Learning All Over Again -Various
Some previously unposted recordings here from my my archived items and *one new one.
- *Learning All Over Again
- Chance of Rain
- Don't Add Up to Nothing
- Delilah
- Stand (remix)
- By a Pretty Face
- Right Now
- Not Dying
- Minor to Major (instrumental)
- Right On
- Cry Cry Cry
Learning All Over Again 2/6/2021
This started as a country song..I suppose it still is.
Do you ever need a two-lane highway
To breathe in and breathe out again
To live in a room with no windows
Is a lonesome feeling my friend
When my brother is carrying a loaded gun
It’s up to me to talk him down before he hurts someone
All you good people, I thought we all once did agree
That fear is the lock and love is the key
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
Do you ever need to get down on your knees
And call out to the sky, Lord help please
To live in a land without sympathy
It seems like there’s a better way for you and I to be
When my sister is carrying her burden
It’s up to me to help her ease her burden down
All you good people I thought we all once did agree
To help each other through the night with faith, hope and charity
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
Do you ever need a shoulder to cry on
Every once in a while someone you can rely on
To stand on your own is fine and yet still
Everybody needs a break from rolling their stone up that hill
When my brother is carrying his burden
It’s up to me to help him ease his burden down
All you good people I thought we all once did agree
What happens to the least is what happens to you and me
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
To breathe in and breathe out again
To live in a room with no windows
Is a lonesome feeling my friend
When my brother is carrying a loaded gun
It’s up to me to talk him down before he hurts someone
All you good people, I thought we all once did agree
That fear is the lock and love is the key
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
Do you ever need to get down on your knees
And call out to the sky, Lord help please
To live in a land without sympathy
It seems like there’s a better way for you and I to be
When my sister is carrying her burden
It’s up to me to help her ease her burden down
All you good people I thought we all once did agree
To help each other through the night with faith, hope and charity
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
Do you ever need a shoulder to cry on
Every once in a while someone you can rely on
To stand on your own is fine and yet still
Everybody needs a break from rolling their stone up that hill
When my brother is carrying his burden
It’s up to me to help him ease his burden down
All you good people I thought we all once did agree
What happens to the least is what happens to you and me
That was way back when
Now, we’re learning all over again:
Chance of Rain Recorded 6/12/2010
Going through some older recordings and decided to post this less than one minute song.
Don't Add up to Nothing Recorded 1/24/2011
Another older recording, just getting around to uploading.
Delilah (Impressions of NYC circa 1998) remixed 2/20/2020
This vocals and guitars were recorded when I wrote this in late 1990s. I added piano, bass guitar and strings today, Feb 20, 2021, to bring this arrangement together. After about 2o years, figured it was about time to revisit. It's an impressionistic lyric, borrowing from the Samson and Delilah story imagery. One thing I recall about this trip to New York City was standing outside of Manny's music store waiting for the gates to get unlocked and the doors to open. I put that story in the song. I don't tend to write long songs like this now days.
Delilah, you danced so fine last night/The power of a woman is in the way she moves/It's ten a.m and I'm on 48th and 7th/In the window, there's a red guitar I want to strum/I'm feeling the after glow/I'm wondering what comes next/Seems like these days, you gotta keep your eyes down low/These days, you can't just go and give your heart away/City dance dance slow/You better chain me between the pillars before I go crazy/You better cut off my hair, before I do some damage/If the crosstown bus moves too slow, then the "C" train ought to take you back where you want to go/I'm feeling alright now/I'm wondering who's gonna walk around my corner/These days, you gotta keep your eyes open for just about anything/These days anybody could be the one who loves you...or hurts you/City dance slow/Delilah, show me the gate out of your city/(This ain't no place to find love)/Delilah, take my hand, lead me on, home you know where I belong/Walking in circles ain't the best work to be found/There's only so much that a bind man can do/If Manhattan island crumbled like Babylon/Delilah, what would that have to do with you/Love, love, this ain't no place to find love/City dance slow./They're unlocking the doors, rolling up the gates/I guess I'll go inside and play on that red guitar for a while/She's sleek and seductive just like this city/Delilah, when you dance, do you think about the consequence/I'll be alright now and I'm wondering what comes next/These days, you gotta keep your eyes open for anything/These days, you just have to give your heart away/City dance slow.
Stand Up With Me Remix (2009)
I brought what was basically a folk called "Stand" to my band mates at the time, Later, I riffed on an idea and recorded this bit. The original song is nothing like this.
By a Pretty Face 10/31/2010
An instrumental version of this one is on the Selected Songs page. This is the version with the singing..a bluesy number.
Right Now (December, 2018)
Another from the "songs not previously published" file. The recording is from 2018. Today March 13, 2021, I added a slide guitar, a bass and a backing vocals. I like the words. I had forgotten about this one until looking on my backup drive today.
I used to think it was all down to me
Each new crossroads I faced was “the one”
Any wrong turn could change my destiny
I alone to decide what would be done
Now I see...
