M E L I S S A Key of G
G C G G D G
These are letters I like to say: M E L I S S A
These are notes I like to play: M E L I S S A
D C G
Letters that sparkle. Notes that jingle
D C G
Make…
I took this bus trip from Forth Worth, Texas to Wheeling, West Virginia and on the way home I jumped off in Cincinnati and bought a ticket to Nashville... Lots of stuff happen when you are on a bus and in bus stations for over 60 hours.
Here…
There is nothing like the presence of a horse. The quiet understanding. The gentle strength.
Woodlake, California...1961. I had a horse. She was my friend.
There were times in my teens when Babe was the only being that did not judge me…
REMEMBERING BABE: I had NOT heard this one! I'm glad I insisted!!! Gotta be among the best of... my favs... I don't have to tell you, this is poetry. And your delivery... refreshingly original. In "stand up" readings, or "slam" poetry, there is a "style" of cadence that hearkens back to the Beats, and most poets fall into it, and it always annoyed the hell out of me. This is DRAMATIC ACTING, folks, c'mon! I
like the slow, unhurried, thoughtful way you spoke as the poem's Voice; how you mixed up the rhythm, unexpected hesitations, and rapid rushes. And esp the long pauses in unexpected places, as tho the Voice was thinking about the exact right word to use next to express what he wanted to say.
I've been trying to work on my delivery for my planned re-entry (after covid) into the local poetry reading community. It is terrible... isolation in quarantine can do that! So I've been practicing w/ video and putting music behind me for good measure.Anyway, I found some good tips here. Thank you. 🙂 I really love R.BABE The ending works really well, something that's sometimes difficult. Gwyn Henry
I wrote this at my dad's urging. He likes it. We sing it together. I have YouTube Video of it up.
EULOGY
He grew up in Clinton, Oklahoma
Red dirt back yard, Gramma's place
Honey suckle in a dust bowl
Life as hard as limestone lace…
".. you had me right off the bat--"Red Dirt" for me, classic Ok City area!; plus "honeysuckle dustbowl" (so beautiful) and "limestone lace" --each image is 2 completly different things contrasted to make a third. Lovely. Oklahoma evocative! " Gwyn Henry
(I Almost Washed the ) DISHES
I almost washed the dishes
I almost ran the water
Maybe tomorrow
Maybe Saturday
What does it matter to me
I almost washed the dishes..
(C) 2020 Royal T Music
NO NEW LOVE
Ain't no new love like an old love in this town
Ain't no new love like an old love to take and turn my heart around
Stop it on a dime when you said that you'd be mine
Ain't no new love like an old love in my heart
Ain't no…
I had forgotten what a damn fine album this is! But... ??? 2005? Really? OMG... has it really been that long? Kinda makes the line... "Ain't no fool like an old fool" fit me even better than it did... sigh
FIREFLIES. capo @ 2
F walk down
We (C) spoke of them as (C/B) sweethearts
There (Am) in the Southern (F) sky
(C) Saturn, just a (G) twinkle, bold (F) Jupiter near (G) by
I (Am) guess we didn't (Am/G) notice
as they (Am/F)drifted a…
Pete Thompson on percussion and Angie Thompson on bass. Produced with Pete 123112
HAIRCUT
They sent me a letter. A ticket to ride
Portland to Frisco on that Big Overnight
Brand new clothes. New pants and new shirt
Brand new boots to kick…
Sweet, sweet, sweet, (except for the war and killing part). My fav lines: "...with those sulfurous clicks/
Little red rolls with black spots of bang" Never described better! That's exactly what they were. Gwyn Henry
capo @ 3
Am walk down...
When I was a child we'd drive 200 miles
to Grandma's in the Spring
I'd hop out of the car, run to the back yard.
Grandma had a swing
But the times have changed...
When I became a dad I took all the rope I had…
CATTAILS AND BUTTERFLIES capo @ 6 in C
C G repeat
There was a field around the corner
And a stream flowed cross the field
There were cat tails in the summer time
And monarch butterflies
And tadpoles sprouting wings
E…
DIRTY LAUNDRY Key C
I got a call from Russell. He had to move his junk
He’d filled his car. He’d filled his trunk
Big black bags of something. I said, “What’s with these?”
He said, “It’s dirty laundry.” I said, “That’s crazy.”
So, he…
HOME
(Am D) or (F C)
VERSE 1.
Where the (G) windmill sings to the mocking bird
And the (CM7) prairie wind, without a word
(Am) Whispers thru tall (D) grass, I’ll be (G) home
(F C G) or (Am D)
VERSE 2.
Where the butter cups and…
HOME
(Am D) or (F C)
VERSE 1.
