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What Thou Lovest Well (w/ Packo) by TobinMueller [Email]

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 2367
Comments: 38
Votes: 33
Plays: 397
Last Played: Nov 13, 2008 - 03:40:45 AM
Downloads: 126
Fans: 7
Uploaded: Feb 11, 2005 - 11:58:05 PM
Last Updated: Jan 24, 2006 - 02:29:55 PM
Fan List
Keywords:
folk (370), adult contemporary (17), pop (482), spiritual (44), inspirational (83), keyboards (34), vocal (152), collaboration (106), love (983), tobin (68), packo (1), packosmokes (1)
Description:
This song marks the first collaboration between packosmokes and me. Packo has such a great voice and adds incredible energy, youth and coloring uniqueness to the vocal textures of this piece. (It is also a soothing respite from the Industrial tracks he usually posts!) It was wonderful shuttling drafts back and forth. He added 5 tracks of vocals, which I double and shifted and then added 3 new tracks of my own to fill out. trying for a lush yet accessible backing vocals thing. I am thrilled that we will be working on more tunes in the future.

Lyrics:
WHAT THOU LOVEST WELL

As a child we come forth lovingly,
Holding hands in the sureness of day.
As a child our eyes shine wantingly
And our hearts sing in a effortless way.

And as they, in the fields with the wild running
Open up like the spring flowers,
So our hearts (and our minds) gather in treasures
That our joy tells us is ours.

For what thou lovest well remains with thee,
The rest falls like rain to the sea.
In this love we cite the foundation
Of all wisdom, all joy, of all need.

And as songs from the brook spring forth like jewels,
So our hearts bring forth their songs.
And as birds 'bove our heads gather in windswells,
So to each we will belong.

For what thou lovest well remains with thee,
The rest falls like rain to the sea.
In this love we cite the foundation
Of all wisdom, all joy, of all need.

Do di do do di do do lo lo lo la
What thou lovest well remains.
Will remain. Will always remain. Always remain.
Love opens wide, love brings inside.
Once in you, you're made anew.

As a child we raise our hearts to each
Bringing heaven to earth in our stay.
And our hands find each other in holy reach
And our hearts sing in an effortless way.

What thou lovest well will always remain.

(Inspired by Ezra Pounds' Cantos.)

Hardware:
Internet cable connections; Roland synth harp and orchestral patches; mixed on a Mac G4.

Software:
The original instrumental track was recorded in DP; then we added vocals in GB sending .band files back and forth; then I mixed it into iTunes and added final touches in DP. Mastered in Peak and encoded using LAME.
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Inspired harmonies &mdash 02/12/05 - 08:00:26 AM
Something about the harmonies--the packosmokes/
mueller choir--elevates this to heavenly, Beach Boys,
Good Vibrations levels. Beautiful piece.

[ Reply to This ]
Inspired harmonies &mdash 02/12/05 - 12:41:29 PM
Thanks. Packo and I had a good time working on it. His voice is so great to
mix, such a great texture. Perfect for any recipe!

[ Reply to This ]
Excellent &mdash 02/12/05 - 08:48:32 AM
The contrasting voices combined with the strings really
work so well together. On the money with the additional
energy and power Pack-o brings to the table. Awesome!

This is a beautiful song to listen to!

[ Reply to This ]
remains of the day! &mdash 02/12/05 - 09:08:46 AM
who woudl'v thought you two would make such a great team. three cheers for both you guys AND macjams bringing you together! the sound of you guys double tracking yourselves is awesome. this version of this song lifts me up on the wings of angels (male angels, of course). st cecilia, i'm coming! i know this song will remain with me for the rest of the day. thanks!

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WOW! &mdash 02/12/05 - 09:39:09 AM
God, this is GREAT. Your voice is in true form, Tobin. like
fine wine, improving with time. And, Joe, you compliment
Tobin's vox with a Tim Weisberg, Dan Fogelberg "Twin
Sons..." quality. I tip my hat to you both. The musical
accompaniment, performance and especially the lyrical
message are so heartfelt. I envy you both, and if the
occasion ever arises, consider a third voice (hint, hint).
Coolness times ten.

[ Reply to This ]
WOW! &mdash 02/12/05 - 12:46:11 PM
Thanks, Al. I was hoping you would like this one, with its innocent message
of light and simplicity. Peace!

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Classic polyphony &mdash 02/12/05 - 09:45:01 AM
Very intelligent and heartfelt production of a deftly written
song. Opening synth harpsichord is just a little
dulled -- needs more brilliance or presence...equalizer
adjustment? The violin, oboe and such are pretty
good -- yet one can still tell they are synthesized. The
harp is quite realistic. Great lead voice and exquisite
harmonies. Way to go, packo. Love the pacing. The
crescendos and diminuendos are splendid. Thanks for
bringing this to the MacJams stage.

