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

Starless

If I can't see the stars,
Then how can they see me?
Night was not like day
The stars could all be seen

The stars are gone
The stars are gone

If I can't watch the stars,
Then how can they watch me?
The night is draped in gauze
Lost stars still haunt me

If I can't wish on stars
Then where will wishes go?
Will they fall down wells
And make a splash below?

Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

12.29.09
STE-172
capo 2
verse: A D/A A F#m/A
chorus: A D/A A F#m
coda: A F#m/A

*Track #1 in Dec 09 Jukebox

Tom Waits

Love is a drunken thing
As complicated as flight
You know when it's working
And you know when it ain't right
What is love's opposite
You'll have to ask my ex-wife

Oh Tom, Tom, Tom
All the women are gone
Oh Tom, Tom, Tom
I can't get no dates
With chicks who dig Tom Waits

Speaking of my ex
What do you think went wrong?
Well love is hungover thing
In pasties and a ragged thong
I think it was just one thing
She didn't like one Tom Waits song

12.28.09
STE-169

Hearsay

In the middle of this empty land
There's something I'm trying to understand
It's like I'm waiting for something or someone
To point me in the right direction
How long can I stay in this town
Who'd want to stick around anyway
At least that's what I've heard them say.

I dreamed a face in a golden frame.
When I think of her, I don’t feel the same.
Gotta leave this place where I was born;
It’s a pair of boots that are too worn.
All I gotta do is leave this town.
Nobody wants me around anyway
At least that’s what I’ve heard them say.

I couldn’t take a plane, so I took the bus;
See a whole lot more with a lot less fuss;
Sat by a woman with nonstop talking.
Before the bus left, I started walking.
All I gotta do is leave this town
Nobody here wants me around anyway.
At least that’s what I’ve heard them say.

Standing out by the side of the road,
So excited I thought I’d explode,
Thinking ‘bout the face and my destiny
But my situation won't let me be free.
Prairie roads were dead for miles around.
No one’s coming through this town anyway.
Why anyone should, I can’t say.

When the stars came out, I went back to town
Feeling dejected, just like a clown.
And then I saw her face at the bus stop.
And right there, my heart hopped.
She said, “I’m just passing through this town.
Don’t know if I’ll hang around anyway.
It just depends on what you say.”

There’s the birds and the bees and a wedding in June,
Nowhere to go on our honeymoon.
Spent every day and night in bed.
Just let ‘em talk, go right ahead.
Never gonna leave this town.
Just needed to settle down anyway.
At least that’s what I’ve heard them say.


[INTRO & TURNAROUND: D A E]
(E) Somewhere out in this (B) mighty land
There’s a (E) lonely girl stretching (B) out her hand
(E) Waiting for some-(B)-thing or for some-(F#m) one
To (A) offer a direc-(B)-tion (E) home.
(C#m) All I (B) gotta (A) do is (B) leave this (F#m) town
No-(A)-body here (B) wants me a-(E)-round any-(A)-way.
At (F#m) least that’s what I’ve (B) heard them (E) say.

10.28.05
rev 12.19.09
STE-195

The Answer May Not Seem Right

Talk about your angry angel
Falling in fading light
Though each prayer one day gets answered
The answer may not seem right.

Sometimes I feel guarded
Sometimes I feel forgotten

Talk about your redeemed demon
Freed from every slight
Though each curse one day gets answered
The answer may not seem right.

Sometimes I know salvation
Sometimes I know I'm forsaken

Talk about your puzzled self
How pieces don't fit overnight
Though each thought one day gets answered
The answer may not seem right.

Sometimes I feel grave
Sometimes I feel forgiven

12.06.09
STE-137
maybe better in G

Ring Out, Wild Bells

(Alfred, Lord Tennyson/Chris Baker)

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out, ring out, ring out, ring out
Ring out, wild bells!

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out, ring out, ring out, ring out
Ring out, wild bells!

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out, ring out, ring out, ring out
Ring out, wild bells.

