N.B., Soundclick is reviewing my account as per their "1-user, 1-account" policy. I may get some demos consolidated into one account, but I may not. Feel free to download anything you like.

Noonday Demon

Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil. Pslam 90:6 (Douay-Rheims)

Noonday Demon

Middle of the day
Hottest part of the year
My noonday demon whispers in my ear
My noonday demon whispers in my ear

He shows me the road
And how it stretches out
Whatcha gonna do when the world comes down
Whatcha gonna do when the world comes down

My thoughts zip past
Like bullets flying round
My noonday demon digs a hole in the ground
My noonday demon digs a hole in the ground

Run you can’t run
From your hole in the ground
Whatcha gonna do when the world comes down
Whatcha gonna do when the world comes down

*

A bunch of John Lee Hooker with a bit of Skip James at the end of this one. The song is built around one chord, A for acedia.

America the Beautiful

Commeration plaque atop Pikes Peak

I have an unusual connection to this song. The lyrics come from Katherine Lee Bates' poem, Pikes Peak. The mountain, Pikes Peak, was discovered by Zebulon Pike. My paternal grandmother's maiden name was Pike, and she was related to Zebulon.

Tell Me What I Want To Hear

How do you think I’ll feel
When it falls apart
My face is full of light
But soon it’ll be dark
So tell me right now
What I want to hear
Tell me right now
What I want to hear

Time takes its time
And I don’t mind
I just wish I knew
How much time
I had left with you

How do you think I’ll see
When the light goes out
My eyes are filled with stars
Soon there’ll be doubt
So tell me right now ...


How do you think I’ll be
When I pass this place
My heart is full of hope
Soon it’ll be erased
So tell me right now ...


How do you think I’ll hear
When I’ve heard enough
What good is a song
If it can’t save love
So tell me right now ...

7.2.10

*

I wrote and recorded this around 2am this morning and did the mix this afternoon.

I Hear Your Voice

J’entends vibrer ta voix tous les bruits du monde.
--Paul Eluard

I hear your voice in every sound
I stop, I turn, I move all around
A sudden noise and you can be found
I hear your voice

I feel your touch inside the wind
I stop, I turn, I move all around
A sudden breeze and you’re here again
I feel your touch

Love is the root of every song
And you are why I sing along

I see your face when you’re not around
I stop, I turn, I move all around
A sudden glimpse and you can be found
I see your face

Love is the route I’m traveling on
And you are the way I move along

I sing your name when you're not around
I stop, I turn, I move all around
A sudden song and you’re every sound
I sing your name

*

This was written in 2007. I just rewrote some of the lyrics, found a new key to sing it in, and finally recorded it just now.

And I'd forgotten till just now that I'd recorded an instrumental version of this on Oct 18, 2007. You can compare and contrast the two versions at your leisure.

Awake, O Sleeper

Awake, O sleeper
For the night is filled with song
Awake, O sleeper
Before the tune is gone

Awake, O dreamer
For the song has touched your ear
Awake, O dreamer
While it still lingers near

Get up, get up
Don't be down
Sit up, sit up
Don't be down

Awake, my soul
For the stillness waits for you
Awake, my soul
Before they close the gates on you


Rise up, rise up
Wise up, wise up

05.09.10
Psalm 42, Ephesians 5

Live from the Fra Angelico CoffeeHaus, St Elizabeth Ann Seton, June 17, 2010

Compostela (A Field Of Stars)

Walk through a field of stars
Leave your dust behind
Keep your staff moving
Let the road clear your mind

Walk through a field of stars
The path can't be changed
The way ahead is worn
The way back ain't the same

Compostela
Compostela
Compostela

Walk through a field of stars
Picking up some shells
Just over that hill
You can hear bells

Walk through a field of stars
Below the Milky Way
Flashing flowers above
Shining on St James

*

Info on Compostela

Toil and Spin

I've been thinking of the ways
That I have blown the bubbles
of my days

I've been blinking in the gaze
Of the bright & tempting baubles
in my maze

toil & spin
begin again
reap & sow
above & below

I've been toiling in dark mines
My canary soul is caged
And confined

I've been roiling in past minds
Over larks & lovers laughing
All the time


I've been spinning round my heart
A swirling centrifuge pulling
Love apart

I'm beginning a new start
One where I can travel
Off the chart

consider this
inside a wish
there is a bearer
of prayer

05.14.10

Sophia

This world contains no precious stone.
No emerald found will match her eyes;
The green it seeks springs from her eyes.
No precious stone comes from this world.

The world contains no precious ore.
The silver minded amid the clay
Shall not be reckoned more than clay.
No precious ore comes from this world.

This world contains no precious worth.
Count golden coins like grains of sand;
When tallied they will equal sand.
No precious worth comes from this world.

Sophia is the boundless light
Of wisdom, joy, beauty and love
All wisdom, joy, beauty and love
Are bright inside Sophia

*

Based on Wisdom 7:7-14

05.08.10
Words 1998 and 05.08.10
Music 05.08.10

Leave This Room (remix)

Just a remix of an April 2010 Demo.

Way Past Coffee

Another date at the cafe
She says it's plain to see
Next time dinner or nothing
We're way past coffee


Another night at the cafe
He's down on his knee
She cries & says yes
We're way past coffee


Another day at the cafe
It's an anniversary
The kids are grown and gone
We're way past coffee

*

The clapping sound you hear is me slapping my torso with both hands. I've been trying to figure out how to get the sound of a couple of people clapping without taking up too many tracks. There is actually one other track, with the harmony vox in the second break, that actually has real clapping.

Mud

Take a dab of dust and dirt
Add flotsam from the flood
Press it in our hands
And we are mud

Take a whit of wood and word
Add blessings from the blood
Press it on our tongues
And we are mud

Take a speck of sin and skin
And level it with love
Press it to our hearts
And we are mud

04.25
prj 025
1st 30-Minute Session
Gm /F# /F /E
C

Gm /F# /F /E
C Bb F C

Gm /F# /F /E
C Bb F C

break
Dm G7
Am D7
Bm F#7
C#m G#7
Am D7

See You At The Light

Will the question of speed and distance
Be answered when you arrive?
Will the quest for your needs and wishes
Be enough for you to survive?

