This is one of a series of eight tracks which I recorded back in the early years of my writing. I captured these songs on a digital camera with video capabilities. I was happy with most but one or two should have been given another take - I suggest, you may think more. But things are what they are. I have stripped the audio track from the video (original video on my You tube channel) and posted them on Soundcloud close to 10 years ago. I have now available, the ability to edit and manipulate the audio tracks. Just for purely personal reasons (makes them sound better ????) and have now posted them on SoundCloud as a remix. Hope you like it.

The One who Sung The Song

the one who sang the song - acoustic remix

I have been listening to some videos of various covers I recorded during Lockdown. All in the name of fun and sanity, Just sat down in front of my laptop, picked up my uke and started turning pages of my songbooks. Nothing special, just went for it and clicked record.

I wanted to post these onto Soundcloud so had to use a little technological magic. First stripping the soundtrack, and then using a few lttle tricks in my DAW (Audiotonic based on the Audacity codes and just as free) and adding a little reverb for effect. Finally posting on SC and creating this album/playlist.

After you've Gone written by Layton and Creamer in 1918 and recorded by many including Frank Sinatra and Nina Simone amongst other great Jazz artistes

After You've Gone - Cover

A very sombre song with a backing to match. This is the fifth song from a  collaborative project, all instruments by my collaborator who records in his home studio, mixes and masters the finished track. I bring my song to the project and complete the track with the vocal.
This is worth hearing with headphones or external speaker to enjoy the full benefit of the bass tones from the lead guitar.

I Sing My Song In Remembrance

I Sing My Song In Remembrance (2024)

This was a cover (Suno AI) of a previous song called, "I remember". I wanted to extend the lyric, by repeating the bridge and the last verse. However the end of that verse was/is quite weak; so I also repeated the bridge, further extending the song to over 4 minutes. This gave a much better, stronger ending and a better title. I wrote the original in the late seventies and extended the song just before New Years Eve, 2024. I hope you like it

I Need You

One of the hardest issues I find with using Suno, is that there are times when I generate lots of iterations, sometimes changing the prompt slightly sometimes not. I usually try to keep down the number of versions I actually keep on file rather than trashing. Keeping a file system as the number of songs, versions and iterations increases can be a real drag. Yes, I know that downloaded songs can be filed on my lappie in folders, etc, but it is a drag. 

This was one of those songs. I started off, loading an audio clip singing the song, acapella. But after a few iterations I could not understand why the AI was having trouble with the melodies. Until I listened carefully to the audio clip. NOW, I had originally prompted for "traditional chinese style music". and It was so long since I had played/sung this song, that I had miss-pitched notes and considering chinese music sounds chinese is because it is baasically similar to the western pentatonic. I think this was causing problems I think. Any way I loved the way my voice had been cloned so far, I picked the "best track" and decided to use it for this Soundcloud Upload. I can always practice the song and try again and hopefully, when a better version comes along I can replace the track.
This is getting to be a long story, but I will try and finish quickly. I now have another four versions which I find it impossible to "trash". I reconsidered and prompted for a female vocalist and simplified the prompt. I will be posting one of these as tomorrows upload. Just need to decide which one!
Sorry this sounds a little long, but couldn't delete any of it, I need to write more lyrics before I try another version with my own cloned voice. SUNO has tried to keep it intresting however. How you like it anyway.

Mr Willow - (2r)

I was saying on my last track that I had completed updating all the songs from my second lyrics notebook. BUT, I took a last look and wow found a few more songs I had overlooked.

Feeling lazy, and hopeful, I put in the lyrics to this song and did some heavy editing; by the time I had finished I couldn't place it easily into a genre. So I took "potluck" and simply hit "CREATE". I loved the outcome, I was not too happy the first time I heard it and tried to generate something under singer-songwriter, blues-rock, alternative rock, etc, but nothing seemed to really work. I think the lyrics scanned differently for each verse, making it difficult for the AI to cope. But each time I tried something different, I went back to that first "open" style iteration. And the more I heard it the better it sounded.

So here it is, The Lyrics (below) are mine the rest is all down to Suno and as I said I loved it. I know I shouldn't ask , but do give it a chance and you might be surprised.

Title: Heartaches

[verse 1
Days I wish, I had met you way back when
Now I fear, it's just belated.
We are both already spoken for,
It's gonna get so complicated.
.

[verse2]
Heartache's all, that we'd be looking at,
We need to act with reason.
Heartache for the ones we used to love,
And for us more than enough, justifying.


