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Okay Folks, here's the link to "What's Left To Finish?"

http://www.suburbancowboys.net/WhatsLeftToFinish.html

Tell us how you really feel. We tried to.
(But have Kleenex handy.)

BTW, as soon as we complete our auditions in the next two weeks, we'll be re-recording the vocal in July with an artist who sounds closer to Trace Adkins or Travis Tritt. Though the woman who inspired the song (she eventually took one of us back), hears Brad Paisley. Who do you hear doing it?

And thank you for taking a listen and sharing your thinking.

Ya-ta-hey!

Ralph & Tina

How do you play it?

very slowly...it seems it takes them years to make a decision and see through just about anything. They take procrastination to a new level. They wanted me to do a vocal for their song about eighteen months ago....Have not heard from them since. I hope they eventually finish the song......I hope it is worth waitng for. lol.

Well Cowboys,
I have tried to play your song 3 or 4 times. It plays a couple of notes and then freezes my computer. Perhaps you can put it on another Site where we can listen.

It is very slow to load - I listened to about 1 1/2 verses and gave up.

A different singer might be a good idea. This one sounds as if he is trying too hard, although he has a voice. I don't think it is a Brad Paisley song.

It is a sad story, as are a lot of other song lyrics. I am not particularly fond of your hook. "Finish" doesn't work well as the concluding word of the hook IMHO. Better to say something like What else is left? - a word that can be drawn out - rather than one that ends on an abrupt syllable with a sh on the end.

The word diminished sounds like a contrived rhyme.

I think the production is good. It does not sound like a Nashville song FWIW. If you sorted the lyrics and got a different singer, you would have a good song.

All of this is just my opinion.

Good Luck.

Hello Ralph, Tina and Daniel:

Welcome to JPF. Your "player" does not appear to be functional. (As others have told you.) Fourth saddest Country song might be a stretch... but until I hear it, I'll reserve judgement... LOL!

I hope you guys are not gonna be "one shot Johnies" who post one time and then run for the hills. Stick around. It might actually be good for your career(s).

I couldn't listen to the music so I can't tell where it ranks on the saddest country song of all time scale.

But I did read the lyric. So I can estimate where it lands on the saddest country lyric of all time.

Using my proprietary and closely guarded formula, I place it in a tie at #416.

She done left him. And there is a picket fence. Those definitely make it a candidate for the scale. However, there is no dog, there are no kids (yet), and no one died. Perhaps worst of all there is a love seat instead of the back seat of a '72 trans-am. These are holding it back.

If you add a dog, it goes to number 382. If someone dies or there are kids, it goes to number 312. If all three of the above occurs it can reach #157. Replace the love seat and you could break 100.

Based on the music and vocal, it could go either higher or lower on the saddest country song of all time scale.

When you consider the sheer number of country songs, you are doing pretty well!

Given that it is based on reality, I'm glad no one died! Why not add to the song that she took him back? You could actually reach #1 on the happiest country song of all time. I recognize that, since there are so few of those, this might not be a super distinction.

Scott

P.S. You folks obviously have a sense of humor or I wouldn't have posted this. Best of luck with your song

Well I do not know about it being one of the saddest country songs ever written cause I have not heard them all yet but it certainly IMO does not come close to being anything especially worth listening to. Sorry guys it was not worth the very long wait....the lyrics are very dated, lame and well below average for most serious songwriters taste and although the demo is well produced it does not break any moulds or explore any new territory musically.
I would cut and run, do not waste any more money on this turkey.
You may want to consider joining in the various forums here...you might then learn how to write better songs.

You guys certainly know how to stir up hype and publicity...it is a pity the product does not match the hype.

So tell us how you really feel, comes to mind.

For those who have problems loading the song, try going here:

https://files.me.com/shortfuse.kfjc/e7l0g5

If you're still having problems, try visiting suburbancowboys.net and clicking on "Current Projects" and then "What's Left To Finish?" at the top of the page.

Cerainly we encourage you to listen to the piece all the way through before contributing your critique so that you have the benefit of the entire experience.

