Glorbon Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Here's another fairly new song by me.. It's a controversial 'un.. Come all you decent workin' men wherever you may be I want you all to come here now an' listen onto me A young boy in our city got arrested now today They found him with some pot an' gave him seven years in jail He was strollin' on a sidewalk when the cops they took him down They broke his teeth, cracked his nose an' pushed him to the ground The boy he stood no chance against twelve armed-up men of law So now he's lyin' in a dirty cell with a bleedin' broken jaw The courtroom was just finished with a case of rape an' theft When the boy limped to the podium, there was no use to protest The rapist he walked out of there with a warning an a fine But the poor boy he got seven years 'cause two joints that's a crime! Come all you decent honest men wherever you may be I want you all to come here now an' listen onto me How can we jail theese people, lord caint anyone here see How we're jailin' all theese harmless folks, While the criminals roam free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Let's not make this into censorship. While some of the lyrics posted could be construed as political they are nonetheless valid works that represent the thoughts and feelings of the writer. My style of songwriting does not generally delve into specific true events, but I don't dismiss those that do as something that doesn't belong in this thread. Just like songs on the radio, shows on the television or books on the shelf, we are free to warm to the the ones we like and disregard the rest. Modac........why did you remove your posts? This is a verse and refrain I've been kicking around form time to time for a couple of years now. It sprang from a conversation I had with my youngest brother. He was in a bad place at the time but all is well now..... I stumble on through the dust of desperation The winds of worry tuggin' at my clothes The road is long and I am weary What I've done to earn this fate heaven knows Refrain: Carry me to the other shore, Lord Lift my soul from stones of circumstance Suffer me to bear no more, Lord Take my hand and teach my feet another dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadgrateful Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 A song I wrote ages ago, but only just got around to recording (I didn't bother including the chorus as it dont translate so well to spoken verse ) Bluebird Heading out To Mexico When I get back You won't be alone I left her there With broken wings But my Bluebird She sings and sings Chorus Moving out to Illinois Hundred miles and she'll be mine Rivers wide and mountains tall My Bluebird She lights them all Chorus One more time Cross empty seas With lonesome sails She waits for me Like the sun She walks beside me Oh my Bluebird Flys free Chorus When summers pass and winters fall I cannot hear My Bluebirds call I found her cold With tears of snow Now my Bluebird Her hair hangs low Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 If I sort of stripped a gear Started grinnin' ear to ear Would Ya Love Me? Started singin' out o' tune Maybe howlin' at the moon Would Ya Love Me? Half a bubble off plumb, playin' with a marked deck Excitable boy, or a ravin' lunatic If the light stays on, but there ain't nobody home Would Ya Love Me? If I sort of blew a fuse Get my picture in the news Would Ya Love Me? Lose a fortune at the track, Get lost drivin' back Would Ya Love Me? If my candle blew out, if I lost my luck If my lid just flipped, if my elavator stuck If ya had to stop and think, if my pen was out of ink Would Ya Love Me? Could you love an egomaniac, neurotic psychopath, runnin' on Cheerios? Came from the old school, thick headed like a mule, all dressed and ready to go... If my second hand stopped And they had to call the cops Would Ya Love Me? If a door was ajar But I wasn't in the car Would Ya Love Me? If I was all framed up, but a little out of square 5 foot 10 full of hot steamin' air If ya had to stop and think, if my pen was out of ink Would Ya Love Me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDuff Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Murph I really like that one. Strikes a chord about how girls (particularly at my age) seem drawn to fools who treat them like excrement. Bk sounds like a good band, something about fiddles particularly in irish music makes my blood move a little faster. That plus me being drunk is the only way to get me to dance. Anyway (warning very long) Little prince and gypsy Little prince and gypsy, Walkin’ down the road Sunshine made em tipsy and then their heart rates slowed Big bad wolf is coming Cried the little prince They ran off through the forest And they’ve been running ever since Five years pass and prince grown old Gypsy loves him so he’s told Then underneath the hot moon light They shared a cigarette Little prince held gypsy tight Said please don’t forget The iron struck was hot that night He filled her every sense They didn’t care it wasn’t right And they’ve been lovers every since Ten years gone a twisting Little prince grown large Love was growin’ calmer now Gypsy growin’ hard Both of them grew tired Her heart wanders like the wind Little princes’ charm No longer kept her pinned So she said good bye To the little prince So he grew cold inside And has been fighting ever since Crimson tears cried little prince A cage around his skull Scars upon his knuckles The piper took his toll And hunting for his brother Big bad wolf came forth When they saw each other Prince did