[bridge]
Why do things happen as they do
You looked at me, 
I looked across at you.
Such cruel fate to bring us both together,
when we are both, tied to  another.

[verse3]
I'd better, go now, it's later than you think,
I'm not that strong inside.
Forget me and forget our happy times,
Erasing all the signs of my (existence)

Heartaches

I wrote this song about an argument between two guys. Could be about anything? But I felt how childish - hence the cover image for the song.

The lyrics are not a favourite of mine, but I wanted to try to get some dramatics into the next song. Since was the next in the notebook (November 1979), I decided to use it anyway. And like the last track, I gave Suno a set of prompts and "voila". After a few iterations, the AI began to settle down, and I decided this version was the one. 

As ever, I hope that you will enjoy this version as much as I have come to. Not my usual fare but that is the beauty of Suno, I can experiment with genres and styles! Oh! BTW, The Suno persona singing here is Randy Matrix (still smiling at that name).

Who do you think you are?

A difficult song to work with, I think because I could not make my mind up about the genre/style. Finally found a country style suited it. I have cloned my own voice for this track, although the AI has included a western drawl. Goes with the territory. I was happy with it in the end though.
Hope you like it!

It is from March, 1980, I did not realise that I had been so prolific over this period of my life. From going back over the last few songs I was also covering many different styles.

Oh yes nearly forgot, anybody remember Tom Dooley. This seems to have that song as an inspiration.

Life Is Cruel (Life's A Joker)

Something from 1980. Not my usual style at all but  had this phrase in my head and it begged a song. Developed a vamp riff on the guitar and found myself writing a "heavy rock song". I decided to get Suno to work it up as "metal" and this is what it provided. Unusual for me, but I actually like it, hope it tickles you fancy?

I'm Down

Another of those long forgotten lyrics from 1980. What's that, Good Riddance? Well, I found the again in my third note-book and put it through the Suno mill. Took a few iterations but found a version I liked in the end. A bouncy sort of pop, rock feeling, you may even like it.

Think

Wow, something of a record for me. I have posted three tracks today (at least within 24 hours), However, I would suggest that the lyrics are in a very similar style and were all written on the same day in 1980. However, I have treated them very differently in Suno. I like them all , but of course you are allowed to make you own minds up, 
I have used the persona known as "Orion Vox" but have changed the genre and style to explore the songs.

Words

I played my poem (set to music), Avalon, to a friend who loved it. "Wow, that would make a great theme for an album", although similar things have been done before (Rick Wakeman anyone?) and then he found me some songs by Henry VIII (of the UK) covered by so many people/groups. Well, I loved the challenge.
This is a taster of what may come, butthey may not all be classically inclined. In fact I covered this new song (lyrics written today 30th Jan 2025) in several ways from this, classical, to cinematic and alternative rock. I think I am going to enjoy this but can't put a definitive finish date on the projects as current projects must come first.
I do love this and is the first time I have tried to use choral themed styling, etc; must try again soon.

Arthur and The Sword - Lyrics

On that fateful summer day
Fate was about to play
A trick on powerful men of war.
In a kingdom so divided
A legend had provided
A magical way to chose the greatest King OF ALL

In days of old, 
when knights were bold,
A boy of humble birth, 
With heart so pure, 
and spirit sure, 
Would prove his royal worth.

The sword of might, 
Set in stone so tight, 
Awaited one so true, 
With strength and grace, 
he'd find his place, 

And destiny pursue.
Young Arthur came, 
with no acclaim, 
Yet courage filled his soul, 
He grasped the hilt, 
with iron will, 

And claimed his rightful goal.
The sword released, 
the whispers ceased, 
A king was born that day, 
With Excalibur, 
he'd lead for sure, 
And light the righteous way

Arthur and the sword

I just had to do a second song from my project aboy The Myths & Legends Of Arthur. I used exactly the sam prompt as with "Arthur and The Sword" but of course the AI would not do as it was told (quite usual) and had to do several iterations, before I got what I was asking for - you get used to this with AI.
Anyway, wrote another poem/lyric today (31/1/2025) and this is the track I decided to upload. I don't expect to post a track per day but at least with two tracks, I now expect to I will complete the project. I imagine many edits before I consider it fully finished.

Merlin the wise - lyrics

In ancient times, when magic thrived, 
A wizard wise and grand, 
Counseled a boy, with heart so pure, 
To lead a noble land.

Merlin's eyes, with wisdom bright, 
Saw Arthur's destined reign,
 He taught him strength, and honour's might, 
Through joy and deepest pain.