By the way, on request, the song is currently in the hands of a Grammy Award-winning songwriter (you've heard of him) and a Grammy-winning Nashville producer (you've heard of him, too). So far, neither of them have indicated they dislike it. But, hey, with a nod to Suzy Bogguss, they might "change like the weather!" (Either way, we'll let you know.)

Thank you for weighing in so far.

Ya-ta-hey!

I downloaded the file and gave it a listen. I liked the intro. I am not sure you have the right vocalist for this -- he sounds fine, just doesn't bring it home for you. The chorus does build nicely at the end.

The lyrics are OK, the music is OK. You guys are great at promotion, but the song is just so-so. You all need to write a lot more songs and then worry about what is recordable and pitchable.

But sometimes self-promotion works and maybe you will get a taker on it. Good luck on that, for sure.

Kevin

Not even within the top 100 saddest songs.
Grab YOUR Kleenex box and listen to this. Rundown Blues also beats What's Left to Finish hands down as a sad song.
And that's not to mention all the other sad songs that made it.

Thank you, Kevin! Will share your input with the collaborators.
Appreciate the feedback. We are, in fact, rerecording the vocal track by July, as soon as we select the one vocalist who comes as close to Trace Adkins or Travis Tritt as we can get. (You don't have either of their numbers by any chance?)

Seriously, thank you for taking time to listen.

Ya-ta-hey!

Hey Guys...

Have to agree with Big Jim on this one.
I give you kudos for marketing skills if you can get the kind of talent involved as you mentioned...I honestly hope you do well with it.
Your vocalist had some serious pitch issues so a new vox would be in order to start.

Larry

Hi.

Thank you for attempting to listen to our latest project. Sorry for the loading hurdles you've encountered. Since you are experiencing problems loading the song, please try going here:

https://files.me.com/shortfuse.kfjc/e7l0g5n

Or visit suburbancowboys.net, click on 'Current Projects,' and then select "What's Left to Finish?" at the top of the page.

Thanks for taking a second listen. We will, of course, consider your current as well as any additional feedback you are willing to provide once you've had an opportunity to screen the entire song.

Ya-ta-hey!

rs

Jim,

Think of us as a 12 year old Scotch (right up your alley, yes?)that takes, um, twelve years to approach perfection. (Note: We said 'approach.')

And yes, as we noted in another post, we are still considering you for that other song. But as a few writers here and quite a few outside of JPF have complemented about the mix, we take our production value quite seriously. And we welcome their praise. Unfortunately, at least for the moment, we're not working with the level of capital that allows producers affiliated with Nashville labels to turn out a song in under a week. But we'd like to believe that the time we're putting into each project, though granted, it's a tad bit on the Methusaleh end of the stopwatch, is delivering respectable results.

But what do we know? We only work here.

Keep those comments coming peeps!

Ya-ta-hey!

rs

Thanks, Larry. We're all over it. I confess that trying to audition and track down a really good -- really good -- Country vocalist in Northern California (other than, let's say, Travis Tritt or Brad Paisley coming through on tour), can be an event akin to finding a really good Slurpee in the Sahara. (Bay Area vocalists note: No disrespect intended: if you're out there, please contact us!). Back in '09 during our first casting call, we went through no fewer than 25 vocalists (on file) before eventually settling on a vocalist who traditionally doesn't do Country. But he was one of the only few who didn't 'voice it' and could handle the melody.

In any event, thanks very much for the feedback. We will share it with the SCM team.

Ya-ta-hey!

rs

Very nice. Thank you for the invitation. We listened to the entire piece. Our only collective divergence from your opinion is that the lyrics were very one-level; there seemed to be a lack of metaphor and elasticity of words that, consciously or perhaps unconciously would further deepen the emotional impact. Of course, some listeners don't care about that either way. And we respect that eventuality. In What's Left to Finish? at moments, there is that same surface-level, scene-driven emotional impact (consider, for example, "I just smiled and said it all looks good to me. Then walked off to that little bench beneath the maple tree." We know from this that he's sad and couldn't really give a damn about the house's architectural plans). At the same time, however, like in the Bridge ("Gotta find some way to put back in what was never in the plans.") there is use of double-entendre and metaphor. Some people have even seen potential contradiction in the line. We welcome all reactions.

