JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum More Than Just the Habit (Little Stevie B added Bass and drum)

Paul, I'm late to the dance on this one, but I'm happy I listened to it. Classic story-telling. You've got a nice rolling beat and melody and and the vocal and guitar picking are professional. There's nothing I'd change about it except maybe the last line of the chorus which almost begs for one of the oldest cliches in the book. "There but for the Grace of God goes you or me."

Having said that, you've put some truth to music. Any songwriter would be proud of that.

Howdy Dan

Happy you like the tune, thanks for giving it a spin.

Thanks for the kind words its always a nice feeling when you write something and other are accepting of it.

Picking the guitar has become an issue for me since I had a stroke so your comment about the picking is well received, I really struggle with the simplest pattern anymore.

The line you mentioned was one I used in lue of "But for the grace of God", that you picked that up is a good indicator that I said the same thing, on another board someone said that line sounded preachy, myself I dont get preachy from it, my intention was to elicit emapthy, go figure right.

Thanks again for your time and ear.

Cheers
Paul

Hi Paul & thanks

I realize that skills are huge! But so is passion,love,inspiration
and honesty. All those things do so much for a song and a songwriter.

Of course you wondered about those lines, because those are the ones you probably harped on the most and worked hardest on, second guessing and all. The ones you take chances with, those are the ones that make your songs stand out and be special.

Sometimes they can be simple lines and words and other times more risky or unusual...

Vocal on a cel phone... that's too much,great.

All the best
Mike

Hi Mike

Thanks for dropping in again.

I agree a good song will shine through a bad mix. I guess I am just envious when I hear music well put together, Ive never had the controls of studio equipment, and my limited exposure with recording software has shown me a learning curve/Language barrier. Im not dissuaded, I actually love to learn and plan on setting up a home PC based recording sudio, but the staving artist thing aint just a persona round my camp, its a fact of life.

When I get to the word economy part of writing a song I always look for the lazy line or easiest way to say it line, and see if it can be reworded in a more creative way; Im real quick to drop complete lines or even verses and do a rewrite, I find when I dont marry myself to a lyric its easier to finish an idea or direction. I always wonder if Im being insightful or poetic, I think it's the best frame of mind to keep it honest. Sometimes I find my internal description not as attractive on paper as it is inside. I dont really doubt the way I think of a line I just wonder if I can do it different and give it a better general appeal yet keep it honest.

Yeah cel phone production can be a bitch, call waiting can be a real killer to production.

Cheers
Paul

I have goose bumps. You mentioned Sam Stone ealier, And I think it rings true. As I think about the two songs I notice John Prine gave him a name. I wonder if giving him a name would make it stronger or tacky. I love the song. Interested in your thoughts.

My Oh My
Not a waisted line, I love it.

I'm a sucker for a good story and you have a really good one here.
Many great lines as folks have already pointed out.
The female voice in the chorus sounds like a great idea.

Pleased to meet you Paul, Well Done.

wonderful song, full of humanity but not closed eyes to raw truth. I loved it much!

"He'd planned on gettin' sober, but now that choice is gone"...Wow !! You always here this line at the end dont ya ? Super write Paul. Excellent metre and rhyme. This so tells the story bro. I've been around alcoholism and it's cruelty a lot of years and I think you've said it all. He truly is more than just a habit. He's someone's husband, brother, friend. Very,very well done. I'll have to agree with some of the others about the acoustic overpowering the tune a bit. You gotta a great voice. I'd back off the vocal effects and just sing it straight man. Really, really enjoyed this !!

Howdy Hick

Thanks for the Goose Bumps reaction and sharing that, way cool feeling for a songwriter to know someone feels what was written.

I read your suggestion a couple of days ago, I had to think about the giving this guy a name thing. I generally dont think a writer should give his slant on a song, it should be up to the listener to determine, but here is my slant anyway. Unlike the tune Sam Stone which I see as a song about a Viet Nam vet and his troubles over seas causing all the havac in his live, this tune is more about the fact that addiction can hit anyone regardless of station in life, and shows the results of drug/alcohol abuse rather than the details, so I guess giving him a name kind of narrows the story down to a guy instead of the desease. Thats just my slant, your suggestion did make me think. Thanks again for giving it a spin and sharing your thoughts.

