Export audio level problem

I decided after the fact that I wanted to have a sound effect in the beginning of my song but it would be too much of a hassle to lengthen the song and move all parts so I exported the song as an AIF audio file then imported it onto a new song at the right spot near the end of the sound effect. mixed levels between those two tracks and then exported this as the final version of my song. problem is that my song is way too loud now. i went back and turned down the volume of the imported music track then exported again, still too loud. It seems no matter what level I set the track to (even close to silent) when I export the song it,s at a blaring volume.

Any ideas what's going on here? Thanks in advance.