Just Think It Over

This song has travelled a long journey from where it started. I wrote this one right after Miscellaneous Heathen came out and recorded a very power-pop sounding demo of it back then. I liked the chorus a lot but I wasn't crazy about the verse arrangement so it sort of faded from my set list. Still I thought it might make it on a future CD.
 
When I auditioned tunes for Joe Ongie for this album he suggested reworking it entirely. He told me to think of early Zombies as a starting point. That suggestion helped rescue the verses and when we tracked the basic tracks we noticed that it inadvertantly came out sounding more like a Roy Orbison tune. Joe suggested we really go for that vibe. So, as we layered Brian's piano, Joe's glockenspiel, Gene's spaghetti western guitar and my ridiculous backing vocals -- the "bong, bong, BONG" part leading into the chorus was a joke that I included to make Joe laugh. It worked. He kept it anyway -- the song sort of became this over-the-top monster.
 
One day before the song was mixed, Barry Hovis added his orchestration and the monster was beautifully complete. (I absolutely LOVE the tympanis in the chorus)
 
I told Joe that this recording is simultaneously the one I am most proud and the one of which that I'm most ashamed. It REALLY shows just how incredibly white I am.