Song Premiere: John DeNicola “She Said”

John DeNicola photo by Casey Steffans

Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of John DeNicola’s song “She Said,” the title track for his album due to be released on November 5th. The song, which was written by John DeNicola and Patty Maloney, will be available on August 27.  John DeNicola is the songwriter of two hits from the movie Dirty Dancing:  “Time of My Life,” and “Hungry Eyes.”

The album was produced, engineered and mixed by John DeNicola at Silver Springs Farm Studio in Upstate NY, except “Morning Dew” and “Love Devine” which were mixed by Ed Stasium at Eight Palms Ranchero, Poway, CA. Mastered is courtesy of Greg Calbi of Sterling Sound, NJ. The album cover photo is by Steen Svensson; the back photo is by Debra DeNicola; and the design is by Sean Mosher Smith.

Musicians on the song “She Said” are John DeNicola on synths, strings, vocoder, bass, electric guitar, and vocals; electric guitar by Ray Weiss; and Brian Delaney on drums.  With a wide open, expansive and soaring 70s synth and soul production style, this song explores individual human evolution in a glorious way.

“She Said” (song) kicked off the writing process for my second solo album. She Said,( the album) is a follow up to my debut album The Why Because, which contained songs I had written for other people. In that process of interpreting those songs that I had written for other artists I found my own voice as an artist. I started this record in my upstate NY barn during the Covid lockdown with myself in mind as the artist. This was a unique experience for me. Writing by myself in the studio without anybody else alongside me I found that influences from my past flowed into this record. Some modern Indie Rock mixed in with 70’s Soul influences pervade a number of the songs on She Said.

Lyrically, as with three other songs on the record, I enlisted my frequent co-writer Patty Maloney who captured, from a sketch, what I wanted to say lyrically. To me, and this is open to interpretation, it’s about a woman that lets her lover know that for the relationship to evolve he needs to find the path within himself.

It taps into the type of song both musically and lyrically that never fails to move me.

Certain melodies and lyrics can send me to that place of yearning and melancholy. That marriage of a melody and a lyric of a love that may or may not succeed or even exist beyond the imagination. This crossroads of desire and understanding can apply to any love relationship.

I wanted to create a dreamy, lush sound on She Said so I started with my Roland Juno 106 which is the instrument I wrote Hungry Eyes on. Brian Delaney has been a go to drummer for me on many projects. He masterfully layed down a feel and groove to my finished music track that reflects its dreamy quality. I was also able to enlist a unique Omad Records artist, Ray Weiss, for a great effected guitar track. — John DeNicola

https://johndenicola.hearnow.com/she-said