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In my last post, I mentioned how many songs I've written and how many I've thrown away.
As I said, I started writing when I was 14.
The first song I ever "kept" came about 6 years later (1975).
First time I had thought... "This doesn't totally suck."
smile

I only keep it still for the sake of nostaglia.
I figured I'd throw it against the wall here.
Warts and all.
Beginnings.
It's slow and meloncholy (my first real broken heart).
A 3-verse song. Standard for the times.
I quit writing 3-verse songs about 1985.

So...going back 45 years...


REALLY THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY

the sunshine won't get out of my eyes
the salt won't get out of my wounds
a new woman won't get out of my mind
but i'll probably make my move too soon
five hundred miles from my last mistake
and still it stands in my way
now everything hangs
on her next words
but really there's nothing to say

maybe she'll love me, maybe she won't
maybe i don't even care
maybe i'll find what i'm looking for
or maybe it couldn't be there
but every fool needs somebody who
can help him forget yesterday
so maybe i'll use my usual lines
but really there's nothing to say

i might tell the story of why i am here
how a broken heart lead the way
but a stronger man would have made his stand
i just walked away
so i'll spare you the details and myself the pain
of a woman who's that far away
perhaps i should write
i thought that i might
but really there's nothing to say

five hundred miles from my last mistake
and still it stands in my way
now everything hangs
on her next words
but really there's nothing to say
really
there's nothing to say


The BAND:
RealTracks in style: 366:Bass, Electric, Country Ev 065
RealTracks in style: ~364:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 065
RealTracks in song: ~2200:Guitar, Nylon, Background CountryBrent Ev 085
RealTracks in song: ~~369:Pedal Steel, Background Ev 065
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 2066:Piano, Rhythm NewAgeAnswers Ev16 110
Harmonies generated using TC Helicon plugin in RealBand



But, really...You can say something if you feel like it...
wink

Thanks for listening.

fj

Last edited by floyd jane; 12/23/20 01:46 AM. Reason: removed the drums
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The piano fits really well.
I'm glad this didn't get a ride in the ejector seat as it's a lovely, heart bruised song.
No nits...I'm glad you tried the resurrection without the shuffle.


Cheers
rayc
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It's a given that all of your productions are of the highest standard and this outing is no exception.
That said , I would love to hear this pared down to a sparse and simple piano or picked guitar ( à la Tom Waits) accompaniment. The fervent passionate quality of the lyrics are more than enough to carry the song with minimum distraction . I am not a fan of the sound of TC Helicon generated harmonies.
These are very timeless, worldly and enlightened lyrics coming from a 20 year old written 45 yers ago and I love "warts and all" which to my mind, is bona fide truth and therefor far more interesting.
Thank you for your wonderful music. I hope you have LOTS more to say smile

ps Hey I just did the math , 20 in 1975 ? we are the same age!

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Hi Floyd ...

First, Gary and you are dang near youngsters in my time frame ... I'll be 74 in March. YIKES!!!!

Glad this one missed the trash can. Most of us would probably be very happy to have written most of your throwaways. This is so poignant yet a compelling listen. For the era, this would have been a great cross-over song.

The movie of this sad journey played in my mind's eye as each word lead to the next.

You remind me, in one very strong aspect, of a female friend of mine and a wonderful lyricist from Iowa. And that is, you have an uncanny and rare ability to reach into the hidden and unfiltered emotions of the human soul and translate them into the tangible medium of a powerful song. I not only listened to this song, but I felt it as I listened. Other than that, there's really nothing left for me to say.

Happy holidays to you and yours from both of us.

Alan & Di

Last edited by Al-David; 12/22/20 10:08 PM.

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Man, you were 20 when you wrote this?!

I started writing songs probably around the same time as you, and we are a similar age. I'm a year older actually. Main difference is your stuff was good eek

This is great, floyd, excellent vocal too. More please!

Hope you and yours have a great Christmas.

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Originally Posted By: Gary Weder
It's a given that all of your productions are of the highest standard and this outing is no exception.
That said , I would love to hear this pared down to a sparse and simple piano or picked guitar ( à la Tom Waits) accompaniment. The fervent passionate quality of the lyrics are more than enough to carry the song with minimum distraction . I am not a fan of the sound of TC Helicon generated harmonies.
These are very timeless, worldly and enlightened lyrics coming from a 20 year old written 45 yers ago and I love "warts and all" which to my mind, is bona fide truth and therefor far more interesting.
Thank you for your wonderful music. I hope you have LOTS more to say smile

ps Hey I just did the math , 20 in 1975 ? we are the same age!


Gary - your comments got me thinking... I had added the harmonies at the last minute before I uploaded the song - and they were (for one thing) too loud. So I toned them down a bit. And your suggestion of a "pared down" backing made me try it without drums - which I think made it more effective.

So. I remixed and uploaded a new version. Thanks for the suggestions...

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Originally Posted By: rayc
The piano fits really well.
I'm glad this didn't get a ride in the ejector seat as it's a lovely, heart bruised song.
No nits...I'm glad you tried the resurrection without the shuffle.


Thanks, ray! shuffle?