See you at the light
See you at the light

Will the problem of pain and pleasure
Be solved and sound right?
Will the probing gain the treasure
That's found at the light?

See you at the light
See you at the light

Haunted by the taunting of the dauntless sky

04.17.10
verse: E A A G E
chorus: Asus2 Cmaj7 E

Judgment

I wanted to use poison
There were too many to choose
So I spent the night with whiskey
And mixed it with the morning dew
When they found the bishop's body
I'd just left the rectory
I went down to the river
To wash the blood off of me.

Sheriff Clark asked questions
Soon he'd heard enough
He stood me up, turned me around
And bound me with cold cuffs
They smiled on the evening news
Their experts all agreed
Eye for an eye after this break
To wash the blood off of me.

Who were the peers in my jury
I didn't know even one
And none of them, not a single soul,
Had ever done what I'd done.
Whores and thieves on the docket
As the judge looked over my plea
My lawyer said he couldn't help
To wash the blood off of me.

The padre checked his nails
As they tried to find a vein
All my senses were burned and black
As I tried to cry out his name.
I felt the river through my fingers
I felt the mud under my knee
I heard singing clear as water
As the blood washed off of me.

04.02
capo 3
Am
C
E
Am
C
Am
C G/B Am
G F G C

without the capo
Cm
Eb
G
Cm
Eb
Cm
G Bb/D Cm
Bb Ab Bb Eb

Do I Love My Baby (yeah, yeah, yeah)

I wrote this about three years ago, and this recording comes from an informal jam at Paul Gorman's house in McKinney, TX in summer of '09. That's Paul on acoustic guitar, Mark Ball on bass, and I'm singing and playing my new (at the time) Squire Telecaster Custom II through my new (at the time) Fender Super Champ XD.

*

Do I love my baby?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I said, do I love my baby?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I love her in the morning
When the sun is rising up
And she says, "yeah, yeah, yeah"

Do I love my honey?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I said, do I love my honey?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I love her in the noon time
When the sun is hanging high
And she says, "yeah, yeah, yeah"


Do I love my baby?
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I said, do I love my baby
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I love her in the evening
When the sun is going down
And she says, "yeah, yeah, yeah"

ReverbNation

You'll notice that I've added a jukebox and a link on the sidebar to your right. Both are from ReverbNation, which is a great site and a wonderful place to check out music.

Wheels

Perhaps my second or third song, I wrote Wheels in '91 or '92. This is my first multitrack recording on GarageBand, circa 2005.

Zeke was sitting by the lake
And the ground and the water started to shake.
When he looked into the sky,
He thought that it was his time to die.

There was no one near him to hear his tale.
Zeke was all alone and held captive.
So he rubbed his eyes and blinked them hard
To make sure he wasn't seeing shooting stars.

He saw wheels within wheels within wheels
He saw fire within fire within fire
And now old Zeke he's not the same
For he saw what can't be named
It can't be named
He saw wheels

It came from a whirlwind from the north
Over the mountains and through the clouds
And when it finally came to land
Zeke saw in it the face of man.

He saw wheels ...

Now Zeke was filled up with wonder
From the things he had heard and things he had seen
And when they finally left Zeke
It took him seven days just to speak

He saw wheels ...

Sip de rum

I'm trying out a new player for my blog. This is a song I wrote & recorded a while ago.

Sip de rum
Make my teeth go numb
Waters dance
But my Jenny won't come

My Jenny was a brown-eyed girl
To me she wore a sugar-cane crow
She went off to the sweetheart's dance
And left me feeling down

Sip de rum
Make my teeth go numb
Breeze may blow
But my Jenny won't come

Left a message for my Jenny
Told her about a hurricane
She never got my meaning
Thought my heart was insane

Sip de rum
Make my teeth go numb
The palms may sway
But my Jenny won't come

Jenny rocked at the dance
Hurrican rocked the island
In my mind she won't dance again
But my heart keeps on denying

Sip the rum
Make my teeth go numb
Waters sleep
But my Jenny won't come

ways & means

she has a way with me
could do away with me
by any means

she's more than what she seems
she's more than what she seems
in her ways & means

she can sway me
could always play me
by any means


she says she prays for me
i wish she'd stay with me
by any means

take me
break me
make me
forsake me
bathe me
scathe me
crave me
save me

04.16
capo 6
intro: Bb F
verse: C G/B Am (E)
chorus: F C G/B Am E
coda: F Bb

Down To The Shore

I go down to the shore
I go down to the shore

The moon moves the wave
The wave moves the sand

The wave moves the sand
The sand moves through time

And time moves the moon

04.13

C Csus4
Bb F C Csus4

Invisible

I come into a room
And feel so small
Like no one's
Gonna notice at all
Invisible

I get up on the stage
And sound so small
Like no one's
Gonna listen at all
Invisible

I walk right up to you
And talk so small
But you don't
Ignore me at all
I'm visible

04.12

Leave This Room

I have a book
I'm gonna read it real soon
Until the day I read it
I'm never gonna leave this room

I have a song
I'm gonna sing it real soon
Until the day I sing it
I'm never gonna leave this room

How can I be so sure
That there is so much more
On the other side of my door?

I have a prayer
I'm gonna pray it real soon
Until the day I pray it
I'm never gonna leave this room


I have a bed
I'm gonna go to sleep soon
And when I go to sleep
You know I'm gonna leave this room

04.11

Uke
D G
G D
F G D

Gm7 A7

(G C
C G
Bb C G

Cm7 D)

Jesus In Reign Boots

(Page 13 of the Supplement)

Jesus in reign boots
Splashing through puddles of sin
Jesus in reign boots
Umbrellas for his wet friends

Jesus in reign boots
Keeping us clean of the mud
Jesus in reign boots
Covered in holy blood

The devil's a storm cloud
He hates the warmth of the sun
The Holy Spirit blows him away
To show the light of the Son

Old Satan's a flood
Enflooding our holy land
Jesus is an engineer
He'll save us with God's Dam

Trying To Get Through

Trying to get through
Trying to get through

I settle down
And get quiet
One more time
I'll try it

Trying to get through
Trying to get through

The empty room
Is full of creaks
The day light
Is getting weak

That's not my body
That's not my heart
That's not my mind
It's something apart

04.09
CGDGCe

January 2010 Additions

I was looking through my docs and found that I'd forgotten to blog four songs in January: Inbetween, Wonderful Waterfall, Crepuscular, That Old Sound. There were also four songs and a rewrite that I've found lyrics but not sure if I can recall the tunes (there appears to be no recording of the four with lyrics, but the rewrite just needs to be recorded).

