Well, in a moment of weakness, I submitted the band to this place. You've probably heard of it. We won't get anything, no doubt. We are still playing songs off music stands. No one practices and we only rehearse once a month. We got a ways to go. I like the Swap Meet because it feels like we are rehearsing live. I've decided I need to start memorizing the songs. Ah, we can dream can't we?

Its Just A Song

It's just a song. A little thing really. 

Still Working on this One

Green Eyes By Kate Wolf

C#m                                E                B                           E
Every night we light the candle that stands beside our bed
       Cm                                                   A
But sometimes the flame's too much to handle
                            E                                B                            C#m
That's what you said. That's what you said and you should know
                       A                                                   E
Because you built a fire in me and you made it burn
          A                                                E                             B
You followed me, watching every move, matching every turn.

CHORUS
   E                                                     B            
Your green eyes they don't miss a thing
          C#m                                     A
They hold me like the sun going down
   F#                                     B                       C#m   B  Cm
Warm me like a fire in the night, without a sound

C#m                              E                   B                                                E

You were waiting till I heard, just as patient as that love light in your eyes,

                  E                    B                                                                C#m
You never threw away a word or ever talked in disguise, I ought to know

                   A                                     E

You were a beacon to a sailor lost at sea

     A                 E                                                         B

I saw it in your eyes when you looked at me, so openly.

CHORUS

C#m                                        E                      B                                              E
The first time I ever saw your laughter break loose inside and tumble out to me

      Cm                                                      A

My heart knew it had found what it was after

E                      B                            C#m

And it came so easily,  we should know

                     A                                          E

After all the years of the hard and lonely times

          A                            E                                                    B
Now our days go by like best friends story lines, yours and mine. 

She removes the second line out of the second verse. The meter is all over the place. And that C#m makes me only play four strings and leaves the high G string out there all alone. Ah well, if you don't stretch, where will you go. Nancy sings it well. The song is a great woman's song about being really loved. Not too many of those around that mean something.

We're going to try to do it at TRiP next Thursday night- Our First Club Date!!

The Second One

The second one- They put obstacles in your way to doing this and sometimes its your friends. Thank you god, for these folks and their support for letting me do this.

Copying the thing

 

 Years of watching television late at night with the sound off has lead me to believe that there are a thousand scenarios for any scene presented. This could be a couple being married confronted by a angry suitor, or a couple being married by a alien, or  a couple being married by a gay woman priest that had been a man in a previous life that that been married to the woman here. It all works. Perhaps the same is true with melody. Here is the mythic depression, the wants-bes of the 60s wishing they were struggling in the 30s.  Woody Allen pretending to be a wanta-be that wanted the 20s in Paris.(The Streets of Paris, the latest movie) Bobby (Dylan) wanted to be Woody Guthrie. George Harrison, etc s, wanted to be Roy Orbison. 

I found this recently:

THE GREAT ROCK-ISLAND ROUTE  by J.A Roff  1882

Dedicated to The General Ticket & Passenger Agent

G                                                                              C
From a rocky bound Atlantic to a mild Pacific Shore
D7                                                                                     G
From a fair and sunny southland to an ice bound Labrador
G                                                                                                                  C
There’s a name of magic import and tis known the world throughout
    D7                                                                                          G
Tis a mighty corporation called the Great Rock Island Route

CHORUS

Now listen to the jingle and the rumble and the roar

As she dashes through the woodland and speeds along the shore

See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out

As they speed along in safety on the Great Rock Island Route

CHORUS

All great cities of importance can be found along its way

There’s Chicago and Peroria and Rock Island so they say

With Davenport and westward still is Council Bluffs far out

As a western termination of the Great Rock Island Route

CHORUS

Now let music soft and tender in its mysric power reveal

Praises to the Great Rock Island that the heart can only feel

And to swell the mighty chorus comes the glad re-echoing shout

That for safety time and comfort take the Great Rock Island Route

This is the original of Wabash Cannonball that morphed into something totally different. 

Wisdom from the Comments

This was left as a comment on Friday night's post : "It may not seem like it at times, but you're on the right track. Let the others get their songs first, then they'll be more willing to work on your material." Today, short handed because of illness, I had to sing for two hours straight. Oleeta did great , but the third voice was greatly needed. Anyhow, this is indeed where we are. Craig, in sort of a break period played this incredible hamonia thing that was amazing. He wrote it. I'm trying to encourage all of them to give us what they have. Its a scary thing, being in front of people. We need to listen and listen again. There is a generosity of spirit that we all have, that can create amazing things. (As long as you ARE NOT an old man that thinks he's right.)

Empty chairs

 

What a feeling when people that have filled your evening get up and leave. We rehearsed. Got a gig Sunday at the Melrose Trading Post Swap Meet for 2 1/2 hours. Missing three tonight. I always worry about people getting disillusioned or that their needs aren't getting met. They all want to be the star. Well, I do too, but I know I'm not going to be. I want to get my songs up and I want to play and sing. I will share with all. I don't have to the center of attention. I just want room to express. Norman wants us to rehearse twice before the Thursday night club date. We should and those that want will. I really need to start memorizing songs. It quiet here now. Sweet dreams children.