It doesn't matter how late we sleep We always wake up on time We have an understanding, you and me What's yours is yours, what's left is mine
But tears are dried in the blink of an eye Replaced by a smile and a little white lie And you know it's not the same As you head for the sun I will always follow the rain
Chorus: Follow the rain, follow the rain Running in circles, trying to escape the pain Follow the rain, follow the rain One day I'll run into you again
My heart jumps with the record playing Don't know if I'm going or staying The pictures have changed, don't recognise that look Don't recognise goodbyes
But tears are dried with a passing glance Replaced by a smile and a new romance And you know it's not the same As you head for the sun I will always follow the rain
Repeat chorus
Words by Paula Wright Music by Steve Cooke @ Steve Cooke/Paula Wright 1999
Vocals by Robert Pickens All instruments played by Steve Cooke Recorded, mixed and mastered by Steve Cooke in October 2010 with additional production by Robert Pickens
I listend again and the only nit I have is that the organ solo is a tadd to long .
All the best Jan
Last edited by Jan Petter; 10/23/1009:13 AM.
"You have to react to what's around you in the moment, whatever the music is. Just think of it as some place you have to enter and you need to find the key."
#852620 - 10/23/1009:23 AMRe: 'Follow The Rain' - new version featuring Robert Pickens
[Re: Jan Petter]
I'd crawl thru broken glass to hear ANYTHING Rob Pickens Sings On!
Here, he's done it Good Justice, as-usual. Chorus really Kicks.
For me, the Prosidy's a tad-off. Melody's not-Quite Sad-Enough..JMO...THOUGH substituting Some SAD-sounding-Instrument in the INSTRUMENTAL Break might get-'er-back to SAD. (Hank Mancini used Bass Flutes, once, I recall...for such a duty.) Some deep STRINGS..maybe..I dunno..I'm Just a Lyricist..eh? ;-)>
Anyways, IS an Enjoyably-Bouncy Number WITH some Fine Music & Singing..that manages to get-away with rhyming "Rain" and "Again" as only you Brits Can Do So-Splendidly!
Good Luck with it Gents, I Enjoyed It! Best Wishes/Big Guy-Hugs, Stan
#852715 - 10/23/1011:03 PMRe: 'Follow The Rain' - new version featuring Robert Pickens
[Re: Jan Petter]
Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 424Steve Cooke
Serious Contributor
I listend again and the only nit I have is that the organ solo is a tadd to long .
Thanks for your comments, Jan. I know what you mean about the organ solo. I wasn't 100% sure about that myself. It's a 'middle-16' rather than the traditional middle-eight, but I kind of got caught up in the flow, which follows the structure of the previous verses (ie, 16 measures long and then an eight-measure chorus). I played the solo on a Rhodes-type piano originally but changed the sound to make it more distinct from the backing. The feedback on that has been mixed, though, with some people appearing to like it being more prolonged than usual. I suppose it also depends what the instrumental break is returning to. Hopefully, the hook is already established and there's a sense of anticipation for the final choruses, albeit one that gets delayed a little.
Bob has a mighty fine voice for this sort of thing. Good song, I like those opening congas. Cool R&B tune.
Thanks Kevin. Yeah, Bob has got a great voice. It reaches the parts that my own style can't reach. I shall be cheeky now and go copy & paste some of his lead vocal to provide some nice backing vox on the original version of the track with my singing.
For me, the Prosidy's a tad-off. Melody's not-Quite Sad-Enough..JMO...THOUGH substituting Some SAD-sounding-Instrument in the INSTRUMENTAL Break might get-'er-back to SAD. (Hank Mancini used Bass Flutes, once, I recall...for such a duty.) Some deep STRINGS..maybe..I dunno..I'm Just a Lyricist..eh? ;-)>
Anyways, IS an Enjoyably-Bouncy Number WITH some Fine Music & Singing..that manages to get-away with rhyming "Rain" and "Again" as only you Brits Can Do So-Splendidly!
I found that this became more upbeat as I worked on it. The lyric is sad in a way, but I also found a kind of resigned optimism in there too. Contradictory emotions like that perhaps lead to contradictions within the music too.
I didn't write the words in this instance, mind, so I can only interpret them in the light of my own feelings. As indeed did Bob, I guess.