Check out January 2010 Demos for the updates.

Wishing For A Waltz

She wished for a waltz
Wild and in the nude
I laughed and said
I like your attitude

We cut up that rug
Flown from Isfahan
We were half the world
The other half was gone

Paris loved Vienna
In three-quarter time
If love were a number
I'm sure it would be prime

Paris and Vienna
Rugs from Isfahan
And even you and me
Have our own faults
Yet none of it matters
When wishing for a waltz

04.08

*

Note for the second verse: There is a saying in Farsi, Esfahan Nesf-e-Jahan, which means "Isfahan is half the world."

Graveyard Wisdom

lyrics by Paul Gorman & Chris Baker
music by Chris Baker

They'd give anything to have my cough
or a kingsized bed that was as soft
the dust settled in their veins
everyday seems just the same

just the same

they’d give anything to have my job
they judge my complaints as being odd
day after day they pine
that their days were just like mine

just like mine

They’d give anything to have my hope
And live this emotional kaleidoscope
Night after night they wish
That their lives were just like this

just like this

graveyard wisdom
graveyard wisdom


*

To hear Paul Gorman's version of this song, click here.

Before My Name Becomes Stone

I think about that night
We lost our way down streets
We found that dim hotel
And swapped secrets between the sheets
We swore we'd never go back
But tomorrow it's something I'll do
Before I go, let's drink together
I'll sing you a song or two.

How could love be forever
Even stars have their spans
Star light, star bright, first star
No star would heed your demands
I spelled your name in the stars
But it was smeared by the moon
I wish we'd drink one more together
And sing a song or two.

A promise is a snake's skin
The old one gives way to the new
Vows turn lovers to liars
Who'll turn you with small truths
So before my name becomes stone
And forgotten by all but a few
I'd like to drink with you alone
And sing you a song or two.


04.03.10
C F C G
C F Fm
C G/B Am G F C
interlude: Am Dm G7

The Sea Will Say

Put the shell to your lips
And taste sunken ships
The sea will say
What it will say

You're alone on this boat
The land feels remote
The sea will say
What it will say

Let the sirens sing
Let the sirens sing

Let loose of the rope
And drift from this boat
The sea will say
What it will say

Let the sirens sing
Let the sirens sing
Let the sirens sing
The sea will say

03.16.10
A G#m F#m
A Amaj7 A6 A/E
Bm D

Waltz With Your Last Breath

Waltz with your last breath
Keep moving across the floor
Waltz with your last breath
Hope the band plays one more

The room is spinning
While you dance
Can you see the dancers
Move and prance
If the band has heard
Your request
You'll get to waltz
With your last breath


The room is spinning
And going black
Can you see the ceiling
While on your back
Can you feel those fingers
On your chest
Tapping out a waltz
With your last breath

03.22

Leave A Little Space

Leave a little space in the morning
Cause I'm used to waking up alone
Leave a little space for me in bed
Cause I'm used to being on my own

Leave a little space between us
Gotta be some kind of room to grow
Leave a little space for me
Gotta take some time for me to know

Ooo, Ooo
Yeah, leave a little space
Ooo, Ooo
Yeah, leave a little space

Leave a little space in the evening
Cause I don't go to sleep at the same time
Leave a little space by your nightstand
Cause I'm not used to what's yours and what's mine

Leave a little space in your heart
Someplace where I can go and hide
Leave a little space, just a little space,
A little space for me inside



03.12
with Bb bend to B riff against E
E A D A
E D A

Consummatum est

Consummatum est.

It is finished.

*

For five voices from the Seven Last Words of Christ, this is traditionally counted as the 6th. The words are repeated six times in a Gregorian chant-like chorale fashion. After the third repetition a new melody rises above. You'll notice that on the second version of the melody, I didn't quite get all the Latin out. The fifth voice you hear at the end is feedback, the rest are me.

I didn't plan anything on this. I hit record and sang the words. Then I added the harmonies. The melody is also off the cuff. Due to the improvisational and aleatoric nature of this recording, I decided to let that fifth voice be.

Old Crow

Five little children
Sitting in a room
Watch for old crow
He'll be round soon
Keep the curtains closed
Don't open that door
Or five little children
Will soon be four

Don't say I didn't warn you
Don't say I left you out
The old crow will getcha
If you don't watch out

Four little children
Sitting in a kitchen
Won't mind nothing
And just won't listen
Two get up to leave
And one follows, too
Think about old crow
Coming after you

One little child
Lost her golden toy
So much sadness
Out of so much joy
Hide those shiny things
Lock them in your chest
Old crow will steal them
To use in his nest


03.25.10

Love Is A Season

Love is a season
And we had our spring
The harmonies we heard
When we would sing
We took a big breath
And held that note
Sometimes you say goodbye
Though it's too late to go

Love is a season
And we had our autumn
Tomorrow rises up
When today has fallen
The leaves were once green
New colors now show
Sometimes you say goodbye
Though it's too late to go

Love is a season
And this is our winter
The fireplace barely glows
When filled with cinders
Who knew our spring
Could turn so cold
Sometimes you say goodbye
Though it's too late to go

03.22.10

The Mule Is Stuck In The Mud

I saw the clouds coming
And thought I had time
I kicked and hollered at Molly
She wouldn't pay me no mind
There are a million reasons
None are worth explaining
The mule is stuck in the mud
And it won't stop raining.

