The Weekly Song

Week 34 - Fun to Begin

I'm violating a pretty major rule with this week.  I wrote the hook to this song a long ways back - months ago, in fact, but never really finished it.

I've always been into this hook and the concept behind it, particularly the turn it takes that is kind of unexpected, so I don't feel so guilty finishing it.

I'm pretty deep into this thing, so I'm allowed to cheat every once in a while, right?

DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE

Week 22 - Rock 'N Role Model

Those of you paying close attention may have noticed that ever since I started getting laid on a regular basis, the quality of my productions have declined rather markedly.  I do apologize because you are about to be exposed to the most glaring example of this decline.

That being said, this song would not have been possible at all without the help of my indirectly-aforementioned boyfriend who brilliantly composed most of the lyrics for this song after we both decided that we need to be more like The Jamies' bass player, Saysha Heinzman.  "She's a rock'n role model," was the precise phrase that started the song, and before I knew it he was off and running.

The crappy production will be remedied as soon as possible with an actual recording with The Jamies.  So, sit back and enjoy the scruffiness while it lasts.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
she meditates for breakfast
does yoga by the new school
she's puttin' down the whiskey
and breakin' all the rules
she runs a mile after dinner
she climbs rocks in her bare feet
it never stopped her
from holding down a sick-ass stupid beat

rock rock rock rock rock'n role model!

she's a portrait of perfection
all her actions are absolute
she's spinning a new direction
and with every turn she speaks the truth
she eats steak but only free range
she hangs out but never past three
she's got integrity
she knows what this world really needs

rock rock rock rock rock'n role model!

from out of the bottom she's climbing the ladder
for something inside her that's growing yet shattered
and knowing it never comes easy

rock rock rock rock rock'n role model

Week 20 - Afternoon

Listen to this week's song first and then read my take on it.  I really don't want what I have to say coloring your experience.

Yeah, not my best one.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
afternoon nothing to do

Week 16 - Driving Me

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you Tony Dilella of Queens band, Quick Finger. He happened to stop by (and step in) while I was unsuccessfully trying to cobble together a decent lead guitar part for this song.

The result is pure magic. I will say no more. But, your face is about to get rocked off, JSYK.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
I've been shaking since yesterday
hid my hands and ran the other way
i made sure it can't go far
bought a lot of gas
put it in the wrong car
you always knew it can't go far

but you're driving me...
you're driving me...
you're driving me...
crazy

it's all new since yesterday
lost a shoe but walked here anyway
you always knew you'd take it too far
you need a lot of gas
and maybe you need the right star
you always knew you'd take it too far

and you're driving me...
you're driving me...
you're driving me...
crazy

Week 15 - Keep Your Name

I had to give my dog away a couple of days ago.  This song is about that.

I've been fighting a pretty bad-ass sore throat for the better part of the last week, so the vocals on this one aren't exactly award-winning.

I don't have much else to say about this song. Admittedly, it's not one of my best, but it does capture something. And that's the point, really, of this whole thing. Just capturing moments in my life...

Hope you get something out of it too.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
she'll keep your name
and hopefully it'll sound the same
as when i said it too

i'll hide your things
and someday it won't hurt
as when all this was new

if i loved you as much as i wanted to
i'd still have to do
what i have to do
and she'll love you as much as i wanted to

i'll find a way
to make believe it's ok
in all these empty rooms

you'll run and play
and maybe think of me
for a moment or two

 

Week 14 - Flu Not a Heart Attack

Since I started this project (and proceeded to write nearly a dozen songs about one single boy*) Angela Bowers and I have been joking about needing a quarterly boy about whom to write these weekly songs. 

Be careful what you wish for.

This is another one of those songs that I put together out of a bunch of ramblings that made no sense at the time, but hang together in a way that is rather illuminating. (if knowing more about my psyche can be classified as illuminating in any way to anyone but me).

I think it's about falling for somoene, or more accurately, meeting someone you think you could fall for and then deciding it's probably best not to.

Thanks this week goes to Christopher Plummer and Ms. Bowers (the latter for lending her much needed and oft-appreciated guitar skills and the former for once again lending a solid pair of trusted ears).  Truth be told, there are few weeks that don't get a good Plummer once-over.  

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

* He's actually more man than boy, just for the record.

lyrics
i make every mistake for a reason
you now every sad song has a season
turned it over again in my mind
and i'm not giving in this time

real love creeping in can be deadly
turning every sad song into a medley
of never quite getting to find
a diamond that really does shine
so I'm not giving in this time

you can take it back
caught your flu, not a heart attack
and i'm not looking back
your flu is not a heart attack

someday you'll take it away for no reason
saturday? or maybe today. it's the season
turned it over again in my mind
the hows that don't have a why
i'm not giving in this time

you could take it back...

 

Week 13 - New Boy

This one goes out to all my New York ladies.

Special thanks to my old & dear friend Kim Loconto (thank you for being a friend), with some extra help on the recording from two other dear friends - Zarrin-Taj on vocals and Sam Hopkins on smokin' guitar.

