On January 1st 2020 a NEW song of mine titled “I’ll Never Forget You” will be released worldwide on Apple Music, Amazon, Bandcamp, Deezer, iTunes, Spotfiy and more!
The song can already be streamed via my SoundCloud page
Song Origins
The song came from an Eddie Cochran binge, Eddie is my favourite 1950s Rock & Roll star, and it had been a few years since i had really sat down enjoyed his music, so i was digging out my vinyl boxsets and playing his music on loop, and lovin’ it.
This prompted me to relearn a few of his songs, so i was playing some of my favourites (Twenty Flight Rock, etc) but after playing some of his rockers and some of his softer songs my own song started to take shape.
Like the vast majority of songs it all came as one more or less, there was some little adjustment to the lyrics but that evening saw most the song completed. The lyrics are about a loved one no longer with me, while i have been very lucky so far in my life not to lose many important people i do of course still hold memories of people who i love (and loved) who are no longer in my life – and i think we all miss people/connections we had.
I was so enjoying my rediscovery of Eddie’s music that i set upon the idea of making a tribute EP and then doing my own song as the focus of my next session, which was promptly booked as early as i could get it – December the 4th. That was a few weeks away so i just kept on playing Eddie’s songs and my new track.
I’ll Never Forget You sounds like a song that would easily fit in the 1950s and i’ve always wanted to write a song like this, but these aren’t things you can chase, songs fall from the sky and you’ve got to capture them when they do.
The Recording
Plans changed a little as the studio session approached, I’ll Never Forget You was my main focus and everything just seemed to fit and feel good. Duncan at Sound Gallery as always added the extra bit of quality to my recordings to make them better than i had envisaged they could be, i had wanted strings but didn’t expect them to sing so sweetly as the chorus kicked in. It’s always fun working with him and seeing where we can take songs.
The session did see some Eddie Cochran covers made, my favourite song of his Twenty Flight Rock just had to be recorded, and so did one of his lesser known tracks Don’t Bye Bye Baby Me. I would have loved to have done more but time is money as they say and this stage i can’t afford to live in the studio as much as i’d like too.
Below you can hear Twenty Flight Rock and over on my Bandcamp page you can find it with Don’t Bye Bye Baby Me as a b-side.
I want to stay clear of C’mon Everybody, Summertime Blues and some of Eddie’s other more obvious/well-known songs but if i do find myself back in the studio over the coming months i’d love to record the songs I Remember, Half Loved, Cherished Memories and Jelly Bean to make an Eddie tribute EP as i had originally hoped.
Although, who knows, maybe i’ll even do some others and make a whole album? Time will tell. Recording some Buddy Holly or Little Richard would be great too!
I love Rock & Roll!
The session on December 4th also saw me finish off a cover of The Hippy Hippy Shake, another rock and roll classic, which i started work on a few months prior.
While i do have plenty of my own songs i could be recording in the studio covering 50s/60s rock songs seems to be where i am going lately. The only song of mine i’ve fully focused on lately has been I’ll Never Forget You.
January the 1st
As mentioned about I’ll Never Forget You will debut on digital stores and streaming services worldwide as 2020 dawns. I am proud of a lot of my songs but this on hits a special place for me and i hope it reaches a few people who enjoy the song and embrace the sentiment behind the lyrics.
Photography by Harry Mayhew
Time permitting a video will be made for the song, ideally in Dawlish which is a town that holds many memories for me.
Until next time,
Ross
Ross Mayhew's Musical Journey 