The thunder covered my cussing
Lightning lit up my whip
Her eyes were wild with fear
And blood ran off her hip
I cried why, God, why
He's used to my complaining
The mule is stuck in the mud
And it won't stop raining.

The Good Book tells me
That there are cleansing floods
The sinners and the heathens
All get trapped in the mud
Molly held her head up
Yeah, she was straining
We'll fetch her body from the mud
When it stops this raining.


03.21.10
capo 5
A / G / A / G
C / G / A
C G D F A

(D / C / D / C
F / C / D
F C G Bb D)

The Flowitz

Hey, you know it's got the Flowitz
Hey, yeah, hmmm, the Flowitz

Souvenirs

The lights go out

alone in the dark

It's too cold

to sit in the park

Your friends are busy

or gone away

Your family's too far

to go and stay

It'll be clear
In a few years
All your scars
Are souvenirs

The night shovels doubt

on your daily dirt

And ashes & dust

blacken every word

Your mind is busy

connecting the dots

Your past is filled

with passing thoughts

03.19.10
PRJ011

Verse
C Cmaj7 Am G
A Asus2 F E

Chorus: Am F G Am G

Interlude: Gm6 Ebdim7 F E

The Past Ain't What It Used To Be

Looking through my past
I'm not who I was
Though the ink is dry
It can still be smudged
Did it happen that way
It seems so clear
Shouldn't the ink be dry
After all these years

The past ain't what it used to be

You've got your story
And I've got mine
If both can't be true
Then one of us is lyin'
The ears and the eyes
Have their own claims
The years and the sighs
Try to shift the blame

The mind can play tricks
and give you a better deal
Time should heal all
but some wounds just don't heal
Are you sure you're sure
I just don't recall
Soon I'll only know
what never happened at all

Who really knows
How the song goes?

03.19.10
PRJ010

Never You Mind

The sheets were on the floor
And the fan turned so slow
I lit a smoke and confessed
That I had no place to go
She almost raised her voice
To say something unkind
Instead she looked down and said
Never you mind, never you mind.

There's nothing left for me
In this godforsaken town
There's nowhere for me to go
Guess I'll have to stick around
There are times I knead my brow
And hope the knots unwind
I clench my teeth and say
Never you mind, never you mind.

The sun takes forever to set
On these dry Texas plains
That little chapel was full
Not an empty pew remained
My heart is a horizon
Just a long, flat line
She said she'd come back
Never you mind, never you mind

03.16
STE-039
capo 2
Intro: Bm F#m Em A
D / Bm / G / A
Bm / A / G Em / G / A / D
Interlude: Bm F#m Em A

The Water Will Hold You

Step off the boat
The water will hold you
The wind is fierce
The water will hold you

Deep calls to deep

Just take my hand
The water will hold you
Don't look away
The water will hold you

Deep calls to deep
Be not afraid

The tide goes out
The water will hold you
The wind will cease
The water will hold you

Deep calls to deep
Be not afraid
Water hold you

Losers Live Longer

Lovers live longer
That's what they say
Well, maybe that's true
When you count each & every day
But if you ask the heart
It'll have this to say
Losers live longer
It sure feels that way.

Lovers live longer
Read it in the headlines
Well, it really depends
On how you count time
Just look into the soul
And it'll have this to say
Losers live longer
It sure feels that way.

Till death do you part
As a man and a wife
But so very few do
Most don't and cling to life
But ask those hearts
Who have been betrayed
Losers live longer
It sure feels that way

Losers live longer
Broken bones grow stronger
Losers live longer
Broken bones grow stronger


03.11
drop-D capo 4
A G/D D

I'll Just Go Back To Sleep Again

Yeah I dreamed today
The sun stole your face
Yeah I dreamed today
The sun stole your face
So I’ll draw these shades
And climb back in bed again
And I’ll just go back to sleep again

Yeah I’ll paint the sun
Pitch black so light won’t come
Yeah I'll paint the sun
Pitch black so light won't come
And I’ll dig my heels in
‘til the world stands still
And I’ll just go back to sleep again

I hope my dreams
Won’t fall asleep (no)
‘Cause I need (you)
Eileen..

Yeah your eyes seem so strange
When your heart's about to break
Yeah your eyes seem so strange
When your heart's about to break
You say I’m to blame
Cause I only want the dream
And I'll just go back to sleep again

03.12.10
collab w/Deric Trotter
Bounce 00 Project 6

Memoir

What I couldn't say aloud
I could write to someone else
Just open my pages
And read for yourself

Are you looking for yourself
In between all these lines
Fact is fiction
Fiction's full of lies

What is memory
But dust on dust
When the wind blows
It blows away trust

My spine stands straight
Up against the shelf
And I'm feeling crowded
Like I'm not myself

And the years, the years
Show pristine pages
What's my wisdom worth
Among half-price sages


Think of Alexandria
And its ancient embers
Sending up smoke signals
That no one remembers

03.11.10
MTR Project
capo 1

Verse
Em C Em
C G D Em

Chorus
C Em
C B7

*

Note about this recording. This is a multitrack recording, which means that there are four tracks (all played/sung by me): track one, guitar & vox; track two, harmony vox; track three, lead guitar; track four, capo 8 rhythm guitar. They were recorded in that order at about 1 a.m on March 11.

Also, I recorded these without any auto-tune or punch in/out or other studio gimmickry. All is as it happened in just 1-take -- every cool lick and botched harmony vox is just as I recorded it. No going back and fixing things or fussing with the levels. They were all bounced down to one track and sent to my computer and then dl'd on soundclick.

Mysterious

She's a lingering breeze
On an August afternoon
Brushing past the wind chimes
Hear that ephemeral tune

And you lean a little closer
And you get a little curious
But she leans a little further away
And stays mysterious.


She's the sudden shower
On a prairie in spring
All the little flowers open
What a fresh smell they bring

And you dance a little closer
And get a little delirious
But she leans a little further away
And stays mysterious.


She's a lilting laughter
On el dia de mi santo
Though nobody knows
You should go light a candle

And you speak so softly
And try to get so serious
But she leans a little further away
And stays mysterious.