12.31.09
xSTE-178x(need to do another take with good ending)
xSTE-179 Guitar tuned 1/2 step downx
STE-181 Standard tuning

Verse
G D G
G D G
G D/F# Em D/F#
G D G

Chorus
G D/F# Em D/F#
C D G

Tell Them

Tell them
how it
has to be

Tell them
to run
to the sea

Tell them
to look
for the shell

Tell them
to listen
for the bell


Tell them
how it
has to end

Tell them
to run
round the bend

Tell them
to look
out for hell

Tell them
to listen
to you well

12.23.09
STE-153
capo 5: C E A

From The Moment We Touch

What was it that made me want you,
What was it that made me care?
Was it the usual suspects
Like your lips, your laugh, or your hair?

Or was it something more
Something I can’t put a finger on ...
What was it? I’d like to know
Why it doesn’t linger on.

What was it that made me need you,
What was it that made me mad?
Was it my inexperience
Or the innocence I once had.

Or was is something else
It’s on the tip of my tongue ...
What was it? I can’t be sure,
But I'm sure that it’s done.

What was it that made me love you,
What was it that made me complete?
Was it just a chain of events
That won’t ever repeat?

Or was it something else
Hidden from all maps?
Where was it? Was I ever there?
Will I ever go back?

What was it that made me stay
What was that made me try
Like a finger pointing to the moon
When there's nothing in the sky

Why do I ask these questions,
Why do I replay my past?
Looking for answers
But the questions keep getting asked

We’re all entangled
From the moment we touch
We’re all entangled
From the moment we touch
No matter how far away
From the moment we touch
And time doesn't mean anything
From the moment we touch
We’re all entangled
From the moment we touch

12.19.09 STE-148 (before last verse & coda)
3/4
intro D/F# G A D
D Bm G A
D/F# G Em A

N.B., coda is not recorded

Cal Oroville

Cal Oroville sat on a bridge
And looked at the rocks below
At 92, he’d had enough
And knew it was time to go.

Some men are born to kill
Some men are born to die
Cal had done his very best
To shut his landlord’s eyes.


He tried to gut that bastard Lou
With a serrated knife,
But Cal was weakened from cancer
That squeezed his lungs of life.

Cal got the knife into Lou’s gut
And pushed as hard as he could.
Lou’s fat gut absorbed the cut
And blood gushed where he stood.


Like every good American,
Cal got his day in court.
And Lou came to testify
A bandage on his gut.

The jury found him guilty
And sent him to Mesa Jail.
Cal got a number for his name
And shoved inside a cell.


The other convicts loved Old Cal,
But not the way you think.
They called him Pops and Cutter Cal
And snuck him booze to drink.

And when they dealt out the cards,
They let Cal cut the deck.
They let him watch his favorite show
Old reruns of Star Trek.


Nobody ever visited him,
He had no living kin.
That didn’t really bother Cal
For he had found new friends.

He figured that he’d end his days
Inside of Mesa Jail.
His days crawled on with cancer,
His breathing became frail.


Judge Marcos said his time was up
After four hundred days,
And Cal could now go on home
But he loved the jailhouse ways.

He asked the Judge to change his mind
Or he’d try suicide
The Judge unlocked the door
And made Cal step outside.

His only friends were all locked up
He had no family
He knew he’d never get a job
He was too elderly

At 92, he’d had enough
And knew it was time to go
Cal Oroville jumped off that bridge
And hit the rocks below.

12.31.09
lyrics circa 2003
STE-187

Forsworn

Don't say it if you are torn
I love you shouldn't be forsworn

Don't say it if you've been scorned
I love you shouldn't be forsworn

If you lie about love
Your love will be a lie

Don't say you haven't been warned
I love you shouldn't be forsworn

12.06.09
STE-140

Bm7b5 E7b9 Am
Gm C9 F E7 Am

Bbmaj7 Eb Dm Am

weird end chord x0676x

What Was Is Now Not Now

Whoever I was
I'm not anymore
Old mind, old skin,
Old cells, old eyes, old bone.
The mirror shows
A face that's not my own.
Old mind, old skin,
Old cells, old eyes, old bone.

