PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase What A Crazy Thing ... (a co-write with floyd jane)

In 2012, floyd and I wrote a song called "What A Crazy Thing". I put the mix together and we posted it on the forum.

In the 5 years since then, I've gained quite a bit more experience in mixing. I've also moved from the UltraPlus Pak version of BIAB with compressed audio files to the Audiophile edition with wav files. Because of these things, I thought it would be a fun exercise to re-visit the song and create a mix worthy of 2017.

Here it is...

• What A Crazy Thing

...floyd and I hope you enjoy listening!

All vocals, lead and background, are floyd's.

Feel free to comment in any way on any aspect. As floyd says, "Have at it..."

Regards,
Noel

P.S. It sounds best when the speaker volume is turned up a bit.



Band In A Box
RT 1012 Bass, Electric, BluesRock Sw 140
RT 965 Guitar, Electric, Rhythm CountryBoogieGrittyA-B Sw 140
RT 961 Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryBoogieOpen Sw 140
RT 1279 Guitar, Electric, Soloist CountryBoogieBrent Sw 140
RT 1115 Fiddle, Background CountrySwingChops Sw 140
RT 1146 Fiddle, Background CountrySwing Sw 110 (Outside)
RT 1143 Ukulele, Strumming FolkSwing Sw 140

RealDrums: BluesShuffleHard^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Ride



Lyrics
You and me caught in the rain
Soaked to the bone, big old grins
My heart is pounding with a capital P
Old Gene Kelly's got nothing on me
It doesn't get better than this
What a crazy thing love is

You got me howling like a dog at the moon
Laughing out loud, crazy as a loon
Head over heels, a little do-si-do
All because of you, I want the world to know
It doesn't get better than this
What a crazy thing love is

Oh what a feeling
Now who would believe
Dizzy and giddy from a guy like me
It hits you hard, takes you by surprise and it's good
Real good
So unbelievably good

Adam and Eve or Bogie and Bacall
It's all about love after all
Add to that list, you and me
Let's do this thing permanently
It doesn't get better than this
What a crazy thing love is

[Instrumental]

Oh what a feeling
Now who would believe
Dizzy and giddy from a guy like me
It hits you hard, takes you by surprise and it's good
Real good
So unbelievably good

Adam and Eve or Bogie and Bacall
It's all about love after all
Add to that list, you and me
Let's do this thing permanently
It doesn't get better than this
What a crazy thing love is

Doesn't get any better than this
What a crazy thing love is
© 2012 Words and music by floyd jane and Noel Adams. All rights reserved.

Excellent!

Great collaboration

Two guys that I have so much respect for

the mix and overall sound and clarity is totally pro

enjoyed the heck out of the listen, wasn't here in 2012 so it's

a new song to me, solid write and performance, that harmony

just shines

enjoyed it guys

Kenny

Hey Kenny!

That was quick! Thanks for taking the time to have a listen. Always appreciate the visit.

This was a fun song to work on back in 2012. I enjoyed collaborating with floyd immensely. He's a class act. I also picked up lots of tips along the way.

Thanks again for passing through.
Noel

This is "Good (Real Good)" What a crazy thing a great collaboration can be.... "It doesn't get any better than this..." All are spot on to my reaction to this remix....

I wasn't here in 2012 to catch this first time around either but glad I'm here now. Enjoyed my listen.


Charlie

Wow guys, you nailed this! It's wonderfully catchy, and honestly just a fantastically written song. I can't think of anything I'd change. It catches your attention within the first moment, and keeps you hooked the whole way through.

You should be very proud of this - thanks so much for sharing

Noel & Floyd,
I also haven`t heard the original, but can`t come up with any improvements to be made on this mix- it is so crisp and clear.
Are you using the new Ozone Neutron everyone seems to like?
That said, its all about the song and the fun you guys had writing this comes through - in the clever lyrics that sound familiar and fresh at the same time,the boogie beat and of course trademark Floyd vocal and harmonies.
A sweet collaboration in all respects.

Robert

Great!

What a well produced, solid, fun and energetic song!

Love it.

Great job y'all.

(Super, super, excellent mix.)

Noel,

You did a super job on the remix!

Those guitars sound great.