03.05
STE-036
Uke
(guitar shapes)
D G C
D G C Am C Am

*

There are two recordings of this song on the jukebox. The uke one was caught just after I wrote it, but the second one was recorded a few weeks later on a reentrant tuned guitar. Normally, a guitar is tuned (from lowest pitch to highest pitch) EADGBe. A reentrant tuned instrument changes things a bit. The reentrant tuning I used is EAdGBe; the fourth string is one octave higher than on the standard tuning for guitar. I took off the fourth string of the guitar and replaced it with an extra first string I had sitting around. Note that capo 5 is used to make it sound at the same pitch as the ukulele. The guitar used is a Yamaha FG110 from the Nixon era.

To hear another tune using this reentrant tuning, please check out The Water Will Hold You.

Toaster Too Short, Bread Too Tall

From February 2009.

I'd bought the uke (a Kala Mahogany Tenor Archtop!) in Jan and started writing songs on it. This was probably one of the first songs I wrote on uke. The tag line actually came from a poster on one of the uke forums. It was just too tempting and too good to let languish in uke forum obscurity -- the uke forum in question isn't defunct, but it did change servers (or whatever) and all the old posts were lost.

One of the greatest thrills I've ever had in my performing life was at a house concert and seeing the Gorman Family Dancers dance an original dance to this song. I wish I had that on video!





Toaster Too Short, Bread Too Tall

My friends call me up and they are worried
But they can't understand, oh no!
Though my toaster's still under warranty
It doesn't toast from head to toe

CHORUS
Toaster too short, bread too tall
Toaster too short, bread too tall
Why I bother getting out of bed at all
When my toaster's too short and my bread's too tall.

There needs to be a standard bread size
To avoid this calamity
The government needs to legislate
This threat to national security


I can overlook the big things in life
But the little things have so many details
If they could only be fixed right now
Every day wouldn't be a living hell.

Waiting for a widget

I'll get a jukebox widget up as soon as Soundclick approves my March 2010 Demo account. In the meantime, you can read through the lyrics and come up with your own tunes -- or check out tunes from previous months.

A Fool Dressed As A King

Since I've been burned
I'm somewhat suspicious
Of some of her wants
And most of her wishes

I wish I were still young
And I still knew everything
Could I have been so dumb
A fool dressed as a king

As I watch the lines
She makes while walking
I fall into old times
Memories won't stop talking

Oh, the plans
Oh, the dreams
Of fools & kings
Share the same seam

03.05
F2 STE-029/030 (with 'like' not 'as')
Drop D

Almost Nothing

He'd had enough
Of the desert
And he had hoped to die
But a message came
And pushed him on
And it gave him life

The wind blew
No, no,
There was nothing in the wind
The earth shook
No, no
There was nothing in the earth
The fire burned
No, no
There was nothing in the fire
And then, yes,
There was nothing
Almost nothing

Forty days and nights
To the mountain
And he knew fear
While inside a cave
A voice asked him
Why are you here?

He'd heard the sound
That only he heard
It was faint but clear
Get quiet enough
And hear it again
Why are you here?

03.03
STE-033
Drop-D, capo 4
D Bm G A

Day By Day

Monday is depressed
And Tuesday is down in the dumps
Wednesday is on the ledge swearing that she'll jump

Friday follows Thursday
She just wishes that he'd stop
Cause if he don't, she's gonna call the cops

Saturday likes his wine
And he likes his loving drunk
Sunday looks in the mirror and wonders what she's done.

Yesterday told tomorrow
That she didn't trust today
Tomorrow told her to just take it day by day

03.02
STE-034
Drop D, capo 2

The RPM Challenge

What is it?

Record an album in 28 days: 10 songs or 35 mintues of original material in the month of February.

My effort is listed under Stackabones. I got in 14 songs and over 41 minutes of new material. All of it should be in the Feburary 201o Demos Jukebox.

The RPM Challenge

Rondo

And we go round and round
And round and round and round
And round and round and round
And round and round

And we go round and round
And round and round and round
And round and round and round
And round and round

She said that she insisted
But her words got all twisted
And her meanings split in two
And her splitting had meaning, too.

And we go round and round ...

Spin the bottle spin the top
Keep it spinning don't let it stop

And we go round and round ...

02.04 & 02.28
F2 STE-028
key of G

Walk Back To You

I'm going to take my time
And walk back to you
I got to get back what's mine
And walk back to you

One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

I'm going to tie my laces
And walk back to you
I'll pass by the old places
And walk back to you

One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

I'll see your street
And walk back to you
And the feeling is sweet
And walk back to you
Hear me knocking at your door
I hear you coming cross the floor
I see your face, yes, your face
I see your face, yes, I see your face
The lines that time has traced
I know that time's hidden parts
Are still being held in our hearts

One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
And walk back to you
One foot in front of the other
And walk back to you

02.28.10
F2 STE-023
capo 2
A shufflesque

Mockingbird

A mockingbird told me
About a silver place
I had the map, for it was drawn
In the lines of my face

I asked her about
The lines in my hand
She answered with a song
That I didn't understand

Can I believe what I've heard
From the mockingbird?

A mockingbird told me
About a golden song
But when I tried to sing it
I had the notes all wrong

I asked if she'd sing it
Once again for me
She answered with my words
In perfect mimicry


A mockingbird told me
About a two-way mirror
One side showed joys to come
The other all my terrors

When I'd seen one side
The other would go black
And I would be unable
To ever change my path.

The Last One

Is this the last one
That I'll ever know?
Is this the last one
The last before I go.

Is this the last one
I'll get to do?
Is this the last one
I'll do with you?

The first will be last
The worst won't be surpassed
The found will be lost
The renowned won't be tossed

Is this last one
That'll come my way?
Is this last one --
Is this the last day?

Is this the last one
Before the jury
Is this the last one
To feel your fury

Is this the last one
To come tumbling down
Is this the last one
To go rumbling round

Is this the last one
To be crossed off
Is this the last one
To say that's enough

The first will be last
My thirst will come too fast
My words will be lost
My wrongs will be tossed.

And last but not least
Well, who gets to choose?
At least this is the least
That could be done for you.


