Category Archives: Songwriting

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Demos, Songwrite, Songwriting

Make My Luck: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #31

Audio

“Make My Luck” is the 31st song in my songwriting challenge called “52 Songs In 52 Weeks.”

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Part of this is where I come from
Part of this is where I’ve been
Part of this is where I’m going
Don’t get in my way, my friend

Pre-chorus
My some day
My some day is now
My some day
Oh, my some day is now

Chorus
I make my luck
When I hit the streets
Yeah, I make my money
When they’re indiscreet

Life shaped me like a fisherman’s knife
Yeah, my grandpa was a trilobite
And I don’t give up
When I’ve set my mind
You know, I’m a primitive guy

Pre-chorus
My some day
My some day is now
My some day
Oh, my some day is now

Chorus
I make my luck
When I hit the streets
Yeah, I make my money
When they’re indiscreet

Chorus
I make my luck
When I hit the streets
Yeah, I make my money
When they’re indiscreet

Chorus
I make my luck
When I hit the streets
Yeah, I make my money
When they’re indiscreet

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Demos, Songwrite, Songwriting

Alien Child: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #29

Audio

“Alien Child” is my 29th song in a songwriting challenge series I call “52 Songs In 52 Weeks.” I started “Alien Child” on my iPhone using Garageband and finished it up in Pro Tools.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/183837008″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Alien child
Alien child
Alien child
Alien child

Chorus
Alien child
You always felt like an
Alien child
Adults they all treated you like an
Alien child
Lost in America
Alien child

Alien child
Alien child
Alien child
Alien child

In the heartland
Feel so plastic
Looking for a life fantastic

Trying to get off this rock somehow
Since they dropped you
From above the clouds

Won’t be left behind this time
Don’t know what they had in mind
But you’re changing the gameplan

Chorus
Alien child
You always felt like an
Alien child
Adults they all treated you like an
Alien child
Lost in America
Alien child

Solo

Chorus
Alien child
You always felt like an
Alien child
Adults they all treated you like an
Alien child
Lost in America
Alien child

Solo

Alien child
Alien child
Alien child
Alien child

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Acoustic, Songwrite, Songwriting, Uncategorized

Girl With The Starry Eyes: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #28

Audio

“Girl With The Starry Eyes” is the 28th song in my series “52 Songs In 52 Weeks,” where I’ve challenged myself to write and record a song a week for a year.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/182291271″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

The girl with the starry eyes
Is wandering through the field
Sees her breath in the winter air
And finally feels healed

She doesn’t need to cry, oh no
In fact, she catches herself smiling
It’s been almost a year out here
In a personal wilderness

The girl with the starry eyes
Walks along the water
Even though her father’s gone
She still works to be his daughter

She knows he would be proud
Behind the shroud
Hell, it was him that taught her
You can run away or stay to fight another day

Chorus
Shine on, starry eyes
Shine on, starry eyes

The girl with the starry eyes
Night gathers all around
She’s tired and a little cold
So she heads back into town

Yes, she knows the way
Each day, they would walk the path together
Sometimes he would say
Shine on, starry eyes

Chorus
Shine on, starry eyes
Shine on, starry eyes

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Acoustic, From Time To Time, Songwrite, Songwriting

From Time To Time: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #27

Audio

This song “From Time To Time” has been kicking around for a while and largely completed since 2011. I finished recording the demo on July 1, 2014 by adding new guitar work, resurrecting the plug-in I used for the strings, and remixing this song. I’ve hesitated to add it to 52 Weeks since it has been largely finished for a while, but decided to include it since I’m finally happy with the demo.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/181876588″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Yeah, I never got over you, girl
That summer of waves and wine
I can still see the beach and the wind in your hair
You’ve got me tangled like a fishing line

In your cotton blouse
Near the beach house
I was playing up among your dunes
Making mermaid jokes
We shared a smoke
I used your name in all those Beatles tunes

Chorus
From time to time
You’re on my mind
From time to time
Oh, like you’re still mine

We played that old guitar
Out in the dark
Sang up to the glimmering sky
Out on the sandbar
We counted falling stars, oil rigs, and satellites

Chorus
From time to time
You’re on my mind
From time to time
Oh, like you’re still mine