In any event, thank you for inviting us to listen to your fine work.

Ya-ta-hey!

rs

I do think it is sad but not that sad...I have one that I think is sadder..it's called Daddy I Don't Wanna Cry No More..Don't get me wrong it's not bad..It didn't make me cry, but maybe that's cause I wasn't in a cryin mood and I usually cry for no reason..If you change a few things around and use some of the suggestions above, and you know it's really hard to put into words how the heart is breaking..the world is not moving, everything is just motionless...cause the hurt person is dying inside..and I can feel this in places, but it didn't keep me there,...I'm trying to help out here, but don't feel i'm doing a very good job at it...keep at it..it's worth working with..

glyn

Umm, well...... it's Ok but nothing is grabbing me here.

It would be worthwhile to replace the lead vocal track, I think it's a little off pitch and probably the wrong vocal tone for the piece.

Overall it needs a bit of work lyrically and presentation wise.

Good luck.

cheers, niteshift

I guess I have to ask...What do you consider to be the top 3 saddest country songs of all time?
I also have to ask...Is this supposed to be an attempt at a sad country song, or a sad attempt at a country song?

WELL WHY don't YOu put it on the REAL LISTENING FORUM -- that would be the mp3 Forum --- and join the REST of Us.......???????????

Since you hyped this so much, I wanted to listen to it, but none of your links work for me. Is there somewhere on your "paint can" page where I'm supposed to click to hear it? The only clickable link I could find requires me to download Windows Media Player, which I already have, and don't need an additional copy of. As far as the other link, it appears to be dead. Oh well. Not a good way to gain fans. I'm just saying.

[/quote]
WELL WHY don't YOu put it on the REAL LISTENING FORUM -- that would be the mp3 Forum --- and join the REST of Us.......??????????? [/quote]

Well, I'm with Joice here. Why not let the rest of us listen to your "fantastic" song first? Hope you remember us little folks.

Dear SuburbanCowboys,

When you pitch a song to us with such belief and hype that it is the best thing since sliced bread, when it falls short in any way it is very likely that the critique in all of us will be far less diplomatic and we will give our honest opinion on it.

I'm sorry but the song did not work for me. Lyrically the chorus hook is not one that I feel is strong. The melody isn't very compelling or memorable and musically it's very safe. This kind of country music is so dated in my mind. I can't believe there is still a market in the US for it!

You're clearly in a good place in your mind though so I really hope it works for you.

Take Care

JD

"What's Left To Finish?"......your song

If you are doing the "saddest country song" type deal you should make it sound more like Red Sovine, Marty Robbins, or Boxcar Willie, anyone who has been dead for about 30 years because that is where that type of country music died about that time. Country now is going to be much more "Here for the Party" or "Mud on the Tires" than it is going to be about any sad tired syrupy ancient relec.

You might check into some of the "sucicidal" pop, that is being churned out by death metal groups. Might have a little more success with this type of song. Might want to do a little more research about the current country market than live somewhere in the past.

MAB

Finally heard it. Very good. For 1974.

MAB

Sorry, MAB, not the version I had such a time getting to hear. Not even good in those daysm. Maybe it's been redone.........

Dak,

You are right. It is not that interesting. If you were to come to Nashville, you would hear about 200 of these a night. It is actually exactly what most newer writers write. And a lot of Californians seem to think this is still where country is. Ut has changed a lot.

Country and rock actually did a "swap" in the late 90's. Rock went into a more negative, angst ridden type of music with the Seattle Grunge movement, then led into the anger and street sounds of Hip hop and rap.

Country morphed into more "Friends in Low Places" and party oriented songs. Much due to attitudes in the culture as 24 hour news and depression, the Internet took over. People didn't have to go to a sad country song to tell them how bad things were. The "Crying in your beer" era was over.

In this day and age, even if there is a song with a more somber message, the music is much more uplifting and counters the down side. But again this is nothing new. In 1981, when George Jones recorded the song most consider the saddest country song, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" he didn;'t want to record it. "I'll bet $100 that no one will ever buy that depressing piece of crap." Is what George said. He lost that bet.