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Stunning, tender and heartwrenching. So melodic, like most (if not indeed all) of your songs. So well delivered, too. You wrote this when you were 20? Wow. They say that, if a man has a heart in his chest, that heart lasts forever ... and you sure have a superb musical heart in there. Keep sharing ... this was really, genuinely beautiful. Happy Christmas.

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Wow, 1975. 14 years old. You brought me back to the struggle it was to get good recordings without noise back then. My first attempts were with two small Panasonic cassette recorders and a patch cable. Then, I got the glorious Teac reel-to-reel, but even with that, noise was always an issue. The only solution was to go in the studio, save your money and watch the studio clock. That only happened a couple times. Ah, the good old days. Not! If only we'd have had BIAB back then.

This was a treat to listen to, really enjoyed the 70s form (Ha! I still use it!) and it was obvious a great talent was blossoming. Nice to hear the origin of it all, thanks for giving us a fascinating look back.


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Another lovely song Floyd. Beautiful vocal and lyric. Perfect instrumentation and as always perfect production.

Merry Xmas Floyd


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Sad and lovely song. Love everything about it.

What warts? I mean, maybe the word fool, except you use to here to create a nice inner rhyme with who, so that's entirely justified.

As usual - apparently even back then - solid storytelling and arc.

The pared-down arrangement really puts your voice front and center, where it shines.

Thanks for posting it! smile


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Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?
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Wow! 14? I don't think I started until 19. It was a song about Jewish concentration camps called "Monday Mourning." A bit too heavy of subject matter for my friends and girlfriend of the time to relate to. So, I'm impressed you went the relatable route right away!

I think this song is beautiful. The picked guitar works well with the background fills. Then that piano comes in to bring it to another level without seeming like you are adding too much to get there.

I will take it a step further by saying I didn't get to hear it with drums. Thank you for that! It's one thing to not need them, it's another if they take a song where it shouldn't go.

Thanks for sharing this.

To you 14 year old self, stick with this. You will touch many with your wonderful songs.


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Originally Posted By: floyd jane
Originally Posted By: rayc
The piano fits really well.
I'm glad this didn't get a ride in the ejector seat as it's a lovely, heart bruised song.
No nits...I'm glad you tried the resurrection without the shuffle.


Thanks, ray! shuffle?


The Resurrection Shuffle
https://youtu.be/XpH5ke-C_80


Cheers
rayc
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There is plenty to say about this, most of it has already been said, so I'll just say bravo, another great song to be proud of.

Great writing as always.

Rob

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There's just stacks to like about this, but one thing that stands out are exceptional lyrics.

Combined with a thoroughly beautiful melody, and delivered - as you say - in your more youthful years, this actually represents creative genius.

Yes, this is a keeper, no question.


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Man, even at 14 you had a keen ear. This DOESN'T suck! I couldn't see the warts --couldn't hear them either. I like the piano --heck, the whole production. Broken hearts have created many good songs, and this one is right at the top. Merry Christmas, Floyd.


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Originally Posted By: Al-David
Hi Floyd ...

First, Gary and you are dang near youngsters in my time frame ... I'll be 74 in March. YIKES!!!!

Glad this one missed the trash can. Most of us would probably be very happy to have written most of your throwaways. This is so poignant yet a compelling listen. For the era, this would have been a great cross-over song.

The movie of this sad journey played in my mind's eye as each word lead to the next.

You remind me, in one very strong aspect, of a female friend of mine and a wonderful lyricist from Iowa. And that is, you have an uncanny and rare ability to reach into the hidden and unfiltered emotions of the human soul and translate them into the tangible medium of a powerful song. I not only listened to this song, but I felt it as I listened. Other than that, there's really nothing left for me to say.

Happy holidays to you and yours from both of us.

Alan & Di


Alan - thanks for the great review. It is always nice to know that a lyric "touches" someone. (even those from when I was young and foolish)...
Sorry that I wiped out your Soundcloud comment when I uploaded a new mix...



Originally Posted By: BlueAttitude
Man, you were 20 when you wrote this?!

I started writing songs probably around the same time as you, and we are a similar age. I'm a year older actually. Main difference is your stuff was good eek

This is great, floyd, excellent vocal too. More please!

Hope you and yours have a great Christmas.


Thanks, Dave. Songwriting has been the most constant thing in my life all these years - along with my wife, that is... I met her when I was 14, too...

smile

And Merry Christmas to you and yours! I look forward to more great music from you in the coming year...




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floyd

Heard both versions - prefer the 2nd one, has a very evocative 70's singer songwriter vibe (albeit written I think in 1969).

Lovely performance, and an appealing song from an earlier time.

Peter

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14 eh? Bud was 65 before he wrote and it shows smile

50 years is a long time at that craft and the more we learn about what you were doing earlier the more remarkable the consistently high level of writing over those years becomes. Wish I could have periodically gone through your garbage -- I'd have a catalog to be proud of!

Well you can certainly be 20 and have these feelings but the ability to express them via a lovely song write is allocated to a select few.

As Janice said, "it is beautifully sung and I like the sparse band." Add the fine lyric and production to that and the bases are pretty much covered.

Excellent!

J&B


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Hi Floyd
While I've heard only the second version, the simple arrangement seems to me to fit the mood perfectly. That's really quite a song for a twenty year old. I guess I started writing at around fifteen but my journey to 'this doesn't totally suck' took quite a bit longer than yours!
Regards,
Leon

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