Bridge
Time is a cruel illusion
Summer seems to last forever
But it’s never gonna bring you back
It’s a bummer
It’s a cold, hard fact

Yeah, I never got over you, girl
That summer of waves and wine
I can still see the beach
But you’re just out of reach…

Chorus
From time to time
You’re on my mind
From time to time
Oh, like you’re still mine

Yeah, I never got over you, girl
I never got over you
Never got over you, girl
Never got over you
Never got over you, girl
Never got over you

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Acoustic, Demos, Songwrite, Songwriting

Daddy Came Home: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #25

Audio

This is my 25th song in my songwriting challenge called “52 Songs In 52 Weeks.” This demo is about a man coming home from war and the impact of his experiences on his child and wife.

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Lyrics
Daddy don’t talk much like he used to do
Keeps to himself
Seems awfully blue
And Daddy don’t sleep ’cause his dreams have turned sour
Mama just weeps, sweeps up the spilled flowers

Chorus
Daddy came home but he’s not the same
Daddy came home but Daddy’s changed
Daddy came home and he’s acting strange
And there’s only one thing to blame

Daddy can’t work no more but he’s done his share
In my 18 years he spent six years there
So now Daddy’s come home but he can’t hold a job
He done it for me so I could be free but I just feel robbed

Chorus
Daddy came home but he’s not the same
Daddy came home but Daddy’s changed
Daddy came home and he’s acting strange
And there’s only one thing to blame

Bridge
Three months ago my Daddy ended his war
Fired his final shot behind a closed door
He left a note and I kept all the lines
They keep turning, circling in my mind
My Daddy’s gone home

Solo

Now I’m of age to join and still the war goes on
Tomorrow I’ll sign up, help support my Mom
And I’m gonna go fight like my Daddy done
And I’ll keep fighting ’til the war is won
And I’ll keep fighting ’til the war is won

Chorus
My Daddy’s gone home and I ain’t the same
Daddy’s gone home, things have changed
Daddy’s gone home and I’m off to war
Daddy’s gone home and he ain’t coming back no more

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Demos, Home studio, Songwrite, Songwriting

There She Goes: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #24

Audio

“There She Goes” is the 24th song in my songwriting challenge “52 Songs In 52 Weeks.” My goal is to write and record a new song every week for a year. Time is up on January 18, 2015–the one year anniversary of me posting my first demo in the series called Alice (Headed For Wonderland).

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/181403317″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Lyrics
There she goes
Who knows where
All wrapped up in herself
New dress on
Big smile too

Chorus
She’s so fine, she’s not mine anymore
Anymore

Solo

There she goes
What can I do?
Every day feel just like a fool
I’m so down
I fall to the floor

Chorus
She’s so fine, she’s not mine anymore
Anymore

Bridge
Hey there
She goes
Her thoughts of us are no more
Our love has fallen
From her mind

There she goes
With those flashing eyes
I catch her scent
As she’s walking by
She still thinks I’m hers
If she wants me back

Chorus
She’s so fine
But I’m not blind anymore
Anymore
Anymore
Anymore

52 Songs In 52 Weeks, Acoustic, Songwrite, Songwriting

Be Happy: 52 Songs In 52 Weeks — Song #23

Audio

“Be Happy” is the 23rd song in my songwriting challenge “52 Songs In 52 Weeks.” My goal is to write and record a new song every week for a year.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/180488437″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Lyrics
All the times that you struggled
All the times that you tried
When nothing worked out
No star would guide

No gift of persuasion
Made money fall from the sky
All those mornings you spent
praying God was on your side

Chorus
Now be happy
Now be happy

All the tears that you shed
All the grief in your heart
All the sorrow and pain
That tried to rip you apart

Chorus
Now be happy
Now be happy

Solo

All the sleepless nights
Trying to explain, hoping
A flash of wisdom will fall down like rain.

Chorus
Now be happy
Now be happy

Bridge
Oh, the stress and the strain
They can’t touch you now
Oh, the fear and the pain
You can face them now

Ad Lib Chorus
So be happy, yeah
Come on, be happy
Come on, be happy
Won’t you be happy

Happy, yeah
Come on, be happy, yeah
Come on, be happy, yeah, oh
Won’t you be happy?