02.24.10
F2 STE-024
G C G C
Em C G
C Am G D/F#

Ashes On My Head, Dust In My Heart

Turning within
And going without
Count forty days
Of intense drought
Go inside
And bow your head
There's more to life
Than your daily bread

Ashes on my head
Dust in my heart

Get on your way
Get rid of that load
Watch those ditches
By the narrow road
Some seed will flourish
Some seed will fade
The dirt that you use
Is the dirt that you've made

On the coldest day
On record in Hell
All legends came true
All lies were dispelled
The gates were wrecked
And the sun went black
The candles were snuffed
All the bells were cracked

02.21.10
F2 STE-020
A / E G D G A
G A

She Had Enough Summer In Her

She had enough summer in her
To keep me warm through the fall
But when the winter came along
I felt nothing at all

The snow waltzed round and twirled on ice
I just wished that it would thaw
The north wind blew through everything
I felt nothing at all

When spring came dancing in her dress
She knelt by me and balled
I stroked her straight auburn hair
I felt nothing at all

I had enough winter in me
To keep me slow and raw
I stared at the sun and could not blink
I felt nothing at all


02.16.10
F2 STE-13
C F C
G C
Am G F C
Am G C
end on long Am fade out

Two Pawn Shops

You can pawn your dreams
Downtown at Lefty's or at Joe's
Though Joe's a cheap bastard
Don't mean Lefty will give you more.

Lefty will tell all about
The day he lost his arm
If he asks you to rub his stub
Try not to be alarmed.

It's water under the bridge
Water can run with mud
Look a little closer under that bridge
The water is filled with blood.

Him and Joe were once real close
They both served in Iraq
They deployed at the same time
And had to watch each other's back

Joe got high on some hash
And Lefty covered for him
While he was out on patrol
Lefty lost his limb.

Lefty never held a grudge
He figured it was fate
Whatever fate gives you
You got no choice but to take

Joe didn't bet on fate
He went all in for chance
And his world after Iraq
Was nothing but happenstance

02.14.10
F2 STE-009 (before mud/blood switch)/ STE-011
Verse: A D A E / E G D A
Chorus: A D A E A

Come What May

Thank you, Lord,
For this day.
I love you, Lord,
Come what may.

Although I try
To obey,
There are times
That I stray.
My soul stirs
In dismay
Evil hunts me
I'm its prey.


Although it sounds
So cliche,
I need you, Lord,
I need your way.
So call on me
I'm your clay
So call on me.
I'm just clay.

02.13.10
F2 STE-006
key of G

Hold Me Close

Hear the song birds
Sing off key
Steer the wrong words
Towards me
Hold me close, dear
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me close

Show the tall trees
How to fall
Know the fall leaves
Gave their all

Let the sky yearn
For your hair
Let the shy burn
In despair

Play your guitar
And know remorse
Pray to a set star
And go off course

Leave Your Loving

She put up with me

As long as she could

It doesn't make me bad

It doesn't make her good

For there's a right way

To make your loving

And there's a wrong way

To take your leaving

Just make sure

You leave your loving

Before your loving leaves you.

Never had the nerve
Thought I was naive
It didn't make her stay
It didn't make me leave

02.10.10
STE-002/3/4/5
DADABE
second string melody 7 10 5 7 3
chords:
000032
000233
000455

Blame

Blame California
With her bleached blonde hair
Her forty foot distractions
Spewing smog everywhere.
It was her and what she became
I'm not the one to blame.

Blame February
With her black ice heart
You feel like she's finished
Before she even starts.
How could I know she'd snuff out my flame
I'm not the one to blame

Blame the moon and stars
And their ever changing ways
If you catch them in the daylight
They won't have much to say.
I took a shot but had bad aim
And I'm not the one to blame.

Blame Tristan
And the poets' lies
Their passions and rhymes
Are just suffering in diguise
Who really knows love's real name?
I'm not the one to blame.

02.07.10
F2 STE-001

Six Feet Down

My fingers felt cold
And my voice felt so tight
None of my saints
Were in the graveyard that night.
The spirits swirled around
Or was it just the wind
Something told me
That I'd better begin.

The gravestone was old
The name could barely be read
But I knew I'd found it

For it's what the gypsy had said
I'd crossed her palms with silver
And she told me about gold
That was buried with a bluesman
Who had sold his soul.

I put my back into it
Broke the ground with my spade
I dug six feet down
I dug six feet down
I dug six feet down
To where the coffin laid
I dug six feet down
Even my demons were afraid

I cracked open that coffin
And amid the bones & dust
Was a perfect guitar
With strings that had no rust
Put my fingers to the frets
Ever note was in tune
And out poured a song
I wish I could sing it to you.

The song was so joyful
It almost sung itself
I couldn't stop singing it
I was under its spell
I sang it over and over
I sang it and didn’t stop
And I sang it while hungry
And I sang it till I was dry
And I sang it all night
And I sang it till the dawn
And I sang that song
Till my voice grew hoarse
And when my voice gave out
I was filled with remorse

I'd forgotten the song
Every single word
Not even a lick
Not even the first chord
I went back to the gypsy
And asked her what to do
She said the song is gone
Till someone digs up you

When my bones are dust
The song will be free
And where my soul sleeps
Is a mystery
Take a sip of bourbon
When you hear I'm gone
Start digging six feet down
For my graveyard song

02.06.10
F2 STE-000
A D

Seasonal Blues

She'll tear through your life
Like an F5 tornado
And when you pick up the debris
You'll have no place to go

It ain't the heat
It's the humidity
I can handle the heat
As long as she ain't mean to me.

Whenever she cries
It's just like a flash flood
I'm always downstream
Getting stuck in the mud

They say the thunder
Follows a lightnin' strike
I can hear her yelling now
I won't get any sleep tonight

When the cold wind blows
You know it feels so much worse
Your soul feels like ice
And your heart wants to burst

When leaves die in autumn
They give a colorful display
Well I don't feel too colorful
When she treats me this way

The five-day outlook
Don't look too good for me
It's the worst year on record
And it could make history.

