Airplane Landing

[Appleluza]

This song probably breaks the record for longest time to finish.  This was the first song I started here after joining MC in the fall of 2006.  This song was a rock song in my head, but it always wanted to be a country song, so I finally gave in and let it have its way.  I think it's much happier now.

This song features a wide range of contributors, some have contributed here at MC, some have contributed outside the site.  I am indebted to everyone who has had a hand in this (or a finger, or an elbow, etc.):

Song Credits

Race Godson (Nashville) - lead vocals
GuitarGeorge (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - lead guitar
Mike Puwal (Nashville) - bass guitar and drums
Bryan Daste (SteelGuitarForum.com) - Pedal Steel
Rob Talbert/Appleluza (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Acoustic Guitar
TACMan7 (MusiciansCollaboration) - Organ
Mimmo (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Backing Vocals
Jessica Ford (Nashville) - Backing Vocals
Davidinoz (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Mixing
CosmicDolphin (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Mastering
Nick Testa (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Production advice
Emily Talbert - CD Cover Graphics

Airplane Landing
words and music by Rob Talbert and Jon Pucek, c. 1996, all rights reserved

Verse 1:
This airplane's landing in about two minutes time,
Below me a stream of city lights.
I see my reflection in the window where I watch
For one familiar face there in the night.

Verse 2:
This heart is landing in about two minutes time,
Weary and broken in its flight.
I close my eyes, and in my mind I see you there;
You're giving me the chance to set things right.

Chorus:
Two minutes time until I touch down.
One eternity away.
Are you waiting with forgiveness in your heart?
Will you go or will you stay?

Instrumental Break:

Bridge
There are roads in life we travel [sometimes we can't say why].
Steps we don't get right in the dance [sometimes we don't know why].
If we return to the beginning,
Sometimes we get a second chance.

Repeat Chorus:
Two minutes time until I touch down.
Still one eternity away.
Are you waiting with forgiveness in your heart?
Will you go or will you stay?

Repeat Verse 1:
This airplane's landing in about two minutes time,
Below me a stream of city lights.
I see my reflection in the window where I watch
For one familiar face there in the night.

[88keys]

What a wonderful song. And it so well produced too. I really like everything about this tune.
The drums are solid and the lead guitar tone is on the money. I have to say the grove is perfect.
It does have a relaxed Country feel and the mood is more or less spot on. The organ and everything is so well placed within the mix that it's quite impressive. It's incredible that this tune was done on here.

You sure are one heck of a great song writing. Love those guitar diddles near the end. It took a long time but the job was done exceptional is what I can tell.

Congratulations

That was relaxing to listen to.

John -)

[Studioplayer]

Really great job on this guys. Sounds crystal clear. Great production. I'll be playing this one on my player often. Wish I could say more. It's just really good in every area.

Dave

[CosmicDolphin]

Nice one Rob !

Was sure worth the wait...love the cover art too, that's awesome.

You're getting quite a collection of finished songs, I'm gonna have to give you your own folder on the Ipod

CD

[srvfender]

This is a very nice song. Very professional. Nice job all around everyone.

AJ

[Appleluza]

Thanks everyone.  It goes without saying that I couldn't have done this without a ton of help from a lot of other people.  I am indebted to everyone listed below in the credits list.

It feels good to get this one done (finally); after struggling for a while in a different direction, it finally came together as a country song. Even after listening to it about a gazillion times during its erratic production life cycle, I still like hearing it now, so I guess we achieved something we can call "real music" which is, I think, the point.

