PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Every Little Piece Of My Heart - Duet w/ Janice Merritt

A duet.
With the usual suspects.



EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART

that first look
the way your eyes lingered
i couldn't catch my breath
i took that long fall
i won't deny it
i'm wrapped around your finger
i won't lie, boy
you could have it all

   every little piece of my heart is yours for the taking
   you know i surrendered right from the start
   the touch of your lips leaves me trembling and shaking
   deep down in to every little piece of my heart

a miracle each morning
you're the first thing i see
your mystery, your magic
mesmerizing me
you whisper "i love you"
i hear angels sing
nothing i wouldn't do
to be your everything

   every little piece of my heart is yours for the taking
   you know i surrendered right from the start
   the touch of your lips leaves me trembling and shaking
   deep down in to every little piece of my heart




Duet Partner: Janice Merritt

The BAND:
RealTracks in style: ~904:Piano, Electric, Rhythm SmoothCool Sw16 075
RealTracks in song: 2202:Guitar, Electric, Soloist CountryCrossoverBrent Sw16 075
RealTracks in song: 1825:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveHeld Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 1684:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopPromiseCrispHeld Ev16 100
RealTracks in song: 636:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RootsRockDirty Ev 100 (A:held)
RealTracks in song: 1000:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockLAFuzzyHeld Ev 120
RealTracks in song: 2585:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PunkHeldPlus Ev 165
Royalty Free Loops



Thanks, Sis! You. Are. The. Best.
Thanks, Bud, for recording Janice's vocal...



Hope y'all enjoy it.
Comments encouraged.

fj

Excellent, yep, excellent.
the only nit that stuck out was the bass tone in the intro - it's a bit aggressive/toppy when that naked though it sits perfectly for the rest of the song.
The outro is wonderful.

I knew I was going to love this before I even pressed play, the duets you do with Janice are always just so good!

A little different feel wise than what I'm used to from you, but, I like it.

Nice build, I always like hearing that in a song.

Janice sounds awesome! And your vocal sounds great too, a little more reverb than you normally use? And then when both voices come together ... just such a perfect blend. Love the tradeoffs too.

Band sounds great and killer mix as usual.

It seemed much shorter than 3:22, and that's a good thing I guess!

Excellent floyd and Janice, really enjoyed this one!

What an intro Floyd (very creative)! I like Janice's approach to the vocal on this (sounds a little different for her but excellent...maybe a little more of a pop sound than country). Great harmony with each other in this! As usual the production is flawless to my ears! Not to mention that this is a great tune! The fade out work very well!! Thanks, Torrey

Floyd & Janice,
Its great when a duet makes you wait for the duet part and then its even better than expected!
Such a good build to the arrangementand the long fade works too.
I enjoyed the romantic swing side of your partnership!

Robert

This was pretty cool. I enjoyed hearing Janice getting out of the blues track and doing something different. Nicely done.

I don't think the guitar solo fit as well as it should have. Tone was a factor.
Trading off on the verses was cool and expected. I was waiting for the diet part. The chorus Harmony was good and sounded nice after the solo verses.

All in all it was a pleasure listening.

Great performance and band choice.
Congrats to all involved. Rob4580

Thank you Dave! Bud and I are always excited when floyd invites us in on a project.

Janice

Hi Floyd and Janice
A duet featuring you two was never going to disappoint, and it sure didn't. You sound SO good together.
Regards,
Leon

The lyrics really blew me away, and the use of RealTracks in this song were just phenomenal. Thanks for sharing!

Floyd and Janice—

Well, as usual, the usual suspects are guilty . . . of turning out another terrific tune. Two outstanding vocals—really crisp and complimentary. Has a sentimental 70s type sound, but still fresh and new. So sweetly and expertly done.

Hope you are both well!

Regards,

Deej

This is perfect. Just perfect. Janice's voice is at its classic best and, when floyd comes in ... wow. The tune is so laid back (love it that it's so melodic and relaxed) and the lyrics are a dream to listen to. Whatever you guys are having for breakfast that produces such amazing talent and end results - I want some :-) Well done!