02.06.10
F2 STE-026
Blues in A
A D
F#m D7

Courting Demons, Counting Angels

When courting demons,
Be sure to sing in the dark
And know that diamonds
Won't grow in your coal black heart

When counting angels
Be sure to bring a light
And throw your demons
Back into the diamond filled night

You can trade your night
For a tune forever torn
You can trade your light
For a song forever sung

Let the night be night
Let the light be light
Let your eyes invite
Let the skies ignite
Let your art incite
Let your heart delight

02.04.10
F2 STE-16
C G7
F
G
C F G

Rock And Roll (The Myth of Sisyphus)

Keep rollin'
That old stone
Keep rollin'
That old stone
When it gets to the top
You know it won't stop
Keep rollin'

Keep roamin'
Back and forth
Keep roamin'
Back and forth
Up and down that hill
Is a measure of your will
Keep roamin'

Keep rovin'
In that rut
Keep rovin'
In that rut
When it's you and the stone
You'll feel so alone
Keep rovin'

Keep goin'
Up that hill
Keep goin'
Up that hill
That rock is going roll
Back down below
Keep goin'

Go Slow, Magdalena

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you need

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you believe

Yes, he will give you words

And his words will turn to dust

Don't let the dust he gives you

Rest lightly upon your trust

His words are built on sand

And sand has many grains

Each grain holds a world

His world will never remain

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you need

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you believe

Yes, I will give my word

My word is more than sound

The sound that it makes

Shakes dust off the ground

The dust will blow away
And the world may disappear
My word will wait for you
My word will still be here

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you need

Go slow, Magdalena

You know what you believe

Go slow, Magdalena
Go slow
Go slow, Magdalena
Go slow

02.02.10
F2 STE-10
Chorus: E B7
Verse: A E A E C#m F#m C#m F#m B7

Inbetween

It's gotta be tough
To stand right there
And know I'm trying to catch your eye

Have I heart enough
To not be scared
And walk up to you and just say hi

If you say no
Oh no no
If you say yes
Oh yes yes
But right now
It's just a guess

Caught inbetween
A yes and a no
Caught inbetween
A yes and a no

I feel it deep down
Like something cold
And I know I gotta let it go

If it sticks around
The moment grows old
Rush right in, my foolish soul

If you say go
Oh go go
If you say stay
Oh stay stay
But right now
I just can't say

01.18.10
STE-206
E A G

Wonderful Waterfall

Down by the rapids
We kissed.
White morning matted
With mist.

The restless river
Whorled and rose.
Would our barrel
Withstand the blows?

Wonderful waterfall

We sealed the lid,
We waited inside.
White water,
White noise, wide eyed.

The white barrel
Waltzed around.
We wondered when
We'd tumble down.

Wonderful waterfall

end over end
over end over
end over end

01.03.10
STE-215
capo 2
C G/B Am
coda: C G/B Am G/B

Crepuscular

It's not a light in the room
It's not a light in the sky
It's not a light to be measured
It's not a light for the eyes

It's not a light in the mind
It's not a light in the heart
It's not a light to be caught
It's not a light in the dark

It's not a light from the stars
It's not a light from the sun
It's not a light to be shown
It's not a light for everyone

It's not a light of the prism
It's not a light to pierce the night
It's not a light to be seen
It's in the fading light


01.29.10
STE-214
G D Am C G D
C Am G D

That Old Sound

Trying to find that old sound
Trying to find that old sound
You can feel it more than hear it
You can reel it in and get near it
Trying to find that old sound

Trying to mine that golden sound
Trying to mine that golden sound
You can dig down deep in your soul
You can figure out what keeps you whole
Trying to mine that golden sound

The world goes past
And time flows fast
And love grows
Love grows and lasts

Trying to bind that holy sound
Trying to bind that holy sound
Like angel wings brushing by
Like darkened things crushing by
Trying to bind that holy sound

01.22.10
STE-207
C (x32013)
C6add9 (x30213)
Am7 (x02213)
Fadd9 (xx3213)
Em (022003)
G

Berceuse

Sing me to sleep tonight
Sing me to sleep tonight
Let my thoughts grow calm
Let my oughts be gone
Sing me to sleep tonight

Bring me the deep tonight
Bring me the deep tonight
Let my prayer be to serve
Let my cares have no words
Bring me the deep tonight


01.22.10
STE-208/09/10 (good take)
First song written on Squier Parlor, purchased just a few hours before
Tuned about a 1/2 step flat

Stirring Stick

She likes my voice
But not the way I talk
She don't want to roll
But she's ready to rock
I said a-come here a-come here a-come here quick
Stir my rocks with your stirring stick
My playing goes
Where my mojo flows

You got the wrong guitar
To be a superstar
And you need a better hat
To make it big like that
She said a-come here a-come here a-come here quick
Stir my bourbon with your stirring stick
My playing goes
Where my mojo flows

She tells me that she don't
Want to know my name
I'm fine with that
Cause then I can't get blamed
She said a-come here a-come here a-come here quick
Stir my jelly with your stirring stick
My playing goes
Where my mojo flows

01.17.10
STE-205
drop D capo 2

Scene From A Brothel

A parlor guitar
And a big boned gal
A shot of bourbon
He's ready now

Got to go up those steps
Before he comes down
Got to close that door
Before he comes back around

The dirty linens
And the creaking beds
The smell of old men
And the thoughts in their heads

Take it easy, she says
And claws his back
He puts a finger in her mouth
And says, I like it like that.

