. Congrats taking on a classic tune and making it your own. Excellent work!

My best to you all,

Deej

Glad you liked it.

Regarding PD songs we've posted 23 of them since joining the forum, a fourth of our catalog. If my old memory serves you commented favorably on one, Honey Babe Blues, that we recently posted. We've enjoyed mining that PD treasure trove for many years. And it has been good to us as 4 of the 24 songs we've had licensed are PD tunes. And PD songs are also wonderful when the old writer's block moves in.

Bud

PS: Over the last 18 months we've posted these.
Honey Babe
John The Revelator
Fire The Next Time
Countin’ The Blues
See See Rider
Ballin’ The Jack

Thanks Hans it was a fun to do this old number with Bud Janice & Marty.

Peter

Excellent! (of course!)

Stunning vocals. (of course). Cool BGVs (of course).

Nice guitar parts all over the place (of course).

Gorgeous Buttery Bass (of course).

Superior mix. A perfect balance. (of course).

A delightful listening experience (of course).

LOVE the record cover (of course).

Great Music (of course).

fj

Oh, this version is soooo much better than any other I've ever heard. Janice is so creative with her voice and adding those harmony lines was (well, don't tell her I said this) GENIUS. She can sing happy songs and sad songs and give each a boost to higher levels. Peter is always such a treat to listen to, and even more fun to play with. And, Bud, the best part for me was watching --or listening-- to how you do your magic. The differences between Before and After are staggering. Thanks for taking me along for the ride.

Excellent rendition and speaking as a bass player, Marty did a fine job on it in a classic style.
A friend of mine does this song in a faster style which I love too.
Vic

Janice, Bud & Peter,

you can't imagine how you made my day ...! The first time I heard that song was way back in the sixties sung by then 17-year-old Steve Winwood (still a member of the Spencer DavisGgroup), and I was fascinated by that song from the first minute on. I've heard a lot of great versions since then, but yours is absolutely sublime.

Janice, you sing it as if you had just written it yourself - gorgeous !!!! Really well-arranged and 'coronated' by by Peter's very tasteful guitar playing.

And the sound? As usual: brilliant.

Oh, I loved that ending a lot , gave the whole thing sort of a twinkle in the eye.

That wasn't the first time you picked a classical tune - I really like the way you make old shoes shine again. Just awesom !

All the best,

Stefan

Edit: Oops - I had almost forgotten to mention Marty's great job on the bass...

Hi Team,

Oh, I always did like this song and this is a wonderful rendition.

Fantastic performances all round and it captures the essence of the blues perfectly.

Stunning in it's professionalism and topped off by a great mix from Bud.

Loved it.

ROG.

Superb! If this were "The Voice" or somesuch show, I would turn my chair after Janice's first note. Congratulations to everyone who joined in and made this what it is - an incredible rendition from every angle, in every way. Bravi!!! quite incredible!!! (loved that G chord, sliding up to the A, right at the end ... nice!)

Thanks Cap’n!

J&B

These songs are timeless. Awesome version of the song. Peters guitar was perfect for the song and Marty's basslines were so smooth and fluid. Just loved the vocal Janice. Very cool listen. Production was excellent as well. Well done

Bob

Thanks for the guitar comment.

Peter

Cut the wax indeed. There certainly were a lot of vinyl releases of this song.

Thanks for the nice comments!

J&B

As usual pro quality all the way. Outstanding vocal, guitar leads, bass, backing tracks and mix. This is better than anything offered by Alligator Records.

Loved it!

Great bluesy feel. Nice performances by everyone. Good clear mix. Another fine collaboration.

That's a lot to live up to Leon! We appreciate your support.

J&B

That sizzling opening lead signaled that this was going to be a outstanding production.

Janice's singing is always good, but this performance is one of her best.

Peter's guitar just screams and wails. Bass sounds good and is more audible in this mix than in some others.

Excellent production. You hit the sweet balance.

Thanks guys!

J&B

A classic made classicer!!! Band sounds fantastic!!! And the forum's vocal queen KILLLLS IT!!!! Pure class!!! Take care. Greg

- Glad you liked the vocal but angst just ain't our thing Sad or melancholy but not angsty.

- Sorry some of the mix didn't work for you -- we were good with it based on our Layla album reference.

- Glad you liked the guitar and bass ... those guys know their stuff!

- Regarding the drawbacks of PD songs 20% of our catalog and of all the songs posted here have been our interpretations of PD songs. They've been good to us and we enjoy tweaking the lyrics and working out arrangements. We understand we will not always be as Gregg Allman said "hittin' the note" for listeners familiar with and close to the original and other versions. BTW Bessie Smith covered it in 1929 after several versions were done subsequent to its publication in 1923.

- We love and deeply admire Bessie Smith, and Ida Cox and Ma Rainey and have done songs by them but, as mentioned, we had no intention of channeling them on this arrangement as we were most influenced by The Tedeschi Trucks Band's version that will be released on next month's album where they do all the Laya tunes.

- Regarding the Christmas card ... hmmmm ... how about a text?

And in ALL seriousness your thoughts are always welcome!

Cheers,

J&B

Ray, your comments mean a LOT to us. You have a very keen ear for mixes and compliments from you are most supportive. “Bar band in the second set…” Could not ask for more. Thank you and Peter and Marty and BiaB!