draw his sword And his dreams are painted With the bloodiest of tints In came roaring sunlight And they’ve been dueling ever since At that time the Gypsy Was dancin’ round a flame Tellin’ kings their future Askin’ life for change And though her hands were empty When she felt her heart strings pull She sold her only diamond And stole the wenches soul Her heart it cried to find him But he had left no prints She cried with the widow And has been searching ever since Little prince was dying On the blade of big bad wolf His breathing growing ragged His fire growing cold But then his eyes saw gypsy And his will grew strong His brother called him foolish But he knew that he was wrong His blade was wrought of fire It cut big bad wolf deep To the wicked wolf He said the wicked find no sleep But then in his anger Wolf struck the gypsy see The little prince did die for her To set the gypsy free Little prince was crying Kill me now good sir And his brother big bad wolf Became a murderer and a bloody madness Was wrapped inside his mane He broke the gypsy magic When little prince was slain Big bad wolf then turned to her A ring wrapped in his hand He’d been hunting gypsy Princes’ death he did not demand For her love he slaughtered him She did fall in love And from the crackling fire Came the crying dove Little princes’ spirit cried and began to wince they made love together and gypsy has forgotten ever since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Thought I'd add another juvenile political diatribe (JPD). Well, this one's not really political, per se. Whether it is juvenile or a diatribe is up to the listener, I suppose. It is a true story about the shooting death of a cab driver in Minneapolis back in 2003. It's on my new record. When I play out, it is probably my most requested song, for some reason. It is also the third-most watched video on my YouTube channel. After I posted it on YouTube, I heard from Mohamed Saleh's family; they liked the song. THE BALLAD OF MOHAMED SALEH copyright 2010 by David Hanners My name’s Mohamed Saleh, as if you even care To you I’m just one more Somali; to me, you’re just another fare I never heard the shot they say took my life I pray Allah shows His mercy to my child, to my wife Was born in Mogadishu before the junta fell Lived the horror of that city descending into hell But Allah protects the faithful, He will show the way Bribed my way into Kenya, then to the USA They call it Minnesota Nice, but it’s the knife before the stab Only job that I could get was behind the wheel of this cab Was a humid August night, business was slow A fare called in, East Phillips Park, where even I don’t like to go I looked up in the rear-view and it made my blood run cold He put a gun upside my head and said to do as I was told Clans kill in Banadir over grievances generations old I had $87; is that what I died for? All praise to Allah who is great, I pray my faith was true Survived the streets of Mogadishu just to die on 18th Avenue And my name’s Mohamed Saleh, as if you even care To you I’m just one more Somali, to me you’re just another fare Yeah, you’re just another fare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 I see a pattern here........ DH.......you write well of true life stories......union tales, sordid love triangles, soldier stories. I wonder do you ever write fiction.....spin a tale from the imagination.....write on a subject where there are no known facts. Reading your lyrics I am reminded of Phil Ochs. Though old Phil seemed to work a lot of undiguised anger into his stuff, your work comes across as matter-of-fact journalism with meter and rhyme. Not a criticism, just an observation. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 That's a valid observation, Buc. And quite true; I just find that as an observer of the human condition (whatever that means) true life just seems to offer a lot better story possibilities than I could ever make up. And I do have a decent imagination. I do have several "made-up" tunes, though. Here's one. When My Demons and I Come Home copyright 2010 by David Hanners I fill it with unleaded at the Sinclair Get a big bag of chips, a six-pack of beer I'm gonna head out to where the hills fall flat Maybe Kearney or maybe North Platte Car door slams like a roadside bomb When my demons and I come home They roll the sidewalks up here when the sun goes down So I enlisted in the Guard to get out of town Wound up in Iraq and I don't know why Ain't old enough to drink but I'm old enough to die I can still see his face, some mother's son When my demons and I come home bridge Dad tries but he don't understand And with the cuts down at the VA, they've done all that they can If I had the shot again, you know I would aim to miss They never warn you about that when you enlist Gravel road, moonless night Everything is wrong; it'll never be right And I wanna go where there's no pain So I park on the crossing and wait for the train Yeah, I wanna go where I won't feel So I place my faith in 240 tons of steel Yeah, 240 tons of steel of the B&M Railroad When my demons and I come home Two-forty tons of steel of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad When my demons and I come home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Ok, another "true-life" tune (as Bill Monroe called them) then I'll get back to made-up stuff.... James Roy Knox's Blues copyright 2010 by David Hanners My name is James Roy Knox, I'm unremorseful as they come Was born in Alabama, 19-and-51 Can't say I've had a hard life, no harder'n other men Now I'm strapped down to this