With spells and lore, he paved the way, 
For Arthur's rise to fame, 
A bond unbroken, night and day, 
In heart and soul, proclaimed.

Beside the boy, and man alike
Through battles fierce and crucial
Stood Merlin like a rock unmoved.
His advice was always vital 

He helped him through the hardest times
Their friendship did succeed
For Merlin's counsel, wise and strong, 
Made Arthur a King fit to lead

Merlin The Wise

A slightly slushy country number written 8th Feb 1981 - a good year for me. I am so surpised how I am loving how my old songs are revitalised by a dusting over in 2025 (in this case).

In A Little Corner Of My Heart

Time for an up-tempo, anthemic pop-rock track (or at least Suno's interpretation of that). I wrote this song 24/2/1981. Looking for original themes at the time. Hope you like it. 
What was that? The artwork? I just liked it whist skimming thru Pixabay.

You Think You Know Better

A feature of Suno v4 which I am coming to realise, is that v4 no longer models an uploaded audio voice clip accurately neither in cloning the voice or the original melodies. This is very disappointing. Probably something to do with copyright ,etc, in view of the current court cases.
I had been hoping to used a cloned model of my own voice, but I think I am giving up on this idea. I am also having to forget being able to use the original melodies and needing to use very strange punctuation to force the AI to sing my lyrics the way I intended.

I have probably tried harder with this song (an old favourite of mine) than any other of the nearly 200 songs I have woked on in Suno and loaded to Soundcloud. Finally, got something that is "acceptable" but very different from the song I wrote. - Maybe  hearing it fresh without preconceptions you may like it.

That's Another Story

A Country song to complete another playlist/album.

The second iteration, Sometimes Suno works so well on minimalist prompting, Yep, I know that some folks want some originality, but I find I am satisfied with a good solid backing for my song, the AI is so random anyway. It also helps so much when the lyric is structured, making it easier for the AI. 

Hope you like it, and thanks for dropping by.

Statuette

This song brings ot one of the issues with AI for me. I am alwways saying that the lyric structure "makes or breaks " a song. In this case the verse lyrics are of six lines and the rhyme scheme is AABCCD, an intelligent singer would sing the stanza as 2 X 3 lines, but early iterations, by the AI, were 4 + 2 lines. Detroying the rhyme scheme. The AI eventually got it right, but along the way I lost the mixed (male/female) vocals, maybe I will go back and  try again when I have some time to waste (and credits free).
I do love this song, a pity the AI will not follow instructions /prompts, although I do appreciate why. Hope you like this version and thanks in advance for your time to listen.

Where there's no blame

The only song in 65 years of writing where I have used the word "Darling".
The song started off as a collaborative project with someone who I met via a song writing magazine. Unfortunately, he had to return to France, to look after his mother who was ill. I lost touch with him and almost rewrote the whole lyric, which is why it stands as one-of-a-kind from me. That was in May 1981.
(30th to be precise), never tried to collaborate since. 
I upload this particular track, because I trie one or two little trick with the lyric and most of them were utilised by the AI to give me what I prompted for. So of course I got to like the way it came out. Hope it hits you  in the same way, thanks in advance for listening.

Darling

Trie a few genres but finally cam e back to my favourite, but again added a touch of Flmenco. Origially written  5th June 1981

Think Of Me

Mybe just a little too long, I would accept that it could do with a bridge (?) although the chorus is repeated after each verse and a repetition of the last verse. However, when I started this project to bring ALL my songs upto date. I decided to keep the lyrics as written, except for glaring errors, Otherwise it woul take me far too long. I have somewhere between 250-300 songs. I kept the first 200 or so in notebooks, so they are well indexed and numbered. This particular song was written in 7th June 1981.
One morning on the way to work, I drove past a pub called "the phoenix" and started singing the chorus......
Anyway, hope you like it as much as I do, thanks for visiting and hopefully listening.

Like A Phoenix (I Will Rise)

Longer than I would normally like a track to be, but it took a long time to warm up and I did not want to cut any of the early part of the track out.
If you have not listened yet, you may want to forward to around 3 minutes before the track begins to warm up.
As usual, I would not be uploading unless I really like it.

You Make Me Feel So Good

Not a lot to say about this track. Lyrics are a departure from the norm for me, but it did happen, Written in the summer of 1981, at a time when output of songs had slowed right down for me. Maybe having better weather and a young family had something to do with it.

