Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#419956 06/30/17 09:52 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
I knew Ginny when I was 23 (-ish).
(I had a bit of a crush on her)
She was about 10 years older (which is a lot when you are 23).
There was always a bit of "sadness" to her...


DINNER FOR ONE

thirty-five is a cruel age
for an unmarried woman
when the years just refuse to slow down
she's grown tired of the quiet
but she's used to the freedom
and there's no suitable partners around
   
   so night after night
   she falls asleep
   on the couch with the tv on
   it gets too hard to make
    a king-sized bed alone
   and why bother with dinner for one

the friday night drinkers
are overweight and balding
and leave their wives at the p.t.a.
the boys on saturday
are barely out of high school
and seldom have anything to say
   
   so night after night
   she falls asleep
   on the couch with the tv on
   it gets too hard to make
    a king-sized bed alone
   and why bother with dinner for one

a fifteen year old dog
a seven year old cat
in opposite corners asleep
she's got work in the morning
she should turn the tv off
but it keeps her from thinking too deeply
   
   so night after night
   she falls asleep
   on the couch with the tv on
   it gets too hard to make
    a king-sized bed alone
   and why bother with dinner for one




The BAND:
RealTracks in style: 366:Bass, Electric, Country Ev 065
RealTracks in song: ~2200:Guitar, Nylon, Background CountryBrent Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 1595:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Pop8thsSteady Ev 065
RealTracks in style: ~368:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 065
RealTracks in song: ~1676:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking CountryBrent Ev 065
RealTracks in song: 1728:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm PopBalladJohn Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 2335:String Quartet, Rhythm PopHall Ev 085


Comments welcomed.
Hope you like it.

floyd

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,139
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,139
FJ - you the man!


BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6

User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,947
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,947
If marriage is something you are striving for in your life, I think 35 would be a hard age for anyone—male or female.

The song definitely reflects that sense of loneliness and desire for a companion effortlessly. Great job.


Cheers,
Ember
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,331
ROG Offline
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,331
Hi Floyd.

You really are a masterful storyteller.

I once knew someone who fits that description, with an outward show of confidence and an underlying sadness. Maybe lots of us have met her at sometime.

Before I listened to the track I was intrigued by the end of the waveform on Soundcloud and wondered what you'd been doing there. The ending was worth waiting for.

Another classic in the Floyd style, with professionalism written all the way through.

Cheers, ROG.

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,678
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,678
Floyd,

So much beauty and tenderness... Outstanding lyric, vocal and production. Loved it.

Bob

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,622
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,622
Floyd,

Very effective storytelling wrapped up in a simple but just right backing.
Liked the strings at the end and harmony vocals.
Very nice work all round.
Peter

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 671
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 671
Another gem from the master "FJ", great lyrics and composition.


Critter
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,139
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,139
Floyd,

Di and I were contemplating the lyric to this one for a few minutes. We kind of came to an agreement - you are a contemporary Tom T Hall. Writing a simple song that resonates is one of the most difficult tasks a songwriter can attack.

A great song is a great novel in a hundred words or less. As you anxiously anticipate the next page in a thrilling novel, you savor the expectation of the next line of the song. You've written a masterpiece, Floyd. But, this is just one of many.

I can speak from both sides of that fence. As I think you know, I also write novels (3 on Amazon now and three in the works). Every time I sit down to start a new novel, I write a song about it first. Nothing formal or worth posting - just a reference for myself. It's better than an outline and challenges me to to turn 85 words into 85,000 words and say, more or less, the same thing.

The strings at the end of your song were an unexpected but pleasant surprise. And I think I you've captured the dilemma of an unmarried woman of that age. This was a real pleasure to listen to. Thank you.

Alan & Di


BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar

Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops

User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,867
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,867
Beautiful heartfelt story in your lyric Floyd. Super vocal and backtrack.


Scott Collingwood
https://soundcloud.com/scottt709
https://soundcloud.com/spiritlevel-ca
https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritLevel-ge3hm/
User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 338
B
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
B
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 338
pure quality in every way ,great story and production.always love the sound and the depth of the vocals .thank you FJ


Os Windows Biab 2018. studio one pro 3 ozone 8 focusrite 214 se electronics Gemini mic
ROG #420034 07/01/17 04:55 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,052
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,052
Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Floyd.

