one bright spot - two different versions

[soulfrontier]

It's amazing how MCS brings people together! This song needed only 3 weeks from the first demo to the finished versions.

Johnny came up with this beautiful lyrics and gave me the inspiration to write the music. Thank you Johnny! Then Billy put his mgic hands on it and he did all the excellent work for the cajun style version. Thank you so much Billy!

And finally doc Henry offered us a brilliant reggea style version! Thank you Henry!

Thank you all so much my dear friends for your help and all your work. This time I had nothing to do than to lean back and watch it grow. And the results make me happy!

Hope you will enjoy both versions. Have fun!

Lyrics:  Johnny A. Williams
all instruments, arrangement, mix and master for the cajun style version       Billy Playle
instruments, arrangement, mix and master for the reggae style version         Henry Mittnacht
organ and brass                                                                                  Billy Playle

Guys you made my day!

One Bright Spot

(vs)
I'm not a friend to everyone
Some folks take until you're done
I've lost races that I should'a won
But, I still run as hard as any son of a gun

(vs)
I play the cards that I've been dealt
Doing my best not to ask for help
I never follow everybody else
'cause I was taught to know thy-self

(lift)
Looking back at what I've got
at who I am, and who I'm not
Hard luck has been the fight I fought
But you're still my one bright spot

(Ch)
You're the one bright spot that lights my way
One bright spot turning night to day
You're a bright, white light in a raging storm
My one bright spot where the love is warm

(vs)
for poor folks life is a daily test
An everyday fight doin' more with less
measured by a world of big success
sometimes it ain't enough to do your best

(vs)
If I get caught in a down-ward spiral
It's never you putting my life on trial
Looking back, at all the up-hill miles
I'm still turned on when you flash a smile

(lift)
Looking back at what I've got
at who I am, and who I'm not
Hard luck has been the fight I fought
But you're still my one bright spot

(Ch)
You're the one bright spot that lights my way
One bright spot turning night to day
You're a bright, white light in a raging storm
My one bright spot where the love is warm

[Johnny]

Holger, Billy and Henry 

this was more fun than a picnic on the swamp

with an alligator and a great ganja salad! 

Henry i still love your first version "all in a days work" best

has that lovely garage band feel

i think your fans agree, it's been D-Led like a ba-jillion times

Billy, you never cease to amaze

i simply love this version...(sorry i lost the banjo man, for us) 

anywho,

didn't slow you down any 

Holger, thank you for this

you sound fabulous

Lets do it again...

Cheers, and thank you all very much for being here

johnny     

 

[r4m]

Both versions Excellent! Nice job from all!

[Paulo]

Cool fresh tune... Both version are nice 

[soulfrontier]

Thank you guys for the kind
 comments! I'm happy to be back again  and happy to have such great support.
Looking forward to jam with you all again.
 

[Johnny]

Holger!

Check this out!

i gotta wild hair a couple of months ago...

(after giving Neil hell for entering the "Johnny come lately" tune in a 'song contest'

"A waste of good money", i said.

"Better odds on a lottery ticket", i said...

Then i checked out the contest, and decided, what the hell  

i threw away 25 bucks and entered "one bright spot" as a "lyric only" entry

in the country category    (that's all it was back then)

Should'a entered "ever-onward" in the 'rock category'. i believe we could have won it!  

i don't guess the "johnny tune" ever did anything (never heard from Neil)

As you know, Country Music, ain't really my thang, but lately i've had this hankerin'  

and of course, 'country music' is the most hotly contested category

therefore, the most challenging...

anywho,

Un-fortunately, "obs", didn't win the big prize, but it did score in top 5%!

Sooo, they sent me this here 'booby prize' and a a very kind note  

http://songwriting.songoftheyear.com/johnnywilliams.html

of course, i think ev'rybody gets something (keeps the entry fees coming!)

Holg, you should post the German version here, (under Billy's and Henry's versions, obviously)

Might throw it back in the ring as a song now...or, buy 25 bucks worth of lottery tickets

Thank you for the songs Holger, Billy, Doc, and that gang from Germany

Cheers!

PS, you should read the winner, (lyric only). It's a very lovely poem, but
i'm not too sure it's a lyric
Jus' saying  



 

[Pit]

Love the Cajun version. Great instruments, feel, arrangements and great violin solo too.
Cool job ! Bravo !   

[docmidnite]

@Johnny: That´s pretty cool!!! I entered a kinda "Chart contest" for free on ourstage.com with my song "When you love somebody" which went on No3 so I have a Top-10-Award there  You might wanna join their community - free!- and place songs in their respective category and see what happens. It´s fun!

[Johnny]

Pit! (luv the pic)

Thank you for the listen, and the scintillating review 

welcome to MCS!


Thanks Doc, i'm skeptical of 'judged' art competitions, by nature

art is too subjective

Unfortunately, for artists...Time, is the only just judge...

tho' myself admits, a bit recognition is nice 

but, scamming the "winner's money" would be a hoot too! 

think i'll try to put a few pesos aside and enter all 3 as songs

the German version (rock) Billy's version (country) Your version (reggae)

one of 'em gotta hit the basket, surely 

We'll all split the booty! 

Cheers 

[docmidnite]

We'll all split the booty! 

Cheers 

Best of luck then 

[soulfrontier]

Hey Johnny good news! Congratulation mate!

Billys version of OBS is not country music. Cajun is world music. Maybe that's a reason.

thank you pit! Glad that you liked it :-)

[CosmicDolphin]

They're both cool

I can't choose my favourite , that would be like asking do I want Cajun or Jamaican Food for Dinner ?

CD

[rightonthemark]

nice.
it seems most naturally reggae but both sound pretty cool

[soulfrontier]

oh, sorry, I did not noticed that there was response! Thank you both my friends! Yes, both versions are very cool!