What was is now not now
What was is now not now

I've changed my ways
My ways aren't set in stone
Old mind, old skin,
Old cells, old eyes, old bone.
All snails shed shells
To seek another home
Old mind, old skin,
Old cells, old eyes, old bone.

What was is now not now
What was is now not now

12.28.09
STE-167 -- need to rerecord with capo 1 & lyric edit
STE-168 w/ capo 1
capo 1
verse: E A
chorus: D A E

Did You Know That I Knew

Well, yes, you knew me
Saw right through me
One of the few to understand
I can't blame you
And I won't shame you
Maybe I became a better man

Did you know that I knew
Did you know that I knew

Well, yes, I asked you
Knew your past too
Thought that I'd cast the best
We both had enough
Grew bored with our love
Won't would've could've should've the rest

Did you know that I knew
Did you know that I knew

12.10.09
STE-143

Universal

If the harmony of life
Were like the harmony of song
We'd never be alone
Someone would always sing along
No matter how soft or loud
Or how many songs you sing
You've got to be true
To the truth in everything.

If the waters of life
Were like the waters of the sea
We'd never be landlocked
We'd always sail free
No matter how wide or deep
Tide rising, tide falling
You've got to be true
To the truth in everything.

If the spirit of life
Were like the spirit of light
We'd never be in shadows
All colors would be bright
No matter how dark it got
We'd know the hope dawn brings
You've got to be true
To the truth in everything.

12.20.09
STE-152

D / G / D / G
Bm / G / Bm / D A G A D

Heartache Headache

Hello heartache
I see you're back around
I'd heard rumors
That you'd left town

Hello heartache
Go on and have a seat
Would like a beer?
I know you don't want to eat.

One pain comes
And another goes
As sure as life and death
It won't change
You can be sure
So don't hold your breath

Goodbye headache
Glad to see you go
No use in staying
I couldn't stand you anymore

Goodbye headache
My head no longer pounds
It's such a relief
That you're not around


If I had a choice
Between the two
I know exactly
What I'd do

I'd choose headache
Over heartbreak
It's just a shame
I can't choose my fate

12.23.09
STE-154
key of E

Slip Away

Slip away, slip away
Slip away, slip away

Let the light fade
Let the light fade

Feel the cool shade
Feel the cool shade

Now I lay me down
Now I lay me down

12.23.09
STE-158
capo 1 drop D
D A
G D
Bm D Bm A

The Nondenominationalist's Apology

I go to church on Christmas
And maybe Easter as well
But the rest of year I don't go
Do you think I'm going to hell

And I go when there's a funeral
Or if there are some wedding bells
But on any given Sunday, ain't no way,
I'd rather spend it in hell.

But who's to say
Who's to say
My soul, my soul, my soul
Ain't your business anyway.

The Bible's got many meanings
I'll figure them out for myself
Don't need no theologian's
High minded words leading me to hell

Don't need no grinning preacher
Preaching about gospel wealth
No prophet drove no Mercedes
The road to riches leads to hell


Some got to confess their sins
To a man hidden behind a veil
God only needs to know what I did
Only he can put me in hell

I may be saved or raptured up
Only time will tell
But Jesus and me are such good friends
I don't think he'll send me to hell

12.20.09
STE-151

Go

Tell me how
It dies
And won't return
Tell me how
It tries
But still is burned.

Go, be on your way
Go, be gone

The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low

Tell me how
It ties
To what I've learned
And dwell on how
It cries
And still yearns

Go, be on your way
Go, be gone
Go, no reason to stay
Go, be gone

The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low
The sun is sinking low
The sun
The sun

12.29.09
STE-171
Am

G Am

C G/B Am

Crown You Cool

(for Carter Albrecht)

Hey, man, why are you still here
Putting salt in happy hour beer
This city dines on slop and slurps down swill
You should be in New York or in Nashville.

