
(Click on the play arrow above to hear the song)
So, this is a soppy love song. I wrote it for Cathy after she said “yes” and it is about our first meeting and first date. Okay. Enough of the soppy stuff!
It’s a bit of a hybrid, as it has elements of funk, Everly Brothers harmonies, classical orchestra and jazz improvisation… yet I think it works. The drums have a live feel to them and the bass is very present – heavily compressed and high up in the mix.
I wrote this on the guitar and then transposed it down to fit my voice better. Very happy that I haven’t just used a simple chord progression. I decided early on that it would not be guitar-based, though I brought in a funk guitar once I had the body of the track down. I wrote the words independently from the music and then found a melody. I had to improve the words at various points – the early versions are quite hilarious!
There are three pianos – 2 electric and one kind of honkytonk – all, as well as the shooting stars sounds, from the Halion Sonic 2 Artist Library.
I did various vocal takes and wasn’t really happy with any of them, though I think the one I have used in the final mix is okay – I wanted a natural sound that brought out some of the lower frequencies to get a softer timbre than normal. I used a gate, compression, EQ as well as reverb and a delay on various words, and an autocorrect … just in case!!
I also decided early on that I wanted some orchestral sounds in there. I have done two main things here: Strings to give some weight and change in texture for the instrumentals before the chorus; and heavy brass, to give a dramatic, fateful feel over the chorus. I wrote the orchestral parts in Sibelius, using the Noteperformer sound library, which is far superior to the native Sibelius one, though I am very tempted by the East West Composer bundles….
I also decided that I wanted a couple of extemporised solos and chose tenor sax and trumpet, the latter echoing and varying the former, just because I know Cathy is a massive jazz fan and particularly likes the saxophone, while I am a pretty bad trumpeter… so it seemed to fit! You’ll have to persevere to the end to hear those 😉
Anyone have any thoughts as to whose voice this would suit?
Here are the words: (Note that I made a mistake twice – who can hear where?)
Cathy’s Song – I take your hand again
Closer, closer than I ever had the nerve to imagine
Deeper, deeper than I ever had the right to desire
Introduced by a guardian angel
Bound together forever through that first dance
Oh I remember talking, I remember laughter, I remember a kiss!
Like a dove of peace my eyes flew straight to you
Like the love in your soul, we held each other’s hands
For the whole time
And now I take your hand again
Just as I did on that first night
And we can dance for the rest of our lives
Holding hands
Brighter, brighter than the light from a million shooting stars
Stronger, stronger than the pull of the force of gravity
Loving you is so very easy
Borne on the perfect form of the universe
Oh I remember Alloro, I remember laughing, I remember a kiss!
Like a shaft of light, piercing my soul
Cupid’s arrow plunged deep into my ravaged heart
And now I live . . .
Below is an instrumental only version (which I actually quite like).
Peace and love chickadees!
Phil – December 2017