Not Quite Love Songs
Songs written and recorded between May and October 2o21. *Two are collaborations.
- In Between Blues
- Sometimes Love Says Goodbye
- *There's Nothing Like Love (collaboration with DJB)
- Uneducated
- *Find My Way Back /Tourist in my Own Home Town (collaboration with Sam Nigro)
- Love Cries
- Something Not Quite Like Love
- What It Is...
- Isolation Blues
- Sometimes Love Goodbye Acoustic
In Between Blues 10/5/2021
The intention was to create some space in the mix.
I spend most of my time
Somewhere between
Living the life that I live and wanting the life that I’ve dreamed
I wonder where the years went
I question my commitment
And I know that now it would be such a sad cliche
To write another song about some old yesterday
I better put my pen down and throw all these words away
While there’s still time for me to make a clean get away
I got those time-for-leaving blues, but I can’t seem to walk away
I’m gonna lay my head down and wait until the break of day
Somewhere between
Living the life that I live and wanting the life that I’ve dreamed
I wonder where the years went
I question my commitment
And I know that now it would be such a sad cliche
To write another song about some old yesterday
I better put my pen down and throw all these words away
While there’s still time for me to make a clean get away
I got those time-for-leaving blues, but I can’t seem to walk away
I’m gonna lay my head down and wait until the break of day
Sometimes Love Says Goodbye 9/16/2021
Wrote most of the words a few days ago to go with the guitar progression. Revised as I recorded this morning. The recording gets the ideas down.
Love don’t care if you got money/Love won’t be bought like that
Though many many try/Love’s something you can't buy
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
Love’s something you can't conquer/Love wont play your rules
Love wont be won over/Love turns the wise into fools
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
There’s no guarantee/You’ve got to let love be
You ‘ve to give it away /Maybe it will come back someday
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
To let love in/You got to let love to win
You got to let love chose/What are willing to lose
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
Though many many try/Love’s something you can't buy
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
Love’s something you can't conquer/Love wont play your rules
Love wont be won over/Love turns the wise into fools
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
There’s no guarantee/You’ve got to let love be
You ‘ve to give it away /Maybe it will come back someday
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
To let love in/You got to let love to win
You got to let love chose/What are willing to lose
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
There's Nothing Like Love
By DJB and Mark Griffith 09/12/2021
Song Notes:
Collaborated with DJB, long-time friend, Dave, who led the musical vision quest on this one. Dave is in Iowa and played:keyboards, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric rhythm guitar, lead (growling wah) guitar, six-string bass and also provided the drum track.
I am in Arizona, and contributed the words, vocals, acoustic guitar, lap-steel guitar, including "airplane" sound, harmonica and produced. We shared files and I handled the mix. After many "What do you think we should do to it next?" conversations, we decided to call it good. After additional "It's not quite there yet" further revisions, we agreed to call it done...that judgement is more art than science. I think we crafted some "moments" in this one. Hope someone enjoys it.
Collaborated with DJB, long-time friend, Dave, who led the musical vision quest on this one. Dave is in Iowa and played:keyboards, 12-string acoustic guitar, electric rhythm guitar, lead (growling wah) guitar, six-string bass and also provided the drum track.
I am in Arizona, and contributed the words, vocals, acoustic guitar, lap-steel guitar, including "airplane" sound, harmonica and produced. We shared files and I handled the mix. After many "What do you think we should do to it next?" conversations, we decided to call it good. After additional "It's not quite there yet" further revisions, we agreed to call it done...that judgement is more art than science. I think we crafted some "moments" in this one. Hope someone enjoys it.
There's nothing like love....
There's no doubt, you can't live without
There's nothing like love...
You can scream and shout
Wonder what it's all about
Try to turn it inside out
There's nothing like love...
Go tell it on the mountain....
There's no doubt, you can't live without
There's nothing like love...
You can scream and shout
Wonder what it's all about
Try to turn it inside out
There's nothing like love...
Go tell it on the mountain....
Uneducated 9/3/2021
Somedays are like this. I wrote this yesterday and recorded 2 versions. Rerecorded this 3rd version today. This is the stripped down version with acoustic instruments. The other version was more...much more. I think I'll keep it simple.
When I say I haven’t learned a thing, I mean no, nothing at all
When I say I don’t know nothing, I mean I might as well have
Been standing in the hall while the class was in session
They gave away the learning for free
The lesson didn’t stick with me
I’m uneducated...
I’m uneducated, doing my best to get along
Still writing this same old song
There have been minutes when I thought I had it all together
I was flowing like water then I hit the dam head on
Like a sudden change in the weather caught me unprepared
In the cold without a coat to wear
Every time time I pick myself up off the ground
I wonder how I could have fallen so far down
When I say I don’t know nothing, I mean I might as well have
Been standing in the hall while the class was in session
They gave away the learning for free
The lesson didn’t stick with me
I’m uneducated...
