Engineered & Mixed by Darryl Neudorf at Operation Northwoods Studio Mastered by Brett Zilahi at João Carvalho Mastering Studios Executive Producer: Mark Watson Release Date: June 15, 2010
1. I Can See Clearly Now 2. Free Ride 3. You and I 4. Invisible 5. Floating Away 6. Takin' It To The Streets 7. Some Things Never Change 8. Reality 9. Love The One You're With 10. Falling Over You 11. Feelin' Alright 12. In A Dream (live)
1. I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW (J. Nash) Lead: Dan
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
Think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
Look all around, there’s nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothing but blue skies
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is that rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
We always have a working CD title while we're recording that never ends up being the final title of the CD. That always comes when we're mixing & the pressure's on! The CD title "Nothing But Blue" came to us long into our 3rd cup of coffee during a listening session. We took the lyrics from the bridge of this tune, which is in part, why we made it the lead track. We thought it was memorable, raised the question "Nothing but blue what?", and it would give the graphic designer a gift of a concept to play with!
- Dan
2. FREE RIDE (D. Hartman) Lead: Thom
The mountain is high, the valley is low
And when confused on which way to go
So I've come here to give you a hand
And lead you into the promised land
Come on and take a free ride
Come on and sit here by my side
Come on and take a free ride
All over the country, I've seen it the same
Nobody's winning at this kind of game
We've got to do better it's time to begin
You know all the answers must come from within
Come on and take a free ride
Come on and sit here by my side
Come on and take a free ride
3. YOU AND I (M. Carreon) Lead: Dan
I tried to avoid this day for so long but it's finally here
‘Cause you and I used to be somethin’ special
And love and happiness is what we had for a couple of years
And then one day we decided to go our separate ways
Memories began to fade away
But tonight, it's gonna be rough
‘Cause tonight, you and I are gonna be
At the same place, At the same time
Why'd we have to have the same friends
You and I
Don't want you to think I miss you
Or that I hate you
I'm just tryin’ to get through tonight
What am I supposed to say
So long since I've seen your face
Do you wanna kiss me
Or tell me you miss me
Or that you want me to leave
What am I supposed to do
Ain't nobody know the truth
But I'm not gonna waste my time
and try to tell you
I never thought that you and I could be just friends
And what we had was nothin’ special
And love and happiness is what we'll never have
And honestly I don't think it was meant to be this bad
But tonight, it's gonna be rough
Cuz tonight, you and I are gonna be
At the same place at the same time
Why'd we have to have the same friends
You and I
Don't want you to think I miss you
Or that I hate you
I'm just tryin’ to get through tonight
What am I supposed to say
So long since I've seen your face
Do you wanna kiss me
Or tell me you miss me
Or that you want me to leave
What am I supposed to do
Ain't nobody know the truth
But I'm not gonna waste my time
and try to tell you
4. INVISIBLE (J. Turner) Lead: Janet
I can’t help these feelings for you
No matter what I do I think of you
And when I try to find the nerve
To tell you you’re the one that I deserve
I turn around and I step down
‘Cause I think that you don’t want me around
Somethin’ in your face just tells me you don’t want me
Somethin’ in your eyes you can’t disguise
Somethin’ ‘bout the way you’re driving me crazy
And the way you make me fantasize
But it seems to me, you don’t even know I’m alive
I’ve had the chance to tell you
That all I want is you
But when I try to find the words to make it clear to you
I turn around and I step down
‘Cause I think that you don’t want me around
Oh, Somethin’ in your face just tells me you don’t want me
Somethin’ in your eyes you can’t disguise
Somethin’ ‘bout the way you’re driving me crazy
And the way you make me fantasize
But it seems to me, you don’t even know I’m alive
I walked into the studio with complete confidence to record the lead on Invisible, even though I was getting over a cold (perfect timing, as per Murphy’s Law). I got settled in and did one run-through take to warm-up my voice and to get the proper volume levels. Then Darryl told me he was ready to start. I finished my first take and I was ecstatic! I nailed it in my very first take! Or so I thought...