The push and the grunt
And the sudden rush
The holy holy holler
In a collapsing cuss

Put your money on the stand
You were just fine
Got to put your pants on
One leg at a time

His thoughts are calm
He doesn't feel the pull
How can filth and fury
Be so beautiful

01.15.10
STE-201
D Cadd9
Am
G harp

Booze Hound

Go out with some whiskey
And fill the dog's bowl
The neighbor might shoot him
if he hears him howl

Don't let that mutt in
No matter how much he whines
Put the whiskey in his bowl
And he'll pass out in time

Every night's the same thing
I can't believe you got that mutt
He scratches at my back door
And he tracks in mud

I told you no but no
It's been nothing but a pain
You got guns but you don't hunt
Though you talk a big game

Now come over here, sugar
Use your gun and gun me down
Now hear the neighbor shouting
He's gonna kill that hound

Gimme some of that whiskey
I'm trying to get in the mood
Hear that neighbor shouting
He's gonna poison that dog's food

I can't blame him,
I thought about doing it, too
This is my house, my yard
Only that dog belongs to you

Maybe I'll poison your bowl
But it'd be just my luck
You'd die and will that dog to me
And then I'd be stuck


01.15.10
STE-204
capo 1
E F#m A B
C#m B A (second time E)

Blacklist

Never trust a five-star chef
Who's too fat or too lean
Never trust a mechanic
Whose fingers are too clean

Never trust a family doctor
Who sneezes in your face
And don't retain a lawyer
Who's never won a case

Never trust a one-night stand
Who says that she's been tested
Fire that exterminator
Whose own house is infested

Never hire a portly plumber
Who's afraid to show his crack
Steer clear of that body guard
Who doesn't watch your back

Never sail with a captain
Leaning over starboard side
Never trust a groom in Utah
To marry a single bride

Never use a travel agent
Who says she'll never fly
Never trust a Texas judge
Who says you'll never fry

Be wary of the dealer
Who says he doesn't use
And bet against the gambler
Who says he cannot lose

Turn off the local anchor
If she says it's breaking news
Don't pay the electrician
Who cannot find your fuse

Don't view those master artists
If you are colorblind
And forget those modern poets
Whenever they use slant rhymes

Never trust a politician
Never trust a politician
There’s never a condition
When you can trust a politician.

01.10.10 music
early 2000s lyrics
STE-197
key of E

Façade

Samuel tried his very best
To do what he could
And every choice he ever made
Tried to line up with what's good

He said his daily prayers
And monthly he tithed
But when the sun went down
His demons owned the night

Samuel had a secret sin
That darkened his heart
Outside he was calm
Inside he was ripped apart

The sum of his sin
The sum of his grace
Which one shows us
Samuel's true face.

Daniel tried his very best
To do what had to be done
Whether it was the Augean stable
Or runnin' a fool's errand

He drank his blurry days down
And the whores knew his name
But when the moon came up
His saints carried his pain

Daniel had a secret grace
That lit up his heart
Inside he was golden
Outside he was torn apart

The sum of his sin
The sum of his grace
Which one shows us
Daniel's true face

And I tried my very best
To be like one of them
Day after day night after night
I'm not sure who've I been

The mirror holds a face
That can't be the only one
Look into a deeper pool
To see what I've become

Though the heart is hidden
From my neighbor's eyes
Inside and outside
Are engaged in strife

The sum of my sin
The sum of my grace
Which one shows me
My true face

01.10.10
STE-199
E G A B7

The Art In Being Ignored

There is an art in being ignored.
Within a crowd of friendly strangers,
Never expect to be adored.
There is an art in being ignored:
A glance may be your brief reward;
A longing look has lingering dangers.
There is an art in being ignored
Within a crowd of friendly strangers.

01.10.10 music
late 2000s lyrics
STE-200
G C
G C
Em
G C
G C
Em
G C
G C
Em (C-E-G & B-E-G)

New Year

New Year's Eve and there's a blue moon
Not even midnight, though it'll be here soon
How I listen and how you talk
Your white wine and my bourbon on the rocks
Once upon a time you sat right here
Out with the old, I'm out in the cold
It's a new year.

We'd made plans and set down resolutions
Figured out the world and offered solutions
Nothing would ever alter our arrangements
The road to boredom is paved with enchainments
Once upon a time, our plans were dear
Another round and you can't be found
It's a new year.

The last time I saw you was two winters past
It's funny how forever never really lasts
The moving van's motor was churning out smoke
I couldn't have felt emptier if I were stone broke
Once upon a time, we had no fear
Midnight rings, search for lost things
It's a new year.

The time we had is less than our time apart
Time runs so slow when kept by one heart
The big days last, but the small ones drift away
Day by day another detail fades
Once upon a time, the details were clear
That world is through, it’s now just you
It's a new year.


01.02.10
STE-192
Open D capo 5
000000
020100
020020
004300
002100

Rock And Roll, or The Myth Of Sisyphus

Keep rollin'
That old stone
Keep rollin'
That old stone
When it gets to the top
You know it won't stop
Keep rollin'

Keep roamin'
Back and forth
Keep roamin'
Back and forth
Up and down that hill
Is a measure of your will
Keep roamin'

Keep rovin'
In that rut
Keep rovin'
In that rut
When it's you and the stone
You'll feel so alone
Keep rovin'

Keep goin'
Up that hill
Keep goin'
Up that hill
That rock is going roll
Back down below
Keep goin'


01.01.10
STE-190
E E/G#
A A/C#
E E7/G#
A C
E B7 E

The Empty Chair

Four angels at a table
Wondering what to do
One leans to another and says


He rises & spreads his wings
Spirals off to the blue
Three angels lean back and say


Three angels at a table
Wondering what to do
One leans to another and says


The second one tells the third one
They vanish from the view
One angel leans back and says


One angel at a table
He's sitting next to you
He leans over and then he says


01.01.10
STE-189
capo 3: C F/C

Shadowland

Shadow man, what're doing?
Ya found a job, but ya lost your soul.
Shadow man, shadow man
You cast a shadow wherever you go.
Shadow man, don't be so.

Well the light shines through for everyone
It's bright enough to fill the dark
Take off those shades, see for yourself,
And let the light light your heart
And let the light light your heart

Shadow lady, what's going on?
Ya got a home, but it's so cold
Shadow lady, shadow lady
You cast a shadow wherever you go
Shadowlady, don't be so.

Shadowland, what's all that?
The skies are bleak, the streets are closed
Shadowland, Shadowland
You cast a shadow wherever you go
Shadowland, don't be so.

01.01.10
STE-188

capo 3
Verse
Am G
Am G
Am G
Am G C
Am G C

Chorus
G C
G C
G C
Am G C
Am G C