The melody took some interesting turns that my ear really appreciated. And then the way you both put such a nice skipping effect on "every little piece of my heart" made it a super hook. Of course, the singing was as good as it gets, and the production was primo.

Hi Floyd, Janice and Bud,

This is another very nice song where the three of you are involved in!
The melody lingered in my head, long after the song ended.
I saw that originally the song was made for a man to sing, but Janices' voice is a great addition to it.
and it only asked for a changing of one word (girl - boy). But in this duet both voices sound perfect!

Also the instruments are well chosen for this type of song. But they sound so very bright (in my headphone). almost as if I was standing next to them. How did you do that?

Hans

I appreciate that Torrey. Bud says I couldn’t go pop even if you put a firecracker in my mouth! We first heard Randy Travis say that

J&B

Nice work on this - I like how poppy it is, definitely not the usual from Janice but it works fantastically well. Love the harmonies here, and thought the production was top notch.

Thanks for sharing

Thank you Robert! floyd's great production and arrangement got mine and Bud's attention right from the beginning.

Janice

This is one of those songs that I can't tell you where it places with me; all I know is I really like it. I don't mean places, as in 1st, 2nd...but more along the lines of genre. Honestly, I don't care. Great is great.

I could almost have seen this being a Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty song. Again, it's not necessarily in their genres; but they went for great and this song has it.

That being said, you two sound fantastic on it! Which is a REAL testament to all THREE of you! It's very easy to listen to this and completely forget that the two of you aren't actually singing together OR even on the exact same equipment! That shows a certain recording prowess that says it all.

The arrangement it subtly doing so many things to keep you engaged without being obnoxious...or probably even obvious. But it is SO there! I can't tell you the appreciation I have for that!

The mood hits me perfectly. Great melodic and supporting choices. I really love the grove and how it's played with. To sing with groove is something that is often over looked AND rather difficult to do. The builds with tension and releases from not only the harmonic content but the choice of what when is so great to hear.

...and it's now stuck in my head! It's a happy stuck though.

You three are retired? When's the tour?

This was very different from your other song in a good way. Vocals were awesome and loved the guitar. Really engaging piece of music. Well done

This is very good song, and very good performance. Nice vocals, great lyrics and a pleasant blend in the duet portion. This song has some legs, I'm telling you.

If you wanted to put a bit more swing in there and some more aggressive arranging and instrumentation, it could also work really well in that style too. I think its great as it stands, no need to change it, but a really good song can have several excellent variations and still cut it.

Catchy tune - distinctive and memorable.

[UNHELPFUL COMMENT REMOVED, SORRY FOLKS]

I'm with rayc on the bass - it initially sounds too loud with the guitar, but once the vocal kicks in, it magically slots into place.

Anyway, once the drummer woke up and finally joined in, I warmed up to it.

Really nice write. I consider happy songs the hardest writes, and this one is super-upbeat feel-good.

I've got mixed feelings on the instrumentation - I like the idea of the pared-down mix, but it feels too stripped down to me. Again, "feelings", not a suggestion that you should change anything.

And then - as Dave said - it was over too soon. Always a sign of a good song.

I enjoyed the song a lot!

Dear Janice, dear Floyd,

oh boy - this is really something. We all know that your two voices go together so very well, but with this one you kicked the ball over the fence - amazing, marvellous, terrific!.

The whole song is sooooooo incredibly soulful - from the composition to the nice lyrics - you can hear and feel that it's custommade for you two.

Loved the intro very much and the chorus is a blast.

If I may humbly make a suggestion: I think another drum track could make the song even 'rounder' - there's too much boom-boom by the kick and the snare for my personal taste, and I can almost hear no cymbals. A more balanced drum track with a smooth ride could support the flow, especially of the chorus, I think.

But whatever: The song is outstanding, most, beautiful and a treat to listen to!!!

Take care,

Stefan

Hi Floyd, Janice and Bud. Catchy tune! Nicely produced duet. Your voices blend well together. Bravo!

Another strong heartfelt write...
With lyrics which led straight to the hook...
Its nice you decided to rewrite it as a duet...
As it permitted both your & Janice's vocals to shine individually on the verses...
And then simmer together on choruses...
You made some outstanding choices on this one...
Now you need to get on your bicycle...
Ride it up to Georgia...
And give Janice a great big hug of thanks !