Had to try a few times to achieve what I envisaged but it came together quite quickly in the end. There are a couple of words missing from my original, but maybe not obvious without a copy of the lyrics in front of the listener. Anyway, it is only on Soundcloud because I like it, Hoping that you will too. Thanks in advance for listening

One Of Life's Great Travellers

Found this to be a difficult track to get what I envisaged,In fact I have been having issues with trying to generate music from a clone of my voice. A few weeks ago I though I had the process under control, but now from an audio clip although it is cloning my voice the AI is neither retaining the original melody or at time adding any backing music. I shall persevere, I am trying to overcome this by covering the initial iteration, but this is altering the voice as well. C'est La Vie............... And the this turns up with a duet, this is possibly unsuitable for this song but I like it.

You Haunt My Dreams

After several songs which I had to spend time on, this was one of the first iterations of this song. It's great when a plan comes together (with thanks to Hawkeye) - if you know - you know.

Again that spanish guitar really adds a zing, I love it. thanks for visiting and thanks in advance for litening

Another  Lonely Morning

I mentioned on the last track, a long dry period as far as my song was concerned.This is another from the some period (1982), both sets of lyrics are probably very forced but I decided to use them and experiment with genres/styles which I had not yet gotten around to using, Finding a few I became comfortable with and used for that reason. But this was a song which I feel was given a second chance because of the  very fact I was UNcomfortable with the genre and ended up using my editing pen on the lyrics. Still ver rough and ready, but maybe that helps. I would not be posting the tracks if I was not happy with the outcome, I hope you like it too.

Baby It Ain't No Good

Another of my favourite songs, I wrote this one in 1990 and it has a very similar structure to "Images" which I have recently posted. Not a lot to say about this song, except. I am unlike many singer-songwriters in that I do not write for personal experience. They are usually second hand feelings/emotions kicked off by a word or phrase which I have read or heard, that triggers the writing process for me.

Hope you like this song, and thank you for visiting.

Still I See You

I have said it before, the AI can work so much better when the lyrics are well stuctured, short well "punctuated" lines and with explicit tags where possible. I also find that lone wordy prompts can confuse the AI, and lead to more randomness.

Well on this one, after 2 iterations I had 4 usable tracks, unfortunately I had to choose 3 of them to forget. The reasons where almost ridiculous, The first ended too soon on the last note after 4 mins. The second was too short? I made a couple of small edits, based on those two and the regenerated. The next two were almost perfect, I chose one of them because of the voice.....

The song was actually quite a short one written in 1990 (as far as I can tell?) which I had probably meant to finish. In my notebook in consisted of 2 verses. For the Suno version, I split the first verse into 2, and the second verse into a bridge and a third verse. Hence the very short lines in the lyric. I also edited a few words so I could use a female vocalist.

I absolutely love the resulting offering, purists and perfectionists may find erasons to complain; however my only condsideration is how well the track demo's my song. I do not expect to ever release these except on social media to share with friends and fellow songwriters. The tracks are not for monetisation. Hope you like the "song"

I Had A Dream (piano)

I don't often write songs based on personal experience, this is one a few rare occasions. A very close family member had a very bad experience, which changed his life drastically.

Yesterday's A Long Time Gone

A somewhat strange lyric with unfortunately no real "release". But as part of the project to update my old song catalogue, I had decided not to do any more than minimum editing - maybe when I have more time as I di like this song very much.

When My World Just Caved In

An experiment. I found a genre called meditation on Suno, and wondered if I could use it to present a poem with an orcestral backing. Would it be able to present the poem by speaking rather than singing. Well it did not work this time (I will be trying again) but I did enjoy the result.

A New Day

I seem to have glossed over a few more songs which maybe I shouldn't have done. A few small edits and repetitions of a couple of sections - seems to be all that is needed. Maybe I was being too hard on myself by ignoring them.
Any thoughts?

Wanted

Still finding lyrics which I thought, I could not use, in my project to update all my old songs, This one was written in April, 1980. Again, the issues I no doubt had have largely been overcome by a little editing, but at this time, I was "churning" out lyrics and simply leaving those which did not "work" - not really finishing them, I guess. Not a concious decision, I must have had some feeling for them since they found a place in my notebooks. A busy life and too many songs.......

But this was one of two very acceptable versions frpm the first iteration after editing. I did try more iteratiions but did not feel I could improve on this. Hopw you like it.

I'm Gonna Make A New Start

I do not often write songs of a personal nature, but this was written a couple of years ago (2022) when I was diagnosed with a cancer. The surgeon was asking me to choose which treatment I would prefer. of course lots of reason for one treatment or another,

Anyway, I wrote the song to keep me focused, and glad to say it all worked out and all OK now. 

