Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Recorded this straight from my PSR S750 then converted the .wav file to mp3. I think it compares to the quality I get from my Roland digital recorder.

I loved the orchestral/rock sound that the Shirelles used for this great song. This is a pretty simplistic version.

https://app.box.com/s/g8y75aoa6gowtoo602i4q98pw49f6nha

God Bless,
Don

Don

I really liked it, and your voice reminds me of Orbison.

Bernie

Don, since you posted this song here, I assume you are open to having it critiqued. Anyway, I hope so. First, the good: the VOCALS were good, actually, VERY good. You seem to have a good feel for this song and do a good job of getting it across.

Now for the not-so-good. The arranger backing. I'll list what I think could be areas of improvement. Bear in mind, though, this is only MY opinion (and we know what THAT'S worth ).

1. Way too repetitive (making it monotonous and not complimentary to the vocals). Use more breaks, fills, and variations. Add some color with the 'right hand'.

2. Make sure you play the CORRECT chords, including (and especially) passing or transitional chords. This keeps the arrangement from sounding 'amateurish'. Remember, the musical world is much larger than I, IIm, IV, and V. Most of the modern arrangers will handle more sophisticated chord structures very well. Experiment.

Remember, this is my opinion only and not meant to discourage in any way. You have a nice feel for the music and should try to maximize the capabilities of the Arranger KB to enhance your vocal performances. JMO and good luck and happy playing.

chas

Thanx for sharing your work on this classic song.

I usually use a 60's Pop style for this song a little slower...
worked great.

Don, Here's a PDF file of the dots, hope this might help with the chords.

Col

PS: Vocal great, song a bit slow for my liking. Works well with the "Korg Motown Shuffle 1" style 122 BPM.

Just my opinion (please bear that in mind) but I thought the Shirelles were one of the worst and least talented of the 'girl groups' of that era.

chas

In 1960, The Shirelles released their version as Scepter single 1211, with "Boys" on the B-side. The single's first pressing was labelled simply "Tomorrow", then lengthened later. When first presented with the song, lead singer Shirley Owens (later known as Shirley Alston-Reeves) did not want to record it, because she thought it was "too country." She relented after a string arrangement was added. In 1961, the song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. However, Owens recalled on Jim Parsons' syndicated oldies radio program, Shake Rattle Showtime, that some radio stations had banned the record because they had felt the lyrics were too sexually charged.
This version of the song, with session musician Gary Chester on drums, is currently ranked as the 110th greatest song of all time, as well as the best song of 1960, by Acclaimed Music.[2]