Where the (G) windmill sings to the mocking bird
And the (CM7) prairie wind, without a word
(Am) Whispers thru tall (D) grass, I’ll be (G) home
(F C G) or (Am D)
VERSE 2.
Where the butter cups and…
DIRTY LAUNDRY Key C
I got a call from Russell. He had to move his junk
He’d filled his car. He’d filled his trunk
Big black bags of something. I said, “What’s with these?”
He said, “It’s dirty laundry.” I said, “That’s crazy.”
So, he…
HOME
(Am D) or (F C)
VERSE 1.
Where the (G) windmill sings to the mocking bird
And the (CM7) prairie wind, without a word
(Am) Whispers thru tall (D) grass, I’ll be (G) home
(F C G) or (Am D)
VERSE 2.
Where the butter cups and…
"Mending the web that the horsefly tore..." .what a line..what an image... I love that...really love that image...delicate and hopefull....and magical... Matthew
I wrote this at my dad's urging. He likes it. We sing it together. I have YouTube Video of it up.
EULOGY
He grew up in Clinton, Oklahoma
Red dirt back yard, Gramma's place
Honey suckle in a dust bowl
Life as hard as limestone lace…
HOME
(Am D) or (F C)
VERSE 1.
Where the (G) windmill sings to the mocking bird
And the (CM7) prairie wind, without a word
(Am) Whispers thru tall (D) grass, I’ll be (G) home
(F C G) or (Am D)
VERSE 2.
Where the butter cups and…
DIRTY LAUNDRY Key C
I got a call from Russell. He had to move his junk
He’d filled his car. He’d filled his trunk
Big black bags of something. I said, “What’s with these?”
He said, “It’s dirty laundry.” I said, “That’s crazy.”
So, he…
EDIT 2017-09-02: MIDI guitars and drums were replaced with real instruments.
Lyrics, Vocal Melody: Kim Noble
Electric Guitars: Uli Lang
Acoustic Guitars: James Fraser
Bass: Jean Lui Toudou
Drums: Nick Anderson
Original Music & Production…
Lyrics: Mike Graszyk
Vocals, Vocal Melody: Jessica Rasche
Guitars: Derek Barlas
Bass: George Schiessl
Drums: Ole Kirkeby
Original Music & Production: Steffen Offermann
I really like this song. Especially the vocal. Sad Rock! But...there are places it's so far back into the mix that I can't tell what she is saying.
AND...thanks for listening to my music.
Snow on the ground. Wind and temperatures below zero. It's time for another coffee table evening.
Recorded live around my coffee table with:
Mark Lofgren - Lead Guitar & Harmony
Colleen Dillon- Ukelele & Harmony
Greg Connor…
No, I never wrote the song, but always thought I would begin the song with the sound of my 12 guage shotgun as I open the action.
Gunshots and clapping are very hard to record. But there are plenty of places to go grab a sample.
Snow on the ground. Wind and temperatures below zero. It's time for another coffee table evening.
Recorded live around my coffee table with:
Mark Lofgren - Lead Guitar & Harmony
Colleen Dillon- Ukelele & Harmony
Greg Connor…
You commented on my song I KEEP MY RADIO ON. You also added, "I once had someone call me selling a security system. I told them “I don’t need it.” They will only come in here once." Did you write that song?
Em
Well, some folks got big noses
Some folks got big ass
Some folks stand out in the aisle
Make it hard to pass
Am
Some folks got money
Em
They say, “That’s just how it goes.”
B7 A
They make it hard for folks like me
Am Em
To keep…
There is nothing like the presence of a horse. The quiet understanding. The gentle strength.
Woodlake, California...1961. I had a horse. She was my friend.
There were times in my teens when Babe was the only being that did not judge me…
Jon Hogan said - You are a master of your art. It's the auditory equivalent of a bracing Charley Russel, or a fine Rembrandt, or a poem by Keats or a short story by Hemingway; like these, you have become a master of your art.
There is nothing like the presence of a horse. The quiet understanding. The gentle strength.
Woodlake, California...1961. I had a horse. She was my friend.
There were times in my teens when Babe was the only being that did not judge me…
Jon Hogan said - We were speachless after it was over, up to about the count of ten. We were staring at each other, such a mix of feelings.... then we both laughed out loud to keep from crying. Mindblowing is all I can really think to say, simply mindblowing.
There is nothing like the presence of a horse. The quiet understanding. The gentle strength.
Woodlake, California...1961. I had a horse. She was my friend.
There were times in my teens when Babe was the only being that did not judge me…
There's another plane that I'll ride
and only I know where I'm going
and without reason I can't think
and your lies won't let me sleep.
