[James Nighthawk]

I wrote this song about one of my closest friends. Some of you know her as the female vocalist on "Don't give your love out" and "One hell of a time".

As we were recording the album from which those duets came about, she had a shitty few weeks. She broke up with her long term fella, was made redundant and ended up having to relocate across the country to keep her job with the company.  Never rains it pours, hey.

I wrote this song in one sitting, 30mins tops. The lyrics were thrown down as they came to me, and I remember thinking I would come back and polish them. I never did. When I reviewed them I decided they said exactly what I wanted them to say...

It is the "poppiest" thing I have written recently. The structure is a simple one so I played with layers, harmonies and dynamics.

She loved the song when I played it to her, by the way. And now she is doing fantastically well with a lovely new home, new fella and new job. Life deals the cards, we play the hands 


http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_14581620?utm_campaign=opengraph&utm_content=song&utm_medium=link&utm_source=facebook


Jenny

Jenny is a good girl
She never liked to rock the boat at all
She always played it safe
But safe won’t always help you break a fall
So she packed her bags one night
And she stepped into the light
And she smiled
For this life it sure ain’t easy
But living’s all we got, so let’s try

To be free, all the time
To be free, yeah tonight

Jenny is a thinker
She always liked to think she had it straight
But nothing’s ever simple
Sometimes it's never clear, ‘til it’s too late
As she drove away that night
Yes she knows she’ll be alright
She just smiled
For loving sure ain’t easy
But loving’s half the battle, so let’s try

To be free, all the time
To be free, yeah tonight

For each time we think we know
All the people in this show
They’re just clowns
And for each love that tastes so sweet
And every bitter, cruel deceit
We hold our ground

Jenny is a good girl
But good won’t always help you win the war
Yet victory is empty
When no one’s left around to keep the score
As she melts into the night
Yes she knows she’ll be alright
And she smiles
For this life can sure be funny
But if the joke's on us, let’s just smile

[Binladeda]

Loved it James ....30mins, impressive.. did you busk the whole thing ?..beautiful singing, especially liked the verse. Structure flowed well, good vocal melody, It's all there..musically I thought it got a bit 'harsh' in places, but I suppose volume/tone settings etc. are all down to taste so won't comment on the production...as I presume it is perfect ....Very nice piece of songwriting

[Dutchbeat]

great melody, very catchy and happy-sad at the same time

i like it a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[montydog]

Great pop song impeccably sung, played and arranged. I was whistling this all afternoon - it has such a "hooky" feel. I love it.

Really great job.

I'm pleased that you took some time to explain how you wrote it and why.

[S.T.C]

Sounds like it`s sitting on `wonder wall  `... that's why it sounds catchy.

[James Nighthawk]

Thanks to all, very lovely reviews.

@Monty glad you approve of a little backstory, a fan of such things myself on here. Helps to connect with a tune.

@Songsthatcry
Um, the main strum pattern is very similar yes. That's about all I can hear that is shared with that song. But its Oasis at their peak so not a bad reference point 

[S.T.C]

@Songsthatcry
Um, the main strum pattern is very similar yes. That's about all I can hear that is shared with that song. But its Oasis at their peak so not a bad reference point 

Yes, that's why i said ..sitting on.was n`t suggesting you ripped them off,,,it`s that strum pattern that i was thinking of....good tune though.

[James Nighthawk]

@Songsongsthat

Ah, awesome 

I misread you, I apologise and no offence was intended 

I am more a fingerpicker than a strummer, so perhaps my strumming archive is more limited to the standards, for better and worse

Thanks again x

[bewarethisboy]

I like your stuff lots James I think I have said that often. But I have sometimes not been entirely sure what to expect from you. Don't get me wrong your work is an adventure and sometimes a lovely challenge but does JN have an identity that I can depend on - that I can enjoy through an album?? Well I think with this song - you do. For me this has brought so much of your other work into perspective. I think it is beautiful in its simplicity - catchy, but still very much a James Nighthawk ditty. I loved every minute of this James and would love to hear more in this JN style.