You really are a masterful storyteller.

I once knew someone who fits that description, with an outward show of confidence and an underlying sadness. Maybe lots of us have met her at sometime.

Before I listened to the track I was intrigued by the end of the waveform on Soundcloud and wondered what you'd been doing there. The ending was worth waiting for.

Another classic in the Floyd style, with professionalism written all the way through.

Cheers, ROG.


Well this kind of wraps it up ;-)
We might add that you are one of the most talented and productive songwriters here on the forum and this song clearly demonstrates that again.

This must be your 120/130+ song?
Cool!

Rob & Anne-Marie


We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/


User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
Originally Posted By: MusicStudent
FJ - you the man!


Dan! - thanks for stopping by...


Originally Posted By: Ember - PG Music
If marriage is something you are striving for in your life, I think 35 would be a hard age for anyone—male or female.

The song definitely reflects that sense of loneliness and desire for a companion effortlessly. Great job.


Ember - Thanks. I know this is sort of a "dated" perspective - it reflects "the way things were" 40 years ago... it was a different time and things have changed greatly since then... (in good ways and bad)

User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,360
I love the ending!

didn't wanna forget to mention that

Such a good write, I know that you've mentioned before that

you usually write words first and then add music, sounds like

that's maybe the case here. Your music choices and melodies

never disappoint. I think that's the weakness of most lyrics first

writers, not enough attention put into the rest. I've said this before

but you lay out the blueprint for all of us, the deep background, attention

to little details, I care about your characters.

At first I thought it was too abrupt jumping to the Friday and Saturday night

guys mentioned and thought maybe that you had trimmed some lines out.

I listened again and it works well as her assessment of "what's out there".

We're lucky to have you here, you're like our own "Deacon" and we're

just Reyna waiting for more inspiration.

I use the tv to keep from thinking bout too much a lot.

loved it,

Kenny

ROG #420117 07/02/17 01:15 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,315
Originally Posted By: ROG
Hi Floyd.

You really are a masterful storyteller.

I once knew someone who fits that description, with an outward show of confidence and an underlying sadness. Maybe lots of us have met her at sometime.

Before I listened to the track I was intrigued by the end of the waveform on Soundcloud and wondered what you'd been doing there. The ending was worth waiting for.

Another classic in the Floyd style, with professionalism written all the way through.

Cheers, ROG.


ROG - thanks for that... As a songwriter, I was a "story teller" before anything else (later moving to a more "commercial" angle), so it is nice to have that made note of. Glad you found the ending appealing...

User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,232
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,232
Floyd,

Another great version of the subtly gut-wrenching, quietly understated reminder that so many human beings as Thoreau said "lead lives of quiet desperation."

I agree with the Tom T. Hall comparison, very apt. I was reminded of that too.

I liked your choice of RTs for this. Well done. Excellent story telling as usual as everyone has said.

Hope you have a party blast for July 4th and write a song about drinking, cussin', hollerin' and screamin' and howling at the moon for pure drunken joy and kissing every pretty girl in town next.

Throw a Telecaster in there too and turn it up to 12.

smile

User Showcase
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,075
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,075
Floyd,

Your long history of home runs makes it difficult to think up new comments! I hope what follows doesn't sound like I'm trying too hard! ;-)

As always, I like the way you take everyday elements (ie. dinner and making the bed... topics with which any audience can identify...) and spin them into pathos, making them uniquely applicable to the person in your story. The net result of this approach is that the audience gets a glimpse into a daily routine they've never lived themselves. That's interesting.

And when it comes to pathos, nothing says it quite like strings. I thought your decision to add an extended passage of "strings only" was the perfect segue between the story and the listener's reaction to it. I imagine it to be the functional equivalent of the way one's thoughts wind down as they lay on the couch, drifting off to whatever is on TV, after eating a frozen entree... alone.

On a completely different note:
I thought Ember's opening comment was interesting: "IF marriage is something you are striving for..."

More and more, I think marriage is not as compelling to either gender as it once was (but for differing reasons.)

I'll go so far as to say that in some circles this song would generate kickback because it relies on certain stereotypes that are no longer universally accepted (and in some cases, strongly resisted.)