I’m uneducated, doing my best to get along
Still writing this same old song
There have been minutes when I thought I had it all together
I was flowing like water then I hit the dam head on
Like a sudden change in the weather caught me unprepared
In the cold without a coat to wear
Every time time I pick myself up off the ground
I wonder how I could have fallen so far down
Find My Way Back (Tourist in my Own Home Town)
By Mark Griffith and Sam Nigro 7/1/2021
Produced by Sam Nigro, featuring Sam on the lap steel guitar.
Produced by Sam Nigro, featuring Sam on the lap steel guitar.
I wrote the lyric on a trip back home. It's that experience of sort of knowing where and when past events happened, combined with not fully trusting memories. My son, Sage, summarized that feeling as being a "tourist in my own home town" and that inspired me to sit down and write this one. Sam and I worked on refining the music while I was in Omaha. I left town and Sam took this one home and recorded parts and produced this version. Thanks Sam!
Maybe it’s time to finally face facts.
You can leave home anytime
It’s harder to find a way back
Memories will linger.
Something gets lost.
When life moves you forward
There’s always a cost.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
Somehow all of my maps have all turned around.
They say change is the only constant.
My feet can’t find the ground.
And I pray there’s a connection,
Somewhere to be found.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
Oh, and all of these roads that once seemed so familiar.
They’re leading me nowhere i want to go.
It’s all I can do to hold on to the hope that she’ll be there...
With that smile I used to know.
And I tell myself that I’m only confusing...
What is now with what was real way back then.
Maybe the next turn up ahead will reveal that I’m back on her road once again.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
You can leave home anytime
It’s harder to find a way back
Memories will linger.
Something gets lost.
When life moves you forward
There’s always a cost.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
Somehow all of my maps have all turned around.
They say change is the only constant.
My feet can’t find the ground.
And I pray there’s a connection,
Somewhere to be found.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
Oh, and all of these roads that once seemed so familiar.
They’re leading me nowhere i want to go.
It’s all I can do to hold on to the hope that she’ll be there...
With that smile I used to know.
And I tell myself that I’m only confusing...
What is now with what was real way back then.
Maybe the next turn up ahead will reveal that I’m back on her road once again.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I can’t seem to find my own way around.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
I feel like a tourist in my own home town.
Love Cries 7/3/2021
I wrote the first verse and the chorus many, many years ago and just went back to it to finish the lyric.
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I can’t drink no wine
It goes to my head
I can’t have no taste
Without wanting more
Sometimes at night I dream instead
And I wake with my lips all cherry red
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I can’t have your kiss
My heart is all broken
I know I can’t take back
hard words that were spoken
Sometimes I dream we were never apart
As I gather the pieces of my torn up heart
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I don’t need no wine
It just clouds up my mind
I don’t need no person to treat me unkind
There is one thing that I know to be true
I better find my true love before my time is through
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
So, I threw in with a madman
Who only loves money
Who's to say now what will become of my soul
It would have been different had I not known better
I knew the better and did the worse even though I’d been told
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
Desprate times call for desperate measures
If not for that moment what had I come here for
My thoughts floated above me and the crowd pushed forward
There was no turning back felt like I was marching to war
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her down
And she cries for me
You can blame it on the senators
You can blame it on that speech we heard
You can put it all down to misguided loyalty
Meanwhile there's this empty space in my chest
Right here where my lonesome heart used to be
That’s why love cries
That’s when love head cries
That’s why love hangs her down
And she cries for me
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I can’t drink no wine
It goes to my head
I can’t have no taste
Without wanting more
Sometimes at night I dream instead
And I wake with my lips all cherry red
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I can’t have your kiss
My heart is all broken
I know I can’t take back
hard words that were spoken
Sometimes I dream we were never apart
As I gather the pieces of my torn up heart
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
I don’t need no wine
It just clouds up my mind
I don’t need no person to treat me unkind
There is one thing that I know to be true
I better find my true love before my time is through
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
So, I threw in with a madman
Who only loves money
Who's to say now what will become of my soul
It would have been different had I not known better
I knew the better and did the worse even though I’d been told
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her head down
And she cries for me
Desprate times call for desperate measures
If not for that moment what had I come here for
My thoughts floated above me and the crowd pushed forward
There was no turning back felt like I was marching to war
That’s when love cries
That’s when love cries
That’s when love hangs her down
And she cries for me
You can blame it on the senators
You can blame it on that speech we heard
You can put it all down to misguided loyalty
Meanwhile there's this empty space in my chest
Right here where my lonesome heart used to be
That’s why love cries
That’s when love head cries
That’s why love hangs her down
And she cries for me
Something Not Quite Like Love 8/30/2021
I liked the line "Something not quite love" and followed that idea. Compositionally, I wanted to experiment with other instruments. It's eleven minutes long so takes a certain level of commitment to listen to all the way through...and best listened to on headphones.
So, what do we need here? (What do we do now?)
Anything more than we’ve already got? (There’s nothing new under the sun)
How can I help here? (Who's left with who now?)
We’ve already been through a lot (Will it matter who lost and who won)
What we’ve at we’ve got
Is something not quite like love
How can we be here? (What will we see here?)
When we’ve all been through so much (We’ve already seen a lot)
How can we stay here? (What will we be here?)
