The singers look back at a career that might have been. The rock'n'roll dream is over but the memories remain. A male/female pop ballad duet.
PS: Ross, as I was listening again a second time through, you are up against men and women singing in different keys. Aha… the song’s key was good for the female but the male had to strain. It is a simple fix… (change keys) go into a lower key for the male’s part.
June 14, 2017
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Thanks for the feedback. The male singer was going for a ‘Stereophonics style’ vocal. as for the guitars, I am a very average guitarist and this of course is just a demo, if I had the money right now, I certainly would go for a full Nashville studio demo 
Unfortunately, finances are about as positive as the green wire on a plug! really appreciate the comments though, thank you.
Ross
June 14, 2017
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Nice melody, but agree that it’s retro, and am not sure it’s appropriate for a song about rock. The intro made me expect something Springsteen-like. I think the lyrics also need to be more rock-like. Do you remember rock “fondly”? I think the lyrics need something more tangible, the way Springsteen did it in “Blinded by the Light.” Show, don’t tell. Give us a feel for the rock of the era.
I could hear Steve Tyler on this, Maybe you should try to imagine where he would take this musically. The beat should be a little more driving, I think.
June 15, 2017
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Thanks Michael. I do write a lot of stuff in a ‘Springsteen style’ but this isn’t one of them. The song is a a ballad telling of fond memories from two members of a band that never made it. I think the production is ‘retro’ because I am an 80’s record producer who is now nearing 60 years old lol, but to get it produced and into demo format in Nashville, is just a bit too costly when you have no budget!
I guess at the end of the day, you have to speculate to accumulate, but back in the day, the managers, the A&R’s and the producers, all had ears good enough to hear a potentially great song from the most basic of demo. These days it seems everyone wants a ‘radio-ready production’. Sad fact of life I guess :(
Ross
June 16, 2017
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ROCK CITY NIGHTS (R Hemsworth/Paul Blackhurst © 14-10-12)
Re-worked June 2017
Intro: D G A x 2
D G A
HEARTBEAT OF THE CITY, NEW YORK WAS THE PLACE TO BE
D G A
A CITY BUILT ON MUSIC AND A VERY SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME
Bm A
RADIO CITY TO MADISON SQUARE
G A
LISTENING TO THE MUSIC WE JUST HADN’T A CARE
D G A D
WE REALLY HAD IT GOING ON THOSE ROCK CITY NIGHTS
D G A
ONE DAY WE’D BE ROCK STARS, AND PLAY THAT ALMIGHTY STAGE
D G A
A NUMBER ONE HIT, THE VERY WONDERS OF OUR AGE
Bm A
WE HAD THE TALENT, AND WE HAD THE PLANS
G A
IT SEEMED WE HAD OUR FUTURE RIGHT THERE IN OUR HANDS
D G A D
I REMEMBER SO FONDLY, THOSE ROCK CITY NIGHTS
Guitar Solo (As first two lines of a verse)
Bm A
WE HAD THE TALENT, AND WE HAD THE PLANS
G A
IT SEEMED WE HAD OUR FUTURE RIGHT THERE IN OUR HANDS
D G A D
I REMEMBER SO FONDLY, THOSE ROCK CITY NIGHTS
Mid 8
G A
WE LISTENED TO THE MUSIC IN EVERY HALL
G A
FROM COUNTRY TO ROCK, WE SURE HAD A BALL
G A G
WE THOUGHT AND HOPED THAT IT WOULD NEVER END …..
(Quieter)
D G A
BUT OUR DREAMS GOT SHATTERED AND FINALLY THE MUSIC DIED
D G A
WE NEVER MADE IT, WE ALL SHED A TEAR AND CRIED
(All back in)
Bm A
NO MORE NEW YORK CITY FOR THE BAND AND ME
D A
IT’S ALL IN THE PAST NOW, I CAN BARELY BELIEVE
D G A D
BUT WE ALL STILL REMEMBER, THOSE ROCK CITY NIGHTS
D G A D
YES WE ALL STILL REMEMBER, THOSE ROCK CITY NIGHTS
G A D
ROCK CITY NIGHTS x 2
0
Hi Ross… I’ll be the first to comment it looks like.
First, nice job and a cool song with a great idea for story line and a great memorable hooking title.
Second, by design it is a ‘retro’ feel song and a retro story of course.