Other versions...........
Brenda Lee released her own version in 1961 on the album Emotions.
Mike Berry released a version in January 1961
Lil Malmkvist (a younger sister of Siw Malmkvist) recorded a Swedish version called "Hur blir det i morgon" in 1961.
Ronnie James Dio with his band The Prophets released their version of the song as a single in 1962.
Ben E. King released a cover on his 1962 album Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers.
The Chiffons released their version in 1963 on their album: He's So Fine.
The Kestrels released a cover on their 1963 album Smash Hits! From the Kestrels (Piccadilly NML 38009)[4]
Dusty Springfield included her version as a track on her 1964 album A Girl Called Dusty. Springfield also recorded a French-language version of the song called Demain tu peux changer. She also re-recorded the song in 1980, but this recording remains unissued.
Carla Thomas released a version on her 1965 album Comfort Me.
Len Barry released a version on his 1965 album 1-2-3.
Lesley Gore covered the song on her 1966 Sings All About Love album.
Jackie DeShannon released a version on her 1966 album Are You Ready For This?
Cher released a version on her 1966 album Cher.
Jocelyne French teen pop star (and Brenda Lee sound alike) released a version called "Reviendra-t-il Encore" in 1966.
Finest Kind, a Canadian close harmony vocal trio, covered the song on Silks & Spices.
The Righteous Brothers performed "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" on their album Sayin' Something in 1967
The Four Seasons had a No. 24 hit with this song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.
Sandy Posey cut a version, produced by Joe South for MGM, in 1968.
The Saw Doctors play this live in the middle of their song "Thats What she Said Last Night".
Françoise Hardy recorded her own version on her 1969 album En Anglais (album known in the U.S. and Canada as Loving).
Linda Ronstadt released a version on her 1970 album Silk Purse. It reached #98 in Cash Box and (Bubbled Under to) #111 in Billboard.
Bruce Springsteen's "Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom" recorded a live version in 1971, which can be heard on YouTube.
Roberta Flack's version hit number seventy-six on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".
Smokey Robinson included the song on his first solo album in 1973.
Melanie Safka reached #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 and reached the Top 40 in the United Kingdom in 1974.
Jody Miller made the country charts with a remake of the song in 1975.
Morningside Drive released a dance version of the song in 1975, which reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Dana Valery recorded a dance version that hit number ninety-five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976.
The Michael Stanley Band recorded a version at the Cleveland Agora for their 1977 double live album, "Stage Pass".
Graham Bonnet recorded this song for inclusion on his first, eponymous, solo album in 1977.
Dave Mason had a No. 39 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978 with his remake. It was his final top forty hit on that chart.
Brotherhood of Man released their version as a single in 1980.
Rainbow played a cover of this song during the 1980 dates of their Down to Earth tour, including whilst headlining the 1980 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park.
Maureen Tucker of The Velvet Underground recorded it as the B-side on the single "Around and Around" in 1981.
Dionne Warwick recorded the song with The Shirelles on her 1983 album, How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye.
Laura Branigan remade it for her 1984 album Self Control.
Elton John sang it at the Prince's Trust benefit concert in 1987. It was the first song he performed publicly after having undergone vocal cord surgery at the beginning of that same year. Elton John's version of the song has not officially been released.
Millie Jackson recorded a cover for the 1989 album Back to the Shit.
Angus Tung wrote a version of the song with Mandarin lyrics in 1989, which was subsequently translated as a Cantonese duet for Shirley Kwan and Alan Tam.
The Afghan Whigs released a cover of the song on their 1991 7" Ornament. The version featured Marcy Mays of the band Scrawl on vocals with The Afghan Whigs lead singer Greg Dulli on background vocals.
Joe Walsh recorded a version which was featured on his 1992 album Songs for a Dying Planet.
Patti LaBelle and Loretta Devine sung a ballad version of the song on LaBelle's short-lived sitcom Out All Night in 1992.
Björn Again recorded a dance version on their 1993 album Flashback!
Bryan Ferry had a hit in the United Kingdom with his version in 1993.
Neil Diamond included this song on his 1993 album, Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building.
The Nylons, a Canadian a cappella group, released a cover of the song on their 1994 album Because....
Laura Nyro covered the song on her final album Angel in the Dark which was recorded in 1994–95 but only released in 2001 after her death.
Debbie Gibson recorded a cover of this song for her 1995 album Think With Your Heart. (This version is mistakenly attributed to Carly Simon on p2p networks quite a bit).
The Bee Gees recorded what Carole King called "the definitive version" for a Carole King tribute album entitled Tapestry Revisited in 1995.
Lobo recorded a cover of this song in 1995 on his album Classic Hits.
The Killer Barbies recorded a punk rock version of the song on their 1995 debut album Dressed to Kiss.
Dianne Reeves recorded a smooth jazz version on her 1997 album That Day.
Lorrie Morgan recorded a country version of the song in 1997 for her Gold album Shakin' Things Up.
Jennifer Peña recorded a Spanish version on her album Jennifer y los Jetz entitled "Cuando Despierte Mañana" in 1997.
Shawn Colvin covered the song for the closing credits of the series finale of The Larry Sanders Show in 1998.
Frances Black recorded the song on her "Don't Get Me Wrong" album in 1998.
Minnie Driver's character sings the song in the film Beautiful.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes remade the song on their 2001 album Blow in the Wind.
Mest uses the hook in the refrain of their song "Reason" on Destination Unknown released in 2001.
Touch Acoustra, a Washington DC based jazz ensemble, recorded the song with Norah Jones as featured vocalist on their 2002 CD, When It Comes Upon You.
Kate Ceberano covered the song for her 2004 album 19 Days in New York.
Lauryn Hill performed a version during her 2006 tour. The versions have not been officially released.
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers frequently played a live version of the song featuring only guitar and vocals during the band's 2006–07 Stadium Arcadium tour.
Joni Mitchell references this song in her song "Chinese Café/Unchained Melody" with the line "You give your love so sweetly".
The French Kicks recorded a version on their 2009 EP Covers.
Lykke Li recorded a version in July 2009, which is featured on the trailer for the Carrie 2013 remake
Kanye West's song "Devil in a New Dress" samples Smokey Robinson's cover on his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010).
The Like, an all-girl alternative band, covered the song in 2010.
American Idol (season 10) contestant James Durbin performed the song during Carole King week in April 2011.
Joseph Leo Bwarie recorded a jazz version the song, which is on his 2011 album "Nothin' But Love"
U2 played a snippet of the song in Denver at their U2 360 Tour concert on May 21, 2011, in Winnipeg at their 360 concert on May 29, 2011, in Montreal at their 360 concert on July 8, 2011, in Seattle, Washington on June 4, 2011, and in Miami, Florida at their 360 concert on June 29, 2011. The song led into U2's live favorite "Where The Streets Have No Name".
Sweet Talk Radio performs a version that was played in the Haven episode Audrey Parker's Day Off on August 19, 2011.
Amy Winehouse recorded it for the 2004 film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, slowing down the tempo and using a jazz arrangement. Another version is included in posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures as Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow 2011.
Leslie Grace released a bachata version which became her debut single. Her version peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart and No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart, becoming the youngest female artist to do so.[5]

