Hi again Janice and Tom,

Sorry! I couldn't stay away smile

Since I first heard it this morning, your song has been on my mind. Right now, it's just on midnight here and, only seconds ago, the song finished playing for the ninth or tenth time (I haven't kept count).

A question that has been ringing around in my head is, "After it's stripped back to its bare bones (i.e. ignore performances, arranging and production), What is it about this song that makes it work so well?" There's something (or some things, even) that really appeal to me and I'm never satisfied until I can understand the 'why it is so!' (to paraphrase Prof. Julius Sumner Miller).

Firstly, the form complements the lyrics perfectly. From a lyric perspective, it's pretty much a 2-verse composition with a 2-line refrain at the end of each verse. I interpret this as a truncated variation on the AAA form that Janice and Bud are extremely familiar with from their folk/bluegrass music. Maybe that familiarity has helped brighten the feeling of competence that is an aura around every aspect of the song.

After multiple listens, I think the fact that many of the melodic phrases start after beat 1 is what really makes these lyrics tug at my heart strings. I also like the way you've mixed perfect rhymes and other rhyme types in the lyric structure.

In addition, the two characters in the song are vividly real and it's so very easy to see the singer looking at the other person and singing. Emotional truth and honesty stand tall in these lyrics. They are 100% believable. I also compliment you both on your strong verse development with verse 2 becoming just a little more philosophical and, as a consequence, gaining just the right amount of emotional weight to make the listening journey satisfying.

Lastly, repeating the back half of verse 2 as the song's third lyric section packs a great emotional punch (at least that's how I felt it). My observation is that repetition, when used wisely as in these lyrics, nearly always strengthens and amplifies meaning.

Anyway, you've both given me lots of food for thought when I sit down to write my next song. Thank you for that.

All the best,
Noel

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024