Darryl looked over at me, and through the headphones I was wearing, I heard him say "That was a good take, but you didn't make me believe it". I was astonished! Believe it? I wrote this song! How could I not sing it right? Listening to it over again with Darryl quickly put me in my place...he was right. I nailed all the notes, but the emotion wasn't there. What good is a song if the singer doesn't even believe what they're singing?
So, I had to channel my 'inner-Janet'. I had to remember the emotions that made me write that song back in high school. It took me almost an hour and a half to get 'the right take', but when we finally got it, it all made sense to me! THAT was how to channel your emotion into a song.
I learned a lot from Darryl that day and I am so thankful that he took the time to coach me through my own song (as strange as that may sound). He could've just said "Excellent take, let’s move on to the next tune", but it would've been missing something very important. The fact that he cared enough and took that extra time to make sure that I got the best final take that I could, it really speaks highly of him. I have the utmost respect for Darryl.
- Janet
5. FLOATING AWAY (M. Dane / J. Gray) Lead: Dan
I never thought that I could ever say, I never thought that I could ever feel this way
I never thought that I, never thought that it would be that I’d see the error of my ways
I never thought that I could ever find, I never thought that I would ever realize
I never thought that I couldn’t stand just one more day, life this way is killin’ me inside
I feel alive for the first time, and I wonder why I never opened my eyes
And you know I’ve tried but I can’t hide it, and it feels like I’m floating away
Floating away
I never thought the sun would shine on me, I never thought that I could find an inner peace
I never thought that I, never thought that I would leave this shady life behind just to find…
I don’t expect that you will ever understand the obvious intent of this simple plan
I don’t expect that you will ever understand the complicated ways of this simple man
A good friend of ours, Marshall Dane, co-wrote this tune a few years back and sent me a rough demo of it and I've loved it since that day.
We actually recorded our own demo (with a full band) not long after that. It's gone through a few reincarnations since then, but this latest acappella version fits well with the other tracks on Nothing But Blue.
One of the first people to get a finished copy of this CD was Marshall. He loves our sound and especially loves our version of Floating Away.
- Dan
6. TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS (M. McDonald) Lead: Thom
You don’t know me but I’m your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don’t know my kind in your world
Fairly soon the time will tell
You, you’re tellin’ me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
We can do this together
Takin’ it to the streets
Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Whenever people live together
Tied in poverty’s despair
Are you, are you tellin’ me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
I’m takin’ it to the streets
We can do this together
Ain’t no need for cryin’
Takin’ it to the streets
Are you, are you tellin’ me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
Ain’t no need for runnin’
Ain’t no need for cryin’
Takin’ my brother
Takin’ my sister
This was still a relatively new song for me when I recorded it. There was so much time spent on arranging the song that it didn't leave a lot of time to get really comfortable with the lead.
It's hard to take a well-known song and make it your own. It's easy to get stuck singing it the way the original artist did. I must have sung this 30 times over the course of a couple of hours, taking advice from Darryl, Dan, and Jo3, for vocal subtlety and direction.
When you’re under the one under the microscope and you’re listening with those little headphones (versus the awesome studio speakers), after the 10th attempt or so, they can all start to sound the same!
When I left the studio that day, I was a little unsure of how I liked what I had recorded and it wasn’t until I heard it on the album that I realized it was the right take.
It made the hours of pulling my hair out all worth it!
- Thom
7. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE (W. Aldridge / B. Crisler) Lead: Janet
After all this time I still miss you every day
The same world spins around
I guess some things never change
Sometimes I go out but it never feels the same
I still look for you
Baby some things never change
When I said I'd love you for eternity
I just never knew how true those words would be
Just an old love song
Just a mention of your name
My heart breaks in two again
I guess some things never change
I dream that you are here with me
A love that I can see
I guess that I’ll just have to live
With our love’s legacy
When I said I'd love you for eternity
I just never knew how true those words would be
I'll keep holding on
Hoping you'll come back someday
You can rest assured
Baby some things never change
‘Cause I'm still in love with you
I guess some things never change
We found this song during a meeting with a publisher in Nashville a few years ago. On that same trip I ate Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kentucky, and yes it does taste better there.