I've really enjoyed revisiting this one. I think it was the first co-write I did on the forum... Thanks for bringing it back!

fj

Great song, all the way around!

Most impressive write and arrangement. The vocals are outstanding, too - a super job on the mix.

Glad you brought it back!

What a great production The catchy tune and the positive and funny words really make me smile, singing and mixing are perfect. Surely the "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" of this century

Janne

Hi Charlie,

It's always a pleasure to see you! It took me by surprise to read that you weren't around in 2012. It seemed to me that you've been here for many years more than that. I guess that that means that you've settled into the place really well!

Thanks for taking time to have a listen. And I appreciate the quotes. They gave me a good chuckle!

All the best to you and yours,
Noel

Thanks, Deryk. Much appreciated.

Regards,
Noel

Wow, this is terrific guys! I joined the forum in 21 December 2012, so I missed the original by, I guess, a few months. Regardless, this just rocked my country roots and dang near had my headphones dancing off my ears.

Too much fun (but that's okay!) and a lot spark. I enjoyed this from first note to last. Great collab!

Alan

Great, foot stomping Country. Loved it. Great vocals and great production etc.

That was about the time we joined the forum if memory serves so the song is new to us.

We went in with high expectations...what not to expect other than excellence with Noel + floyd? And we assuredly were not disappointed.

The groove just flows like like water down a mellow stream. Smooth and fluid.

We will have to find and listen to the original which no doubt will be very good. All of us hope to achieve "sonic growth" over the years but when you start out with your talent it's a lot easier to achieve!

Everything sounds superb to us...the RT choice, the arrangement, the write and vocals.

And that Gene Kelly line in the first verse was super cool.

WTG guys!!

J&B

Great song guys! This is fantastic!

I don't remember the original but I sure enjoyed this version. Great vocals, lyrics, backing tracks, instrumentation and mix. Who could ask for more?

Two thumbs up on this fantastic collaboration.

+1 for me!! This is very enjoyable song that just carries you right along! It sounds like you did a wonderful job mixing and mastering and what can you say.... Floyd always delivers a great vocal! Thanks, Trrey

Hi Robert,

Thanks for visiting and thanks for your comments. I don't have neutron. This was mixed using Ozone 6. I also used a dash of Nectar on floyds vocals.

I was tempted to get Neutron when it was on special but I didn't. I'll see what happens next time the specials roll around.

All the best,
Noel

Hi, Noel & Floyd !


What a fantastic end
result of this co-op !!!
I dig everything about it !!!

Wonderful music so superbly
written, performed and produced
as only you two are able to
do !:))

Cheers
Dani

Hello, Noel and floyd

Great Collaboration!
Shuffle beat is very pleasant!
Vocal and Lead guitar are also very nice.
As Robert said, I also haven't heard the original, but can't come up with any improvements to be made on this mix- it is so crisp and clear.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Hi Floyd and Noel. I remember this from when I first joined the forum. I remember being so impressed with what could be achieved using this fantastic software. Still love it.

David,

You sure know how to make people smile! Thanks for the positive feedback. Appreciate the visit.

All the best,
Noel

floyd,

I enjoyed coming back to it, too. I really enjoyed co-writing with you back in 2012 and when I reassembled the song just recently over the last couple of months, it was a bit like reliving the earlier experience! Thanks for then and for now!

By the way, I notice that Bud has drawn attention to your 'Gene Kelly' line. His comment paralleled what I thought the first time I heard it

All the best,
Noel

Hi Curt,

Thanks for having a listen and for commenting. Appreciate your visit and your thoughts.

All the best,
Noel

Kenny - we appreciate that...

Charlie - glad you stopped in for this go around...

Deryk - glad you enjoyed this. It was great working with Noel (who would think otherwise...)

Robert - thanks for listening...Noel did an incredible job on the mix...

Guys,


This is delightful! Enjoyed it.


Regards,


Bob

Hey Janne,

Thanks for dropping in and taking the time to listen. I appreciate your thoughts.

All the best,
Noel

Hey Alan,

It always brings a smile to my face when I see that you've visited. Thank you for listening and commenting. Really appreciate it.

All the best to you and Di,
Noel

Super cool guys!
Such a nice collab. Nice country groove and a warm and mellow sound.
Feel free to do this again!

