It’s been two weeks since last time, so here is the second song! (Note: something funky happened, and I for some reason the uploaded file on Soundcloud sounds mono):

Love You So by Endy Daniyanto

Music and Lyrics by Endy Daniyanto

*Alternately, you can download the correct stereo version of the song here (since Soundcloud has been a little buggy lately)

The story behind the song:

I’ve been moving towards the blues genre lately, and although this isn’t a blues song, it does have a common blues progression in the end: it lands on the root chord (vis-a-vis on the dominant chord usually in pop songs). It also shares a common progression that’s called to be the foundation of jazz: the ii-V-I chord progression (which also lands on the home key, or root chord). I think it’s the landing on the home key that makes this song sound like an oldies.

I like to call this “the Kenny Rogers song” because it sounds like something he would sing, doesn’t it? This song is completely new, and I just recently found it on the piano a little while after the release of It’s True. I think it took around two days to write, from scratch to finish.

Although there are other piano love ballads that I’ve written, I decided to put this song in the Valentine EP because the other songs are sad broken heart ones. I want to put a good cheerful mood this Valentine, don’t you? So, the inspiration for the lyrics for this song came by imagining an old couple that’s been married for some time, and how they want to rekindle their romance (in market terms, this song might appeal to the older generation).

The image that popped in my head was of a husband and wife late at night in their bedroom. It’s been a tiring day, but the husband won’t let it get to their relationship. Instead, “tonight I’ll make you know, I love you so”. My favorite part of the lyrics is “You’re the best girl I know”, and I wanted to make that as the title, but “Love You So” has a more oldies sound to it.

The “best girl” bit came into my head while I was searching for images on Flickr to inspire me. But instead I found my inspiration via a Facebook photo; one of my best-friend’s older sister. In the picture she was crouching on the ground holding her 3-year old son with her husband standing beside her, and they were on the side of a small river out in the country. The way they looked just made the words, “You’re the best girl I know” pop into my mind; because who else if it isn’t you?

The lyrics:

For all you romantic husbands out there!

Love You So

Baby now close your eyes
and I’ll close the doors
Not a sound not a word
and turn the lights down low

And I know I’ve been wrong
wonder why that it took me so long
But tonight I’ll make you know
I love you so

Well the kids they’re asleep
they’re tucked in tight
In the night we are still young
and everything’s right

Though I may not look the part
in my heart there is no one else but you
You’re the best girl I know
I love you so

(Piano)

Well it’s been eighteen years
but your eyes have the same effect on me
You’re the prettiest I know Baby
You’re the smartest I know
You’re the best girl I know
I love you so

And I’ll say it one more time

You’re the best girl I know
I love you

I love you so

The geeky stuff:

Not so different from last time, actually not different at all. Except for one change, which was to use a condenser microphone than a dynamic one. Frans says he prefers the sound of a condenser than a dynamic (”it has a wider fuller frequency reproduction”), so I went with his choice this time.

Since this is an intimate love ballad, even though it might be suitable for a large hall reverb, we decided to try and use a small amount of reverb (”maybe even no reverb at all”). I used the free edition of the M30 reverb by TC Electronics, and I think the reverb sounds nice and makes the vocal crispy. I also added parallel compression (also known as the exciter compressor, established by engineers during the early Motown era circa 1970) to bring out the vocals just a touch – adds that crisp and clear nuances in the movement of the tongue, throat, and lips of the vocalist: don’t try this in a rock song!

Thank you and credits:

Again to Frans for being the vocalist and adding his personal touch to the melodic choice of the song. Also to Kenny Rogers, if it weren’t for him this song wouldn’t sound as oldies as it does.

On to the next one!