gurney and the road's about to end I left Alabama after doing two years in the pen Got a job hanging drywall down in Galveston Some men just find it easy to avoid each sin and earthly vice But I chose a darker path and I never did think twice Joe Sanchez owned a drug store; he had a smile for all he met I walked in; he was a dead man. he just didn't know it yet I wanted drugs and money, like a fool, Sanchez said "no" But you don't argue with me .38 and he crumpled to the floor I took four vials of Demarol, $15 from the til Never gave Sanchez a second thought and I doubt I ever will Cops eventually caught me, I got snitched on by some pal Who got jammed up on some felony and I was his ticket out I did not act in self-defense, I was not abused as a child I alone was guilty so I said so at my trial Lawyers talk of justice, families talk of pain But some men are just born evil and it's been that way since Cain My name is James Roy Knox, I'm unremorseful as they come Was born in Alabama, 19-and-51 As the final hour draws near there's no appeal on which to wait They let the drugs flow at 6 p.m., I was dead by 6:08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 Gee willikers. Got anything on the lighter side? Again, no offense intended, but how does your audience react to song after song about such dire doings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Actually, that's an interesting issue, and I had a discussion about that with somebody yesterday, in fact. I've never really had people walk out after one of my gigs going, "Gee, what a downer, I feel like jumping off a bridge" because I try to use a lot of humor between songs. I figure if the songs are going to be dark, the rest of the performance needs to be balanced with something lighter. So all in all, folks just walk out thinking they've been entertained. But, on a lighter note, here's one. It is based on a snippet of a true event; a guitarist friend of mine found a key in his backyard. At the time, he liked a Wisconsin beer named Leinenkuegel (I probably butchered the spelling) and played a Goodall, so that might make the last verse easier to understand. The YouTube version of a live performance of the song is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuLzinKm7bg The Key in Bill's Backyard copyright 2010 by David Hanners I was there when Bill found a key in his backyard Whoever musta lost it didn't look too hard I asked Bill what it went to; he said he had no idea Looked at it close, shrugged and sipped his beer chorus It might be the key to his fortune It might be the key to his heart Maybe it unlocks the gates of hell On some abandoned K-Mart We passed it 'round tryin' to guess what it unlocked Al Capone's jail cell, Trump's safe-deposit box You got your MasterLocks, your Nationals and Yales This key had no name far as Bill could tell chorus[ It might be the key to his fortune It might be the key to his heart Maybe it unlocks the fiery gates of hell Or a mailbox in Bismark We live our lives and we lock every door We shut each other out 'til we can shut no more This rusty key just might be a sign from God That'd be just like Him to make Bill dig it out the sod chorus It might be the key to his fortune It might be the key to his heart Maybe it unlocks the very gates of hell On a '69 Dodge Dart My friend Bill is an even-tempered guy He likes his beer from Wisconsin, his guitars from Hawaii But this key has him mystified He will get no rest 'til every lock he has tried chorus It might be the key to his fortune It might be the key to his heart Maybe it unlocks the gates of hell Or the case to his guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 So here's another "made-up" one. No true story behind it. That I know of, anyway.... Exit Jane copyright 2010 by David Hanners A wind as wicked as a shot of bad bourbon Whistles 'cross this Minnesota plain We sit in the truck with the motor runnin' Nothin' left to say 'Cause when we talk, it's just about small things The cold, the rent, the timing belt God forbid we should touch something honest Like how you or I ever felt Your suitcase is heavy, I set it on the ground Flip my collar to the wind That old gray dog, she just rolled into town And I wonder if I'll ever see you naked again chorus Bury me in the crook of your neck Bathe me in your halo effect Feel the murmurs so hard to detect Why do you have to go? I once believed I could divine your thinking Now you're blank as fresh drywall Still, I'll always be the fool for you So if you ever need something, just call The bus pulls in and swallows you up Hope it takes you where you want But I got a hunch your ghost will hang 'round 'Cause it still has my heart to haunt (chorus) A wind as wicked as a shot of bad bourbon Whistles 'cross this ancient plain Ain't no use tryin' to reason with A heart filled with so much pain Yeah, there ain't no use tryin' to reason with A heart filled with this much pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 Well done, Mr Hanners! I like that one. Good visuals, good metaphors. Immerse the mind in a fictional situation and paint what you see with words......