Herb, thank you...like your recent song it’s fun to stretch the boundaries a bit!

Janice

floyd / Janice

You sound wonderful together every time!

Lovely production and a stellar ending.

What else can I add, - after 2 plays a real catchy melody, a nice sentiment and great vocals/

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Peter

Wow, what a vocal performance from both of you. And Janice's low voice gives me shivers... I like how the vocals are mixed so clear that you can almost hear tingling of every little romantic piece in your hearts. Verse melody and chording is surprisingly mysterious and the chorus is super catchy as any other true pop hit. Great band supports it all, the acoustic piano and the main picking guitar are real sounding highlights. Songs on this forum seem to be all I need to fill my musical appetite.

Janne

Before doing anything else, I feel I should address several production suggestions/nits all at the same time...

It has been cool to have so many people mention things that they felt could be changed... I don't usually get a lot of that...

This song (production) is intended to get a little closer to an "updated" sound (for me, anyway). Not that I won't still do the other (older?) stuff, but...

These days, I listen to a LOT of new music. And there is a lot of it that I like.
I'm not talking about just "new Country" (though I do listen to almost every new major release at least once).
There's also forays into Pop, Alternative Rock, Americana.
The newer styles of these genres are influencing some of what I do.
Some of it I did not like when I first heard them.
But I have grown to like more and more new stuff the more I listen.
If you don't venture into these areas then some of what I'll be doing will likely land outside what you are accustom to hearing.
Or not.

Some examples?
Go listen to Charlie Puth's "Voicenotes".
Or the new Taylor Swift.
Maggie Rogers' "Heard It In A Past Life"...
Any of Ryan Hurd's EPs...

That's just a quick few....


So... back to Every Little Piece Of My Heart...

ray (rayc) said:
the only nit that stuck out was the bass tone in the intro - it's a bit aggressive/toppy when that naked though it sits perfectly for the rest of the song.

...and David (dcuny)
I'm with rayc on the bass - it initially sounds too loud with the guitar, but once the vocal kicks in, it magically slots into place.


An aggressive bass is a mainstay of much of current music. There are untold numbers of songs that have aggressive bass and drums and little else - some tinkling of something here and there. So, that was intentional.



Herb (Guitarhacker) said:
I don't think the guitar solo fit as well as it should have. Tone was a factor.

This is one I whole-heartedly disagree with. Guitar tone is entirely subjective. What better tone for a song like this than Brent Mason doing Crossover. Your sound is rooted in the '70's. If you want everything to sound like ZZ Top or Marshall Tucker, that's fine. But it's not going into anything I'm doing these days (unless it is intentionally retro).



Ed Z (EdZ314) said:
If you wanted to put a bit more swing in there and some more aggressive arranging and instrumentation, it could also work really well in that style too. I think its great as it stands, no need to change it, but a really good song can have several excellent variations and still cut it.

...and David (dcuny) said:
I've got mixed feelings on the instrumentation - I like the idea of the pared-down mix, but it feels too stripped down to me. Again, "feelings", not a suggestion that you should change anything.


That is an interesting perspective, I think. I don't feel that this is "pared-down". especially compared to a lot of the current music. There is quite a bit going on throughout the song - and a lot towards the end. I supposed compared to what we grew up listening to it might be considered pared-down. But as I said earlier... I'm trying new stuff...

(Ed Z - Welcome to the Showcase!! Looking forward to hearing some of your stuff on here...especially if you are going for that "new sound"...)


Stefan (Crossroads) said:
If I may humbly make a suggestion: I think another drum track could make the song even 'rounder' - there's too much boom-boom by the kick and the snare for my personal taste, and I can almost hear no cymbals. A more balanced drum track with a smooth ride could support the flow, especially of the chorus, I think.

Almost ALL of the new stuff I'm listening to these days has VERY little more than a kick and a snare or clap. Practically NO hats. And I prefer that type drum track. Lee Brice's Hard2Love album got me started on that. And much of the new Country that I like is that way...


