NEW SONG (DEMO): Begin Again

Begin Again

(recorded on my phone)

when,  at the end of a crazy day
I’ve got the nightmare on replay
god, what did I say?
forgive my sins
I need a gin
and to begin again

when, at the end of a disastrous  year
we all see the thing we fear
loud and clear
can I extend a hand?
manage to mend
and begin again

when, at the end of a life cut short
and I’m trying to protect my heart
and then a song come on
reminds me who’s gone
and I cannot comprehend
how to begin again

why’s it so hard to let go? (I’ll never forget)
how can I ever un-know? (what they’ve done to my head)
how can I move past the pain?
I am afraid
to begin again

when, at the end of a life so long
I’ve written my thousand songs
and they put me in the ground
still diggin my sounds
amen
I’m zen
begin again

NEW SONG (DEMO): Collapse

An ode to a few recently extinct mammals and a plea to value those that are not yet gone. They are us. Listen to Collapse on YouTube.

Collapse

The Eastern hare wallaby and
The Desert bandicoot
The White-footed rabbit-rat and
The Broad-faced potoroo

The Bulldog rat, the Bluebuck and
The Dusky flying fox
The Falkland Island wolf and
The Big-eared hopping mouse

The Madagascan pygmy Hippo and
The Christmas Island shrew
The Gloomy tube-nosed bat and
Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroo

The Sea mink and the Forrest ox and
The Relict leopard frog
The Caribbean monk seal and
The Utah prairie dog

Collapse, collapse
these creatures could not last
how long till we’re aghast?
Perhaps collapse

Collapse, collapse
and all of it forecast
let’s not be the last
before collapse

The Blue whale and the Fin whale and
The Wild water buffalo
The Ganges river dolphin and
De Winton’s golden mole

The Japanese Sea Lion and
The Lightning man triplefin
The Shortnose sucker, the Rhim gazelle and
The Philippine pangolin

The Giant crowned flying fox and
Père David’s deer
The Bluemask darter, the Hong Kong grouper and
The Idaho ground squirrel

The Jamaican monkey, the Large sloth lemur and
Emma’s giant rat
The Bornean ferret-badger and
Bokermann’s nectar bat

Collapse, collapse,
we’re falling and falling fast
and our head is up our ass
in this unsurpassed collapse

Collapse, collapse
and all of it forecast
let’s not be the last
before collapse

NEW SONG (DEMO): Bones

I supplied the title to the group for this week’s song – Bones – because I had just started teasing Maile singing this line: “My baby is boilin the bones, she’s got them in a pot what she found by the side of the road.” We laughed about it and it got stuck in our heads. She was singing it too, so I took my comedic tribute and made it a  funky celebration of Maile’s creative connection to the natural world and its healing powers.

Bones

My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature shows

She’ll bind you up some sage and burn it
She’ll gather up rosemary and urn it
She got aromatherapies for you anxieties
My baby she will bring you earth’s bouquet

She’ll boil linden leaves for dreamin
She’ll steep some oat straw tea for soothin
She’ll brew tranquility, sip some harmony
She knows earth gives her medicines away

My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature sews

She’ll use seed pod as a bead (and repeat it)
She’ll make a tincture with some weeds (and treat it)
She’ll turn salt into a scrub and make it smell like love
My baby she can use what nature gave

She’ll turn a bean pod into earings (can you hear it?)
She’ll make juniper into gin, my friend (can you cheers it?)
She’ll make your heart start seeing things as beings with feelings
My baby she can  see what nature say

My baby is boilin the bones
She’s got them in the pot what she found by the side of the road
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature codes

Is that a snakes spine? I don’t know!
Is that a skunk skull? Who can tell?
She found a turtle shell! How old was it?
She found an owl pellet! Let’s sift through it.

My baby is boilin the bones
She’s gonna paint em, mount em, adorn em and give them to her mom
My baby is boilin the bones
She can see the beauty in the things that nature grows
She can see the beauty in the things that nature throws
She can see the beauty in the things that nature knows

NEW SONG (DEMO): Anybody Else?

Gray invited me to join the song-a-week club with a small group of musicians. A title is proposed and everyone writes a song with that title. This week it was: Anybody Else?

Fall leaves on sidewalk with sneaker and paw

Anybody Else?

I’m been talking through my mask
Tryin to see through foggy glass
Anybody else tired of tying to see and be heard?

I’ve been taking lots of walks
Tryin to get out of my box
Anybody else diggin this life differed?

I’m givin up on all the news
Cuz it was givin me the blues
Anybody else lookin for someone that understands?

My forearms are always sore
From guitars and keyboards
Anybody else just thankful for their hands?

I feel like I’m gonna make it someday
But what if that day is today?
What if it’s never getting better?
I’m never gonna make a lota cheddar
I’m just so glad we’re still together
Anybody else woulda been long gone

I’ve been wanderin round the yard
Lookin kinda avant-garde
Anybody else walking the dog in your robe?
(How’d it get in your robe?)

I’m seeing concerts on the lawn
Dreamin a stage to put them ’em on
Anybody else wanna be in the show?

One day I’m gonna make it all come true
Summer livin somewhere warm with you
Sailin away for a season, forgettin about all this treason
Until then we’re gonna power through

I feel like I’m gonna make it someday
But what if that day is today?
What if it’s never getting better?
I’m never gonna be a trendsetter
I’m just so glad that we are still together
Anybody else woulda just moved on

I feel like I’m gonna make it someday
But what if that day is today?
What if it’s never getting better?
All of my prayers are dead letters
I’m just so glad that we are still together
Anybody else would be sick of my songs