You've been plotting away
And rotting away
In a city that doesn't care
You've been plodding away
And haven't gotten away
How much more can you bare.

Keep sitting on that stool
Smoking and drinking, you fool
Someone's got to take notice
And crown you cool.

Hey, man, who were you supposed to be
Local legends never make history
I can't believe you never got away
You should've been in Paris or at least LA

You'd been tossed a chance
And you scoffed at that chance
In a city that ain't aware
You crossed off that chance
And never got off your ass
How much more can we care

Keep sitting on that stool
Smoking and drinking, you fool
Someone's got to take notice
And crown you cool.

12.11.09
STE-145 (bad 144)

D riff
D A G D A
Bm A Bm A D
A D A D A D A D riff

Here Lie The Beasts

On a summer night, she was light
And she took me by my hand
By the dawn I knew from then on
That I'd become a man
She asked me if I'd stick around
But I just packed and went
I heard the music
But not what it meant.

He wanted to me to cross the sea
And visit him in France
I could always stay at his place
If I got the chance
But I was busy with details
And trying to pay the rent
I heard the music
But not what it meant.

She called late, I was elated
But my bride was in bed
She wanted to meet, but I wouldn't cheat
So I hung up the phone instead.
My bride never once woke me up
But she filled me with torment
I heard the music
But not what it meant.

An intuition about a reunion
For a band of odd friends
At the last minute I wasn't in it
And didn't attend
Twenty years was just yesterday
Past sins you can't circumvent
I heard the music
But not what it meant.

She whispered words I barely heard
But it didn't matter
Personal cliche got in my way
All else was chatter
When I asked her to stick around
She just packed and went
I heard the music
But not what it meant.

12.25.09
STE-161/2 (old melody nix takes)
STE-163 (good one)
capo 3: A D E

Fate (Fado)

When I paint, I'm blind
But my brush still creates
But my brush still creates
But when I stop
I see, oh, I see
My fate

When I play my guitar
I strum and I escape
I strum and I escape
But when I stop
I'm caught, oh, I'm caught
By fate

When I dance, I float
My feet feel no weight
My feet feel no weight
But when I stop
I feel, oh, I feel
My fate

When I love, I love
Oh, how can I relate
Oh, how can I relate
But when I stop
I curse, oh, I curse
My fate

12.26.09
STE-166
capo 7: Am E7

Waitin'

Waitin'
always waitin'
You think you know
But still it's no go
Still waitin'

Waitin'
keep on waitin'
The line gets longer
Your boredom gets stronger
While waitin'

Your number will be called
No need to rush at all
I'd let you cut in front of me
Doesn't matter cause I'd still be

Waitin'
don't stop waiting
That light ain't gonna change
My patience caught the mange
While waitin'

I'd let you cut in front of me
Doesn't matter cause I'd still be

Waitin'
hangin' round waitin'
No one will cut me loose
While I dangle in this noose
I'm waitin'

12.15.09
STE-147

The Nihilist's Funeral

He don't want no flowers
He don't want no words
He don't want no preacher
Cause it's all absurd

He don't want no graveyard
He don't want no church
He don't want no headstone
Cause it's all absurd

Even the absurd means nothing
And nothing itself means nothing
There's nothing about nothing
And nothing ain't worth nothing

He don't want no wake
He don't want no obit blurb
He don't want no songs
Cause it's all absurd

He don't want to be mourned
He don't want to be interred
He don't want to be missed
Cause it's all absurd

Even the absurd means nothing ...

Don't quote no Nietschze
Or Soren Kierkegaard
Keep Camus to yourself
Cause it's all absurd

He don't want to live
He don't want to convert
He don't want to die
Cause it's all absurd

Even the absurd means nothing ...