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
MENU0:00
This version, performed by Amy Winehouse for the 2004 film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, slows the tempo down and features a jazz arrangement.
Problems playing this file? See media help.
Jahmene Douglas performed a version as part of his The X Factor 2012 Bootcamp audition.
Joe Dewick (Local Sheffield Artist and Member of The City Phasers) recorded a version in February 2013.
Celia Pavey performed a version as part of her The Voice 2013 Episode 22: Live Finals 3 performance.
The Zombies - performed this for BBC
Evan Dando - bootleg
Bette Midler covered the song on her 2014 album It's the Girls!.
Human Nature cover the song on their 2014 album Jukebox.
In 2015, popular TV series Glee covered the song as a mash-up with Alanis Morissette's "Head over Feet" in the third episode of their sixth and final season, "Jagged Little Tapestry".

Don ... I think there is some good advice in this thread ...
As for the arranger backing, while you may have been going for a more "simplistic" or 'minimalist' version, perhaps starting with a variation 1 of the style and progressing through to variation 4 would have added a little more to the arrangement without losing the 'feel' you wanted ...

I personally appreciate chas' suggestions about passing and transitional chords, I just wish he had taken it a step further and made some suggestions as to what chords to add where ... I think many of us could learn from his musical knowledge ...

The suggestions of other styles just points to the 'flexibility' and 'variety' that is available through the use of the arranger keyboard, as it allows the player to perform a song in many different styles, all suitable for the mood the player is trying to create...

Still doesn't change my opinion of the Shirelles (not the song....which I think (musically) is mediocre). BTW Donny, too bad you don't get paid by the hour for your time spent on this board; you'd be a rich man by now.



chas

I agree with Chas on both points. Great vocals for sure and while I'm not an expert, the arranger backing, well, sounded like an arranger backing that could have been more, but as pointed out by Don, he wanted it plain and simple. Either way, I liked the recording, and thanks for sharing.

The Shirrells while being classified as Motown, to me, were more of a Bubblegum genre. They sure had many hits, and I do like most of them. I heard they still, to this day, do a military tribute with one of their many big hits "Soldier Boy" That's cool.

Side Note: On using correct chords: I never figured out how to add/change CORRECT chords on an arranger AFTER recording a song.

You can use STEP RECORDING as shown in this video to change chords in a recording and many other things, ... watch at 2:37...
I think you'll get the idea.

Donny, you're mixing apples with oranges - I think the recording was a one-shot .wav recording directly from the keyboard's or mixer's output - not a MIDI sequential recording. No changes on a finished .wav file.

Gary

Thanks for the video Don. Step recording is an overlooked feature, something I've used in the past on Technics arrangers, but never attempted on a Yamaha.

Hey Chas,

Points well taken. I see, thanks to Colin's Pdf, that the chords are different from what I did, especially the A7th I needed on Can I[b][believe/b]. Soon as I heard that I had an aha moment.

I normally use as many fills and variations as possible. Unfortunately this style gets way to funky after the first variation. Did this one pretty quick and played what I thought I heard. I posted in an effort to get some feedback on the recording quality because I normally use my digital recorder. I enjoyed having the critique because that is how we learn. I may give it another go with Donny's 60's Pop style suggestion or see if I've got something similar to what Colin suggested. Thank you to all who listened and responded.

God Bless,
Don

Don, been there, done that. I'll think I hear one thing and then I'll see the actual chords and get an 'AHA' moment. Our minds (and ears) seem to automatically gravitate to the simplest chord solution.