Rob and Anne-Marie

This version is ace - country swing with a little rockabilly lilt.
This would also sound great with a more rockabilly push to the rhythm.
VERY cool.

Hi Neil,

Thanks for taking time to have a listen! Appreciate the feedback.

Regards,
Noel

Mr. Snyder - glad you could join us for this....

Curt - good to see ya...

Janne - thanks..

Alan - glad you stopped by...

lambada - thanks..

J&B,

Thanks for taking a listen. Much appreciated. floyd introduced Gene Kelly into the song. Like you, when I first heard it, I thought pretty much the same thing. With those two words, a whole heap of images unfolded for me. That was one of the lessons I picked up on the journey.

Thanks again for dropping in. It's always good to see you.

All the best,
Noel

Hey Mario,

Thanks for the thumbs... both of them

All the best,
Noel

I missed the original, so thanks for the repost.

Nice collaboration from two of my favorites! Enjoyed the listen.

Hey Torrey,

Thanks for having a listen. It's always good to have you drop in.

Regards,
Noel

What a catchy, fun song! I really enjoy the sound of this one. The lyrics feel very inspired, and I think this is a mix totally worthy of 2017.

Great job and can't wait for more!

Noel and Floyd,

What a fun song! Great collaboration. Noel, your mixing skills keep getting better and better. Really enjoyed this one!

Steve

Dani!

How are you? It's always good to see you pop into one of my threads. Thank you for giving the song and listen and for posting some thoughts. Really appreciate it.

Best wishes,
Noel

Hi Shigeki Adachi,

Thank you for visiting the thread. It's always a pleasure to see you. I appreciate your thoughts.

All the best,
Noel

Thanks Joanne. Appreciate that you had a bit of time to listen and to comment.

I agree... BIAB is amazing software! I first started playing around with the program in 2006 and today, I'm still just as much in awe with what Peter Gannon and his team has made possible as I was back then. Quite honestly, I cannot imagine life without BIAB!

Thanks again for taking the time.

All the best,
Noel

Bob,

Thank you. It's always excellent to see you. I hope that all is going well.

Best wishes,
Noel

Rob and Anne-Marie,

Thanks for giving the song listen. Always appreciate your thoughts.

Regards to you both!
Noel

Noel & Floyd...

You know, fellahs, it's really difficult...to comment on your collaboration...while I'm clappin' my hands...an 'tappin' my foot...as I type on my PC keyboard. Whew. Talk about "multi-tasking"!

"What A Crazy Thing" is so much fun to listen to that I wouldn't be surprised if any number of big-time musical stars dipped into the User's Forum every now and then (anonymously, of course!) to "borrow" a little inspiration from the top-tier productions such as yours that regularly are posted here.

I know Band-In-A-Box is great for jazz songwriting, but it's got the blues/country/western/Americana genre down pat, too. I believe I may have to change direction, gents!

Exuberantly,

LOREN

What a fun song!! Clever, catchy, and emotionally upbeat. I do not recall hearing it last time around but glad I got to this time. A wonderful collab by a couple of great writers!! Take care. Greg

Thanks, Ray. Much appreciate the visit, listen and comments. Also, thanks for the thought about Rockabilly. That didn't occur to me but it's definitely worth investigating!

All the best,
Noel

Ha ha. That's fun.
Well done.
Cheers.

Hi Dave,

Appreciate the comments. Thank you for having a listen.

Regards,
Noel

Hey Steve,

It's always great to see you. Learning to mix adequately has been a long slow journey for me. I'm still travelling that road but there seem to be less bumps in these days.

Take care and all the best,
Noel

J&B - glad y'all got a chance to hear this!... we've had quite a ride, haven't we... Noel has always been a big part of that.

Mario - thanks for the two thumbs... that's one for each of us!

Torrey - glad you stopped by...

Dani - thanks!

Shigeki Adachi - appreciate it... Noel did a great job on the mix... and a whole bunch of other stuff... he's a gem...

Thanks Ember! None of this would have been possible without PG Music and Band In A Box. You work for a great company!

