Check out my new song "You (So Alive!)" feat. Fay Cannings!
Words, music & arrangement by: A. Robin Vocals by: Fay Cannings Produced by: SuperCool-Guy
Verse 1 Kind of physical Kind of spiritual I’ve never felt this way before… it’s kind of magical
Pre-Chorus 1 Been around the world, searching for the answer And here you stand, it’s you I was after
CHORUS You… you make me whole You… you make me feel like I’m invincible You… you take me home You lift me up, I don’t know how You make me feel… so alive!
Verse 2 Indescribable Undeniable This feeling taking over me… is unstoppable
Pre-Chorus 2 You came to me when I was down I’ll stand by you, our lives are bound
CHORUS
Break And when we touch I feel your fire You make me feel… alive!
CHORUS +
End You lift me up, I don’t know how You make me feel… so alive!
“You Don’t Get Me” started with a lyric from David B.
The original lyric was written from the point of view of a girl making a scene to her boyfriend. I suggested that we change it to a teenager making a scene to her dad. This shift was done with only a few line changes.
David B. is no teenage girl, and neither I am… so this is a song that I think would benefit from a co-write with the artist, to further fine-tune the lyric and make it fit the artist personality and language.
Music & Production
The musical hook is based on a simple guitar riff, together with a cool bass line and syncopated groove.
There are two very distinct drum parts: the syncopated drum machine that runs throughout, and heavy acoustic drums on top during the choruses.
Ben Treeby played guitar, Kelly Webb sang, I played the other tracks, sang backups, produced and mixed. John Astley mastered.
“Heavy Remix”
The version uploaded on YouTube and SoundCloud is slightly different from the original version featured on the “Back in the Groove” album (available on iTunes, CD Baby, and wherever good mp3s are sold ;-)).
In the original version, the big drums only come in on the final set of choruses. I liked the idea of “holding out” for a while then finishing off with a big climax. The overall feedback I got though, was that the early choruses needed to be bigger. So now, every chorus has big heavy drums on them!
With every song that I write and record, I like to try things I have never done before.
With “Time Difference” I set out to try two things:
as a songwriter/producer: a fusion of rock and funk, loosely in the style of Maroon 5
as a singer: to push myself into a higher register in the style of Adam Levine or the Bee Gees.
Lyrics
The song started with a lyric from Joel Rockman. I thought the concept and title were very good: on the one hand, quite original, on the other hand quite fitting for the jet-set pop-star life (touring around the world, away from lover) or anyone who’s been in a long-distance/transcontinental relationship, or simply travelling long-distance and missing their partner back home.
Music & Production
The music is based on a simple guitar riff that repeats throughout (in yellow on the ProTools session below), answered by a bass riff (in dark blue).
Ben Treeby came in to do the guitar parts – I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted, and he got it right away. I did all the other parts, vocals and mixing.
The chorus is lifted by a second, funky guitar (green) and simple keyboard chords (purple). A third guitar (light blue) plays power chords over the bridge and final chorus.
So this is very much a guitar-bass-drums track, with some added percussions to get a nice groove. Sort of half-way between rock and funk.
The bridge is the more “sentimental” section lyrically and I have tried to make it the more melodic and “sweet” section musically, with added synthesizer pad (in turquoise) to soften it up.
My favorite part is the break at 1’44” – with just drums, percussions and bass, then the funky guitar and vocal ad-libs come in to build it back up into the final set of choruses. I also like the (hopefully!) unexpected but satisfying chord changes in the second half of the second and final choruses.
I had some fun with the vocals, double-tracked in the verse and six-tracked in the choruses.
I think it’s quite funky… and at 2’38” run-time straight to the point! I hope you guys like it…
When I get up in the morning and start up my day You'll have finished work and you’ll be homeward on your way We'll think of one another by telepathy Wishing we were both together just you and me
Chorus: There's a time difference, honey A time difference A time difference, honey A time difference A time difference, honey A time difference A time difference, honey A time difference
When I get inside my bed for another lonely night You'll be getting out of yours, no one to hold you tight Quickly wash and dress yourself and then rush out of the door However much you've missed me, girl I've missed you more
Chorus: There's a time difference, honey A time difference…
Bridge: When my journey's over and I get off that plane We'll synchronize our lives and loving once again I'll never go back away, it's true So I can spend all my life with you
[Instrumental break]
Chorus: There's a time difference, honey A time difference…
I'll never go back away, it's true So I can spend my life with you.
