The Delgonives From A Song Writers Perspective
loving you always came easy - update
By
Guest Carl Dixon in Articles
Updated on 10 Jan 2017 ·
Published 16 Jan 2015
If anybody is interested in 'The Delgonives' updated version of 'Loving you always came easy', here it is. It has a Detroit type groove with a Beach/Blue Eyed feel. I guess I am pigeon holing the song, but I favour more retro sounding material from the 1960/70’s as many know. The issues for me creating this style of song, is to sound authentic in the writing, plus of course back in the day it was real instruments and a studio set up for the recording. I do not have the financial resources to pay for another full-blown session quite yet, but it is on the cards at some stage, with the right song, singer and musicians.
This is the first ‘Delgonives’ track where I have paid for real bass and guitar tracks because I feel this song has potential and they are on this version right now. In addition I have commissioned a 6-piece horn overdub hoping it will lift the song nicely. They are due for delivery at the end of the week from LA, so I will be mixing those at the weekend.
From a modern digital perspective, today’s technology will allow me to maybe release a number of different mixes to help recoup back my expenses should customers buy more than one version. I figure additional mixes like an instrumental, a string/hornless version, maybe a couple more with isolated instruments etc. At this stage I don’t think it warrants a physical release as I don’t think it necessarily ticks the boxes for a vinyl collector, so will pursue digital only.
What is interesting is that ‘Libby, let’s leave it at that’ is on rotation on a Surf radio station in the US which was quite a surprise. Recently, ‘Magic’ in Manchester played a cover I did of ‘I’ve got you on my mind’ performed by The Delgonives, which is encouraging too. My aim is to continue writing in this style and producing what I can with the resources I have. Check out ‘Good lovin’ man’ by Diane Shaw, co-written with myself and Diane. Diane has been on the circuit for many years and has decided to perform some original songs rather than just all covers. I think what she and her husband have done this last year just proves that good new songs, well produced, have potential. Perhaps one day these new releases may get some credence from future generations who may discover them tucked away on a hard drive somewhere!
What has this to do with Northern Soul? Nothing really, but my terms of reference lie in the past like the old soul songs. When they were written they did not have a tag name….. that evolved and came through the passage of time. No song writer back in the day had the notion of the term ‘Carolina Beach Music’ or ‘Northern Soul’ but I would guess writers would dissect others songs/releases and hopefully come up with similarities for their latest composition to try and compete. Something like Len Barrys ‘1-2-3’ with that Detroit groove or ‘The 81’ which has a whiff of Martha Reeves in there somewhere. I do the same initially on some of my songs and it evolves, a demo made and like ‘Loving you always came easy’ it changes as each instrument starts to settle into the groove of the song sometimes helping create a new hook. So if you ever thought that a certain song sounds like another, it should be no surprise that many of your favourites are not strictly original and possibly have elements varying from musical style, vocal performances, song writers style (hooks/song construction) etc in them. If you listen to some of the Holland/Dozier/Holland songs for example, they are chopped up so well, it becomes transparent what they did but genius. Or songs like ‘What’s easy for two’ recorded with so many artists with different grooves probably as experimentation, because they could!
The ‘to do’ list on ‘Loving you always came easy’ as of 16th January is:
1) Receive, appraise and hopefully accept the sax/trumpet/trombone instrumentation by the end of the week
2) Mix into the song through my sequencer and remove midi horns
3) Final tweak of the instrument/vocal panning and levels. Ensure the vocals are better balanced and the ‘you plus me’ lyric at the end of the song is brought down in level as it distorts in places
4) Master one version for overall clarity and appraise
5) Create alternative mixes/masters
6) Create an mp3 with embedded meta data with information about the song/performers, ISRC number etc, for each version
7) Write sleeve notes/presser and complete art work
8) Upload to CD Baby for distribution into digital stores and streaming services
9) Pitch the release to UK and US radio stations
10) Register the song writing interests with the PRS/MCPS
11) Register the recording interests with the PPL
So here is the track as it stands (art work from previous release):
https://soundcloud.com/55motown/loving-you-always-came-easythe-delgonives
Enjoy! (Or not as the case may be)…..
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