I am NOT trying to rustle any feathers here. Merely explaining where these sounds are coming from.

[quote:]Almost ALL of the new stuff I'm listening to these days has VERY little more than a kick and a snare or clap. Practically NO hats. And I prefer that type drum track. [/quote]

I'd like to see some realdrum choices like that as I prefer new style drums too. So I'd be interested in how you did the drums and where you got the loops. I get lost in lists of drum loops...another reason I'd love to have more new real drums to make life easier to put together more modern drum sounds. Sorry if this part should've been a pm. Just wanted to add a huge +1 to your drum preference. So glad you brought it up.

I have no real nits. I really like the song and how the arrangement fits the lyrics which are written really well and the way it builds. You and Janice are right in your wheelhouse vocally and especially satisfying when the two voices come together on the chorus. It's familiar and fresh. Go team!

I think an accurate summary of my comments would be "I'm an old fuddy-duddy."

Chalk that up as another sign that you've succeeded.

My wife often tells me that I need a t-shirt that simply says "Fogey". So...don't feel alone. We are a large club...

I would say that the fact that my bass, drums, guitar and over-all production were all called into question is evidence that I have, at least, been successful at "making some change".


And, as I said, it took me some time to warm up to this style. I spent considerable time thinking... "that's not for me". Now, however - perhaps unfortunately - I've been infected.

ray - I really like how carefully you listen to everyone's music and make observations about what you hear. I addressed the "aggressive" bass in a previous post. I just finished listening to the latest billie eilish record...talk about aggressive bass!! HA!

Thanks for the careful listens!!...






Dave - thanks for all of that!! I am always considering if a song will lend itself to doing a duet with Janice... a few more and we might be able to put out an album

Top quality lyrics. When you two sing together in the second chorus, it is pure magic.

hi Floyd and Janice wow very different and very creative I think the two of you can sing just about any genre very well done eric

This is great y'all. A really wonderful effort.

A rich, warm, gorgeous sound! Happy Holidays!

This is fantastic! Like you, Floyd, I have been listening to some of the new stuff. And you are spot on!

What a great combination you have with you and Janice, and of course, Bud always does such a good job of capturing Janice's voice.

I really like everything about this song and arrangement. Well done!

Steve

This is simply one of the best. Not just one of your best, or Janice's best, but one of the best on the forum.
It's the complete package: lyrics, vocals, melody, production and harmonies. Janice's vocal and harmonies are very special.
Cheers,
Mike

'nother jackpot.

well done!

I really like this....keep up the great work and keep posting!

Thanks Peter! floyd surprised us with that ending.

Janice

Torrey - The varying response to this one have certainly been interesting. Thanks for all the notes on things that worked for you!...




Thanks, Robert. We appreciate that...

Thanks for weighing in, Herb...




Thanks, Rob...

Thank you!

Janice



Thanks Leon. That was very nice of you.

Janice




I appreciate that Deryk. It was different but as always a lot of fun working on a floyd project!

Janice

We appreciate that, Leon. Thanks for stopping by!!




Very nice of you to say, Ember... Thanks!!

Sweet!! Fun!! Sentimental!! Warm and fuzzy in the best way!! Janice brings something great to everything she sings, and Floyd brings something great to everything he writes!! AND together? Magic!!!! This is so catchy, pleasant, and easy to listen to! I don't listen to much new music at all but it sounded great to me! Nice job y'all!!! Take care. Greg

That is very kind of y’all. Thanks!

Janice

Good song guys, lyric and structure really works.
I think the track could be better though. I chunkier more vibrant backing would give it a lot more feel and would lift better in the choruses, which are great by the way.
I was expecting the first two choruses to be sung by the verse lead on each and then duet on the final choruses to fade, but that's just me I guess.
And a tiny thing but, to me, can make all the difference to a line, is in the line:
"your mystery, your magic" I just feel it would sing better if you used all three syllables of the word Mystery instead of singing it as Mistry. Draws the line out better.
These are all merely my humble opinions, and are not criticisms but options.
The song is really good.
Keep 'em coming.

thanks, Deej... we appreciate that...




James - that is very nice of you to say...

Great song.