But the attitudes in Country started changing about that time and that was just about the last really sad country song that came out.

Now the "rope of hope" or "twist on the tale" songs rule the roost.

These types of songs are best left to the Californian's to do. They seem to like depression out there. Overall. this kind of song is what a lot of Californian's think is still country.

We'll let them keep thinking that.

MAB

Hello Michelle,

Although we are not experiencing the problem at our end, it's clear others are so we have since posted this link on the page:

https://files.me.com/shortfuse.kfjc/e7l0g5

Looking forward to hearing your reaction. And thanks for being interested enough to take a listen.

Ya-ta-hey!

rs

Marc,

We're actually finding your critique very affirming. First, it was well thought out and supported its contentions. But there's that particular running theme which seems to underscore your message: our song is depressing.

Exactly.

We never set out to mimic the latest trend in Nashville. We set out, and judging from your critique, may have come pretty close to achieving crafting a very sad song.

If it never gets airplay in the next five years because it's not falling lockstep into a trend, a trend which like many, will eventually change (it changed once before as you pointed out), it seems we have no less achieved our original intent. And, like thin ties (60s) replaced by wide ties (70s) which were replaced by thin ties (80s), which were once again replaced by wider ties (90s-00s), it's likely the pendulum will swing again. And when it swings toward the sad and lonely, we aim to step up to the plate.

No, not since sliced bread...since the fourth slice of bread. Didn't you get the memo?!

Ya-ta-hey!

(Thanks for weighing in.)

We completely concur. We're auditioning now for a new vocalist. Can't tell you how hard it's been in the past to find anyone who does Country well (without voicing it) here in the Bay Area. But the vocalists are starting to send in their samples. If he's out there, we'll find him.

Thanks for taking a listen. We appreciate the feedback.

The thing you guys seem to miss is that regardless of fashion trends or whether a song is happy or sad......it has to be a great song to get anywhere.....whichever way you look at it your song is not great....it is not even averasge. Raher than setting out to write the saddest song or happiest song you should first learn how to write a good song to demo. To waste time and money on demoing anything other than a great song is a complete waste of everyones time. As I said before you guys are pretty good at hyping up something.......you first need something decent to hype. So far your efforts at songwriting have been poor.
Demo companies churning out endless turkeys from wannabes make a good living from guys such as you. Sorry to be blunt but sometimes folks need to be told the truth so they can get a reality check.

Suburban,

I think you miss another point. The "trend" for newer and uninformed writers are just this kind of song. The depressing, crying in your beer song is what most writers write. That is another reason they are unsuccsesful, because the general listening public don't realate to them anymore. You are essentially telling them something they already know, and are not doing it in anyway they haven't seen on millions of television movies, read in a million books, magazine articles, or seen for the most part in their lives, or heard in other songs that didn't work.

In the world we are in with so many songs and so much output, it doesn't have so much to do as "trends" as finding a way to do something different that people are not innundated in their lives. That is what your song does. Says the same thing, in pretty much the same way with the same information that is said continually.

What you are doing here is a trend. For the 1970's. It was a very popular format for songs. But as I said, that era has passed.

So you can audition other vocalists if you want. There are a lot of people that spend a lot of money trying to get something "just right." Most of the time, the idea wasn't there to begin with. In my opinion, which is just that, this is one of those.

My suggestion to you is what I make to pretty much anyone I work with. Get out of the river of bitterness. It doesn't sell anymore.

MAB

Another thing to consider is, there is a difference between sad and depressing.

Your first remarks were about writing the 4th saddest song. In your reply to MAB you speak to depression. Which is the song supposed to be?

As an example, funerals make me sad while the state of the economy depresses me.

Dak,

I was told a long time ago some really cool thoughts on this topic:

There are only two kinds of people when it comes to your problems.

Those that don't care.
Those that are glad you've got em.

When I hear all these "Sad, depressing songs (They usually go hand in hand) I am always thinking, I don't know you, so why would I care about how bad you have it?"

