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Listen, New Song

New Song: I’m Better Off

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Here’s the new tune for this week. I started this one on Saturday this past weekend. Kinda had it on my mind for a while. Or something like it. And I got through the first 2 verses and part of the third verse in one day.

Then I let it sit around until last night. I think I finished it off okay. I’m still not totally sold on the “without you they never woulda been wrote” line. But I couldn’t think of another word that fit better than “wrote,” even though it sounds strange to me. Got any suggestions?

Anyway. This one’s in the bag.

And that also means I’ve now posted a new song each week for an entire year without missing a week. How about that?

Here’s some more good news…I finished recording a few songs for an EP. I’m mixing it now and it’ll (hopefully) be all done by the start of September. Who wants one?

Also, maybe you caught my performance this past Friday night, but, if not, you can catch me again next week on Wednesday the 10th at Honky Tonk BBQ down in Pilsen from 7pm-9pm. Hope to see you there cause I’ll be playing some new songs.

Listen, Talkin' Headline Blues

The Talkin’ Headline Blues #38

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The vagabonds are all rummaging into the heaps of past participles. Toiling away in the winter heat, white hot and gleaming. The oceans don’t swell no more. Don’t have any waves. Don’t have any fish or swimming mammals. The weather is perfectly charming. There’s nothing wrong. Look over that way.

Stroke the calm cat in the easy chair. Breath in the simple combination of gases in your living room. Function as a remainder of an even-odd math calculation. Eat your cold cuts in the ventilated screen porch.

Your radio is broken, I know. It’s been so long since you had anything fixed. Your medications have run out. You don’t go to the dry cleaners to get your haircut anymore. Your bulging eyes are cataracted and clumsy. You insist you ain’t blind. Your dark bed hums in the deep night.

Now, without getting too insipid, how is it that you attempt to get hips bucking and rumps shaking with heavy melodies that are culled from gravestones many others have torn at. They’re all rotting now in a row of corrugated homes. Even if you put the images you say onto film (or, at least into binary code), how do you really think that comes across?

I’m not one to question though. I’m just jealous and squeezed with want and need.

Listen, New Song

New Song: Cause, Mama

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I started this new one last week on Wednesday. Came up with one verse (the first one) and knew I had something in there that could keep me going. I added the first line of the second verse later that same day and then let it sit for a while.

I really, actually, didn’t think I’d finish this song. Thought about giving it to someone else to finish off. Here’s why:

I figured I’d just go at it the way I always do when I really work on writing a song. Find a small formula and exploit it. And then repeat and repeat and repeat until the song starts sounding boring.

I didn’t want that, so I figured another person would be able to add something new.

But then I forgot to give out the song, and one thing lead to another, and I went and finished it on Saturday night.

And, yeah, I did exactly what I always do. If you’ve been paying attention at all, you’ll pick up on the cues. You’ll hear the repetition and the way I just sink right into a simple equation. Just like long division.

But, I gotta say, that it worked this time. This song’s goin someplace. I’m not sure exactly where yet, cause I think it still needs a little work, but I won’t let it slide on by that’s for sure.

Listen, Rewritten Song

Rewritten Song: If You Want It Baby (version 2)

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And, finally, the last re-recorded song from last year’s week of three new songs. It’s no wonder that I took a week off from releasing a new song after this week last year. Not only did I put out 3 brand new songs, but I was finishing up the 2 albums that I had just recorded.

But I ain’t making excuses.

So, just like the original version (which you can listen to here for comparison), for this new recording I used an old melody. This time I picked up my old standby, “Step It Up and Go,” that Blind Boy Fuller did. I’ve used this one countless times over the past couple years since I first heard it.

This one turned out okay. I think I like the original better, though. It’s easier and flows a little better. But both need work either way.

So, there ya have it. Three re-recordings in one week (plus one new song and one Talkin’ Headline). Thank the Lord the Barehand Jugband didn’t have any shows this week or I never woulda got that all done.

Since I won’t have a song to re-record next week (because I skipped posting a new one last year), I’ll probably load up some new recordings. I’m gonna start putting together an EP of 5 or 6 tunes to spread all over the city. So you’ll get a little preview of that.

And there ya have it…

Listen, Rewritten Song

Rewritten Song: Leavin’ You (Version 2)

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“Leavin You” is the next song I wrote during “New Song Week” last year. It’s one of those songs that I didn’t work very hard on. That just came out in a burst of speed and then just kept going. I haven’t put it down since and I’ve played it out pretty much everywhere (or at least every place I play).

But it has changed since the original recording (which you can listen to here). The music part is basically still the same, just maybe a bit faster, but I added a verse after I brought it to the Barehand Jugband to play. And, I changed the title (not that titles matter).

That’s when the song really took off. Got the full horn section treatment. You’ll have to wait for our next album (maybe) to hear that, or just come to one of our shows. The next one is August 3rd at Double Door.

Anyway, enough about the old version. I came up with this new way of singing “Leavin’ You” a couple weeks ago when the jugband was in the studio recording some songs for an EP that we’re putting out. Was just messing around warming up before we laid down some tracks. And I kinda liked what was going on with it.

Then I came up with a new first verse so I could sing it in this new style before kickin into the old faster guitar lick. So the live version of this tune is a mash-up of the original recording, some new added parts, and this new recording.

You can tell I like this song, huh? I just hope I never get bored with it.

So that’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for the last re-recorded song from this week, last year.