It's becoming harder to write stories and songs that resonate with a wide audience. Society is not only divided politically, but also in terms of social norms... and that really intersects with the spectrum of topics that are typically addressed by music as a form of social commentary.

User Showcase
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 266
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 266
I just love your voice.

User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,507
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,507
Great vocal, one of your best I think, and great harmonies too.

Love that little lick that plays under the "suitable partners around" line, fits perfectly.

Love the story, great lyrics as usual, and man, that ending! Not expected but very cool indeed.

User Showcase
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 613
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 613
Hey Floyd,
This is very nice. Really like the instrumentation. That nylon guitar sounds great! Good write. Your a machine! grin

Greg

User Showcase
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,971
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,971
Hello, floyd

Very beautiful song with sadness.
I do not quite well understand nuances because the lyrics are English, but this is beautiful.
And your vocal is really fitted to this tune.
The band with a small organization is very preferable and strings at ending are very cool.
Very enjoyable listen.

Best regards.

Shigeki Adachi

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Video: Summary of the New Band-in-a-Box® App for iOS®

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new Band-in-a-Box® app for iOS®! Designed for musicians, singer-songwriters, and educators, this powerful tool lets you create, play, and transfer songs effortlessly on your iPhone® or iPad®—anytime, anywhere.

Band-in-a-Box® for iOS® :Summary video.

Check out the forum post for more information.

Introducing the New Band-in-a-Box iOS App!

We’re excited to introduce the new Band-in-a-Box iOS app, designed to enhance your music creation. The Band-in-a-Box iOS app is the perfect companion to your desktop version, giving you the freedom to sketch out ideas wherever you are and develop them further when you're back at your workstation. Now, you can create, play, generate, and transfer songs seamlessly between your iOS device, and desktop.

Key Features:

- Easily Create and Play Songs – Build and play songs effortlessly on your device.
- MIDI and RealTracks/RealStyles Support – Generate MIDI tracks and RealTracks/RealStyles right on your iPhone or iPad (RealTracks/RealStyles require an internet connection).
- Notation Support – View chord sheets, professional notation, tab, and drum notation for all tracks.
...and more!

Watch the Band-in-a-Box iOS Overview Video.

Visit the Band-in-a-Box for iOS support page for more information and to listen to demos of our RealStyles catalogue.

Download the Band-in-a-Box iOS App from the Apple App Store today!

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows® Today!

If you’ve already purchased Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®, great news—a new update is now available! This update introduces a handy new feature: a vertical cursor in the Tracks window that shows the current location across all tracks, and more.

Discover everything included in this free update and download it now at https://www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1124

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Boot Camp: The AI Lyrics Generator

With Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows®, we've introduced an exciting new feature: the AI Lyrics Generator! In this video, Tobin guides you step-by-step on how to make the most of this new tool.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Boot Camp: The AI Lyrics Generator video.

Check out the forum post for more information.

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using VST3 Plugins

Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows® now includes support for VST3 plugins, bringing even more creative possibilities to your music production. Join Simon as he guides you through the process in this easy-to-follow demonstration!

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using VST3 Plugins

Join the conversation on our forum.

Video: Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows: Using The BB Stem Splitter!

In this video, Tobin provides a crash course on using the new BB Stem Splitter feature included in Band-in-a-Box 2025® for Windows®. During this process he also uses the Audio Chord Wizard (ACW) and the new Equalize Tempo feature.

Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Windows®: Using the BB Stem Splitter

Check out the forum post for some optional Tips & Tricks!

Congrats to Misha (Rustyspoon)…downloaded/installed a full Audiophile 2025!

Breaking News!

We’re thrilled to announce that Rustyspoon has made PG history as the very first person to successfully complete the download and install of the full Band-in-a-Box 2025 Windows Audiophile Edition (with FLAC files)—a whopping 610GB of data!

A big shoutout to Rustyspoon for stepping up to be our test "elf!"

Thank you for your support, Rustyspoon!

Forum Statistics
Forums58
Topics83,555
Posts767,029
Members39,353
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
Adrichmen, Migrena, resco, ruppert, MrBarrysMinistry
39,353 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 217
DC Ron 139
rsdean 95
WaoBand 82
Today's Birthdays
4mrwrkr, Alan59, HELIXT
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5