Whenever I am in a place where songs are played, no matter where it is, you can always tell the results these songs get. People go to the bathroom, get back into their conversations, or my favorite. turn them into a "glow song." That is where people are so turned off and bored, they pull out their phones and start texting. You can see the "glow" in their faces.

That is the reaction songs like this get.

MAB

I think Big Jim has the point that is most significant- sad, depressing, happy, manic- it doesn't matter a whit. Is the song good? That is what matters. The most cosmically depressing song ever written is probably the Kansas hit "Dust in the Wind". Can you make a depressing song beautiful? They did.

I did listen to the song and read the lyrics but "Grand Tour" kept running though my mind: a house as a metaphor for a love that was. But listen to Marc who can tell you what is working today. The Grand Tour was a hit and it is still beautiful; but even it probably would not sell today.

The Grand Tour-George Jones
Best covered by Aaron Neville http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhUlQ_Cay74
Step right up, come on in
If you'd like to take the grand tour
Of a lonely house that once was home sweet home
I have nothing here to sell you
Just some things that I will tell you
Some things I know will chill you to the bone

Over there sits the chair
Where she brought the paper to me
And sit down on my knee and whisper oh I love you
But now she's gone forever
And this old house will never
be the same without the love that we once knew

Straight ahead that's the bed
Where we lay and love together
And lord knows we had a good thing going here
See her picture on the table
Don't it look like she'd be able
Just to touch me and say good morning dear

There's her rings all her things
And her clothes are in the closet
like she left them when she tore my world apart
As you leave you'll see the nursery
Oh she left me without mercy
Taking nothing but our baby and my heart
Step right up, come on in

If you want a real wake up call figure this: for every idea you think is wonderful, the pros are generating thousands just as good or better and they have the advantage that they have worked at the craft of turning their ideas into the fine furniture of the finished song like a master woodworker builds a masterpiece desk or chair. And then, because these guys have a reputation for the quality of work they do, they associated with the other craftsmen who can polish the masterpiece- I'm talking about the finest session musicians, producers and promoters. It's just like pro sports, only a few can get paid to play the game but that doesn't keep the rest of us from swinging the bat or driving the course.

If I wanted to get noticed today, I would take my best song, get a fine recording of it, make a music video that told a good story and then post it on Youtube. Then I would tell everyone I knew to watch it and send links to all my associates. Then I would have done all I could. After that, the song is at the mercy of popular opinion. If it is as good a Jason Marz's "Im yours" live in China or Israel iz kamakawiwoʻole
"Over the rainbow", you still don't have a dime in your pocket but at least you are on the map.

Samuel,

That is part of the point. Even sad songs, usually have an uplifting melody counterpoint. This one doesn't. In my comments. I am trying to describe the surrounding elements, overused, worn out contrived songs are everywhere, a timeline or an era of a style of music that doesn't work any more, and elements of the marketplace.

As far as the song itself, I think that has been described pretty well here. Mostly that it is pretty average and of course when you start with a title of a post like "We tried to write the 4th saddest country song..." It invites some pretty serious critiques.

I often find that whenever someone says "I'm gonna play something you've never heard before" or "I bet you have never heard this..." or "This is the ..... song (you fill in the blank)" it is usually something extrodinarily average. That is the "Hype" issue Jim comes up with.

I remember these guys from earlier posts, probably the one Jim talked about a while back. I remember going to their site and listening to a few songs. It sounded like what I hear a lot with older writers (anyone past the age of 30) that they tend to cling to styles, language and sentaments that are long past, even if they ever really existed at all.

In many cases I can sit down with clients and determine where their interest in mainstream radio ended, because their songs sound just like that era. In their case and most people from that era (the 1970's-1980's) sound very much like the music of that time period.

It is why I suggest writers trying to stay up with the times (not the trends, those come and go and do no good to try to emulate anyway) try to write with younger people, specifically artists, so they can stay in touch with current styles and language.

This is what I think these guys would better spend their times doing instead of trying to get a different singer or spend much time or money on this song. Of course everyone has to do what they feel is right. It is their song and money.

But essentially I feel this is the equivilant of building a car that burns MORE gas, burns dirtier air and pollutes the world more,then trying to sell that to the current marketplace. You can do it, but it is probably not the best idea.