I'll think about what you've said regarding the instrumental break, though. The organ wasn't in my earlier (non-published) versions of this; it was a late replacement for a Rhodes piano solo and possibly makes it seem more upbeat than the original instrumentation would have done. Might be worthwhile my experimenting with that.
#852943 - 10/25/1001:08 AMRe: 'Follow The Rain' - new version featuring Robert Pickens
[Re: Scott Campbell]
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,004MFB III
Top 100 Poster
MFB III
Top 100 Poster
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,004
ohio
yep, this has a whole new dimension, and I even enjoyed the black and white photo that went with it. Sometimes the rain is a good thing to follow, it hides the tears, and dampens any expectations for a brighter day,...we just learn to live with the grays life sends our way..Nice job to both of you!~~~MFB III
Last edited by MFB III; 10/25/1001:09 AM.
#853046 - 10/25/1002:18 PMRe: 'Follow The Rain' - new version featuring Robert Pickens
[Re: MFB III]
Joined: May 2010 Posts: 4,130TamsNumber4
Top 100 Poster
Loved this sound, the vocal really fits the lyric. You know me...that organ sound, I wish it was more soulful, it teeters on that roller rink sound to me when the vocal is making me feel deep and soulful, but that is just me and my opinion, I think you are very talented, the chorus is great and the vocal kicked this up even higher.
Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it... Professor Albus Dumbledore
#853059 - 10/25/1003:09 PMRe: 'Follow The Rain' - new version featuring Robert Pickens
[Re: TamsNumber4]
Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 424Steve Cooke
Serious Contributor
You keep going on about my organ, Tammy. One-track mind or what?
Seriously, though, I think it's just not your instrument and resonates with a particular image or experience for you, hence the references to roller rinks in this and previous comments on other songs where I've used similar sounds. I've never been to a roller rink, however, so it doesn't have that connection for me.
In a similar way, perhaps, I know that I always have strong views on piano sounds and there are certain ones I really dislike - tinkly lead pianos and the Yamaha DX7 'tine' sound in particular remind of the 1980s in a negative way and I'm always likely to comment if I hear them in a track.
I experimented with a number of sounds for the solo section - organ, various electric pianos, lead synths, strings, guitars, etc - but this was the one that seemed to work best, to cut through the mix and also provide some continuity for a part that could continue playing into the final chorus. I started off using a Rhodes piano-type patch, which worked okay with an earlier draft of the song. However, it didn't really work so well in the mix once I'd made a decision to make the bass guitar and the beat quite busy (earlier versions were quieter in that department). There's no shortage of organ-type sounds among my synth collection; this one just seemed to work better than the others. It also needed to be quite high-pitched to make an impression. I moved it up an octave so that it was distinguishable from the backing.
On the prosidy point, I may experiment sometime with a more subdued, sparse, downbeat sound, just to see how it works. I'd say that it was more that way when we played it in our band many years ago.
Although I've enjoyed working with Bob on this track, I'm still going to finish the work-in-progress version that features my own singing. Quite a different style, although the musical arrangement is the same. Hoping to add female backing vocals. But more on that in the near future ...
Steve....thanks for letting me give this a go....kinda slowed up on the music making....posting some old stuff over there at Soundclould....let me bore them for awhile...lol...
Thanks to all that listened to this track...appreciate it....I hope to listen to some of this great music in the next few days....and leave my 2 cents....lol...
Hope you don't mind me digging this up again...but you were kind enough to post on "Climax" on, so....
Anyhoo, isn't it fun when you can reach into the past, pull out a song, dust it off, and polish it like this? Sometimes all it needs is time (and a little love).
I really like hook. I definitely get the resigned optimism vibe you discussed, and naturally, Bob's vocal is fab.
Personally, I wasn't bothered by the length of the instrumental...it's a thoughtful piece, so I think it works in this instance.
As a rule though, I'm never really a fan of "sound effects"...like the rain...but maybe that's just me.
Regardless, all the way around, you guys really sold this for me. Thanks for sharing.
I must have been sleeping the day you first posted this. I listened to both versions and have to say, they both bring a different element to this song. Yours is a little more smooth jazz, Bob's is more R&B. Same music but what a difference a voice can make. Really like them both. I'm glad it came up again.
![[Linked Image]](http://i1.soundcloud.com/artworks-000002449033-rayljl-crop.jpg)