Regards,
Noel

Loren,

I just love reading your posts. Everything you write takes the reader on a wonderful journey of language. It seems to me that you are the personification of the word 'eloquence'. I greatly admire your ability with words.

Thank you for taking time to listen, to comment and for the smiles your post gave me. What a terrific way to start the day!

All the best,
Noel

"Noel96"...

You're welcome, and thank you for the nice compliment.

LOREN

Greg,

Thanks for the visit. It's always good to say 'hello'. Appreciate the comments. I totally enjoyed writing with floyd and picked up quite a bit along the way!

All the best,
Noel.

Richard,

It's really great to see you back Users Showcase again. You've been gone too long! Thanks for listening.

All the best,
Noel

J&B - glad y'all are here - and got a chance to hear this one...

Mario - thanks for dropping by...

Torrey - Thanks. I agree - Noel did a bang up job on this...

Dani - good to hear from you...

Shigeki Adachi - thanks, as always...

Joanne - thanks...

Bob - good to see you...

Floyd and Noel,

Please give me your permission to submit it for airplay in London, UK. The queue is quite long and no Loonies are paid but the exposure is invaluable.

Josie and I have been in the queue for weeks but were finally aired today.

The DJ, Sid Randell, just started a new feature wherein he introduces new artists and new songs from around the world. If agreed, Joanne and I will submit it for you.


Sid wants Country songs.

Donny

Don,

Wow! This is really unexpected. Thank you for your generosity. I've caught up with floyd and we're both good with your suggestion.

To quote floyd, "I'm good with letting Don do whatever he chooses with the song. What good is music if it is never heard..."

That's what music is all about.

Please check your private messages. I'm just about to send one to you.

Thank you again!
Noel (and floyd)

Somehow this one slipped past me. Great remix, no question.

Top job all around.

Floyd delivers once again, and this production has real quality.

Nice!

Noel
I enjoyed the song very, very much.
Really good.
I see you're interested in getting feedback about the production. I think it's pretty good. If you accept a constructive critique, the thing that stands out for me is that the reverb on the vocals doesn't seem to match well enough the rest of the music. Not sure if it's about the kind of reverb or just the amount (or both).
The vocals seem to be too "wet" (too much reverb) in relation to - say - the guitar solo, the violin and, in the general, the background track. I think if you shorten the reverb tail on the vocals (or just decrease the amount of it) you would have a more "cohesive", consistent "space" in the mix.
And, by the way, the quality of the vocals is so good that they don't really need the help of too much reverb. If you make them drier, their quality would be even more emphasized, they would sound more focused, more clear. Less is more, when we talk reverb (and many things in music production, indeed).
Alternatively, you could add more reverb especially on the solo instruments, so to better match the vocals. But that would not be my first choice.
Of course, this is just my opinion and it's just a matter of taste and / or artistic choice.
Overall, a great song and a great mix. I truly enjoyed it.

Hey Trev!

Thanks for dropping in. Yeah... floyd's a talent alright. I don't think there's anything he does that's less than perfect!

I appreciate that you had time to have a listen and to comment.

All the best,
Noel

I dozed off and missed our songs.

Noel / floyd

Missed this while gallivanting around Canada and the U.S.
All those generous and positive comments are well deserved. Catchy and professional.

Peter

Jon Thomas,

Good to see you! Thank you for visiting the thread. I appreciate all the comments on reverb, too. You've give me some excellent food for thought. When I listen to your mixes, I can tell that you put many hours into getting things to sound just right. I'm definitely not in that league yet!

All the best,
Noel

That happens to me, too, Don!

Peter,

Thanks a heap for having a listen. Appreciate it.

I hope your gallivanting around was invigorating and enjoyable. Canada looks like an amazing place to visit!

All the best,
Noel

Fun song to listen to. This mix is soooo close I wonder why you didn't try for a full out Rockabilly mix?

Jim,

Thank you for having a listen! Much appreciated.

This might sound a strange answer, but the reason I didn't try a Rockabilly backing is because I have know idea what constitutes a Rockabilly band. It never occurred to me that what I assembled was in the ball park of a genre. I just put together some tracks that seemed to work well. I did begin a style, though, so PG Music also helped!

I'm heading off to find out some more about Rockabilly now.

Thanks again for taking the time.

Regards,
Noel