As my friends and fans know I gave myself a challenge to release one song a month for one year. This project has been keeping me on my toes. Like they say, there’s nothing like a deadline. But the deadline for my new release 3 in 1.2 was looming and I needed one more song.
My buddy David Buskin once told me that for him the actual song writing part is not a problem. The problem is coming up with a good idea for a song. Where to begin? I have friends who always keep a little note pad with them for whenever a title or a song idea comes their way either by divine inspiration or in a more casual way. Me? I listen. Hey, I’m a music producer. That’s my job.
We went to a barbeque on May 3rd at my nephew Nick Perfetto’s house. Nick and his fabulous wife Lauren were expecting their first baby in July. They were squeezing in some adult social time before the blessed event. Nick and Lauren are going to be terrific parents. Both still view the world with a child-like wonder.
Their home is a menagerie of classic toys, gadgets and gizmos. They revel in Halloween and Christmas festivities. Their wedding song was a tune by They Might Be Giants… say no more. Also, Nick is an avid bowler and loves karaoke. He even occasionally MC’s at a local karaoke bar!
After a few beers, he was gently bemoaning how his life was about to change and joked that: “I’ll never get the chance to sing karaoke in the motherland”! What? Say that again! That’s it! A song idea!!
That week I wrote and recorded music with a strong lyric idea of what the chorus would be. I was coming up short on the story and the verses. I began to sweat and not because my AC was broken, which it was, but that’s another story. A deadline was looming and my schedule was about to explode with Bacon Brothers rehearsals, touring and my own solo gigs. As luck would have it, we had our friends Paul Rolnick and his fabulous wife Karen Mason over for a barbeque on May 23rd. Paul and I have co-written a few songs over the years so I pitched him on this one and played him the unfinished track. He had a look on his face like I had just given him a surprise package. Which I guess on some level I did. Yes, he’d love to finish the song with me.
The first draft of the lyrics came later that week and we were on our way. A tweak here a fix there and we were heading to the finish line. On June 1st I played the track as I sang the song for my fabulous wife who is also my numero uno sounding board and creative partner.
She had a big smile and started to sing along at the second chorus. That’s a good sign. But, when it finished she paused and said it could use a better bridge or maybe no bridge. Uh oh, back to the drawing board. But, she was right. It wasn’t done yet. Oy! I wanted this to be out in July and it wasn’t finished. And I still had to mix this song and master the other two.
On June 11th I was in my hotel room in Annapolis while on tour with the Bacon Brothers when I had an idea for the bridge. I emailed it to Paul while he was on tour with Karen. He liked it. I would record it when I got back to NYC on Tuesday. Paul added some background vocals on Wednesday. I checked the final mix on Thursday morning, then back on the road to Infinity Hall in Hartford that afternoon with the BB’s. Pheew!
As fate would have it Butch Jones and I mastered Singing Karaoke In The Motherland on June 21st, Father’s Day! The song began with a title from Nick who was about to become a father.
On July 9th Nick and Lauren became the proud parents of Abigail Emily Perfetto.
3-in 1.2 was released on July 7th online in all digital formats through CD Baby and on this website. Along with Singing Karaoke In The Motherland are two other songs Wild Idea which I co-wrote with Robert Bond and Doing What I Can With What I Got, the title of which I got from my band mate Kevin. I’ll write more about that in another post. Remember, I’m always listening!
