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"The Only Right Thing"-Original


Johnbee58

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About two weeks after I met the girl who became my first wife in September of 1979, I wrote this song on a 12 string guitar and put it down on a cheap reel to reel recorder.  She loved the song and I always wanted to re record it better but I never had much of a chance.  Even though I had advanced a bit in home recording by the 2000s, I never re did this.  In January 2014, after almost 34 years of marriage I lost her to ovarian cancer.  The grieving period was horrible.  After the initial shock I soon settled into a depression made worse by the deafening silence and realizing I would never hear her voice again in this world.  That was the worst part of the grieving, suddenly not hearing the voice of a loved one I heard every day for 34 years.

I finally recorded the song two months after her death as part of the grieving process.  I lost the original tape years ago, but the song never left my head.

Last week, I found the original MIDI files and vocal track that I made in Magix Samplitude Music Studio in 2014, but it had been so long since I mixed it I had forgotten how to navigate SMS and through all of the missed updates, it didn't run the same anyway, so I exported the MIDIs out and re created them with what I have today with my Cakewalk set up.

I know the vocals in this are rough, and I was considering re recording them, but realized that for as bad as they are, they capture a time I never want to forget.  I was extremely depressed when I sang this in early 2014 and I'll probably never capture that feeling again.  In my voice here you're hearing all the heartbreak. I ran some Melodyne over the real bad spots, but I want this as part of my memory of her.    We had a beginning, a middle and an end of our relationship.  This song captures the beginning and the end.  The picture was from a photo booth on our honeymoon in Niagara Falls, Canada in July of 1980.  You don't know how much I wish she could've heard it this way.  I wrote it as an up tempo pop song.  Here, I adapted it as a bluesy ballad in 6/8.

 I hope you enjoy this.

🙂John B

https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/the-only-right-thing

Edited by Johnbee58
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@Wave Function-Thanks so much.  I lost my father early in 2018.  Since I lost my wife in 2014, I lost both my Dad and Mom, my brother and two uncles who I loved very much and in January of this year I lost my beloved puppy.  I don't have much family left, but I still have the memories of all the fulfillment those people gave me over the years of my life.  I'm sorry for your loss of your dad.❤️😢

@bjornpdx-Thanks!  If you listen close you can almost hear the tears.

😀John B

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Very nice John.

Many times on here I have read you state about your vocal ability etc. etc.

I am sorry...  but no one could do that song justice and could compete with the way you sang it.
Honestly... that's my favorite of all the songs you I have listened too that you have written.

Your composition skills are fantastic.. how you can think those in your head...  I couldn't even stand a chance.

Well done mate...  very moving song when you know the back story.

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WOW John , very heartfelt expression and performance on all levels .

One thing I enjoy about your Music is in a way it is like a thinking mans Music .

You use sophisticated instrumentation and harmonically you have a good grasp of chords and what can be substituted and altered .

Sorry about your loss .  May you find comfort in music and song ,

 

Kenny   

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What a beautiful song John.  Losing someone that your dearly love is always tragic.  I am indeed sorry for your loss.  My wife and I have been together since we were 18 and I just can't imagine losing her.  I wouldn't change a thing on this song if I were you.  You have captured a moment of great emotion in this song.  You can feel the sadness and distress in this song.  Your vocals ---- they are perfect in this song.  They captured a moment, a feeling and a loss of a tragic time.  I don't think that this could be captured if you re-did it or if someone else were to do it.

Really good work John.

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