RT

[youtube]

Song Credits

Race Godson (Nashville) - lead vocals
GuitarGeorge (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - lead guitar
Mike Puwal (Nashville) - bass guitar and drums
Bryan Daste (SteelGuitarForum.com) - Pedal Steel
Rob Talbert/Appleluza (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Acoustic Guitar
TACMan7 (MusiciansCollaboration) - Organ
Mimmo (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Backing Vocals
Jessica Ford (Nashville) - Backing Vocals
Davidinoz (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Mixing
CosmicDolphin (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Mastering
Nick Testa (MusiciansCollaboration.com) - Production advice
Emily Talbert - CD Cover Graphics

The organ sounds really good Tom 

That list of credits is detailed. Really 

I do agree with lots of the others comments above. When I first heard this a while back I was impressed with the co lab criteria and this gentleman voice really makes the song sound great. The steel and everything else works well. I was not sold/thrilled totally on the lyric a while back but the singer gives the mood the boost required to make them come to live. Always said you were a great musician Rob.

Love the acoustic guitar, vocals, guitar Georges lead as well. Sound like a Gibson Les Paul. And the drums work well too.

Congratulations

Tubes 

[jeff]

Sounds good.

Think it would benefit from some rearranging, but the core idea and performances are good.

Jeff

[Appleluza]

Thanks.  I'd be interested in hearing your ideas for rearranging.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this song, and what I did well and what I didn't do so well with it. I learned a lot from this song. 

In general, I was really happy with the quality of the performances by the time we got to the end.  I think the singing and playing were very good, and everyone I've ever played this for has liked the production quality and the "band" sound.

The main problem with this song, IMO, (besides the fact that it is too long) has to do with the lyric.  It's a song about being at a cross-roads, and hoping for forgiveness.  But there is a lot of vagueness in the song - what happened to the relationship in the first place, what brought him back, what is going on in the singer's head right now.  I built the song around the idea of counting down from "two minutes" but the song itself is five minutes long, so I'm still singing about "two minutes" at the end of the song, five minutes after I start.  (Maybe the plane is in a holding pattern ).  There was a compelling emotion in my head when I wrote this song, but as a writer I didn't really create that same compelling emotion in the listener.

At least, that's what I think today.

RT

[jeff]

Yes, "Five Minutes to Touchdown" would be appropriate.  For me, I feel like I'm intruding on people's time, when my songs are over 3:30 minutes. Short and sweet is tough to beat.

Arrangement-wise, I was surprised to hear a musical break after the first chorus. In my mind, I was thinking: Verse, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Solo/Chorus to then End.  Something like that.

Personally, I think once you get to a solo, additional verses should be eliminated. Solos help the song build to a climax. Including verse after the solo defeats that building process, IMO.

I'm not exactly known for doing traditional structures.  But for a country audience, I'd probably want to tailor it to whatever mold is the norm.  However, I know how hard rearrangements can be when collaborating online. Once ya get to a certain point, its almost impossible without rubbing folks the wrong way.

Some of the lyrics are quite good...especially in the beginning. However, the story could be more vivid overall. Again, that would be to conform to audience expectations in that genre. Stuff like that isn't as vital for other genres.

Jeff

[Appleluza]

I think your perceptions are correct.

[huckleberry]

I think your perceptions are correct.

I think the feed-back given all makes sense and there is always something to learn. I too am in agreement from listening that this track is real good and finished too. Take some of these factors into account on your next tune
maybe. Leave this one as finished is my 3%. "Rubbing people the wrong way".  I guess there will/has been great songs with great arrangements and very bad ones that come out of this way of making music on-line.

Truly,  these comments should be addressed in the collaboration thread when the tune is under going it's build cycle. But in the heat of the moment while "people are busy making other plans", than I can see how this can be what it is.

Great tune.. Everyone played so well.

The big jet is set to land. I recall a song called Jet Plane or something like that. Had a nice gtr hook.

Huckle Buckle Up!

[NickT]

The production and performance are great!

My favorite part is when it goes 2x time in the bridge.

Nice job all and what a great collab!

Nick

[napoleonboot]

I just noticed youtube's post some time ago.

The lead guitar wasn't a Les Paul, but a Fender USA Strat with single-coil sized humbucking pickups (seymour duncan's) and custom wiring by myself. It's the same gutar I use on everything. It fits like a nice pair of old slippers. I have other guitars, but they mostly gather dust.

GG