The Arranger KB can be a great instrument for accompanying vocals; the problem these days is the huge number of style choices. Sounds like a nice problem to have except that no matter what we choose, we always have this sneaky feeling that there's a better style choice out there. Unlike 'live' accompaniment, the vocalist will likely have to make at least some small compromises to accommodate the rigidity of an arranger style. That's where adding a little right-hand 'color' comes in - doesn't have to be much, just some little 'accents' that you feel the arranger style left out.

The recording itself was excellent; well balanced and crystal clear. Try it again with the chord changes. I think I like your version better than the Shirelles .

chas

Hi Don. Thank you for posting your music.it was enjoyable to listen to. I think Chas has provided some really nice pointers to how you can use your arranger more creatively and add different colours and flavours to the song to make it more complimentary to your voice. I often find that if you strip down the range to just the bass and drums or even take out the drums all together initially. You can then build up the arrangement by simply feeding back in parts of the same accompaniment without playing a different style variation . This effectively gives masses of options rather than just the set four variations that most keyboards come with .

I often listen to different arrangements of songs that I would like to cover just to give me inspiration. I stumbled across probably my favourite arrangement of this song performed by Ollie Woodson from the temptations . This inspired me immensely and I hope it does for you to. Listen carefully to the chord variations and the delicate colours at the beginning of the song and how it builds up into this massive gospel sounding crescendo . Obviously Mr Woodsons voice is off the charts but if you can, ignore his voice and listen to the arrangement it will give you some ideas of the transitional chords used from the main chords that most players tend to stick to

http://youtu.be/VUzrwBrm8zU

I always liked the Four Seasons version..

See the similarity between this and "Don't Worry Baby"...Brian Wilson?

The story is, Wilson was fascinated by Phil Spector and submitted "Don't Worry Baby" to him. It was rejected by Spector, and....the rest is history.

And we should all listen to Chas. He knows his s***!


Russ

Talking about passing and transitional chords here is the songwriter herself, Carole King. An amazing piano player. Enjoy!



God Bless,
Don

Hey Chas,

I have a sneaking suspicion that you could play Carole King's arrangement. That is far beyond my meagre piano playing skills. I was always the guitar guy who thought most of that transitional stuff was unnecessary. I know better though because I always appreciate a well played piece of music. Man, some guys can even do that stuff on guitar. The Lord blessed me with a voice more than anything and I thank Him every day that my 69 year old voice is the same as when I was a 19 year old Beatle wannabee. My keyboard and guitar skills are a constant work in progress so I really did appreciate your critique and encouragement.

God Bless,
Don

Yeah - Captain Russ! If you can, listen to some of his guitar stuff (buried somewhere here in a video posting). Of course he's a Jazz guitarist and we know those guys just like to show off . He's a pretty decent vocalist too - check out his "What are you doing the rest of my life" - one of my all-time favorite SZ performances.

chas

Take a great song and add the personal stamp you get when a real talent does it. Ollie Wilson's version is GREAT....sensitive and subject to all kinds of interpretation.

Of course, Carol, the writer, was helped on the posted version by James Taylor, who sang harmony.

All around, folks, a pleasant, useful, courteous exchange....except for the remark about that dumb ole jazz guitar dude.

Thanks. We should do this kind of thing more often.


Russ

...especially for my bud Chas:




...and Russ

Thanks Larry. I knew Charlie very well. I used to play in his Aunt's club in suburban Philly back in the day. Charlie used to stop by quite often (that was before his semi-hit with 'More today than yesterday'). A real nice guy. His thing was playing a lot of crowd-pleasing, heavy funk licks (at maximum volume). He was a great 'bar' performer (like Groove Holmes) although a lot of other players of the time (Don Patterson, Johnny 'Hammond' Smith, etc.) were technically much better organ players. Charley WAS king of the funk though, and I was very sad when he died.

chas

little rough in the changes department...like my friend Winston Walls, but he was "happenin".


Thanks, Larry!

R.

That Emaj chord should be Emaj (sus/4th)...(Bmin7th to an Emaj)

and the A min to F (the magic of your sighs) should be A min to G to F.

I'm sure it would be written like that in the original.

Mark

BTW......I absolutely love the Shirelles. The beauty of their songs was in the simplicity. And, let's face it, if you're working with only 4 chords (1st 8 measures) I figure you've got to be genius to come up with a melody different from all those 50's era composers.

Then there's that incredible sequence in Color My World (Chicago)!