J&B

Thanks a world Deej. That is really appreciated particularly given your familiarity with Clapton’s version!

J&B

Well sung, as always. Cool BGVs!

Really loved those bends on the guitar solo - brought a big smile to my face. Tasteful slide guitar fills as well.

Clean mix - balanced and easy to hear all the details.

Bass, drum and piano did their jobs and let the guitar solo.

Had a gig on Saturday with the guy who played guitar on my version of this classic. We've been doing this song for like 30 years and have both heard a bunch of different takes of it. Joe couldn't stop talking about how cool this one is. Of course Janice's singing was on the top of his accolades, especially the harmony lines. He REALLY liked your guitar style and taste, Peter, and he thought it was mastered in some expensive studio. I assured him there was probably a good amount of dough that was poured into the studio, but the real deal is the heart, soul and ears of the guy behind the controls. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to stick my thumbs under my armpits and wiggle my fingers guys.

This is a great version.

Wonderful tone on the solo.

Loved it y'all!

Many times I try to listen to a song without reading comments...even from the OP describing the song. To me it sets expectations that I would rather not have on the first listen.

So, at first I thought it was a cool song. Sort of familiar, which is many times a good thing. I really liked it and found myself knowing where it was going...actually a little TOO soon. Wait a minute...you remade this song. Oh! THAT makes sense. What a great job you all have done with this!

To me, it wasn't like a cover band trying to sound like the original kind of sound. You made it your own. That speaks volumes to the talent involved with this project.

You all have a signature sound. Not many can say that. It's so good that you can take what someone else has done and give it a new life.

So cool! Appreciate all of your talents so much. They are additions to each other, they are multipliers!

Very nice. I like the way you guys search out the old stuff and make it fit totally todays groove.

Great Track!

And, of course, we loved reading your most supportive remarks. It means a bunch to the four of us!

J&B

Hi Janice & Bud,

It's a very well arranged song. Janice's voice is wonderful as always. The guitar solo is pleasant and the whole is well arranged. Well done. I appreciated. And I admire your collaboration between artists of great qualities.

Kindly regard
Derochette
alias JaniJackflah

Hi Janice & Bud,

Just had a second listen to this song.

You have some great performances going on here - in particular the vocals and lead guitar.

A few suggestions to make this track even better:

Mix
Vocals - down a touch to put them in the same space as the band. You will need to manually edit the volume on the vocals as they are not consistently too loud. Maybe also a slightly longer reverb.

Lead Guitar - up a bit. Maybe also bring it a little forward with a shorter reverb so that the guitarist is standing beside the lead vocalist. The guitar volume in this type of Blues is often similar to the vocals.

Piano - up a touch - especially between vocal and lead guitar phrases.

Drums - I can hear the double slap of drums and other instruments on the off-beats. This gives it a sort of "shuffle" feel - is this what you had in mind?

Song - maybe add a bit of light and shade in the Rhythm section - e.g. Ride Cymbal in second verse. Pump up the piano and also more drum fills and crash cymbals in the choruses and particularly during the Guitar lead break.

I hope you don't mind suggestions and recommendations.

Best Regards
Nigel

Along for the ride? Hahaha! You drove the rhythm section with your fine bass line!

J&B

Glad you liked it Vic and could agree more about Marty’s contribution.

Thanks!

J&B

Thanks Stefan. That was also my (Bud) introduction to the song. That was in 1966. I was in college, managing several bands and had started a production company with a buddy. Many music memories of that year including my first studio time.

So your familiarity with the tune makes your comments very special.

Thanks!

J&B

We appreciate your kind remarks ROG especially given your talents as a musician and producer!

J&B




Thank you. It was a fun project and are most happy that you like it!

J&B

quote=Scott C]These songs are timeless. Awesome version of the song. Peters guitar was perfect for the song and Marty's basslines were so smooth and fluid. Just loved the vocal Janice. Very cool listen. Production was excellent as well. Well done[/quote]

Thanks Scott. We love attempting a decent interpretation of these classics. We appreciate your positive comments!

J&B



Thanks Mario. That’s some amazing company you’ve included us in! Humbled.

J&B





Thanks!

J&B






Thanks. Janice very much appreciated your vocal comment and we agree re Peter and Marty. Those guys know how to do it! We appreciate your support!

J&B



Thanks Greg!

J&B

Thanks David. You have a keen ear and we are always appreciative of your observations. And, yes, we thought that guitar man did good!

J&B



Thank you David!

J&B

We appreciate that David. Glad you liked the BGV’s — Janice had a lot of fun with them. And Peter certainly laid it down. Yeah, it’s good to let the backing tracks do their thing but never get in the way. Thanks again!

J&B

That’s greatly appreciated and is the most we could expect from taking on PD song. We try to add just enough lyric and melody tweaking to make it our own. And Peter and Marty took it to a great place. Thank you!

J&B

Herb,

Thank you! That’s exactly what we hope to accomplish.

Joe,

Thanks for listening and commenting.

Dero,

Thanks! Peter and Marty made a huge contribution to this project.

Nigel,

We always welcome forum members’ thoughts. Having started mixing 55 years ago a couple of reflections stand out. Mixing is never finished … just abandoned and you can’t please everyone!

Bud