MAB

Sam,

Funny you mention that song. I was just doing an email to my friend and co-writer Larry Butler, who played piano on that song and produced most of those hits from the 70's and 80's. He won a Grammy for "The Gambler" (which is always fun to pick up and pretend you are accepting yours.

Larry and I would talk about this a good bit, about how so many of those big hits of that era, like "Grand Tour" and "Yard Sale Prices on those "Golden Memories" used to work well but don't now. Public attitudes have changed.

You could see it in other songs as well. Can you imagine Carrie Underwood, or Taylor Swift (or any woman now) singing "Stand By Your Man"? Not a chance. If you look through books of the time, (just got one yesterday in a used bookstore) "Billboards number One Country hits" by Tom Roland, you can see how songs, titles and subject matter have changed.

There are many reasons for it. And many reasons that languages change. Makes for an interesting study.

MAB

When a guy headlines a post, "We aimed for the 4th saddest country song. How close did we get?," he's asking for it. And he got it in spades here. Big Jim hit the nail on the head suggesting they try to write a good song before asking for a spot in the songwriters Hall of Fame. MAB also correctly pointed out that if you want to crack the commercial country market you'd better learn to write the songs the kids wanna hear these days, not recycle themes from some golden age in the past. To be honest, I haven't listened to or read the "4th saddest song." I don't go for the old bait and switch routine. But I've enjoyed the thread and hope everyone has learned something from it. My only suggestion for the writer would be to get rid of the guy who came up with the marketing plan for this song.

Marc, I think by comparing a great song which has a similar theme to the one you wrote is a way to see if your song can measure up. I thought "What's left to finish" was covering similar ground. My point being: take a listen and ask yourself: Is my song that good? For me the comparison makes an obvious statement that even the writers can't deny if they are honest.

As far as trying to stay current, I think the remedy for that at any age, is just to be authentic. Like you said, the deadliest thing to attempt is to copy something else. That is what is so tiresome in uninspired writing- the notion that somebody wrote a song as a exercise and just laid down one formula over the top of another. I personally think a song can start at any point- even a pretentious or fabricated place and still turn into a great song (think of the Beatles being ask to write a song called "Eight days a week") BUT- this is the big but- somewhere in the process of the writing, you have to catch the magic. You have to be inspired in some way. You have to jump into that stream of consciousness where all the creativity and energy is. If you don't feel that when you are writing, you can pitch it (in the garbage) even if it appears to be a perfect song.

By the way, it is that piano riff between the interesting pauses in the Grand Tour that makes the song so musically compelling- so your friend can be proud indeed. Which makes me wonder- who made up the guitar riff in Pretty Woman? Was that Roy?

Samuel,

I am with you on inspiration. Although I know of quite a few songs that were very formula written that became classics, 8 Days a Week or Help, being two of those. They were just written by the writers on assignement. In country one of the most well known was "I Can't Help If If I'm Still IN Love With You" which was a title given Hank Sr. by Wesley Rose, just to see what he would do with it. Part inspiration, a lot persperation. Writing to a title or an idea, is all part of the musical journey. Sometimes the formula works well.

As far as the riff on Pretty Woman, I would imagine that was Roy's melody and an idea taken by the guitarist on that session, and magic happens. Again, the forumla. Sometimes it can be very simple, like Robert White, of the Funk Brothers, the Motown backup band, and his riff on "My Girl."

Session players insert their own kind of magic. The Wrecking Crew, the LA based backing band on most everything from the Beach Boys on in the 60's and 70's, to some of the big hitmakers in New York, they are part of the magic as well.

Our version is the "A Team" which are usually the ten or so players that make up the majority of Nashville session players. Those develop over the years with one player turning over the reins to another player. Floyd Cramer was the big piano player through the 50's and he turned it over to Larry Butler, my bud in the 60's who took it into the 70's where he moved more into a producer mode.

