[Paulski]

Hi guys.. and yet another piano ballad  
Many thanks to the lyrics forum without which this may have never got this far 
Looking forward to your comments - good or bad constructive   .

https://soundcloud.com/paulcanuck/hello-piano

Hello Piano
 Copyright (c) 2017 Tennyson Road Music

 Hello Piano
 Mind if I sit here a spell?
 My head's been through a lot today
 And my heart has been though hell
 Your keys feel so familiar in my hands
 And it's nice to find you waiting here
 To comfort an old friend

 Oh, Piano
 That church today was tough
 The more I tried to hold my tears
 The more they wouldn't stop
 And people searching for a caring word
 Just echoed "Sorry for your loss"
 Their eyes fixed on the floor

 But you know what I came here for..

 Let's play a song that lifts us far from here
 We'll waltz through fonder memories, and stride through kinder years
 We'll leave this sad and senseless day behind
 For at least a little time
 At least a little time...

 So , Piano
 Guess I'll close you now and go
 Though I'd love to spend forever here
 There are those I must console
 You've helped to drive these darkened skies away
 And soothed me with your harmony
 Just like every time we play

 So I'll be back here soon, to say..

 Hello Piano
 Let's play a song that lifts us far from here
 We'll frolics in fond memories, and stride through kinder years
 We'll leave this sad and senseless world behind
 For at least a little time
 At least a little time

[shadowfax]

good old fashioned piano ballad..nothing wrong with that my friend musicians will still be doing piano ballads in a hundred years,
one prob for me was your vocal was a little pitchy here and there which is unusual for you, otherwise a fine track

[Skub]

Yo Paulski.

Or perhaps it's really Randy Newman or Billy Joel hiding behind a Cannuckian furry hat? 

Your songs always put a smile on my face Paul and this is no exception. It's a cool topic for a song and executed beautifully.

I loved the tasteful addition of strings and acoustic guitar to the piano here and there.

I honestly didn't think the electric guitar coming in around 1.47 onwards really added anything,speaking personally it jarred a little with the rest of the instrumentation. But that's probably just me. 

It's a warm,feelgood and nostalgic piece. 

[adamfarr]

Seems like a much cleaner mix than the WIP mix - the strings are much subtler which must be right (the piano should be the star...).

Would it be too obvious to go for a piano solo instead of the electric (which I also didn't particularly go for)? If not, I'd say something more mournful and organic like a sax could fit the mood better...

But the song is ace of course, and the slightly daring chord leaps really give it something.

[montydog]

Hi Paul,

I could have told this was you before you started singing - you have such a distinctive style on the keys.
Great concept and very close to my heart having just lost a lovely border collie.

Clever writing (I'm guessing "and stride through kinder years" was an intentional pun!) and some unexpected chord changes kept this interesting. You do bittersweet very well and this was a fine example of your artistry.

I enjoyed it (as I always do).

M

[alcapone_dudu]

Good song, man. Nice work!

I don't know if it was the intention but your song reminded me a lot of some Elvis' ballads.

[exfairy]

This is gorgeous <3 I love the personification of the piano. Just one slight feedback thing (hope you don't mind), the pacing of the lyrics is a little strange. You could perhaps add a verse or put a big grand instrumental before the verse that starts with "I'll close you now and go" - that verse wouldn't hurt to be played up a few octaves, make it a little sombre and twinkly (great words, I know). If you do that, it might be nice to cut off the last 3 lines of the verse and go into a mellower version of the chorus. I hope that makes sense.
Also some oohs and aahs wouldn't go amiss (also if you need a volunteer for that... )

[mickyplankton]

This is beautiful from start to finish.  I'm convinced you are set for big things Paul.

[PaulAds]

Top quality stuff, Paul.

You sound right at home here, perhaps unsurprisingly...I could imagine you blowing out the light from the candelabra, lifting the lid, climbing inside and bedding down for the night, as snug as can be.

[Paulski]

thanks all for listening and commenting!

@shadowfax - cheers kevin. Pitchy you say? hmm better fix that! I just bought waves tune for $29 - maybe I'll put it to a test.

@Skub - thanks my good man - Randy and Billy - I wish! Yes I always fear comments from real guitarists but I do my best  Maybe Adam's idea of the sax would work but I don't know which end of that to blow into 

@adamfarr - cheers Adam. Yeah maybe better stick to my knitting as they say - but would a piano solo be too much? IDK. Know any sax players?

@montydog - thanks Alan I wondered if anyone would notice the stride pun.  Appreciate the kind words.

@alcapone_dudu - cheers for that - Elvis works for me (and you thought he was dead  )

@exfairy - thank you kind person! Lots of good ideas there - if only I had a bigger budget  But I guess I could manage some ooos and aaahs .. and if you're volunteering...

@mickyplankton - hi micky - very kind of you - glad you liked it 

@PaulAds - cheers Paul - haha yes it would be a cozy place to sleep (until the grandkids start pounding on the keys) 

[pompeyjazz]

Hi Paul, you sure are the master of the piano ballad. This has a lovely melodic yet melancholic feel to it. I can imagine this being performed on a US TV show from the 70's (and I don't mean that in a bad way). The piano has got a great tone to it and I always love the way you record your vocals.

Top stuff

[Wicked Deeds]

This is beautiful a Paul.  I would say it has great potential should you try to place this song with an artist.  It's songwriting my friend - melodic and heartfelt! Excellent.

Paul

[PaulyX]

This was just lush Paul, I especially liked the harmonising vocal layers and the way you 'almost stop' a few times in it (clearly not playing to a click track - feels very organic and natural).  Great song.

[digger72]

Hi Paul,

I like the understated drama in this; the way the music and vocal ebb and flow.
Sounds like part of a movie soundtrack.
Usual high standards of musicianship and production.

Digger

[beckylucythomas]

❤❤❤ how could I have forgotten how great your songwriting is?? Listening to that I realised how much I've been missing! Your lyrics are always that perfect balance of simple but clever. Melodies simple and memorable. Chord changes beautifully placed. The whole thing always somehow the right balance of tasteful and cheesy (the best kind of cheese of course)!

After "waltz" I knew "stride" had to have some second meaning... but I'm not sure what?...