Hi All - my turn on this one.
This one has a few elements from my recent "study" of country music. So (1) my indie-pop-rock instinct would be for the protagonist to live in perpetual misery and despair - here, we get a defiant and dude-relatable uplifting twist; and (2) country music sometimes likes to give us "stories that the person serving you in the shop would tell" so these are perhaps a bit less oh-so-clever than I normally tend towards. After finishing, I panicked when I found that the ambrosial Kacey Musgroves has a song of the same title, thankfully very different.
In verses 1 and 2 we may think he's "just a loser" but from somewhere near the middle I wanted to introduce some elements that give the impression that maybe he's not so dumb after all, with a view to setting up the ending.
What I heard as the chorus section is very long - so we end up with a type of post-chorus which I like as it really puts the punch line in the spotlight.
Production wise a few notes:
- sped everything up to 115 BPM from 95, which also meant that I could add a final chorus and still be under 4 minutes
- in the first verses I muted all guitars except for the acoustic to allow for some build
- backed off the slide for all except the solo
- chopped the slide up a little for the solo (apologies to Bin!)
- added high strings and cello pad to fill out the chorus
- LVOX chain: gate - tune (just a few notes) - subtractive EQ - air EQ - compression - de-ess; with subtle sends to room, ambience (only in choruses), and (new for me and again something I've noticed a lot in country) 1/4 note delay which I really like on my vocal for this type of slow moving progression
- BVox: 4 tracks doubled - compressed and tuned to bejeezus, each pair hard-ish panned, with a send to a plate reverb and de-ess on the bus
- Drums: EQ to bring up hats - sends to room, parallel compression and specific early reflection verb (makes drums sound huge!)
- Bass chain: doubled (one track pitched up one octave); compressed, add saturation; enhance harmonics around 80hz (Bark of Dog); add some Petite Excite on low end to cut through
- Guitars - hard panned; slide high shelf at 2.5k
- Music bus: scooped EQ between 600-2.5K to accomodate vocals
- Master: touch of EQ - saturation - compressor/limiter
V1
My mother said that I was always late
Just like my dad for every date
So I was born a fortnight overdue
When they both were 42
V2
Late for every meal and late for school
My rent's not punctual as a rule
My coat has holes cos I don't stitch in time
Everyone knows that I'll arrive
CH
Late to the party
Missed all the best fun
Why do I do this to myself?
Got to the party
The night was all done
And you were kissing someone else
Guess there's a hint
That I should take
Time to change for my own sake
V3
My boss warns me that they're going to fire me
But they've got no work to inspire me
Ads everywhere for making cash online
But I'm still making up my mind
V4
All my friends bought houses in the boom
But I couldn't decide so soon
I'm the type for moving slow but sure
But they think I should find a cure (for being)
CH
V5 Solo
V6
My mama told me I was always late
But also I should live my way
My daddy said don't let a girl be torture
There'll be another round the corner
FINAL CH
Late to the party
but I’m not going home
Now I’m gonna help myself
Give me a bottle
and I’ll be moving on
You stay kissing someone else
Cos I’m not late
To your party, no
No, I’m the first one at my own
Cos I’m not late
To your party, no
No, I’m the first one at my own
REPEAT CH