12.20.09
STE-150
Verse: C F C Eb (150 uses Eb7, but use C-shape Eb with open G)
Chorus: Em Am Em Am Em Am Dm7 G7 C

N.B., Wondering about Jack Myer's services after a discussion with Thea, his widow.

The Root

You were given silver
And you were given gold
Inside a silken purse
You can gather more silver
You can gather more gold
It's a blessing or a curse

You can spend it on life
And you can spend it on death
Spend it till it's all spent
The way you use it
Will come down to this
It comes down to your intent

So gather no silver
And gather no gold
Treat them as you'd treat rust
Keep your purse open
But shake out the ash
Be as light as dust

When the angel of death
Spreads his great wings
He'll lift you up
If your purse is heavy
With gold or silver
He'll let you drop.


12.25.09
STE-160 (before some revisions)
STE-164 (take)
Gm Cm D7

Camouflage

The pier is creaking
And the lake is still
I walk to the edge
And test my will

The sun browns my arm
The sky is clear
I look so closely
Something is near

Camouflage, camouflage

Something stirs
I lean in close
The wood is old
And grey as a ghost

Something moves
And catches my eyes
Due to that shift
I realize

Camofulage, camouflage

Nature hides
And doesn't reveal
The subtle truth
So just be still

Take your time
Stay in one place
Open yourself
And be face to face


12.24.09
STE-159 (except for the last verse)
verse Am
chorus Am C G D

Quotidian Blues

Good morning blues
Feel like my eyes are still shut
Don't really need them
As I wander blindly through this rut

I stumble through the day
Bumping into everything
Nothing gets out of my way
And I feel every sharp pang

And the people greet me
They say, how do you do?
I answer with a mask
Cause they don't want to see the truth

In the afternoon I drink some coffee
Hope it'll keep me awake
But I'm still groggy
And I'm starting to get the shakes

Everybody wants to know
What are my weekend plans
I'd tell them I need to be alone
But they wouldn't understand

When the nighttime falls
The change in light don't seem much
I flip through one hundred channels
Each one makes me feel out of touch

I get ready for bed
Wash my face and brush my teeth
Some habits are healthy
But it don't mean they give relief


12.22.09
STE-157 (rec 12.23.09)

O Bless The Kids

CHORUS
O bless the kids, those little twits,
They know not what they do.
They always have those little fits
No matter what they do.

O bless them when they have to eat
At any restaurant.
When they're there it's such a treat
To be at the restaurant. (CHORUS)

O bless them when they see a show,
For they cannot sit still
They whisper, "Daddy, I have to go,"
And Daddy cannot sit still. (CHORUS)

O bless them when they have to speak,
Their voices are so shrill:
They squeal, they squawk, they scream, they sqeak,
And all of it's so shrill. (CHORUS)

12.31.09
lyrics circa 2003
key of G
STE-183

Wrong Place Wrong Time

Step on a bug
Crawling cross a run
Wrong place, wrong time

Suprise a rattlesnake
Such a mistake
Wrong place, wrong time

You can't read tea leaves
Can't see the crystal ball
Don't throw those yarrow sticks
They don't make no sense at all
A gypsy palm reader
Said your fate line
Puts you right here, right now
Wrong place, wrong time

Seven bad years
After one cracked mirror
Wrong place, wrong time

Walked under a ladder
Life couldn't have been sadder
Wrong place, wrong time

The stars don't have a mind
About your astrological sign

Lucky rabbit charm
Was the rabbit charmed
Wrong place, wrong time

Cross your fingers
But danger still lingers
Wrong place, wrong time

12.05.09
STE-136

Waltz From A Winter's Nap

Instrumental

Most of this was actually written in a dream during a winter's nap.

Facebook

You want to know all about me
But you don't know your own self
You want an open book
Let's keep it on the shelf.

Let's keep that book closed
A blank page is all we need.
Let's keep that book closed.
A blank page is easier to read.

Good days are clean, white pages
And they rise up on sun rays
But the bad days run with ink
Black pages fill up those days

How many shelves do you have
Do you want them all packed tight
With faded, yellowed pages
Stained with what didn't go right.

