Because first and foremost I'm a poet and a lyricist, the words usually come first when I'm writing a song, and then, if I'm lucky, I get a pretty good melody. I had been holding on to this lyric sheet for quite some time waiting to meet a co-writer to write a melody and perhaps give it a different twist, but what happens a lot with lyricists is that when we write with a song structure in mind - verse/verse/chorus/verse - we very often write lyrics with what I call a "guide melody" in our head, something simple to keep the meter, the phrasing and the rhyme pattern in place from verse to verse, in and out of the chorus. When a final melody gets composed, this "guide melody," which is usually very simple, gets put aside and basically forgotten. But that doesn't mean that the "guide melody" was not good, just that the writer or the co-writer may have come up with a new place to take those words, and the song ends up with a different feel, musically, than the lyricist originally felt. In this case, I realized that the "guide melody" I had been holding on to for this song wasn't bad at all, in fact, I thought it was just right for this song. So I decided to record this song as I heard it in my head, a straight ahead country ballad. It’s a waltz, with a great title and a pretty darn good story line. I think it's very similar to something that Bob McDill might have come up with, and I'm proud to say that because in my opinion there has never been a better writer of simple country songs than Bob McDill. I think this song is a sure bet for a country singer and it should have a good chance to be recorded as is. Kellyann Chester-Ouellette’s vocal is perfect and my daughter, Vanessa, added a very beautiful flute solo. I'd love to hear Emmylou Harris sing this one. I hope I can get it to her.
lyrics
This Bed's For Sleeping Tonight
(Bill Naughton, Jr.)
c 2015 Biliolga Music (ASCAP)
You made enough noise when you came in,
You know that by now I'm awake,
And there must be a mess in the kitchen,
From the breakfast you just tried to make,
It's at least two o'clock in the morning,
And I don't want to get in a fight,
So believe me I'm giving you warning,
his bed's for sleeping tonight...
-chorus-
This bed's for sleeping tonight,
So you better get love off your mind,
Tomorrow it might be all right,
But this bed's for sleeping tonight...
I've warned you before about your drinkin',
Lord knows you get weak now and then,
When you can't climb the stairs without stumblin,
I know you're on whiskey again,
So you better not try to get cozy,
Just lay down and turn out the light,
I'm sure you're in no shape to love me,
This bed's for sleeping tonight...
-repeat chorus-
-flute solo-
-repeat chorus-
credits
from Songwriter, Volume 2 (15 songs),
released February 19, 2016
Kellyann Chester-Ouellette: lead vocal
Bill Naughton, Jr.: acoustic guitar, ukulele
Vanessa Naughton: flute solo
Michael Arafeh: programming from Band-In-A-Box
Michael Arafeh: recording engineer and producer
Songwriter Bill Naughton, Jr. is a former Nashville radio disc jockey - WSIX and WSM-FM - with two15 track albums of studio
demos released to showcase his original material for recording artists, producers and label A&R reps in an effort to get his songs cut by other singers. All 30 tracks, produced by Michael Arafeh at the Coffeehouse in Middletown CT, can be downloaded FREE here on Bandcamp.com. ...more
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