This early morning sunshine
gets sucked into the wall
where perhaps we might draw from it
when we are…
This song was written after I had watched a documentary about Jonestown, which featured music from their choir. They were very talented and I couldn't help wondering if any of them had survived. I'd like to think that there were a couple of 'em…
I decided to keep working on this one a bit on the "keep messing with it" program.... added some backing vocals and some piano.... kind of like where its heading after the one take wonder before... Any other suggestions are very welcome…
I wrote this song about 2 years ago and shared it here on Alonetone back then. I decided to do a studio recording of it recently. With the help of the team at F5 Soundhouse here in Minneapolis we've created this updated version. I hope you enjoy…
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
😌🥰
Why did you puke? Sorry, in a song fully of details I guess I want another detail.
REMEMBERING BABE: I had NOT heard this one! I'm glad I insisted!!! Gotta be among the best of... my favs... I don't have to tell you, this is poetry. And your delivery... refreshingly original. In "stand up" readings, or "slam" poetry, there is a "style" of cadence that hearkens back to the Beats, and most poets fall into it, and it always annoyed the hell out of me. This is DRAMATIC ACTING, folks, c'mon! I like the slow, unhurried, thoughtful way you spoke as the poem's Voice; how you mixed up the rhythm, unexpected hesitations, and rapid rushes. And esp the long pauses in unexpected places, as tho the Voice was thinking about the exact right word to use next to express what he wanted to say. I've been trying to work on my delivery for my planned re-entry (after covid) into the local poetry reading community. It is terrible... isolation in quarantine can do that! So I've been practicing w/ video and putting music behind me for good measure.Anyway, I found some good tips here. Thank you. 🙂 I really love R.BABE The ending works really well, something that's sometimes difficult. Gwyn Henry
".. you had me right off the bat--"Red Dirt" for me, classic Ok City area!; plus "honeysuckle dustbowl" (so beautiful) and "limestone lace" --each image is 2 completly different things contrasted to make a third. Lovely. Oklahoma evocative! " Gwyn Henry
Love it. Always enjoy your work. Thank you.
I had forgotten what a damn fine album this is! But... ??? 2005? Really? OMG... has it really been that long? Kinda makes the line... "Ain't no fool like an old fool" fit me even better than it did... sigh
Beautiful - Laurie Calinan
Sweet, sweet, sweet, (except for the war and killing part). My fav lines: "...with those sulfurous clicks/ Little red rolls with black spots of bang" Never described better! That's exactly what they were. Gwyn Henry
beautiful, james
Yeah, cool track.
Beautiful - Laurie Callinan
Yep :)
I'll comment on this one :) ... mighty fine song.
Short and sweet!
Colleen Dillon (73.94.253.184) Love this entirely!
The harmonies on this are so awesome!
"Mending the web that the horsefly tore..." .what a line..what an image... I love that...really love that image...delicate and hopefull....and magical... Matthew
Beautiful beautiful song!! Kat Landrove
i like it, but i'd like to visualize a little more of this place. thanks, james for sharing these!!!
i thought i had commented on this one...i understand helping people move. i know a friend like this and his laundry...funny
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
I find this very soothing. I like the way you build it and then take it back to the theme before taking it on out.
This is really peppy. Like the snappyness of the midi stuff. Maybe I'll try some midi guitar.
I really like this song. Especially the vocal. Sad Rock! But...there are places it's so far back into the mix that I can't tell what she is saying. AND...thanks for listening to my music.
Strange how you have such happy music with such sad story.
Acoustic Tull. Love it.
Very good lyric and delivery. Please put your words up.
No, I never wrote the song, but always thought I would begin the song with the sound of my 12 guage shotgun as I open the action. Gunshots and clapping are very hard to record. But there are plenty of places to go grab a sample.
You commented on my song I KEEP MY RADIO ON. You also added, "I once had someone call me selling a security system. I told them “I don’t need it.” They will only come in here once." Did you write that song?
Morgan Lindley said - That is awesome. Next time you see me I'll be playing that song. I'm stoked you have a tab for it
Jon Hogan said - You are a master of your art. It's the auditory equivalent of a bracing Charley Russel, or a fine Rembrandt, or a poem by Keats or a short story by Hemingway; like these, you have become a master of your art.
Jon Hogan said - We were speachless after it was over, up to about the count of ten. We were staring at each other, such a mix of feelings.... then we both laughed out loud to keep from crying. Mindblowing is all I can really think to say, simply mindblowing.
Maria Moss said - Oh yeah. We stopped typing on our laptops and just listened. And then we both went "oh yeah!"
Sooooo relaxing...
Very soothing.
Boy, this is a wake up. Love the energy.
Immediately captures the harshness. The unpredictability of it.
Been there.
I've got no monopoly on clever... Especially like, "Is there nothing you believe in that could not withstand a scrutinous review?"
Nice wake-up song. Like the harmonies.
Enjoying this again. Such a fine song. So well done.