Re: Danny Boy

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:14 am

Quote:Anyone got their eye on the recent Danny Boy listing? Quote:NEW LISTING -- Original versions of the Traditional/Public Domain Irish folk song "DANNY BOY" are needed by a Music Library/Publisher with many high-level network contacts and TAXI song placements (mostly network TV shows). Both VOCAL and INSTRUMENTAL versions are OK. A cappella versions are fine as well. They're open to a fairly wide variety of instrumentation, but keep it as close to a traditional arrangement as possible. Great performances are essential. ... Here's my first take. Danny BoyI'm sure they will get many professional singers that I can't match, so I may go in a different direction.I like it. I would maybe soften the consonants (pop screen/d-esser if you aren't already). I think there is a pop influence in your voice so I would go even a touch more pop... a la David Foster / Josh Groban. The vocals are fine... but there is a slight feeling that you are trying just a little too much to articulate... so I would just think lots of legato/lyrical phrasing & trust yourself.Hummin'birdPS - I'll be taking a swing at this one too.

horacejesse · Post by **horacejesse** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:00 pm

Quote:The vocals are fine... but there is a slight feeling that you are trying just a little too much to articulate... so I would just think lots of legato/lyrical phrasing & trust yourself.Now that is some succinct advice, Bird. I had a singer in recently who was way more guilty of that than SW. I am going to use your line next time I have her over.SW, nice rendition, as far as I got. SoundClick is just too much trouble for me--twenty minutes to hear a song through. You sing a lot better than I do. No, I will not be trying that one.

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:40 pm

Quote:Vikki, thanks for that. I headed straight into version 2 after the one above. I went pure pop with this version. I hear some snow patrol or u2 mixed in with this one.I'm not sure what to make of it, but it was fun to create.Danny Boy V2 (pop)The piano seems a little too bright & distracting, in the beginning. When the guitars start, then it starts to work - the backup is then warm (not sharp edged) and the background vocals work too, and it sounds good. I love it when you get to the second verse, I think you are really on the right track with this. Just work on the beginning... maybe even start almost a capella with no intro but a just slight ringing guitar, or a warm few notes on the piano - funny, the piano sounds much better at the end of the song. Is it just my ears? H

rick · Post by **rick** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:14 pm

The piano is a little overbearing in the beginning making me work to hear the vocal.I think your voice and your production gives this song a modern pop feel and I really enjoyed it.

michael11 · Post by **michael11** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:43 pm

I like the first version best.I don't know how fussy the screeners will be but some of your lyric is not quite right.I've got a copy of the orgional sheet music somewhere and I will try and find it.I think the lyric was written about 1912 or was that the Titanic. I haven't done the song for ages but the most obvious deviation from the origional lyric that everybody does is"Tis You Tis You"The origional is"It's you It's you"the funny thing is if you were to sing the correct lyric according to the sheet music everybody would think you got it wrong!In answer to your first question.No.

squidlips · Post by **squidlips** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 5:04 pm

Well, shoot. I loved the second version best. I agree with Hummingbird on the piano...it does sound better as it goes along and I definitely got the U2 vibe on it, so well done!I don't know if the listing's request to stay as close to traditional as possible is going to hurt you here. They did the same thing with Nearer My God to Thee and I noticed they forwarded all sorts of renditions that I didn't think fell into the "traditional" vein. Some were southern gospel versions with some blues licks thrown in or even some funk licks. I'd go ahead and send in the second version. I really, really like it a lot. And I'm not much on hymns. I mean, I sing them but my favorites are pretty much only the black gospel types. This was a neat take on a beautiful old song. Original. The first one, as Bird said, was forced. It's tough to do some of these old songs justice in a way that doesn't sound artificial. We just don't speak like that anymore, so it doesn't feel natural to sing in that way. I know I had a heckuva time with Nearer. Tough to stay so strict and still project some emotional content.

hummingbird · Post by **hummingbird** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:07 pm

Quote:Well, shoot. I loved the second version best. I agree with Hummingbird on the piano...it does sound better as it goes along and I definitely got the U2 vibe on it, so well done!I don't know if the listing's request to stay as close to traditional as possible is going to hurt you here. They did the same thing with Nearer My God to Thee and I noticed they forwarded all sorts of renditions that I didn't think fell into the "traditional" vein. Some were southern gospel versions with some blues licks thrown in or even some funk licks. I'd go ahead and send in the second version. I really, really like it a lot. And I'm not much on hymns. I mean, I sing them but my favorites are pretty much only the black gospel types. This was a neat take on a beautiful old song. Original. The first one, as Bird said, was forced. It's tough to do some of these old songs justice in a way that doesn't sound artificial. We just don't speak like that anymore, so it doesn't feel natural to sing in that way. I know I had a heckuva time with Nearer. Tough to stay so strict and still project some emotional content.I'm not a Taxi screener, but IMO "Traditional Arrangement" doesn't mean you can't do a tasteful pop/U2 version of Amazing Grace. I think it means they don't want heavy metal or electronica. If you really want to be sure... call Taxi and check.

michael11 · Post by **michael11** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:48 pm

My problem with (modern arrangement) is,do they say you can lose the melody to the point where it is unrecognisable.With Songs,V2 he seems to detract from the melody to the point where if it weren't for the words you wouldn't know what song it was.(Should point out here Song knows I'm a big fan of his)!! With V2 you could U2 it a bit,vary the chord structure to make it more contemporary and then add some of those beautiful harmonies that you do with such ease.

michael11 · Post by **michael11** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:51 pm

Being Irish myself I should own up to a bias in favour of Trad when it comes to Danny Boy or all and any of the Thomas Moore songs.

michael11 · Post by **michael11** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:39 am

Quote:Thanks for the interesting discussions. There will be many submissions to this one I am sure, so I am trying to experiment with different things that might stand out. I am certain that is a gamble. Depending on who's interpretation you believe, this is a folk song, but possibly one about a son going off to war. Powerful stuff. So I took the arrangement in a different direction than normal.I like to think of it as father to son.Somehow that seems to make it much more pognient for me.Best of luck with it.