We’re miles away and close enough to touch( Here it comes ready or not)
What we’ve got
Is something not quite like love
What we are and what we're not
What we give and what we’ve got
So, What do we need here?
Anything more than we’ve already shared?
How can we be here?
When our souls have already been bared?
I feel like were almost there (Seems like we're running scared)
It’s something not quite like love
What what we’ve got is something not quite like love
Anything more than we’ve already got? (There’s nothing new under the sun)
How can I help here? (Who's left with who now?)
We’ve already been through a lot (Will it matter who lost and who won)
What we’ve at we’ve got
Is something not quite like love
How can we be here? (What will we see here?)
When we’ve all been through so much (We’ve already seen a lot)
How can we stay here? (What will we be here?)
We’re miles away and close enough to touch( Here it comes ready or not)
What we’ve got
Is something not quite like love
What we are and what we're not
What we give and what we’ve got
So, What do we need here?
Anything more than we’ve already shared?
How can we be here?
When our souls have already been bared?
I feel like were almost there (Seems like we're running scared)
It’s something not quite like love
What what we’ve got is something not quite like love
What It Is... 08/06/2021
This verse came to me on a motorcycle ride. The chorus came later. Still working on this one.
My girl she left me in Jerome Arizona. She took off with some biker. She said she’d grown tired of me. I said, “Darling, oh why?” Came her reply, “What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.”
What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
Who knows about tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we will see.
Meanwhile, the wind is calling to me.
What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
So I rode down those switchbacks and clear across the desert and I did not stop until I reached the sea. I’m gonna find me a boat to take me to a an island and find me a girl who’ll think better of me.
Though. the pain it still ligers, I’ll remember her fondly for the wisdom that day she imparted to me. From the back of that Harley as she rode out of town What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
There are times to hold on and times and times to let go. If you need, it you can borrow this lesson from me.
It might help you down the mountain to get to where you want to go. What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
Who knows about tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we will see.
Meanwhile, the wind is calling to me.
What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
So I rode down those switchbacks and clear across the desert and I did not stop until I reached the sea. I’m gonna find me a boat to take me to a an island and find me a girl who’ll think better of me.
Though. the pain it still ligers, I’ll remember her fondly for the wisdom that day she imparted to me. From the back of that Harley as she rode out of town What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
There are times to hold on and times and times to let go. If you need, it you can borrow this lesson from me.
It might help you down the mountain to get to where you want to go. What it is, what it was, and what it shall be.
Isolation Blues 5/10/2021
"Hey!" Visited our friend, Annie. She was working on an art for an exhibition, featuring storms and had created ceramic pieces, rain drops..and had gifted me one. This was during the Covid pandemic...so it's a song about coming out of a long isolation and learning how to be in the world again...hopefully.
I got a rain drop in my pocket
That my good friend put there.
She got a storm cloud on her shoulder
I'm stranded in mid air
Ain't it just like me to say too much.
It’s too hard not to care
I got a rain drop in my pocket that my good friend put there.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’ve had these isolation blues long enough.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’re ready to shrug 'em all off.
If you’re feeling like they're piling it on,
Well sister you’re sure not wrong.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you could do with a little less stuff.
I got a rain drop in my pocket that my good friend put there.
She got them storm cloud eyes and that tornado alley stare.
Ain't it just like me to stand out in the rain
As if I could not drown
I got a raindrop in my pocket and I'm heading out of this town
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’ve had these isolation blues long enough.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’re ready to shrug 'em all off.
If you’re feeling like they keep piling on,
Well sister you’re sure not wrong.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you could do with a little more love.
That my good friend put there.
She got a storm cloud on her shoulder
I'm stranded in mid air
Ain't it just like me to say too much.
It’s too hard not to care
I got a rain drop in my pocket that my good friend put there.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’ve had these isolation blues long enough.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’re ready to shrug 'em all off.
If you’re feeling like they're piling it on,
Well sister you’re sure not wrong.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you could do with a little less stuff.
I got a rain drop in my pocket that my good friend put there.
She got them storm cloud eyes and that tornado alley stare.
Ain't it just like me to stand out in the rain
As if I could not drown
I got a raindrop in my pocket and I'm heading out of this town
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’ve had these isolation blues long enough.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you’re ready to shrug 'em all off.
If you’re feeling like they keep piling on,
Well sister you’re sure not wrong.
Everybody shout “Hey” right now if you could do with a little more love.
Sometimes Love Says Goodbye (Acoustic)
And one more time....
Love don’t care if you got money/Love won’t be bought like that
Though many many try/Love’s something you can't buy
Love’ won't be easily conquer/Love wont play your rules
Love wont be won over/Love won't suffer fools
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
There’s no guarantee/You’ve got to let love be
You ‘ve to give love away /It may come back again someday
To let love in/You got to let love to win
You got to let love chose/What are willing to lose
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
Though many many try/Love’s something you can't buy
Love’ won't be easily conquer/Love wont play your rules
Love wont be won over/Love won't suffer fools
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."
There’s no guarantee/You’ve got to let love be
You ‘ve to give love away /It may come back again someday
To let love in/You got to let love to win
You got to let love chose/What are willing to lose
Sometimes love says, "goodbye."