[ Reply to This ]
Classic polyphony &mdash 02/12/05 - 12:54:16 PM
Thanks, Richard. The intro, which is a variation of the bridge, isn't meant to
be played by a harpsichord, just a synth electric piano double by DX7 harp.
With synth pads in the background. The solo strings are the Emu cello and
viola, which, for synth sounds, work well if you imagine it played by synth
players in a small pit... But I wasn't trying for perfect orchestral sounds, just a
pretty song with pleasing textures. You have great ears.

[ Reply to This ]
It was ok &mdash 02/12/05 - 11:45:18 AM
For me, a 10 is Javert in Les Mis so I don't really
understand 8.6 on this one but the Packo's lead and the
harmonies are quite pretty even if the lyrics are kind of
insipid.

[ Reply to This ]
It was ok &mdash 02/13/05 - 07:30:59 AM
Javert on the bridge, "So few bridges; so little time."

[ Reply to This ]
It was ok &mdash 02/16/05 - 05:12:12 AM
I'll have to turn in my Strat if I ever admit to how many times I've seen Les Mis
on Broadway!

---
Melodically, Alan Fraser at http://myducksoup.com/blog/blogger.shtml

[ Reply to This ]
The Beauty of a Still Life Painting.... &mdash 02/12/05 - 12:41:24 PM
...in this song (aided by the beautiful artwork!). The
sparkling harp and instrumentals, soaring vocals and
harmonies set to the hopeful message. All bathed in a
luminous light.
I'm inspired :)

Downloaded. Thank you both for such a beautiful
creation.

[ Reply to This ]
The Beauty of a Still Life Painting.... &mdash 02/13/05 - 07:48:57 AM
Thanks so much. "Light" is exactly what we were going for. I am a big fan of
painting and often consider visual aspects of music interpretation. I
appreciate your careful listening and encouraging comments.

[ Reply to This ]
great all around &mdash 02/12/05 - 01:56:24 PM
You guys sound great togeather. Wonderful building and layering of voices and instruments.

[ Reply to This ]
Great Songwriting &mdash 02/12/05 - 04:53:13 PM
Tobin,
Fabulous songwriting. Wonderful composition and you
have sung and played this very well.
However the addition of PackoSmokes vocals really make
this stand out above a lot of your other songs.
I think that this song shows his versatility as a vocalist.
Very much so actually.

A great collaboration form the two of you.
10's

Slimmie



[ Reply to This ]
Great Songwriting &mdash 02/13/05 - 07:46:01 AM
Yes, without question the addition of Packo's vocals and heart is what gives
this mix a magical quality. It transforms something merely competent into a
special moment... at least for me.

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Breathless &mdash 02/12/05 - 08:22:57 PM
Absolutely beautiful. Pack's voice is so string and clear,
great high notes and a nice full tone. This soars, and the
lyrics are quite beautiful. Thanks, guys.

Now, Tobin, I hope you are going to contribute to one of
Pack's songs!

[ Reply to This ]
Breathless &mdash 02/13/05 - 07:33:25 AM
I will most definitely collaborate with pack on one of his tunes. He is a great
talent to work with. And a really great person too.

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The Professionals speak &mdash 02/13/05 - 12:38:50 AM
Glorious work guys...really. Excellent harmonic blend
which flows beautifully with the instrumentation. Pretty
melodic themes, counterpoint but what I find so stunning
is the fluidity....I stand in awe as your work continues to
be an inspiration on all levels!

Thank you for sharing your talent! My life is enriched.

[ Reply to This ]
Simply... &mdash 02/13/05 - 09:52:09 AM
a great collaboration.
A great tune.
Rob

[ Reply to This ]
Outstanding &mdash 02/13/05 - 10:19:44 AM
You nailed it.
4 10's

[ Reply to This ]
Outstanding &mdash 02/14/05 - 09:17:18 AM
Thanks. This one did feel good. I appreciate your opinion much.

[ Reply to This ]
*Choke* &mdash 02/13/05 - 01:27:21 PM
Tears...SHOOTING...from my eyes!



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Musicals Are Not My Cup of Tea &mdash 02/13/05 - 04:39:22 PM
But the performances and production here are stunning.

[ Reply to This ]
Layered simplicity shines &mdash 02/14/05 - 06:58:55 AM
A simple work is what is needed to say a simple thing. Even all the (I'm sure) complex harmonies and layers of things you added to this only added to the simplicity of its beauty. How refreshiing and wonderful this is. Thank you!