When it came time to arrange this song for the Nothing But Blue session, Janet and I took the song into the rehearsal room and arranged it. We asked Dan to come up with a drum track. When we emerged from our respective spaces, we realized that our straight-time musical arrangement and Dan's swing-time drum groove were completely incompatible. S*#@! We shoulda discussed that ahead of time! So, it was up to Darryl to settle it.
Darryl listened to Dan's drums a few times. Then he listened to mine and Janet's musical arrangement a few times. We were all standing there waiting for his 'final word' on which way we'd take the song.
Darryl finally looked up and said, "I hate this song."
What?! I was floored! I had driven 12 hours in a snowstorm with greasy fingers to find this song!
Finally, after the group pulled Darryl and I apart (I'm kidding) we figured out that he just didn't like some of the lyrics in the bridge. They totally contradicted the rest of the song, and upon review, he was right!
So, Turner got out the ol' ballpoint and rewrote the offending lines!
To make a long story short, we totally stripped the song down after that and didn't use our musical arrangement or Dan's drums, and JT nailed the lead on it.
...and now I'm happy to say that, because of all of the many changes and generally strange journey this song took, it's now Darryl's favourite song on the album!
- Jo3
8. REALITY (J. Turner / M. Raffa) Lead: Janet
When you think you’ve got it all figured out
When you think there’s no more reason to doubt
When things are blinding you from all reality
That’s when it gets you, that’s when you’ll see
You tell yourself everything’s ok
When something’s wrong you just walk away
Your mind can play tricks when your heart’s in denial
And everything seems fine for a while
Confusions will tie you (in knots)
Delusions will take over your thoughts
Tell me are you happy or can you even see
Am I talking to you, or am I talking to me?
It’s a bitter-sweet reality
When you realize that you can’t see
The beautiful things hiding behind
That surface of lies until you can find
Confusions will tie you (in knots)
Delusions will take over your thoughts
Tell me are you happy or can you even see
Am I talking to you, or am I talking to me?
The light at the end your only way out
You struggle to escape you scream and you shout
The inner war that you must fight
The arm you twist, the bullet that you bite
When you find the courage deep inside
To tell the truth that love has died
New path
New strength
New self it seems
New beginnings to find
New hopes and dreams
Are you happy now?
With your life and yourself?
9. LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH (S. Stills) Lead: Dan
If you're down and confused
And you don't remember who you're talkin' to
Concentration slips away
Cause your baby is so far away.
Well, there's a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can't be with the one you love
Honey, love the one you're with
Love the one you're with
Don't be angry, and don't be sad,
Don't sit cryin' over good times you've had,
‘Cause there's a girl right next to you
And she's just waiting for something to do
So turn your heartache right into joy
She's a girl, and you're a boy,
So get it together make it nice
Ain't gonna need anymore advice
Working with someone new can be a challenge.
I had worked on a project with Darryl many years ago in Vancouver, but The Essentials are very different from that project.
I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted the album to sound like but these things tend to take on a life of their own and I just wasn't sure of where we were heading at certain times.
This was the first track we recorded because we were already performing it in our live show (always reach for the low hanging fruit first!) and subsequently the first rough track we heard.
When I first heard the rough mix, I thought it was great that Darryl took Dan singing "mmmm" at the very start of the song and actually used it! This wasn't intentional on Dan's part. This was Dan getting ready to sing his lead while Darryl was already recording! Brilliant to keep it in the mix, Darryl!
We used this song as a bit of test song to see how things would turn out.
The moment I heard the rough mix I knew we were on to something special. I couldn't wipe the smile from my face then and it is still my favourite song on the album.
