All posts by Andrew

Father. Partner. Folk singer. Guitar picker. Vinyl record collector. Comic book reader.
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Song Post: I’m Only Trying to Say What Comes to Me

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No Theme Week

This here is a pretty new song. I first posted it in February of this year. It was one of those songs where I wrote it and it took no time at all and it just kinda felt right.

But it was ambiguous as hell and I had no idea what it was about and didn’t really care.

Then I listened to it again a couple weeks later and I got what it was all about. And it meant about 3 or 4 different things to me. I don’t know what it means to anyone else, and it don’t matter, as long as it does mean something to someone else.

Anyway, so that’s another song that kinda crept up on me magically and stupidly and now it’s one of the favorite one’s I’ve written (to me, of course…who knows what anyone else thinks…).

In fact, it ended up on the album I just released last Tuesday. So, you can listen to the song here, and if you see me out playing somewhere you can pick up a CD. Or, you could download an mp3. The album’s now available on CDBaby for download (it’ll be on itunes soon too).

Anyway, hope ya like it. This recording is the official album cut. For the original recording you can go here. It’s still up there and will be, possible forever, or at least until everyone moves on to some other gimmick. The lyrics are a little different, but not by too much.

Listen, New Song

New Song: It’s too hard to make you agree

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No Theme Week

Here’s a song I wrote Sunday night. I was just kinda working around on the guitar and a part came out and then some words just kinda happened. No long knock-down, drag-out with this one. I’m not sure what it’s about or why I wrote it, but here it is.

And I’m not really sure of a theme for this week. Maybe just “No Theme.” Songs that don’t mean anything, that I didn’t write about anything in particular. Usually, though, that kind of song is one that I listen to again after a couple weeks and it kinda knocks me over cause then I can see from the outside what the song’s really about (at least to me). I guess, right away, I’m too involved in getting it written, making sure all the words are there and all the parts fit, to make much sense of what it’s all about.

Not for every song, though. Some I know exactly what I’m setting out to do and why. Those are actually probably harder to write. Mainly because I’ve got a really great idea and if it doesn’t come together right away it’s a little discouraging. Like if I can’t find the right rhythm or the right chord order or mostly the right words to say what I know needs to be said.

But, anyway, that’s probably an explanation for another week. No Theme Week is about nothing and the road to nothing and the road away from nothing.

Here’s to nothing. I hope all your days of this week are filled with nothing but nothing.

Later…

Chicago Song, Listen

The Talkin’ Tax Blues

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Mass Media Week

Here’s a song about tax I wrote just about exactly 2 years ago. I guess 2 years ago I was really upset about something to do with the city of Chicago and a bunch of talkin’ blues songs came spilling out of me whenever I read or heard about what was going on.

I’ve expanded my boundaries a little bit lately.

Although, I do have a new album of Chicago-inspired songs. I plan to have the songs available for download and purchase, but, apparently, that takes a lot of technical know-how. Anyone ever told you about a FLAC file? Or bit rate? Or pixel laxness?

Anyway, eventually it’ll be up on CDBaby and itunes and all that mess.

For now, though, you can get an album from me out at one of my shows. Next one is this Saturday, 8/14, at Jerry’s in Wicker Park.

But, this song here. I ain’t got much to say about it. I’m not that mad anymore, I guess. It was just something I read in the newspaper again and I wrote this song. Don’t mean nothing. Cause I know there’s a lot of people now-a-days that’s getting all worked up about taxes and government. I ain’t one of them though. I like black coffee. I like to be regulated. I like to be a hypocrite and admit it.

Pay your tax, okay? They support the things that you use in this country.

See ya.

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The Talkin’ Unwritten Blues

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Mass Media Week

This week, apparently, is turnin into talkin’ blues week. I guess it’s pretty easy to write a talkin blues song about what’s happening out in the Entertainment Mass Media World.

Anyway, this is a song I wrote back in the winter of 2008, about February or so. It’s all about the Great Writers Guild of America Strike of 2007-2008. You can read about that here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007–2008_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike.

It was a pretty ridiculous thing if ya ask me.

Entertainment writers go on strike in 2007, inspiring the Talkin' Unwritten Blues.

So I wrote this song, because I heard all about it all over the news on television and radio and all that. If you missed hearing about it then you were probably locked in a dark box, or out living your own life.

A funny thing happened right after I wrote Talkin’ Unwritten and posted it up on Myspace; the Writers Strike ended. Just like that. I was kinda upset because I couldn’t really sing the song out at all. But I also took credit for ending the strike. So I guess it worked out for everyone.

What do you think, reader of my weblog?

Chicago Song, Listen

The Talkin’ CTA Bus Blues

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Mass Media Week

Here’s a song I wrote about the great CTA bus system back in the wintertime of 2009. I jotted it down after reading this newspaper article.

Now, I first read it in the Chicago Tribune, that great Mass Media Establishment of Reputable Degree, and I just kinda had to write a song. This one wasn’t a struggle at all. I think I remember I wrote it all in about 5 minutes and probably didn’t go back and edit it at all, except for a line or two.

You have to read it online, though, cause all the old papers have been burned up, so I couldn’t scan in the original.

A CTA bus running a red light. Yippee!
It’s perfectly okay for a CTA bus to run a red light.

I think I only played the Talkin’ CTA Bus Blues out once, maybe twice. The one time I definitely remember was right after I joined the Barehand Jugband and I played a quick “break set” in-between our multiple sets back when we had a regular show at the Horseshoe. Anyway, probably 3 people heard it that night. And the band doesn’t play at the Horseshoe anymore, at all, ever.

So, read that article and listen to the song and leave me comment if you’re feelin friendly.