Hope you like the song,

Hey, Stranger

Moving into the 1990's, and adding a touch of New Wave to the style. Again, I am not sure exactly what New Wave is - or sounds like; It is what Suno AI presented to me  when so prompted. Merely an experiment in the use of Suno.
But I hope it may strike a chord with you, if this was your era?

This 'n' That (1990's)

No, I had not heard of this Spanish genre (cuarteto) before choosing it to create this track; you learn something every day!

A week or so ago, I decided to slow down producing songs, infavour of experimenting with more genres on Suno's list. And here I am admitting that I did not even know what some of them sounded like. OK, todate I have been experimenting with my old songs, most written decades ago. This meant fitting genres to the songs.

Here I try to sing Suno some of my melodies, and to understand what the genre will sound like. S that It may be possible to write for the genre, hopefully getting a better track/song from doing things this way around. Stepping out of my comfort zone so to speak.

Hope you like some of the results from this "research" project.

Exotique (instrumental)

Not a lot to say here, ending of a broken relation ship.Trying to incorporate some new, more modern, genres, Here Latin but with soft rock base.The song written in October, 2002.

Hope you like the song, thanks for the visit.

I Wish You Well

Another track in the series, experimenting with genres I am unsure of; by prompting for instrumental pieces.

I was searching for a photo (I use pixabay a lot) and came across this image which immediately suggested to me the title "Space Walk" - before I saw the very small figure at the bottom. Space Walk then took on a brand new meaning.

Space Walk (instrumental)

Not a lot to say again, I thought this would be a difficult one because the lyrics did not have a standard structure; mixing longer and shorter lines. So I tried a jazz genre to start with and yes loved one of the two versions, I hade to extend to complete the song properly, but that is not really an issue.

Of course, I tried another genre, and again picking a genre I rarely have problems with - country rock. I decided to go with the latter.

Hope you like it.

Help Yourself, Helping Me

I just had to include this one.... Hearing a banjo makes me think of river valleys or B&W chases from the silent film era.

The image represents Chaplin, but the title is associated with Laurel & Hardy.

Here just for a laugh really. While I was scanning genres, this one just popped up. Enjoy....

That's another fiine mess....  (instrumental)

I was a little apprehensive with processing this lyric thru Suno. In my lyric notes, I have this book as written June 2022- May 2023 , yep it took me over 11 months to complete the lyric. I remember, on the lifting of the pandemic lockdowns, walking in the local park with my wife; I do not know where that first line came from but but I thought it would make  a great song. But I had difficulty getting further than the first verse. I kept going back to it and finally completed it those 11 months later. I have two ukulele demos posted on Soundcloud if you want to hear my original tune/melodies. And that's where my worries about Suno came from, The lyric is very "wordy" and I was unsure how the AI would cope with it. As it turned out, it came back with this version after several iterations, which I do happen to like, although it is a long way from my original melodies.

Book Of Rules

I originally wrote this as a blues number, One ot the early ones which I had use to experiment with Suno but never uploaded it. I revisited it and tried a number of other genres, choosing to post this Rock version with a tad of Latin influence.  
Original version, posted as a ukulele demo, written March 2023.

That's How I Feel (revisited)

Another song, written May 2023, Where I felt the lyrics may have been difficult for Suno to sing close to my original. However, after typing in loads of punctuation and dividing the lyrics into short phrases, I seem to have  made it easier. My first choice was a Latin Genre, and yes I did like it but something was missing. Tried again with an ambient-quiet storm genre (which I had used to create an instrumental on the "without words" playlist/album) and it sounded much better. I left it at that!

Guess it showed that playing with some new genres worked out for me with this track.

Somethings Gotta Change

All My AI assisted songs are free to download.

I have been writing songs since1959 until the present. As a songwriter, I am more than happy with the wide range of songs I have written over the years. But my musical skills are quite limited and the early demos on Souncloud are of me singing  and accompanying myself on guitar or latterly ukulele. I can strum the strings well enough, but there my skills end.

Recently I discovered Suno AI and the results astounded me. I could finally produce demos of my songs to be proud of. I am currently going thru my catalogue of songs and producing AI assisted demos. I know many musicians turn away from AI but it has a place for me. There is no other way I could have obtained some 300 demos to this level. I do not and do not intend to look for any reward except the satisfaction that hearing my own songs gives me.

I am still writing and hope to have many more years of songs left in me, Enjoy if you can and I would love to hear your comments on the tracks, if the music moves you at all.

John Dyhouse

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks