Beginner's Mind

My last job was teaching guitar, mostly to kids. There was this magic cul-de-sac full of wonderful kids where I worked with almost every kid on the block, nine students on one street. The neighborhood called The Overlook, so they were Overlookers.

We’d frequently write songs using the old I-write-a-line you-write-a-line method. That’s how Beginner’s Mind was written, me and Kyle, Ian, or Abby, picking some chords, making up a progression, taking turns writing lines.

Eight-year-old Ian and I wrote some crazy songs. Check out the sci-fi thriller Flea-Bee about getting sucked into the TV and landing in a future where men look like cockroaches or flea-bees. Or the redneck narrative of Hillbilly,

<a href="http://jasonmolin.bandcamp.com/track/hillbilly">Hillbilly by Jason Molin</a>
I’m a hillbilly
No really?
Yes silly!
I’m a hillbilly

I recorded these songs in 2006, as an album of the best songs written with students, but have never released it till now. I just discovered Bandcamp and the simplicity and ease of the interface for showing off music inspired me to dust off the old .wav files and share.

The other inspiration is Family Time Rocks!, the kids band I’m in with Sara Hickman and Gray Parsons, where these songs have new ears. Thanks to Susan Sermoneta for the cover photo.

Lily, Sara, and J, Jammin on a Rainy Day

Lily 1 – You Can’t Stop
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/lily1.mp3]

Lily 2 – On Top Of The World
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/lily-love-me.mp3]

Lily 3 – Not A Catch
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/lily3.mp3]

Lily 3 – Out Here In The Sun
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/lily4-out-here-in-the-sun.mp3]

Greatest Hits (To Be)

Funky Time Rocks
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/FTR2.mp3]
Family Time Rocks when you get it together
movin your booty no matter what the weather
you put your stuff and you put it all about
you’re drawin’ pictures, you screamin’ and shout

rock with your family
rock with your family

there’s too much sorrow and there’s too much pain
let’s bring all the families back together again
everybody wants to make stuff they can create
put it up on the wall where everybody has a ball

time to rock with your family
time to rock with your family
family time rocks

oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh oh oh

put your hands in the air like you just don’t care but i know that you do cause i’m hear with you
you are something special
you’re here for a reason so is your family
you’re gonna make some stuff that’s gonna blow your mind

family time rocks
family time rocks

do dop do doo do
scat doodle do de do wop
bada du bada du

where there all together
sittin round the table
tellin each other
all kinds of stories

we can do what we want
we can do what we need
cause it’s family time
and family time feeds (me to be a…)

do do do do

what rocks? family time
what rocks? family time

I’m Red
[audio:https://jmolin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/I%27m%20Red.mp3]
If you were a color you would be so red
If I was a color well I guess I’d be
lemme think about I’ll get back to you I gotta go, I gotta go

If you were a horse you’d have spots all over
Everyone would want to ride you to the cliffs of Dover
And I would just jump off
I don’t wanna be your girl anymore

You make me really mad, the color of red
Which is what I said at the beginning of the song
Cause you’re red, yeah you’re red
Yeah, you’re red

If I was an article of clothing, I guess I’d have to be a bra
I’m always holdin everybody up
And I don’t mean like keepin’ em in line
I mean that I’m holdin everybody up, I’m holden strong
I’m helpin’ em get up get up
And it makes me feel just like
the color red
Yeah I’m red
Yeah I’m red till I’m dead
TIll I’m dead I”m red
Shoutin from the rooftops

It’s just what I’m thinking
red and blue together make purple
purple’s like an angry girl
blue can be the color of the sky
and red’s the tomato on a summer day
but you put em together
and whata ya got?
you’ve got purple purple purple

it’s the color of my face
when I’m red
till i’m dead i’ll be read
that’s what I am
now that I’ve decided

you can blame it on your mother
she’s the mother of another color
i’d say she’s kinda yella
that’s the kinda fella that you are
you’re a yella fella, always afraid
to make a great big leap of faith
cause you make me red
just let me hear you say

red, red, red…

you are so red
i am so sick of it
i wanna be green
and help you like a tinge of spring

make me a sandwich
a green sandwich
let it color my mind

Bananas
[audio:2009/4/bananas-0.3.mp3]
i greeta da bananas in da morning
and eata da banana most every day
i dip a da banana into my yoghurt
and peck at peanut butter you got on your plate

oh how i am hungry for something so healthy
i needa da energy so i can play
hello mister granola or you can say hola
anyway you mix it it’s quite a parfait

my little banana my little banana
oh you’re so yellow my bright happy fellow
i love my banana more than i can say
da da da da, da da da da

i packa da banana for de afternoon time
for a sweet snack in a slice of da shade
it’s got it’s own package but squeeze it so lightly
or you’ll get all slimey wherever it’s laid

banana beer banana bread banana chip banana pudding
banana split, cherry and chocolate on it
banana boat and a banana cream pie
banana lips banana nose banana eyes

my little banana my little banana
you’re good for my tummy and so sweet and yummy
i love my banana more everyday
da da da da, da da da da,

i peela the banana in the evening
when you come around i make you fresh fruit
you say you love it when we get together
and you let me feed you with my little spoon

oh how i love you, oh you’re so beautiful
you make me happy more than i can say
when you go away oh i’m so lonely
but i go bananas and then i’m ok

my little banana my little banana
you’ve got such a luster when out with your cluster
you follow your hunches and travel in bunches
stick it in your ear and pretend you can’t hear
but please never take my banana away
da da da da, da da da da

Messy
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/FTR7.mp3]
we gonna get messy

get out some paints
we gonna spread everything out
wo gonna throw everything up in the air
gonna see where it lands

we gonna get messy
gonna get some dirt under our nails
we gonna get messy
we’re gonna paint ourselves
we can’t fail

messy is a state of mind
you leave all your worries behind
you just jump right in there
and make up what you want without a care

cause your messy
yeah your messy
let’s get messy

everybody’s comin over to the house
we’re gettin out stuff we can share
we got markers and colors and even scissors
maybe mom will cut my hair
(cut it up!)
i can turn it pink
or i can turn it blue
doesn’t have to be permanent it’s true
i can take my brush and make it frizzy yeah
everybody c’mon and make a big mess

get messy
gettin messy
get messy
gettin messy

just let go
just let it flow
sisters n bros

my nose was runnin down my face
it was gettin all over the place

I’m In Tune With The Universe
[audio:https://jmolin.com/newspaperandtrumpet/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/sara-iolana-jason-wereintunewiththeuniverse.mp3]
I’m In Tune WIth The Universe

I’m in tune with the universe

could be blessed could be cursed
could be better could be worse

I’m in tune with the universe

above ground into the bay
I’m so glad to be here hey
I can’t wait for what to come around
I love every single sound

I’m in tune with the universe

lalalalala

I’m in tune with the universe

I look at you and you look at me
This is what you think and this i what you see
Together we’re one, together we’re two
Together we’re always free

We’re in tune with the universe
RIght in tune with the universe
We’re in tune with the universe