[ Reply to This ]
beautiful &mdash 02/15/05 - 12:36:46 PM
Everything works well together in this song, your two
voices, the accompaniment (excellent choice of
instruments!) and the production values.

I particularly like the length of this song -- not too short,
not too long. It's perfect.

Wonderful performance and I look forward to more
collaborative efforts between you two!

[ Reply to This ]
I love this!! Bravo!! &mdash 02/15/05 - 03:04:13 PM

Just an incredibly enjoyable song to listen to. Tobin, this is so melodic and heavenly sounding. Packo's harmonies are perfect. Take a huge, long bow and soak up the applause.
9-9-8-9

thanks for sharing this one,

Jack

[ Reply to This ]
I love this!! Bravo!! &mdash 02/16/05 - 09:08:07 AM
Thanks. I always put extra work into singable melodies. This song is based on
a relatively simple falling bass line and I wanted the melody dance in a natural
way. Thanks for noticing. Worked hard on the production to make sure
Packo's voice was done justice.

[ Reply to This ]
Very Nice &mdash 02/16/05 - 03:23:57 AM
A really lovely song coupled with excellent production
values and a superb vocal performance. The standards on
this site are really going up. Excellent!

[ Reply to This ]
Unique pairing &mdash 02/17/05 - 12:50:00 PM
Now that's a composition with harmony! There's a lot of things to like here. The structure is more than strong. The evolution from sparse to lush and back adds weight to the lyrics, as does the (always) inventive progression in chords. The synth harp, cello, and violin are dynamic and set a particular tone, just right and mixed just so. One wrong move and this could have become cheesy pop, but the sensibilities of performance and production maintain a strong sense of integrity.

You two make a great vocal duo. It isn't a pairing I would have thought of, but there is something in the contrasting qualities of your voices that really pays off. Great performances from both of you. Its clear that you each brought sincerity and passion to your efforts. I could use more like this one!

[ Reply to This ]
Unique pairing &mdash 02/18/05 - 11:08:52 AM
Thanks for your careful ears and appreciation. We have a couple more in the
works but have to wait at least a week after Packo's sings your Tense because
they nearly destroy his throat! Hopefully, he'll be able to sing this sort of stuff
forever.

[ Reply to This ]
Wow &mdash 02/18/05 - 07:40:14 PM
I can't think of anything else to say. It's perfect.

[ Reply to This ]
I keep coming back &mdash 02/20/05 - 05:44:52 PM
to this song. It's truly extrordinary and improves with
every listen. I can literally see this being acted out on a
stage.

I tried to resist gushing on my first comment so here it is!

Tobin, this is a perfectly crafted song and the vocal
melody is very lifting. Packo- your harmonies just send
chills down my spine. This is truly an amazing
collaboration. Not only have I downloaded this but I have
shared this with my family- that is the highest
compliment I can offer.



[ Reply to This ]
I keep coming back &mdash 03/07/05 - 08:21:14 AM
Thanks, both to aclarke and cjhoose. I listen to my songs so many times
during the writing/arranging/recording/mixing/mastering process I always
wonder what it is like for someone to hear them for the first time and if
anyone else will enjoy them on multiple listens. I really appreciate multiple
listens, by the way, since so much goes into each effort. Working with Packo
has been a joy, on top of everything else, and his participation has made this
song special to me as well.

[ Reply to This ]
Yet Another Listen &mdash 07/19/05 - 05:13:10 AM
I simply can't get over how wonderful this song is.
Excellent song-writing but what really gets to me is the
total emotion displayed by both singers. Incredible!
Wonderful arrangement and a beautiful vocal gem!

Tobin- the lyrics are wonderful and inspiring, as well.

[ Reply to This ]
Yet Another Listen &mdash 07/19/05 - 05:15:21 AM
Just realized I had already gushed and re-gushed over this song. Well, I'm
sure I'll be back!

[ Reply to This ]
Big thank-you... &mdash 07/19/05 - 04:49:26 PM
...to aclarke for the tip off to this tune...

Very moving lyrics.

I can't say anything good enough about the lead
vocal...that slightest velvet burr, phrasing and emotion
just right...pitch that's perfect...

On my system the blend of the two voices, at times, ISN'T
completely perfect, but I can hear that it COULD be...

I can imagine this set with live instruments and a small
chorus...in a nice small hall with decent acoustics...used
to be a goodish one at the the Gardner Museum...

I'm so glad I got to hear this tune. Great heart to it.

Ed

[ Reply to This ]
BEAUTIFUL &mdash 11/20/05 - 12:38:26 PM
Simply beautiful. It really touched me! BRAVO

[ Reply to This ]
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