When my face gets older
Near the end of my life
There will be some lines
You can read in them what you like

12.30.09
xSTE-173/4/5x
STE-176
verse: A D A D
chorus: E A E D A

Psalm

Throw a stone to the water
See the waves
It will make
See the waves

Stick your tongue into the water
Maybe your thirst
Will be slaked
Maybe your thirst

Wash me, water

Drop a branch into the water
Watch it drift
Far away
Watch it drift

Dip your hand into the water
Touch your forehead
As if to pray
Touch your forehead

Wash me, water

Let it be so
Whiter than snow


12.06.09
STE-138/139
(Ps 51)

capo 9
Am G

G C

C G F C

Nostalgia

The vision is clear
It's stuck in time
I see the things we did
Clearly in my mind
But my blurry life
Wanders through a maze
Do I long for the girl
Or for those simple days

She shows herself
Every month or so
Often when my life
Feels out of control
Her voice is low
And her hands are raised
Do I long for the girl
Or for those simple days

I shut my eyes
And tell myself
I can live in ruins
And dream about wealth
Oh, my colorblind eyes
Watch colorful displays
Do I long for the girl
Or for those simple days

Gone, gone, gone

STE-135
12.03.09
12.03.09

Looking On

Sitting on the summer porch
Memories on the lawn
I see them so clearly
I'm looking on

Sitting in a club downtown
Where I played my first song
I still sing that one
I'm looking on

All that I see
Is memory
Where the past goes
Can't be controlled

Getting light from you to me
What once was is now gone
I only see what's passed
I'm looking on

All that I hear
Is what's near
What the past knows
Can't be controlled.

Sitting on the autumn porch
Memories on the lawn
The setting sun casts shadows
I'm looking on

12.12.10
STE-146

After The Last I Love You

How do you know it's over
How do you know it's the end
After you've stopped loving
Just before you're no longer friends

One day you'll look back
And know that there was nothing more
After the last I love you
But not a moment
Not a moment before

How do you know when to leave
How do you know when to quit
After your love is threadbare
And your apathy is a better fit

In time you'll see it all
When you're no longer bruised and sore
After the last I love I you
But not a moment
Not a moment before

How do you know when it's time
When it's been long enough
After you've been alone
And just before you've given up

You'll know
You'll know
You'll know
You'll know then


12.09.09
STE-142
E
A E A E A E C G E
A E A E A E D A E
coda C#m E C#m E C#m D A E

Blind Spot

Sun hanging in the sky
Fills and burns my eyes
Blindspot

Sky has more than one
You became my sun
Blindspot

Where is that moon
so full and crisp
Cover my sun
in a total eclipse

Glare won't let me see
Things you've done to me
Blindspot


12.09.09

STE-141

Simple Days

I had another dream
About a girl I used to know
The last time I saw her
Was twenty years ago

Parts were clear
Though parts were in a haze
Do I long for the girl
Or for those simple days

Mmm, mmmm

Make no mistake
The girl was fine
I see the things we did
Clearly in my mind

But this was way back
Before life was a maze
I want to go back
To those simple days

Mmm, mmmm

I see that girl
Every month or so
Often when my life
Feels out of control

When it's tough to sleep
And my life is crazed
I hope I fall back
To those simple days

Simple days, simple days, hmmm

12.02.09
STE-134

Aporia

How far can you go
On that empty road?
How far can you walk
With that ivy load?
You're seeking something
I can't bestow
If you're asking me,
Then you'll never know.

How deep can you see
Into that starless sky?
How deep can you look
Into that artless eye?
There's nothing worth trading
No quid pro quo
If you're asking me,
Then you'll never know.

How long can you search
For that perfect gift
How long can you hope
For that permanent lift
The time is never right
It's never apropos
If you're asking me,
Then you'll never know.

12.25.09
STE-165

A
D
A
D A
G
A
G
G E G E A