- Thom
10. FALLING OVER YOU
(S. Altman / B. Straus) Lead: Thom
Listen to me babe
My tale’s a bitter twisted sorry tale
Like a baby I was a selfish thing
Your bee was buzzin’ girl
And I dig the pleasure sting
My brain was buggin’
My lips the first in line
Feed me your lovin’ so fine
I made up my mind
Ain’t wastin’ no more time
I made up my mid
I’m fallin’ over you
I've been playing schoolboy, dishin’ funny schoolboy games
(Got to run and hide, got to run and hide)
But I've been to the river, seen water turn to sweet red wine
(You opened up your eyes, he opened up his eyes)
Now I throw the book at yesterday, and I've got just one thing to say
Hey hey hey
I made up my mind, ain't wasting no more time
But I made up my mind that I'm falling over you
Mighta bust my world, just faking my way through
I made up my mind that I'm falling over you
Seven busy mornings, and Noah had himself an ark
(It ain't done overnight, it ain't done overnight)
But I've been working dizzy, gonna find the funky fruit by dark
(You know you did it right, he up and did it right)
Now I've burned the book of yesterday, and I got just one thing to say
Hey hey hey
I made up my mind, ain't wasting no more time
But I made up my mind that I'm falling over you
Mighta bust my world, just faking my way through
But I made up my mind that I'm falling over you
Like a baby, I was a selfish thing
Your bee was buzzin’ girl, and I dig the pleasure sting
My brain is buggin', my lips the first in line
Feed me your loving so fine
11. FEELIN’ ALRIGHT (D. Mason) Lead: Janet
Can’t waste my time
I must get by
Gotta stop believing all your lies
‘Cause there’s too much to do
Before I die
Seems I got to have a change of scene
Every night I have the strangest dream
Imprisoned by the way it could have been
Left here on my own or so it seems
I got to leave before I start to scream
But someone locked the door and took the keys
You feelin' all right
I'm not feelin' too good myself
You feelin' all right
I'm not feelin' too good myself
Boy, you sure took me for one big ride
And even now I sit and I wonder why
Then when I think of you, I start myself to cry
Just can't waste my time, I must get by
Gotta stop believin' in all your lies
'Cause there's too much to do before I die
Feelin' all right
Ooh, don't you get too lost, in all I say
In a better time, you know I really felt that way
But that was then and now you know it's today
I can't get safe, so I guess I'm here to stay
'Til someone comes along and takes my place
With a different name, and a different face
Preparing for an album is a lot of work and since this was the first album I had ever worked on, I didn’t really know what to expect.
When we were brainstorming about which songs to include on the album, I was excited to suggest a few of my originals, as well as a few of my all-time favourites.
We put together a list of everyone’s suggestions, and since there were over 50 songs, I had no idea what the chances were of any of my ideas making the final cut.
It took weeks to narrow down our selections. There were some hard decisions to make before we settled on the theme of the album: 70’s covers & originals. I was happy to see that one of my favourite songs, ‘Feelin’ Alright’ by Joe Cocker, fit the theme!
Jo3 and I got together to arrange this song, which we scored for a male lead - just like the original. With only a day or two left of recording time, we made the quick decision to change the lead to female because our manager Mark thought I needed an uptempo lead on the album. Talk about pressure!
I was a little worried that I might not be able to sing it well with such a short amount of time to rehearse it, but at the same time, I was thrilled to sing the lead on it since I do really love the song.
And surprisingly, even having to hear it (in part or in full) at least 100 times in the studio, it’s still one of my favourites!
- Janet
12. IN A DREAM (live) (R. Gillen) Lead: Joe, Janet, Dan, Thom
When I’m down and feelin’ low
And confusion has touched my soul
How I need a place where I can hide away
Let me fall within your arms
Melt away this cold I feel
All I need is to hold you tonight
Hold me close when I’m cold
Let me hear your beating heart
Close my eyes far away in a dream
In the mornin’ I wake
And I’m blessed by God’s grace
Just to open my eyes and see your face
Hold you tonight sweet child
Never let me go
Tell me everything will be all right
In the morning
When I wake I am blessed by God’s grace
Just to open my eyes and see your face
Dan came into the studio with a plan to record this song live off the studio floor to close the album - just set up 4 mics and do it in one take. It's a fairly obscure rock tune by Badlands that I don't remember hearing before but kinda liked.
I didn't want to do a live song on this album because we had already recorded an entire live album. When Dan told me that he envisioned me singing solo to start the track then I really didn't want to do it! ;)
As the project progressed, and we rehearsed the song a few times, it started to grow on me. I think it's an interesting angle that people will enjoy and a great closing tune!
Nothing But Blue
Remember December
Stocking Stuffer
Bare
...And Then Some
Oh What A Night!
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