From the other five songs, I knew at this point, I was on a roll. I went to the computer, opened GarageBand, took out my Carvin Thin Line acoustic and plugged in. I wanted to stick with my musical history and I wanted just to see what would happen if I slowed the tempo down to something more relaxed. You know? Just to take a break with the Pop.
I recorded a few rhythm passages, and recorded a video showing you how I break down songs in sections. At the time, I wasn't sure I'd use the music. The video is below.
As I kept working on the song, I found it needed to breathe a bit. I took some drums out, and then brought in my mom's U-2 Danelectro. From there, I started writing lyrics, and trying to find a melody. I also took some video of that. Click here for the video on YouTube.
As I started writing the lyrics, I found a story developing in my mind about summer love that celebrates Pensacola Beach, while at the same time, pulled on old memories of beach girls I'd meet in Wildwood, or Seaside Heights in New Jersey during vacation. I forget her name, but this one young lady I met was from California. She complained how the East Coast was behind the times, as if California was so great. So, I asked her, "If California is so great, why are you here?" She said she loved the beaches and the Italian boys who came down from New York.
And there you go. A story came to me about not wanting to leave the beach. But this time, I wrote the story as if I lived at the beach as a young man, who could meet the girls who came here from Georgia on Spring Break, and of course they hate to go back home.
Stylistically, this was sort of like Jimmy Buffet's Island escapism. To change that, I made sure the bass line was a two-step, or Fox Trot. The adjustment took the song from a strict Island sound to more of an Eagles sound. That is, like "Tequila Sunrise". To make sure it sounded unique, I put some Dire Straits finger picking guitar behind it. So, it has a mixed texture, but definitely a Southern Island kind of sound. Almost country, almost latin, almost Caribbean, and definitely American.
I'll never claim to sing as well as Don Henley or Glen Frey. But I did what I could do. And on reflection, this song is one of my favorites. It's well balanced and relatable. I hope you enjoy it, too.
Go to my website and get your copy!