Here is the Finished Product....You guys may recall I posted an simple Acoustic/Vocal Version of this. I decided to go all in on this....I sing the lead VOX & lend a hand to the female background vocalist in spots I felt needed beefing up.

Here is the Final Studio version. AND NOW MY VIDEO...It's my first video ever...



First Love, Last Love
© 2019 Steve Altonian

Moonlight dances upon your hair
Your eyes light up the sky
I slip your hand inside of mine
You hold me tight and smile a little smile

I feel your heart beating underneath my skin
I kiss your tender lips and whisper in your ear

First love, last love
Sharing dreams and memories
First love, last love
Sometimes baby, love is meant to be

I’ve come to call you my best friend
You’re a candle to my soul
A yellow rose in the desert snow
I have grown from the seeds you’ve sown

Girl you know me a bit better than myself
You gently show me exactly who I am

First love, last love
Sharing dreams and memories
First love, last love
Sometimes baby, love is meant to be

BRIDGE
Still can taste that first kiss
It gets sweeter and sweeter all the time
You’re my favorite song
My love keeps burning strong…….for you

First love, last love
Sharing dreams and memories
First love, last love
Sometimes baby, love is meant to be
Sometimes baby, love is meant to be...

Sounds really pro to me. Seems like it would fit in on pretty much any country station out there. Vocals are really really strong. Genre wise, not my kind of song, but I believe it is very much the kind of song that most country fans would love to hear. Well produced, well written and well performed. Best of luck with it.

Dave

Wow, that turned out great! Wonderful production and vocals.

Very well performed... All around .Really enjoyed the song.
Well done
Mimmo

Hi Steve,

Beautifully done. Timeless sound. It's something I could imagine being a Journey staple or a modern country ballad.

Mike

I second Mike - timeless.

It's got everything - a universal lyric, a catchy chorus with a great lyrical hook, and solid main and backing vocals. Nice work!

Scott

Hey, that did turn out good! I'd say that’s radio ready, Congrats!

Steve,

WOW!! This is just . . . just . . . well, let me break out my thesaurus so I can look up every word for "exceptional". I'm not a country fan . . . might dig one in every 20 or 30 I hear, . . . and I'm not sure I'd say this is country . . . I'd just say it's damn good. One of the best things I've heard on the boards like this I visit. Your vocals are spot on, the harmonies as well--production is tight. Sweet from start to finish.

If a song like this doesn't go somewhere big, there's no hope for any of us little folks (or the few that still have delusions of hope). Seriously--this is so well done. Good luck with it--it doesn't deserve a lot of listens . . . it deserves millions.

My most humble regards,

Deej

Thanks Gavin & Mimmo for your thoughts & the listen


Hey Gocart Moz....I get that comment alot. "Not my style, but"....That says alot for ones attention to be drawn to something that is not in their sonic orbit. (just made that phrase up-SONIC ORBIT). Love your thoughts that Country fans would embrace this tune....Thanks Moz

I'm kinda in the same boat as Gocart, but it's not hard to hear when something is good.

Sounds like a polished track, professionally structured, commercially viable. I like how the chorus hook sneaks up on you.

Nice Vocal and arrangement. Well done!

Damn pretty song. Everything works and works together...lyric and music and vocals all row the same boat. Nicely executed.
Music is familiar sounding but "timeless" as Mike said.

Pic is beautiful and perfect as well.

Way to go.

Martin

This turned out fantastic Steve. Your studio really knew what they were doing - finished and ready for the radio. Way to go. I love the harmonies on the chorus.

This is excellent. Congrats!



Regards,


Bob

Perfect structure.
Well written.
Rich melody.
Fine performance, production and arrangement.

F C L S: First Class Love Song

Have fun!

This is beautiful Steve with an intro that had me thinking of a Hollies song.
Excellent vocal and melody.
One of the best on here for some time
Regards
John

Hi Mike....The Timeless comment is about the best compliment the tune could get. Styles change & are fleeting. We all want our tunes to stand the test of time. We were going for the Modern Country Ballad, but at the same time I guess the tune has a life & feel of it's own. So yes, the tune has both elements going on. And obviously alot of my personal style is gonna show up in there as well. Thanks for taking the time to listen Mike


Another Timeless...Cool....Thanks for giving this a spin


Thanks so much my friend for the good word....