Now, I'll be the one to say it. This song really needs more capitalization.

It also wouldn't hurt to add punctuation while your at it. This may require a bit of completing sentences as it seems you opted for sentence fragments.

Your paragraphs also, to me, seem oddly indented at certain points. I find it highly distracting; and without purpose.

Speaking of paragraphs, your second and fourth paragraphs are identical. I'm not sure if you are are trying to pad your essay here; but even people mildly adept at writing will catch this. Give us a true fourth paragraph to bring your story home.

Lastly, I would like to address word choice. You seem to be using some sort of supposed modern vernacular of the English language. There is no need to do this as "the King's English" has been around for considerable time. It is time honored; therefore there is not need in deviating from it. We should not draw from the past; but live there.

All of this should help considerably in filling out your desolate song lyrics.

Again, great song.

Hey HTL,

Your earlier response to this tune made our day. Janice thanks you very much for your thoughts on the entire production and, of course, her vocal.
This followup response brought a lot of much needed levity to a cold somewhat gloomy day and thanks for that also! I'm sure floyd is parked at the drawing board!



J&B

HearToLearn?

I feel I must come to the defence of Janice and Bud over your somewhat harsh and misguided criticisms of their wonderful song.

As I'm sure you can appreciate, neither punctuation or capitalisation are an inherent part of lyric writing. Your mention of paragraphs and indents is equally perplexing.

If I may say, it shows a distinct lack of understanding of the vitally important differences between reading and speaking, speaking and singing and, more importantly, writing and songwriting.

In songwriting, phrasing and emphasis are an essential part of a songs lyric.

I would offer as an example the fact that Adele actually won an Oscar for rhyming 'skyfall' with 'crumble'. Two words which patently do not rhyme on the page. This was circumvented by her extending the second syllable in 'crumble' and singing it as 'crumball'. Messy but effective.

Another example would be Rihanna's change of emphasis to the word 'murderer' in her song Unfaithful. By extending and emphasising the last syllable of the word it helped to carry the line through the melody perfectly.

This method was highlighted by the vastly knowledgeable and experienced Mr_Songman in his review of Janice and Bud's song.

The correct phrasing and emphasis of a lyric is the difference between making a line seamless or cumbersome.

And this is in no way associated with vernacular, dialect, syntax or grammar, all of which are in a continuous flux - tautology there - but of absolutely no consequence or import.

I hope this helps in some small way.

Mr_Songman, all of my comments were actually completely guided. If I may say, your response shows a distinct lack of understanding of the vitally important concept of humor.

Now, in YOUR defense, you do not know me in the least to know my sense of humor. You would also, probably, be unaware of the relationship I have with the people involved in the project. Furthermore, this is the internet. It can be VERY difficult to know a person's intent from a response like mine. I would not expect you to have seen, or necessarily remember, my previous response with praise for the project. You may have also missed the response under mine from two of the three people involved in the project. It would have given a point of reference to my aforementioned praise and humor posts. All I ask is that you DO see my next point...

I so appreciate your willingness to address what you perceived as, for lack of a better term, a "troll" on the forum. THEN to go the extra step of explaining for someone's educational benefit the concepts involved is impressive. It's nice to know someone like you is willing to step out like you did. Especially, since it would have involved people I've come to know and respect greatly. Sincerely, thank you for that! It's much needed in today's world.

I hope that helps in some small way as well. All my best to you.

Now if we can turn our attention back on where it needs to be. This well crafted song.

Oh HearToLearn,

I am sorry you misunderstood but, I absolutely got your sense of humour. I thought it was intelligent and hilarious. I certainly never thought of it as a troll but perceived it as light-hearted banter between friends.

I was hoping that mine would be taken in exactly the same vein. It was purely intended as a continuation of your witty prose.

If you read it again knowing that I'm sure you'll see the humour and irony and overblown sense of self importance as it was intended.

I guess I was wrong to assume that my tongue in cheek and loppy grin would be apparent through my text.

Teach me to butt in to other peoples banter. I'm a joiner - what can I say.

Apologies if I gave any cause for rancour.

And the very best to you and yours.

