PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Working On My Broken Heart

A co-write with Michael LeBlanc.

Mike is an excellent lyricist. I've written a couple dozen songs with him.
He allows me free-reign to change what I choose to (seems to trust me).
Many of them, I will modify only small parts of the lyric - he has a good sense of lyric writing.
For this one, it ended up about half and half. It had good bones.
I do the melody, music & production.
It's a good "partnership".
(Mike is actually a BIAB user, but has never posted here)



WORKING ON MY BROKEN HEART

maybe some nails and a hammer
or paperclips and glue
i'm trying my best to remember
but i aint got a clue
need to think this through so i can make a start
gotta get busy
working on my broken heart

i might try a little whiskey
though it hasn't worked before
or something else just as risky
like that blond standing by the door
just give me some time to figure out all these parts
i'll think of something
working on my broken heart
   
   working on my broken heart
   trying to find that spark
   how do you gather
   something so shattered
   like some puzzle in the dark
   i'm doing my best
   working on my broken heart

might be a piece missing here or there
but i think i can make it work
it needs to feel like somebody cares
to find its way out of this hurt
might have a chance if i can catch this thing off guard
at least it's a plan
working on my broken heart
   
   working on my broken heart
   trying to find that spark
   how do you gather
   something so shattered
   like some puzzle in the dark
   i'm doing my best
   working on my broken heart
   
   i'm doing my best
   working on my broken heart

©2018 Michael LeBlanc and floyd jane
Words and music. All rights reserved.


The BAND:

RealTracks in song: ~700:Bass, Electric, PopHalfNotesPush Ev 085
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 2999:Piano, Rhythm CountryFolk8thsMike Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 1945:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm GroovinFolk Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 2916:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm CountryFolk8thsBrent Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 2883:Pedal Steel, Background CountryEddy12-key Ev 085
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 2999:Piano, Rhythm CountryFolk8thsMike Ev 085
RealDrums in Song: BluesRockSlowEv^1-a:SideStick , b:Snare

Extra Special Sweet Harmony - Janice Merritt - my "musical sis".
(thanks to Bud Merrit for recording and processing the harmony track).


Comments welcome.
Have at it.

fj

Well happy Sunday evening,

this fits the mood here perfectly

solid write, very nice harmonies

super co-write

the recording quality is excellent

awesome man,

Kenny

Floyd,

This is absolutely beautiful...

Your vocal is great and the harmony with Janice is stunning - radio ready for sure. The production is just stellar - every part of this song sounds amazing.

"i might try a little whiskey
though it hasn't worked before
or something else just as risky
like that blond standing by the door"

Wow! Some tremendous lines... Loved it all!

Bob

Floyd and Mike,

A well-written, well-constructed, well-performed and well-produced tune . . . and it goes to show that music is more than the sum of its parts . . . because add those all up and they don’t tell just how a terrific a song this is. Very sweet listen!

All the best,

Deej

FJ and crew,
Congrats on nice addition!
Beautiful & easy to follow. Everything is top notch!
Very strong lyrics. I know it is sad song....but whiskey verse made me smile.

P.S. FJ since you have comments "turned on"... I think it would be interesting if Janice sung one of the choruses (or verses) solo and then the last one you and Janice in duet. Future idea ?

Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

floyd

Lovely song production and performance.

Everything works as it should, and sounds great.

Beautiful harmony by Janice and a great lead vocal.

Top notch all the way.

Peter

Hello Floyd ...

I know Mike from a different music site ... you probably know which one I'm referring to. I'll soon be active over there again. And you're right ... he writes an excellent melody. Like you, he's a word magician. You two remind me a bit of Bill Osofsky with your word magic - or maybe it's the other way around. Three of the best writers over there.

This is very, very good. I should say ... excellent. The music you chose is perfect prosidy for the lyric. You are talnted in so many ways. Another wonderful creation - totally enjoyed everything about it.

Alan

Nice co-write. Reminds me of "traditional country".

As always this is well produced. The lyrics fit very well in the melody. I'm a sucker for a good harmony and this is no exception.
Well done to you both. Rob

Thanks, Kenny!




Bob - Thanks! I'm fond of those lines...and they are a good "look into this co-write"... Mike had a verse that used the whiskey/risky rhyme, but it was a "downer" feel-sorry-for-myself kind of thing, rather "heavy-handed". I liked the rhyme, so wrote a different "lighter-side" verse using it in a different way. It gave the lyric a better focus...

Wow, so good!

Vocal is just pure perfection, and the harmonies from Janice are about as tight as they could be with great tone of course. Just the icing on the cake.

So many good lines to list them all, I think my favorite might be:

"I might try a little whiskey
though it hasn't worked before
or something else just as risky
like that blond standing by the door"

Mix is excellent, I listened first through my studio monitors then through the 'phones.

Loved it!

Wow - you did an outstanding job on this. It is warm and heartfelt, and the vocals are stunning. Love the harmonies and love the tone of the song as well. It has all the traits of a great classic country song.

Not a thing I'd change on this one - thanks for sharing!

AW such a good song here, why cant folks on radio understand the crowd is still here for great songs, and this one is living proof!!!! Cliff

Great song. Good lead vocal and harmonies. I always think your productions are spot on.

Nope. Sorry.

You posted a song.

I posted my response to that song.

You posted your response to my response.

I haven't been able to respond to that yet...and you post ANOTHER song in that time?!?!

Sorry, you're cover is blown. It's not "Floyd Jane!" It's "The Floyd Janes!" There is surely more than one of you! You have to be a group. Tell me you're a group.

Yes, I love the song. It has a wonderful emotion to it; and it has a different delivery than I've heard from you recently. I really like it a lot.

Your voices compliment each other especially well on this song.

So...great job to ALL of you.

Another great piece of songwriting...
The lyrics are coherent, vivid, & well directed...
Congratulations to you & Mike for both the good lyrics & melody...
Janice's harmonies & Bud's skill adds to the success of the production...
And, of course, your plaintive vocal gives the tune the soul of good country song.

Beautiful tune Floyd! Love the way that second verse picks up and takes off! The chorus is over the top good! Whoever that background singer is has really got it together....just kidding!! Janice always helps take a tune to a higher level! Great!! Thanks, Torrey

Hi FJ,

A very nice performance. You managed to make your sad song sounds sadder than mine ;-)
Good voice, and I liked your doubling of it, very subtile.
I 'liked' it on your site.

Best regards,
Hans

It's beautiful song performed and produced beautifully.

Has a heart-felt 'live' vibe. Very enjoyable.

Thanks, Deej. As I said, Mike gave me some "good bones" to work with...he always does...