A fun thing to do with Larry when I have been lucky enough to perform with him, is hear him do a medely of the songs he had something to do with. Like that piano twirls on Grand Tour, Piano on "He Stopped Loving Her Today" all the way to the hand claps and "When to fold em'" vocal parts on "The Gambler" and of course his own "HEY WON'T YOU PLAY, ANOTHER SOMEBODY DONE SOMEBODY WRONG SONG" (try to get a title like that done today)
and hear the stories that go with them.
That is a blast.

All of this, from writing, to performing, finding the perfect artist, the perfect take on a subject is all what makes up the magic in music. Very hard to get it and very hard to duplicate.

On this particular song, I don't know if there is any magic there. Maybe a little black magic. LOL!

MAB

I can take on board what MAB says but to a certain point disagree with some of his POV. IMO there is a time and a place for sad songs and crying in beer. Always has been and always will. That means that people do not always just like happy or uplifting songs it simply means that there is room for both......and a time and a place for both. In order to feel one emotion you must first experience the other.
Songwriting is about empathy....capturing the emotion of the subject matter and taking the listener to that time and place.

I also disagree that we should always write in teams and include young people to keep us up with the times. Spontaneity and originality can be a lone venture...lots of great songwriters work alone. Again there is room and a time and place for writing in a variety of ways.
To ALWAYS write as part of a team can become a bit of a production line where folk are just writing to a formula.
Maybe that is why country music today especially Nashville is seen by some people as stagnated and clonish following the same formula and being afraid to let originality and creativity flow.

My song's sadder than your song...nah nah nah nah-nah.

Jim,

Everytime you say things like that is why I have to pretty much discount most of what you say. You are so far removed from where country is you really have no idea what you are talking about. You constantly say things like that that are simply nonsense.
But I can forgive you since you are quite a long ways away.
I guess I can report what I know on British politics with about as much authority.

The things I am speaking of as usual, you take them in a very far position from where I intend them. If you read what I say, which you never do, is that songs with even a somber message generally have a more uplifting melody or a "rope of hope" which twists the story in a direction you didn't see coming. Which is a challenge of songwriting which is why the majority of the songwriting world end up coming to Nashville.

You can write all the depressing songs you want to. You would be in a very large group of people. About 90% of songs that are written by writers are sad, and depressing. They write from a position of pain, due to a continuous rejection they experience in life.

It is the general public that tends to reject these. They don't have to listen to songs to get a depressing message, it is all around them. It is an overstatement of the obvious.

But again, being as far away from the source as you are, you can be forgiven for your non understanding of that.

MAB

Well, I'll be honest, and I haven't read the other comments.

First of all, is the singer doing this as a joke? He's off-key, and you can't really understand what he's singing half of the time. He reminds me of that guy who started out doing a tribute to Elvis (Ronnie something?) A little too over-wrought.

Additionally, the song is too long. And ending the lines with an "ish" sound isn't very appealing (no offense).

Not that I listen to much modern country (I'm more in the Americana genre), but it doesn't sound very current.

I honestly would not listen to this song again. In my opinion, you should start over. I don't like your hook at all. The story is okay, although it's been done a million times and done a million times better.

I give you props, however, for your promotion skills. You've definitely got people commenting, but I would do something about the website. HostBaby has much better options available.

Good luck to you. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but you kind of asked for it by hyping this song.

Marc sometimes you have to take a step back and view something from a neutral POV to see where a thing is failing and then you may see a way of fixing it. I know one thing as an outsider...the Nashville way has developed into a factory system where new ideas and trying to break the mould are scorned and discouraged....your posts and observations prove that. You constantly state that you have to work as a team following the rules and you have to be an insider cause outsiders are not tolerated. That is sad....and has to lead to stagnation and self destruction. I prefer the freshness of being outside such an oppressive system and being my own man to write what I want in my own style and to my own rules....but to each his own.
I merely add a POV from someone outside for the benefit all the others outside. Whilst you aim your comments squarely at country and specifically Nashville I try to generalise and cover ALL types of music. Nashville rules do not apply to all music....in fact they only apply to Nashville...which is NOT the centre of the universe for a lot of people. Now you may be an expert on Nashville but please do not think that the only way is the Nashville way. Give outsiders some credit.

And the never ending tug of war between commerce and art contines.