Every song that I’ve learned
Every card that I’ve turned
Every bridge that I’ve burned in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
I’m playing the long game now
No longer in it for the thrill of thrill of the minute
I'm not thinking about win or lose
I’m watching where I walk so I don’t trip on my own shoes
Every love I’ve been in
Every kindness been shown
Every person I’ve known in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
I’m playing the long game now
No longer in it for the pain of the minute
I'm not thinking about lose or win
I’m looking further down the road
We all begin again
Every person I’ve been
Every life I have lived
Every love that I’ve known in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
Every love we’ve been in
Every kindness we've been shown
Every person we’ve been in our time
Has prepared us for this moment right now
Every love we’ve been in
Every kindness we have been shown
Every person we’ve known in our time
Has prepared us for this moment right now
Each new crossroads I faced was “the one”
Any wrong turn could change my destiny
I alone to decide what would be done
Now I see...
Every song that I’ve learned
Every card that I’ve turned
Every bridge that I’ve burned in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
I’m playing the long game now
No longer in it for the thrill of thrill of the minute
I'm not thinking about win or lose
I’m watching where I walk so I don’t trip on my own shoes
Every love I’ve been in
Every kindness been shown
Every person I’ve known in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
I’m playing the long game now
No longer in it for the pain of the minute
I'm not thinking about lose or win
I’m looking further down the road
We all begin again
Every person I’ve been
Every life I have lived
Every love that I’ve known in my time
Has prepared me for this moment right now
Every love we’ve been in
Every kindness we've been shown
Every person we’ve been in our time
Has prepared us for this moment right now
Every love we’ve been in
Every kindness we have been shown
Every person we’ve known in our time
Has prepared us for this moment right now
Not Dying (Oct 2003) Remastered 3/21/21
I only have one mix of this song and luckily I found it. I don't recall exactly the inspiration. I like the orchestral theme at the start.
My love lights a candle, places sixteen buddhas around her room
She don't know nothing about the bodhisattvas or the karmic wheel
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
My love likes to listen to all my Beatles records and take her tine
She don't know nothing about the koo koo kachoo or the Hari Rama... Hari Krishna
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
Does anybody here think there gonna be here for a long time
Does anybody doubt compassion's gonna win out in the end
My love stops the car, hands out all my money and drives away
She don't know nothing about the holy rollers, she just laughs all day
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
She don't know nothing about the bodhisattvas or the karmic wheel
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
My love likes to listen to all my Beatles records and take her tine
She don't know nothing about the koo koo kachoo or the Hari Rama... Hari Krishna
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
Does anybody here think there gonna be here for a long time
Does anybody doubt compassion's gonna win out in the end
My love stops the car, hands out all my money and drives away
She don't know nothing about the holy rollers, she just laughs all day
That's okay, we all know a little about suffering
We all get a little little older too
I'm not dying...
Minor to Major (Nov 2010)
An instrumental loop with some guitars overdubbed.
Right On (2014 version)
I recorded this version in 2014. There are some things I like about the arrangement. I think the lyrics hold up for being twenty years old. This is a song I brought to the band in 2001, but we didn't get around to making a second album. (Though I have a rehearsal recording and the band rocked this one.) I miss Saturday band night with those guys!
Do you remember rocking' to your dad's old radio?/Do you go all the way back to John, Paul, George and Ringo?
Peace, love, understanding/Can I hear you say Right On?
Do you remember your first kiss and the song that was playing on the radio?/Now days honey do you hush the kids when you're driving in the car and it comes on? Can I hear you say Right On?
I believe you can go back baby. I believe in you now.
Do you remember crying to those old songs on the radio?/Now days honey what would it take for you to let go like that I'd like to know?/ Has there been some misunderstanding? Can I hear you say Right On?
I believe you/we can go back baby. I believe in you/us now.
Peace, love, understanding/Can I hear you say Right On?
Do you remember your first kiss and the song that was playing on the radio?/Now days honey do you hush the kids when you're driving in the car and it comes on? Can I hear you say Right On?
I believe you can go back baby. I believe in you now.
Do you remember crying to those old songs on the radio?/Now days honey what would it take for you to let go like that I'd like to know?/ Has there been some misunderstanding? Can I hear you say Right On?
I believe you/we can go back baby. I believe in you/us now.
Cry Cry Cry
This is one I wrote in 2009 and recorded then with an acoustic guitar and vocal with the intention to get back to it someday. I always liked the lyric. Re-recorded for the nth time 4.23.21
My car radio's broke /I'm tired of the sound of my own voice/I'm like that sun burned out into the ashes of another spent day/Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days just burning away.
I'm like a dollar bill that's been broke/I'm all those nickels and dimes in change rolling around in my ash tray/I'm waiting to be exchanged/Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days just rolling away.
The time goes so fast when you're not built to last...and we all fall to pieces anyway. Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days falling away.
My door locks ar broke/My windows don't roll up all the way/Some thief in the night is bound to steal me away/Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days just stealing away.
I'm like a dollar bill that's been broke/I'm all those nickels and dimes in change rolling around in my ash tray/I'm waiting to be exchanged/Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days just rolling away.
The time goes so fast when you're not built to last...and we all fall to pieces anyway. Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days falling away.
My door locks ar broke/My windows don't roll up all the way/Some thief in the night is bound to steal me away/Don't it make you want to cry....when you think about your days just stealing away.