Scott, Ed Z and David Cuny,

Hey guys, thanks for listening and commenting. Happy Holidays!!!

Janice

Thanks, TM. Always good to have the melody mentioned...




Thanks, Hans!!





Always nice to have you drop by, Deryk...

Thank you Stefan!

Janice



Thank you. I'm glad you like the blend!

Janice



Thank you Jim. Our welcome mat is always out for floyd and his wife. A little chilly though for the bikes

Janice

Well...I'll certainly take that!



We can always dream, of course...



That is certainly appreciated...



I'm, of course, very pleased to hear you say that! I know that you listen to many different kinds of music (the range is huge). More importantly, I know you "stay current" and so, are accustom to the nuances of today's production values...



....like that




...and there is the payoff.




Keep 'em guessing....

Thanks Floyd...
For taking time to listen to “There Won't Be No Christmas This Year” ...
You will find my response to your comments there...
Also I’d like to mention...
You really add to the success of this User Showcase forum!
Thanks again.

Thanks Janne! I was definitely exploring the lower end of my range! Glad you liked it. And yes floyd surely knows how to mix vocals and everything else.

Janice



I'd like to see some realdrum choices like that as I prefer new style drums too. So I'd be interested in how you did the drums and where you got the loops. I get lost in lists of drum loops...another reason I'd love to have more new real drums to make life easier to put together more modern drum sounds. Sorry if this part should've been a pm. Just wanted to add a huge +1 to your drum preference. So glad you brought it up.

I have no real nits. I really like the song and how the arrangement fits the lyrics which are written really well and the way it builds. You and Janice are right in your wheelhouse vocally and especially satisfying when the two voices come together on the chorus. It's familiar and fresh. Go team![/quote]

Glad you liked the harmony!

Janice

FJ and usual suspects...
That was unusual!

Very engaging and dynamic performance. Listens super easy. Janice A+! I believe FJ owes you and Bud a home baked pie or at least a pile of pancakes. Nothing to say except for compliments! Enjoyed it a lot.

Ohh yea one more thing. It sounds fresh. FJ, I like that after so many tunes you keep re-inventing. Gives me inspiration.
Thank you for sharing!


Misha.

Thanks, Scott...




Thanks for listening and commenting, Ed...

Thanks guys! I’m so glad you liked my part and happy holidays.

Janice

Wow!

That was amazing.
Haven't listened to either artist (nor many others) for a while so what a delight.
Enjoyed the swing the style the lightness and the novelty of the piece.

Best Wishes.

David - thanks, as always, for your thoughtful comments (we have addressed some parts elsewhere, of course...).




Stefan - thanks for the fine review (as I mentioned in a previous response, the drum track is intentional)...





Thanks, Marc!!




Appreciate that, Jim... Just got back from GA... it's a long bike ride...





Thanks, Peter!!

Thank you Steve! You are very kind and we love your and Rachel’s song!

Janice



Mike, I love any chance to sing with floyd. My mama always said we sounded like siblings Thank you so much!

Janice

We appreciate that, Janne. Thanks for the nice review...




There are some RealDrums that are mainly kick and snare (very light hats that can be further "lessened" by pulling the high EQ down some). These drums came from a Drums On Demand package called Country Crossover II (the multitrack version). I've had it for a couple of years and I've only used it a couple of times - and then only a couple of pieces (individual loops) to build the entire track. So, considering that, I'm not sure it is worth the price (this one anyway). Most often when I want a kick and snare, I just grab a couple of samples (a kick and a snare, of course) and build the whole thing.

Thank you Greg!

Janice




Thanks Misha!

Janice

Thanks, Scott...




We appreciate that, eric...




Mr. Snyder!... comeonback!!!

Hi, Floyd and Janice !


I´m lost for words for this
wonderful tune and duet !
Absolutely superb in every
aspect !:))

Cheers
dani

Thank you Dani!

Janice

Thanks, Steve. Coming from you, that means a lot... and I'm not surprised that you "keep up" with what is going on... And, yes, I'm lucky to be able to call Janice and Bud good friends...






Mike - what a truly nice thing for you to say... I really appreciate that...




Thanks for stopping by, ed...




Thanks, jim....