FAWM: "SOFTLY NOW"

SOFTLY NOW

Liner Notes

This song is not AI.

That being said, I DID post an AI version of this song as my last (#50) song for last summer's 50/90, explaining there that while I had done the lyrics, I was doing a little experimenting with a site called UDIO and I had asked it to write a "Sinatra-esque crooner ballad" using the lyrics. This was the result:

Now...did I heard that generated song and think to myself "I am the New God Of Songwriting"? No, I didn't. What I DID think was, "OMG, that's incredible. AI is definitely going to be an ifluence on music in the near future, and, by golly, SOFTLY NOW is a pretty darned good sounding piece of music in this version."

For FAWM I have decided to do my own "legit" version of SOFTLY NOW and painstakingly tried to figure out the chords that AI had come up with and...I gave up. Good luck figuring out chord progressions to jazz songs with all thoses 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and sus4's...

So instead, I just redid the whole song with new chords in Band In A Box (which I have been using since 1992) and sang over them myself. I hope you enjoy this version, even though, in my opinion, the original AI one was AWESOME!!

Lyrics

SOFTLY NOW

Words & Music
By
Jerry Pettit
Facebook.com/JerryPettitMusic

SOFTLY NOW, as the night falls down,
In your arms, I find my way around.
Whispered words, in the candle's glow,
In this quiet, our love will grow.

Every touch, every sigh,
Underneath the evening sky,
Heart to heart, hand in hand,
Here we are, in our dreamland.

Chorus:
SOFTLY NOW, embrace the night,
In your eyes, I see the light.
Hold me close, feel my heartbeat's vow,
In this moment, SOFTLY NOW.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

Every kiss, every smile,
Makes this journey so worthwhile,
Side by side, in this dance,
In your love, I find my chance.

SOFTLY NOW, as we drift to sleep,
In your love, my heart I'll keep.
Through the dreams, we'll find somehow,
Our forever, SOFTLY NOW.

Chorus:
SOFTLY NOW, embrace the night,
In your eyes, I see the light.
Hold me close, feel my heartbeat's vow,
In this moment, SOFTLY NOW.

© 2024, Jerry Pettit

Comments

@gm7 2w

Wow I can see you on the stage singing this Jerry. Killer job!

@paul_pedersen 2w

I listened to both versions, Jerry, and find that I like the real you best. True, AI has come a long way and often turns in acceptable results, but I usually prefer the human touch of a real performer.

@chill4matt 2w

Softly Now. Excellent big band sound! Or similar! Love this song, Jerry.

@chipwithrow 2w

Swingin'! I feel like I'm right there in the nightclub digging this one. Super smooth vocal!

@jibbidy34 2w

Oooh a crooner song! Jerry you do it so well! Your chorus is killer. These are some really authentic sounding lyrics. However it was birthed this is one awesome brainchild.

@musicsongwriter 2w

Very enjoyable listen. Happy and upbeat song. I love your vocals and playing.

@gwynjones 2w

Swing that thing, Mr Nelson Riddle and let Mr Jerry Pettit croon that swoon!

@andrea 2w

I always love your songs, and this style works very nicely. I'm glad you decided to make it your own. The lyrics are beautiful too. You have a real hit here. I love it.

@sheslin 2w

Ah you can croon with the best of them - fabulous vocals!! Great job with the track too. What an enjoyable listen.

@coolparadisoMod 2w

Yup I like your version! It’s Jerry! We want Jerry not these has been copies :-). It is a really good song and you do it excellently! This would go a wow with an audience!

@acousticmaddie 2w

I also prefer your own version.Thats the Jerry style I love and came for. Great song

@richaaaay 2w

I prefer your version Jerry. Frankly, that's some of the best singing I've heard from you. The musical style suits you well. Do more! Typical classy lyrics and composition...No surprise there!

@metalfoot 2w

I like this jazz crooner style -- I have been known to sing in this style at times -- and this definitely nails the vibe of it. BIAB skills are top notch! Great stuff.

@greengrassgirl 2w

Hi, Jerry, what an interesting experiment. You have WAY better luck with AI than I do! I think a person has to have a really good understanding of music and instrumentation to get an AI song that sounds right. I think the AI vocal does sound like Sinatra, which is cool, and I also really like your version. This is a different direction for you, with more sophistication and depth. Very nice!

@moonshadow 2w

You are a real master at using BIAB, I have Dabbled with BIAB and have never been able to create songs like that. Excellent singing too, Just for future reference, there are websites that you can upload songs to and it will give you the chords to the song, I use them sometimes when I'm learning to play cover songs on Acoustic.

@billwhite51 2w

you sound more like sinatra than the AI one. th former may have the voice down more accurately, but you capture the living, in the moment sinatra that made him such a fantastic singer. in other words, if sinatra sang this song, it would be closer to waht you are doing than to what AI did.

@newukenewyork 2w

I think it sounds great! Snazzy, even. ;) Classy, classic lyrics. Really nicely done.

@katestantonsings 2w

Big band beauty! I imagine well-dressed listeners enjoying their evening. Sophisticated and lovely!

@sbs 2w

So glad you did your version of this song. You do crooner so well! Your vocals sound different this year - more grown up - lol! I prefer hearing your voice over AI and why I’ve made a point of using my voice instead of vocal packs - others, including you, have made it clear you do, too. Nicely done, Jerry!