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Thanks for the kind words, Buc. And speaking of Texas (where you're from) here's a tune I wrote a few years ago that was inspired, in part, by a waitress at Poor David's Pub, Dallas' premier folk venue. Played there a couple times when I lived in Dallas, but that was so long ago that it was when Poor David's was on Lower Greenville. (And speaking of Texas, I -- along with 799 other songwriters -- entered the Kerrville "New Folk" competition this year. A boy can dream....) Curve of the Horizon copyright 2010 by David Hanners She had an angelic face, she was thin as a wisp And that twang in her voice carried just the hint of a lisp The look in her eyes told me she'd been everywhere Maybe I knew better; maybe I just didn't care "Excuse me," she said, "do you have the time?" I suppose she was looking for a partner in crime She set her beer on the bar, pulled a Camel from the pack Asked me for a light but I've kicked my bad habits Then outta nowhere she gave me her theory of life: "Some have all the luck," she said, "and some know only strife" "So when push comes to shove and you're standing on the ledge The decision to jump comes easy," I lamely said No sooner had the words escaped from my mouth I knew there were some things I knew nothing about She finally dug a lighter from the murky depths of her purse The way things were goin' I thought they couldn't get much worse But that's all right, you know; some things just aren't meant to be Maybe she was sent here to save me from me And on the edge of the night, where the saints take the fall The sinners are left standing but they do not stand that tall And on the edge of the night, where the smoke obscures the lies The truth remains as distant as the curve of the horizon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 nice writing. good story telling, david. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 The basic lineup is Bodhran' date=' Guitar, Fiddle and Whistle. But the fiddler and I (mostly him) double on Mandolin. He also plays Banjo and Irish Bouzouki. The whistler plays Irish Flute, Small Pipes and Highland Pipes as well.[/quote'] I love this band already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Gotta say this is one heck of a thread! The stories and poetry are fantastic. I don't really have a clue where to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 Got to agree with Albert.........some good stuff here! This is the title track from the CD I did with my band back in 06. This is the song that found it's way to Sheryl Crow. She has expressed interest in recording it, but I'm not holding my breath for that! If It Never Rains copyright 2006 MBB I hang my head and stare at the floor again You sigh aloud and turn in your chair The shadows grow long on the wall as the sun goes down At least we agree this just isn't fair. Yesterday is a song we sang Tomorrow's a door at the end of the hall Today is the silence we wear as the darkness comes Deep in the night, hear my heart's call.... Oo oo don't you let me go Mad sad or glad - they're all one and the same Oo oo baby we both know Love never grows if it never rains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Got to agree with Albert.........some good stuff here! This is the title track from the CD I did with my band back in 06. This is the song that found it's way to Sheryl Crow. She has expressed interest in recording it' date=' but I'm not holding my breath for that! [b']If It Never Rains[/b] copyright 2006 MBB I hang my head and stare at the floor again You sigh aloud and turn in your chair The shadows grow long on the wall as the sun goes down At least we agree this just isn't fair. Yesterday is a song we sang Tomorrow's a door at the end of the hall Today is the silence we wear as the darkness comes Deep in the night, hear my heart's call.... Oo oo don't you let me go Mad sad or glad - they're all one and the same Oo oo baby we both know Love never grows if it never rains Great tune! I can see why Crow is interested in it. Having sat in that same chair and looked at the shadows a time or two, I can attest that you caught the emotions of that moment. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mking Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Buc, Helldorado is one of the best set of lyrics I've read in a long time. I would love to hear the melody. I wish I could write lyrics like that. I've been to Tombstone many times. Great tune! Here is my submission Your Memory Stayed Behind © 2009 Michael King You and I are over; all the papers have been signed You have your own life, and darling I have mine But the scent of your sweet perfume still, lingers in our bed There on the pillow, where you once laid your head Chorus Your memory stayed behind It’s taking a toll on my mind No matter what I do I can’t get over you ‘Cause your memory stayed behind These past few months alone, have now turned into a year Yet I still hear you calling, “sweet heart come here” I close my eyes and feel your hand, gently on my brow Your soft touch helps to ease the pain of how life is now Chorus Bridge Time heals all and sure enough its been good to me Now you’re just a glimmer in the past I barely see Chorus I left your memory behind Old thoughts of you never cross my mind My hurtin’ is through now that I’m over you I left your memory behind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Loved it Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Indeed, fine song, Buc, and thanks for posting the video. I can't decide if the song needs some Bob Wills fiddle or some "Ring of Fire"-era mariachi horns, though. I could hear it going either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Buc Just watched your vid of Helldorado. Loved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterGibs Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 Watched the video - great song! 5 * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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