You Always Do
Hi, here is a worktape of the current song I've been working on. This is my composition with virtual / midi instruments and my vocals over them. Still struggling to get decent vocal recordings using my SM7B in my untreated living room, but I don't have the space to expand my setup with sound treatment, condensor mic, etc. I feel like either my vocals are always muffled from being too far from the mic, or too boomy from being too close to the mic...
https://soundcloud.com/user-547160600/you-always-do-worktape
"YOU ALWAYS DO"
VERSE 1:
Well I've always known I was a lucky man.
Just look at where I've been.
But I’ve seen a world full of such perfect things,
and I never quite fit in.
VERSE 2:
And God knows I’ve had my share of broken hearts.
I remember every one.
They all helped to make me a better man,
but they never were much fun.
PRE-CHORUS 1:
But no-ones ever warmed my heart the way you do,
oh when you hold me late at night.
And I never knew I had a song to sing,
until you set my soul alight.
CHORUS 1:
And I don’t know how you always hear my thoughts,
before I’ve even had a chance to think them through.
And I don’t know how you always make my day,
but you do. Yes, you always do.
VERSE 3:
And I’ve found this word can be a lonely place.
We all can use a friend.
If I never had your love to guide my way,
I don’t know where I’d be.
VERSE 4:
And life still throws obstacles along our way,
but we’ll conquer every one.
‘Cause I mean to love you better every day,
until my days are done.
PRE-CHORUS 2:
‘Cause no-ones ever warmed my heart the way you do,
oh when you hold me late at night.
And I never knew I had a song to sing,
until you set my soul alight.
CHORUS 2:
And I don’t know how you always hear my thoughts,
before I’ve even had a chance to think them through.
And I don’t know how you always make my day,
but you do. Yes, you always do.
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK
PRE-CHORUS 3:
I can’t believe you’ve warmed my heart the way you do,
oh when you hold me late at night.
And I’ll always have just one more song to sing,
while you keep my soul alive.
CHORUS 3 / OUTRO:
And I don’t know how you always hear my thoughts,
before I’ve even had a chance to think them through.
And I don’t know how you always make my day,
but you do. Yes, you always do.
NOTE: I had previously posted a version of this song titled "You Always Make My Day" that I had done through Suno, but that was before I had completed my own composition above and expanded the lyrics. Suno version linked below:
Comments
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Thanks @bhengen I agree that the vocals are definitely strong enough for a worktape (with compression / EQ / boosting in Logic), though maybe not a demo, but I'm sure a lot of the issues I'm having are performative or editing related, as opposed to just the mic / environment.
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@schmalex Beautiful lyric! Beautiful song! What woman wouldn't want this to be her song?
Nice to make your acquaintance,
Renee
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I agree with bhengen, the vocals sound crystal clear, through my Mac speakers anyway. I love the lyrics, they are sweet, and your vocal delivery totally sells it. The one thing I might've liked to see was a rhythm change in the pre-chorus or chorus, or something to make that section stand out from the verse. Overall it sounds really good though, reminds me of the pop rock songs from the 2000s.
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Vocals are definitely good enough for a work tape. And a strong lyric.
I'm a bit with @BeatlesFan64 re having a rhythm change in the pre-chorus. Just feels like the time for something different. I think there's enough melodic variation in the chorus to make that feel different already.
The pre-chorus has my fav lines:
And I never knew I had a song to sing,
until you set my soul alight.
Definitely has a classic pop vibe going! Enjoyed my listen
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Thanks @RainyDayMan I'm glad you like those lines. The original working title of the song was "I Never Knew I Had A Song to Sing" before I had settled on the what was the chorus or not, so that has always been a key part of the song.
There are some differences in the rhythm / chord progression in the pre-chorus & chorus (mostly in the chorus), but I think they're getting buried, or at least not emphasized enough, in the midi instruments and drums. The drums are just one of the virtual Session Instruments in Logic with slight settings changes of intensity / complexity between the sections of the songs, while all of the other midi instruments (acoustic guitar, piano, electric guitar, electric bass) are my own composition.
I'm sure I'll define the rhythm more as I fine-tune my actual playing of the acoustic guitar part for real performance.
I also think the instrumentation needs more changes in dynamics throughout.
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Thanks @BeatlesFan64 I did re-record the vocals this morning before posting, and this version is definitely better than what I was working on last night, which I still had on my mind. I'm sure most of my issues are all primarily performance related (slight mistakes in breath support, being seated at my computer, etc), but really I'm sure most actual vocal performances in songs have a lot more editing than I have done so far.
I still mostly try to get through my recordings in a single take and only go back to edit out mistakes, when I really should be recording multiple takes of each part and choosing the best parts from each one.
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Thanks @HummerWisdom I'm sure my wife will love it once it's done!
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@schmalex - I'm happy for you that you have found love! I love the lyrics and are beautifully written. I know your wife loves it.
My observation from a listener's point of view- I feel you should re-think the cadence because it appears to be off. It seems a little too upbeat in several parts. I don't know if this is your intent.
I appreciate you sharing and many blessings to a lot of loving years!
Great song!
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I think it is both but more the chord progression. I could be the only one hearing it though since no one else mentioned it.
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@TammyB I think what you're hearing is probably just a result of the generic sounding midi-instruments making up the background sound without enough dynamics like real human musicians would have.
I am now working on a shorter more concise version of the song, because 5 minutes was pretty song for a sappy pop song:
VERSE 1:
Well I’d always known I was a lucky man.
Just look at where I’d been.
But I’d found the world could be a lonely place,
and I’d never quite fit in.
PRE-CHORUS 1:
But no-one’d ever warmed my heart the way you do,
oh when you hold me late at night.
And I never knew I had a song to sing,
until you set my soul alight.
CHORUS 1:
And I don’t know how you always hear my thoughts,
before I’ve even had a chance to think them through.
And I don’t know how you always make my day,
but you do. Yes, you always do.
VERSE 2:
Now life still throws obstacles along our way,
but we’ll conquer every one.
‘Cause I mean to love you better every day,
until my days are done.
PRE-CHORUS 2:
‘Cause no-ones ever warmed my heart the way you do,
oh when you hold me late at night.
And I never knew I had a song to sing,
until you set my soul alight.
CHORUS 2:
And I don’t know how you always hear my thoughts,
before I’ve even had a chance to think them through.
And I don’t know how you always make my day,
but you do. Yes, you always do.
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That's probably a good call on shortening it. 5 mins is a long time for this style of song. Good call.
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Oh okay. I see. I agree 5 minutes is a little long.
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