“Enchanted” is track no.8 on the album “So That’s How It Ended…” and the second song co-written with lyricists Gavin Clifton and Larry Wheeler.

 

Songwriting

Larry and Gavin wrote the original lyrics, I then wrote the music, and the three of us fine-tuned the lyrics together.

I was initially concerned that the title had too much of a “Disney” connotation, but as the song took life and gained its own identity, I eventually forgot about it and hopefully so will listeners.

Musically, “Enchanted” is essentially a ballad with a dance beat on the chorus.

The first scratch track I presented to Gavin and Larry, before any of the dance elements were added, shows this clearly (the lyrics are still works in progress):

 

Production

Overall, Cher’s “Believe” comes to mind.

I quite like the way the chorus’ first chord (C) comes in with the synth pad a full bar ahead of the chorus, overlaying the pre-chorus’ last chord (G) to create tension that resolves in a very satisfying way when the chorus actually kicks in.

To avoid the song being too “syrupy”, I contrasted the chorus with a guitar-based arrangement in the verse and a highly contrasting single-chord bass-driven funk-rock bridge reminiscent of Cerrone’s “Je Suis Music”, which I re-used for the intro.

The guitar riff on the intro/bridge returns on top of the final chorus to tie the various sections together into a satisfying climax. 

• Drums: Battery 4’s “Going Deeper” Kit
• Bass: Roland FA-06’s “Occitan Bass”
• Guitars: RealStrat + GuitarRig 5’s “Prince in the Rain” and “Pulsar Alpha” presets
• Electric Piano: Roland FA-06’s “SA EP 1”
• Piano: AIR Music Technology’s Mini Grand
• Pad: Native Instruments Evolve Mutations 2’s “APT Water Pad MW”
• Synths: Native Instruments Reaktor 6 / Spark’s “Lullaby Letters” and Razor’s “Stacatto Warp”
• Bells: Native Instruments FM8’s “Epia”
• Strings: Roland FA-06’s “Fat Strings”

 

Credits

Lyrics: Gavin Clifton, Larry Wheeler & A. Robin

Music: A. Robin

Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

Instruments: SuperCool-Guy

Arrangement, mix and production: SuperCool-Guy

Mastering: Jon Astley

 

Lyrics

That night we kissed, I came under your spell

You turned me ‘round from my living hell

In my world no one can compare

Your love, like magic, the answer to my prayer

 

What can I say, what can I do, you have me…

 

CHORUS:

Enchanted, enchanted, enchanted

You cast a spell and now you have my heart

Enchanted, enchanted, enchanted

This magic we can never tear apart

 

The stars grow brighter every single day

I couldn’t wish it any other way

I’ve come around, there’s no turning back

I saw the light, you saved me from the dark

 

No more words need to be spoken

No more hearts need to be broken

What can I say, what can I do, you have me…

 

CHORUS

 

I walked under the neon lights

Tired of living a life of lies

I held you, I kissed you, I loved you

On that cold December night

 

CHORUS

 

Enchanted, enchanted, enchanted

You cast a spell and now you have my heart

This magic we can never tear apart

Enchanted