I just have one tiny tiny tiny little bit I was unsure of and that is the note on the word 'all' - I was not totally  convinced you were totally convinced where it should be and it just landed a little awkwardly for me both times. But hell this is quality - right up there in the top ten of stuff I have heard on here. Thumbs up. BTB

[James Nighthawk]

I like your stuff lots James I think I have said that often. But I have sometimes not been entirely sure what to expect from you. Don't get me wrong your work is an adventure and sometimes a lovely challenge but does JN have an identity that I can depend on - that I can enjoy through an album??

What a wonderfully kind and well though out review BTB, made me smile 

Oddly your concern of not knowing what to expect from me is something I take as a compliment! I like artists that throw different songs out. However, I agree there is a risk of a lack of identity through inconsistency. Likewise there is a risk of "sameiness" at the other end of the spectrum. So your point is entirely valid and well received, and it is something that has been on my mind on and off for the last few years of writing and recording, and will doubtlessly stay there.

Thanks again x

[seriousfun]

Great penmanship here James. Wonderful melody and of course as I would expect, great production. This is a lovely story, so well told and I love the way you have sung this. The soft whispery voice you have used on this peice is a masterful touch as is the reverb you have used. It really suits this song. I only wish I could get vocals to sound this distinct and clear.

quote from Binladeda

Loved it James ....30mins, impressive.. did you busk the whole thing ?..beautiful singing, especially liked the verse. Structure flowed well, good vocal melody, It's all there..musically I thought it got a bit 'harsh' in places, but I suppose volume/tone settings etc. are all down to taste so won't comment on the production...as I presume it is perfect ....Very nice piece of songwriting

I too found the guitar accents a bit harsh when I first listened to this on my ipad, but since then I have listened a couple more times in the studio with reference speakers and the harshness is gone. So it may be something that is just not handled well with my puny ipod speaker so its all good in my books.

I can see why she loved the song, kudos to you on this James.

[Apophenia]

Great song.  Good job with the storytelling.  I like the snare driving the song.  Great job on the vocals also.

[HillbillyJim]

The melody is really really great. I read a review somewhere (the Guardian I think, it's not important!) of the Arctic Monkeys third record which said about 'Cornerstone', words to the effect of, the melody is so lovely that it's hard to believe no one's come up with it before. I would say something similar about this one - even if song lacks something of an edge and at times even feels like it's veered slightly into sentimentality/cheesiness. I especially like the little Db -> C -> Ab motif, the way it appears right at the start of the verse and then again right at the end of the chorus to tie it all together. It's genius! (An unintentional side effect of writing really quickly / the brilliance of the subconscious? - Or maybe I'm not giving you enough credit !)

The lyrics I'm not so sure about - they're OK, and they fill a space. If it wasn't such a personal song / you hadn't written the little pre-amble, I mightn't have thought anything of it. But. For something that's come from such a personal place the lyrics feel a little generic. I'm not sure if that's quite the right word. What I mean, really - "good girl"; "rock the boat"; "played it safe"; "a thinker"; "she had it straight". These are all stereotypes! She's clearly a close friend, there must be something a little more personal or detailed you could say. At the moment it's something of a caricature. (That's maybe a little harsh, but it's the right idea.)

[Schavuitje]

Wahey JAMES!!!!  Totally ace man.
Absolutely love this. Love those harmonies and the melody of those main vocals.
Loved the bass too. Very groovey 
Everything worked great I thought and I'll be coming back in for more listens.
Everyone is right about the catchyness factor, it certainly has that.
Would like to hear more of this from you too 

[flossie]

Right Mister - This is my favourite song of yours, I think it's really commercial  and it's fanbloodytastic!

I would make some changes though 

'all the time' the melody for this jars - I want it to be more obvious (it is a commercial song after all) and so this melody needs to lift I think.

Lastly,  I would like you to finish this song on chorus, maybe first chorus acapella accompanied with percussion then bang massive chorus and a fade out!

You'll probably hate that, but that's what I hear!

Love

Floss
x

p.s love love love the bass!