https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faWZgi-ZvAQA song I wrote with Travis a few years ago. I woke up with it playing in my head this morning and figured I'd post it again. Love this lyric....
I liked this one Barry, checked it and dug out the lyric.it's from 2011!
Wheres that time gone?
Happy New Year!
John
The lyric Barry if you wish to post them with your link
Star spangled night in Dixie
V
Day slowly fades to grey
no matter your beauty is here to stay
Sitting out on the porch in rockin' chairs
looking high over yonder at the stars
C
On a star spangled night in Dixie
I've got you and the heavens for company
Wishing I could touch one silver star
like I can reach out and touch you
on a star spangled night in Dixie
B
A captive audience of a million stars
your sweet voice the gentle strum of a guitar
Gathered around from a journey so very far
V
Sitting here so close to you
something i'm so happy I can do
Secret smile you save for me I pray I'll see
tonight, tomorrow and for all eternity
C
On a star spangled night in Dixie
I've got you and the heavens for company
Wishing I could touch one silver star
like I can reach out and touch you
on a star spangled night in Dixie
On a star spangled night in Dixie
I've got you and the heavens for company
I like the tone of your voice on this, Barry.
Vic
Hi Barry and JVTD: (LOL!)
Thanks for posting the lyric, Travis... I always like to follow along by reading the lyric and I couldn't help but notice some pretty wild deviations from the script. This is not meant to be a negative thing... just wanted you two to know the lyric needs to be updated to match this enjoyable song. Enjoyable to me because I'll always be from Dixie no matter where I am.
If I were a professional music critic... Barry, I would advise you to get back to the studio someday and sing this in another key where you don't "bottom-out" on the low end of your vocal range. (I do that all the time and freely admit that knowing one's "vocal range" is sometimes difficult and made even more-so as we age.) I never knew mine in the first place because I got started writing and recording so very late in life.
On the positive side, it's a lovely song and many of the lines are so meaningful and sincere. It sure captures the imagination of the listener. Thanks for sharing and... B-T-W... the title is a "magnet" for Southerners. Great collaboration, guys. ----Dave
Lol I know Dave it's the one I gave to Barry many years ago and he altered some of it.
I suppose it gives another insight into the back room activity on writing a song. Thats my excuse anyway lol
Regards
John
PS I didn't know this was being reposted!
Thanks for the nice comments. Dave I recorded and sang this in my little stinky dusty room here with a lousy mike and crappy equipment. I'm done recording and writing new songs but thanks for the advice. The reason I jumped on these words because of the amazing title. I think I wrote one other with Travis ( Guess that's his stage name ) LOL....Thanks Travis.....I miss writing new songs as I have a bunch of new lyrics and stories that I've written but sometimes things come to an end. I had a great run...Barry
I wanted to surprise you. I think the only lyric I wrote was the venus and mars.....I don't think I changed any other words except a few to make it fit with this really catchy melody....Anyway Songwriting is an amazing art.
I hope you are ok with me posting it and if not I'll take it down.
Fine by me Barry that's what the forums all about.
John
Hi again, you Two Talents:
Co-writing is an "art-unto-itself" in my humble opinion. Barry, I hope my comments were un-harmful to you in any way. Being snide or snarky is not my intention. For the record, our mutual friend, Travis... once rejected a co-write I attempted to do with him and a lady who seldom shows up here at JPF anymore. I sent a rough draft and I suspect he thought I was sending a final... but I quickly forgave him because I found out he is Welsh... and Welshmen can do no wrong! (Being somewhat Welsh myself!)
My best friend, the retired actor, Mike Hackworth (The Town that Dreaded Sundown and about three other films) invited me to write lyrics for him as I approached retirement. Thank God we are still best friends because we encountered nearly every problem in the book as he did his best to drag me, kicking and screaming, into the real world of music. We still co-write from time to time... but it is one of the most difficult things on earth for me. I am somewhat OCD I suppose and waiting for responses or arguments over phrasing, words in wrong places, melody twists and turns... (you know what I mean)... are difficult for me. That is why 90% of my songs are written and recorded by me.
Just wanted you to know I understand the logistics of co-writing and admire both of you... and... if that is not enough, I really like this song. ----Dave
I only worked with Lyricists that let me do what I do. If it was the least bit a hassle I stopped immediately. I've done the melodies to over a hundred lyricists and they were happy to get what I sent them. Maybe it's because I am also a pretty good lyricist that they let me have cart blanch......I never change any of the story but as I sing the words with the melody I write I try and round off the edges so the singer which is me can effortlessly sing the song. I never know this until I start to sing...So I can do all three things....lyrics, Melodies and sing and play and so I'm pretty good at it. Some of my best songs are with others lyrics like this one and The Power Of A Song and others. I do prefer to write my own lyrics in the past few years and tell my own stories and my take on the world. How have you been harmful to me....I don't understand....For sure collaborating with a lyricist especially who doesn't sing or play or write music can sometimes be really a pain in the ass and if it gets like that I'm Out ...lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdP0EjuQE8EThis is another great lyric that Travis wrote called On The Streets of New York. I love this lyric and just had to write the melody. I think I might have added a bit of lyrics to expand out the chorus but mostly it he wrote it all.. The words are down under my ugly mutt on the youtube page where it says check for more or something like this. I LOVE this song and every time I hear it I cannot for the life of me get that chorus out of my head....lol. I found Travis really easy to do business with...
Sent you a PM Welsh pal Dave
John
Hi again, Barry:
I listened to "Streets of New York" and was reminded of my life before retirement. At one point in my career, a new VP at HQ on Broadway required me to travel to Manhattan once a month to brief him on what I was doing with my division of the company. He was obviously concerned about his career and it took a while for him to understand I was running the most profitable unit in the entire corporation for a reason. (Forgive my digression... but the streets of New York were not always pleasant for me, living in what was then, tiny Arlington, Texas.) Garbage strikes and hot-tempered "cabbies" are embedded in my memories.
One high point of a particular NYC visit, as I returned to the Plaza Hotel from dinner, there... standing in the lobby, waiting for his ride, in a white suit and dressed to the nines, was non-other than George Foreman. He's from Marshall, TX not far from my home-town and we exchanged pleasantries before I went up to my tiny room.
You two collaborate well and I appreciate your sharing this one with us.
Regards, ----Dave
Really liked this one, Barry. It was interesting to see Travis’s original lyric and the changes you made to fit the melody. I think you made some really solid choices and ended up with a great song. Great work!
All the best,
Deej
Thanks for all the Nice Comments....
Thanks Deej.
Pleased you liked this oldie
Travis
Barry/John,
Interesting reading above..........Barry you did a fine job adapting John's lyrics to your established melody. A lyricist cannot see necessarily where their phrases/lines will need modified for timing/metering unless they are working with your melody in hand. So many times small lyrical tweaks are needed to have the song meter correctly. Having said that, sometimes one can lose an integral part of the lyricist's story, this didn't happen here IMO. When those changes happen both collaborators need to agree or compromise. I like having the music first, which (for the most part) dictates the metering ahead of time and can also demonstrate music vibe which in turn can inspire lyrics. No one way for sure, and common collaborators "learn" one another's tendencies.
Nice job guys, a very enjoyable listen! You have an interesting voice Barry, always know its you immediately--a good thing!
steady-eddie
Thanks for your ears and comments Edo
John