Angela Bowers did not appear on this week's song because she couldn't drag her ass out of bed at 4pm on a Sunday.

I would also like to thank New Boy.  (Can't wait to meet him!)

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
HEY! YOU! NEW BOY! COME HERE!

hey there new boy
what did you do boy?
buy me a drink or two boy
hey new boy, come here!

tell me about the book you read
i wanna know what makes you laugh
oh i just bet that most of it makes me laugh too boy

i can't take you home to meet my mom
she only likes men
men who have real jobs
but I'll kiss you now anyway
it feels too good in your arms
boy!

(spoken)
hey, kim you know there's nothing i like more than the smell of a new boy early in the morning
i know just what you mean jamie. like, the way his hair catches the light...
makes me wanna lose my mind!

hey there new boy
leaving so soon, boy?
i should go too, boy
oh new boy come here!

tell me about bike you bought
i wanna know what size your bed is
oh i just hope that i can fit right next to you in it, boy!

i can't take you home to meet my dad
he'd just get upset
the whole thing makes him too sad
but i'll go home with you anyway
it feels too good to be bad
boy!

Week 12 - Pack a Gun

I don't always know where songs come from - how they start in my experiences and get processed somehow for packaging inside of a tune and lyrics.  Sometimes, just being near someone I'm close with can produce a song based on their experiences.  I think this is one of those cases.

The production on this one is rather stark. I recently realized that I have access to a pretty sick Fender Rhodes piano in one of the rehearsal spaces I rent, so I've used it quite liberally on this track. But besides that and a single lead vocal track, that's all she wrote. The subject matter is kinda heavy, so I couldn't really justify turning this into a big production number.

I hope you can enjoy my restraint. It is a rare treat.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
you never learned how to fight
you never learned how to lie
so he took what he liked
you didn't know how to hide

did you keep what you heard
did it hurt every time
you believed every word
and he crossed every line

pack a gun for the ride
watch him run with your eyes
pack a gun
get it done
you know how the west was won
pack a gun

you can go underground
i can wait for a sign
i will not make a sound
but I'll stay close behind

pack a gun for the ride
hope is what you design
pack a gun
get it done
you know how the west was won
pack a gun

Week 11 - Sooner or Later

I recorded this one last nite at my dentist's house. 

Seriously.

It's for Angela Bowers - my friend and cohort. It's about being a tough girl and letting someone get the best of you and then getting over that someone.

I know I'm not supposed to say this about my own songs, but this one really gets me for some reason. The only thing I'd change if I had more than one week is the guitar solo. Not one of my more shining moments.  Oh well.

Special thanks this week: the aforementioned Angela Bowers (as muse this time, not collaborator), Dr. Shanaahz Gill, his amazing girlfriend Meagan (sorry, Meagan, I can't spell your last name) and Tom Petty for writing the song "Yer So Bad."

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics
you're such a fun girl
you're so bad
and everybody knows it
you know they never look away
you're so bad

you've got ur own world
but you've been had
and you don't wanna show it
but i can see it anyway
you've been had

seen what you been lookin' for
it's not what u think no not at all
not at all
i know he didn't want anymore
but you can't feel bad baby sooner or later
you'll thank him

you'll find a new way
to keep your hand
and no one will see it
yeah you'll never give it away
you're gonna keep ur hand

seen what you been lookin' for... 

Week 10 - Not Enough

One word: 

duet.

That's right - we're talking about a duet this week - and not just any kind of duet. The kind of duet that might make Meatloaf or Bonnie Tyler proud. It's a bit of a departure but it was a hell of a lot of fun.

My only regret on this track is the lack of time we had to tighten things up sound engineering-wise and even songwriting-wise. I'd never written a duet before and even with the capable help of Mr. Christopher Plummer, it proved to be a bit of a challenge. Special thanks this week also goes out to guitar virtuoso Angela Bowers.

So, now, brace yourselves. This is awesome in ways that only a rare few can truly understand.

If the SoundCloud player isn't loading
DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S SONG HERE
On a Mac: Ctrl+click and choose "Save Linked File As..."
On a PC: right click and choose "Save Target As..."

lyrics

her:
it took a few years to get over an old fling
you were gonna save me with a brand new thing

him:
it took a few years to get over an old thing
you were gonna save me with a brand new fling

thought this time
it'd be enough
thought this time
it'd be enough

her:
but I like the way you smile
him:
and I like the way you laugh

thought that would be enough
to push away the past

not enough again
it's never enough again
just not right again
another door shuts again

him:
you were looking at me like I was your leading man
but I'm a walk-on role in a one night stand

her:
you were looking at me like I was your biggest fan
but I play a brand new role whenever I can

thought this time
it'd be enough...

him:
you were reckless and fast just like my dreams
knew how to touch me how to make me scream
but it's just not gonna be enough it seems

her:
you better find yourself a new whipping girl cuz it ain't me