Third, the duet theme should always be marketable especially in country, but in all genres. There are only so many of these duet songs to find.
Fourth, It does have a dated sound (not referring to the retro feel) and could use some production “ummmmph”. I believe the lead guitar is not up to standards of a good demo. If you want much worse playing however, come over to my house. <g> And I can hear Steve Perry and Ann Wilson in their hey-day with a duet here. But there are people today probably looking for a duet song.
Fifth, The girls voice was good but the males voice was strained and took away from the marketability I think. That is easily fixed.
Sixth, With this being (I believe) a power ballad type, I would have given it a bit more uptempo (without losing the ballad feel but adding power). I myself when recording always think in terms of doing a recording at the fastest speed until it is too fast, then I back it down just a hair and it seems about right.
Seventh, and I could even see this produced in the Nashville style and being super. Even with the title being Rock City, it is good for a Nashville artist(s) to do as it would be cool for the country artist to sing about their rock past or as just a story song about some singer of their past.
Note: I did not look at your lyrics and only listened to the song (which I believe is the best way to judge for me) and will let another member comment on lyrics or whatever. Good job here, Ross.
June 14, 2017
0
PS: Ross, as I was listening again a second time through, you are up against men and women singing in different keys. Aha… the song’s key was good for the female but the male had to strain. It is a simple fix… (change keys) go into a lower key for the male’s part.
June 14, 2017
0
Thanks for the feedback. The male singer was going for a ‘Stereophonics style’ vocal. as for the guitars, I am a very average guitarist and this of course is just a demo, if I had the money right now, I certainly would go for a full Nashville studio demo Unfortunately, finances are about as positive as the green wire on a plug! really appreciate the comments though, thank you.
Ross
June 14, 2017
0
Nice melody, but agree that it’s retro, and am not sure it’s appropriate for a song about rock. The intro made me expect something Springsteen-like. I think the lyrics also need to be more rock-like. Do you remember rock “fondly”? I think the lyrics need something more tangible, the way Springsteen did it in “Blinded by the Light.” Show, don’t tell. Give us a feel for the rock of the era.
I could hear Steve Tyler on this, Maybe you should try to imagine where he would take this musically. The beat should be a little more driving, I think.
June 15, 2017
0
Thanks Michael. I do write a lot of stuff in a ‘Springsteen style’ but this isn’t one of them. The song is a a ballad telling of fond memories from two members of a band that never made it. I think the production is ‘retro’ because I am an 80’s record producer who is now nearing 60 years old lol, but to get it produced and into demo format in Nashville, is just a bit too costly when you have no budget!
I guess at the end of the day, you have to speculate to accumulate, but back in the day, the managers, the A&R’s and the producers, all had ears good enough to hear a potentially great song from the most basic of demo. These days it seems everyone wants a ‘radio-ready production’. Sad fact of life I guess :(
Ross
June 16, 2017
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Robert Lloyd
Hi Ross… I’ll be the first to comment it looks like.
First, nice job and a cool song with a great idea for story line and a great memorable hooking title.
Second, by design it is a ‘retro’ feel song and a retro story of course.
Third, the duet theme should always be marketable especially in country, but in all genres. There are only so many of these duet songs to find.
Fourth, It does have a dated sound (not referring to the retro feel) and could use some production “ummmmph”. I believe the lead guitar is not up to standards of a good demo. If you want much worse playing however, come over to my house. <g> And I can hear Steve Perry and Ann Wilson in their hey-day with a duet here. But there are people today probably looking for a duet song.
Fifth, The girls voice was good but the males voice was strained and took away from the marketability I think. That is easily fixed.
Sixth, With this being (I believe) a power ballad type, I would have given it a bit more uptempo (without losing the ballad feel but adding power). I myself when recording always think in terms of doing a recording at the fastest speed until it is too fast, then I back it down just a hair and it seems about right.
Seventh, and I could even see this produced in the Nashville style and being super. Even with the title being Rock City, it is good for a Nashville artist(s) to do as it would be cool for the country artist to sing about their rock past or as just a story song about some singer of their past.
Note: I did not look at your lyrics and only listened to the song (which I believe is the best way to judge for me) and will let another member comment on lyrics or whatever. Good job here, Ross.
June 14, 2017
No members have liked this comment.