Hi Dee, It's funny because it has Country elements & I sing alot of it Country, but not all of it. I just sing it how I feel captures the mood of the lyric best & how I feel it in my soul....I like, wait let me re-phrase that....I LOVE your saying it deserves to be heard by many. Great word & great thoughts toward me & this song. Thanks Dee

For the Chorus to "sneak" up on you I had to over-rule my Producer & take out the drums & Bass in the verse. Should have told him that BEFORE they laid the trax LOL....Then I had to pay another drummer to overdub in the verse & brought the bass in at the Pre-Chorus. Producer said just sing with the basic track & I told him, well I will sing it WAYYYYY different without the beat in there...It ended up costing me some $$$$, but that was my vision for the tune


Hahahaha, yeah finding that Picture has been one of the highlights of this songs journey....Especially with the "Yellow Rose' line....The line sounds cool, but I gotta think that line goes over some people's head. You gotta know what the meaning of a "Yellow Rose" is to truly get it. I left it because whether they got it or not they would at least a rose is growing. But a yellow rose signifies friendship & verse 2 is about thir friendship. verse one about them as lovers...


Hey Jane, Yeah, I drive my Producer crazy because I do change things, but we work really well together & he will over-rule me if he feels strongly about something, so we are accountable to each other...Yeah, I am pleased with how the harmonies turned out as well...My daughter laughed at me as I stacked my harmonies in my home studio to send off to Nashville to go along with the studio gals BGV's. Daughter said "You just couldn't leave it alone could you Dad'? I said "NOOOOOPE"...But my producer loved it & .It actually made the Chorusbigger & thicker & I ialso heard & wanted wanted certain harmonies in certain spots. Thanks for chiming in Jane.....

Thanks Bob....



Thanks Guy...FCLS.....Sweet brotha'

Wow, this is smooth, Steve! Everything sounds well in balance and pops through the mix. Sounds like something that couldve been on a Kenny Chesney record. Really beautiful song and performance!

Thumbs up all the way with this.

Douglas

Finally had time to sit down and give this one full attention... and... I was not disappointed. Country genre as recorded (and quite well, I might add) but it could work in several genres... like most well-done song creations.

Loved the harmonies and your vocal. A very nice production. Best of luck with First Love - Last Love!

All the best, ----West Mayberry Dave

Thanks for the feedback...Oh and while you are at it, can you get this to Kenny Chesney?

Thanks alot Dave,

I think about your take on how this tune can work in different genres is something for me to ponder my next move. That means it's an accessible & universal song...Thanks for the input.

Steve,

Loved this--great melody. Yeah, modern country would be I think the best avenue to pursue this great tune--it has the hook they're looking for and fabulous metaphorical lyrics/well performed/produced!


You really have a good one here, and a good final version at that!

steady-eddie

Hey Steady Eddie,

Thanks for the thoughts on this one...I have a vision for this one in a Jewelry Commercial for Kays. I even made a specific 30 second commercial/video for them to show them my concept. Waiting to see the the path to navigate it to them at this time.

Super work here Steve.
Fits the country radio genre perfectly.
Love the vocals and harmonies - and that steel guitar glues everything together perfectly.
Time to pitch it
Nice one
Paul

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the listen & the inspiration....

Lovely melody that leads you back to that one moment in time when you knew you were truly in love. Always a nice journey in one's mind but you chronicle it with this tender and stellar song.

Very nice.

Prolly been asked, but how was this produced? Home studio? Professional studio? Actual instruments? Virtual instruments?
Admirable production.

Very appealing and very well done Steve!

Best, John

Great work Steve, it checks all the boxes. That was an enjoyable listen,

cheers, niteshift

Hey MFB II,

Glad you went along for the ride....Thanks for listening


Hi Martin,

3 different studios. Nashville, Los Angeles, & my Home Studio. I have a Producer I've used for years in Nashville. He knows my vision & how picky I am. An A-list session players cut the tracks in Nashville & I cut my lead VOX at Studio DeVille in Burbank, California. Pre-production is done at my Home Studio & my BGV's to stack with the females BGV's were done at my home studio. I just finished the shooting & editing the video at my house. But Martin, your inquiry prompted me to replace this MP-3 track with the video I produced. Hope you guys like it. It's my first video...

Is the video up yet? Link?

Never mind. saw link at top. Gonna take a look.

Watched it. Cool stuff Steve. Congrats.

Martin

Hey John...Thanks for checking out the video & the song. Your input here & privately for the Commercial pitch has been invaluable....THX