Cheers
Paul

Hi Nelson nice to meet you as well.

Thanks for the kind words on this tune, I agree harmony would add to this song if Im ever able to get a studio mix on this song ( or any others Ive written) harmonies will be a must. For now Im having fun writing and throwing out the cel Phone production quality, long as the battry is charged the studio is operational !!

Cheers
Paul

Howdy Darrell

Happy you like this one, it is a bit self revealing, I changed my drug of choice to alcohol to make it more acceptable to a broader audience. Im an addict in recovery my clean and sober date is November 28th 2002. The thing about the line you mention is that in direct defiance of all logic, most folks in this guys situation dont even think they have a choice they truely do feel like hostages with no way to escape. My own experience was a few years of fun and decades of misery, then one day I had that " Moment of clarity ", I was fortunate enough to follow through and find a different set of principles, the numbers indicate that most will die from this desease.

Aint a whole bunch I can do about the quality of the mix, Steve added instruments to my guitar/ vocal that was done on my cel phone, a mono track, so any tweaking to the the vocal is also added to the guitar and vice versa. I think Steve did a great job making it as presentable as possible.

Thanks again for the listen and comments.

Cheers
Paul

Hey Paul,
I appreciate your reply. I was nervous I stepped to far with my suggestion. I'm glad it made you think cause it sure made me think. I got alot out of your thought process. I look forward to hearing more of your songs.

Wow that’s a gorgeous tune, I saw your response so considering that it’s pretty much set in stone, there’s not much that could be technically changed. I really hope you get into a studio and get this one done. The sincerity is wrenching. Excellent stuff.

Nice one, Paul - you really humanize the guy. After reading your explanation, not hard to see why.

I'll try to remember this one whenever I'm tempted to look through someone instead of at them.

Great writing here.

Scott

Sir Hick

Dont feel apprehensive about suggestions on anything I put on the board, I have a thick skin and an open mind.

What is your first name anyway, I feel odd calling someone Hick.

Cheers
Paul

Hey Scott

Thanks for listening to my song, you know Im a Scott Campbell fan so a good word from you is always welcomed and appreciated.

Yeah all I was trying to draw here was empathy and offer insight, I tried to get this guy clean and sober, hell I tried for two years, but he wasnt into it and the song fought it, so I killed him

Cheers
Paul

Howdy Max

Im so sorry for not responding earlier to your kind words for my song, this tune has had a lot of activity, more than I expected, I just didnt notice that I hadnt gotten back to you.

Im happy you enjoyed the story, and appreciated the raw approach, I didnt see any room for Ozzie and Harriet so they didnt make the cut
Thanks again and please accecpt my aoppolgy for skipping over your comment.

Cheers
Paul

Hi Jakester

Thanks for giving this one a spin I appreciate it.

Yeah the melody is pretty new and the song may morph a little but not much, Im pretty happy with the outcome.

Happy you enjoyed it, thanks

Cheers
Paul

ozzie and harriet, LOL! sounds raw and real like some 'nebraska' tracks by the boss, the more after what you write about. forgiven ;-) Max

Hey Max

Im sure his writing and mine are at way different levels, but thanks for the comparison.

Cheers
Paul

Im thinking I need to cut the intro and the chorus between the forth verse and the bridge.

Cheers
Paul

Hey Paul,

I missed this one.

Enjoyed it. Enjoyed the chime-y/harpsichord-ish guitar sound and simple but sweet melody. Pleasant to listen to.

If you record it again, one suggestion could be to take some of the reverb off of the intro and put it back when the verse starts. When the songs starts, it sounds a little like it's down in something. When the vocal comes in the same setting sounds full.

Anyways...enjoyed it.

My brother, I could listen to you all day
come to think of it ... I do

such a treat ... beautiful work
Dan

Howdy Martin

Thanks for listening and commenting, much appreciated.

When I record this tune again I wont be using a celphone all tracks will be done using recording software, hopefully it will be a bit easier on the ear than that overbearing guitar.

Hope all is well in your camp my friend.

Thanks again for the thumbs up.

Cheers
Paul

Hey Dan
I feel the same way about listening to you make music you are very talented. I havent been on this site for a long while but your soundclick has been in my favorites on every computer I own since I first heard your music.

Cheers
Paul