From an idea in a poem by Pete Thompson.
CALEBB'S RETRIEVE
jmt/Pete Thompson
The crowd is restless
It's a quarter til noon
They're for a hangin'
And it better be soon
Sun's beaten' down
The Law's not in town
Hangman's dirty boots…
I wrote this one day when Peggy went to the store. Had no idea it would ever be worse than that.
THE LAST TIME Am capo @ 3
The last we said goodbye I didn't even look her in the eye
The last time I kissed her mouth I didn't even think about…
SNOW MAN
I'll tell you right now
I don't cry
You might mistake some sweat
for a teardrop in my eye
But, I don't cry
In spite of what you might be thinking
I don't get tired of humble pie
(That's not a tear drop in my eye)
And don…
THE CHILD WITH THE BEAUTIFUL NAME
(The story is @ iburymydead.com)
What remains of an eagle that's fallen
The roots of an oak tree now claim
To draw sap for the shade for the cattle
O're the child with the beautiful name
The law, it…
The lyrics of this song,
as they pertain to plot,
are my exact memory of the event.
I had spoken to the kid maybe a minute before the "action" started about how the pressure of the water was very strong. He was nestled down with his back…
THE BUDS AND BLOSSOMS
I've been meaning to write you a letter
But I did not know what I would say
I've been thinking about you and your new love
And wishing that there was a way...
And the buds and the blossoms remind me of you today…
And there’s nothing much finer
Than an old brown recliner
Rocking on the porch for my pain
Still here, if you still have my email, send me yours. David
FORTY YEAR BARN
words by Jacque Shelton and JMT (I wrote the chorus.)
I had a dream as a little boy
Not a policeman, a fireman or even a toy
I picked cotton, I waitered
My sox need darned
But all that I dreamed was my Forty Year Barn…
SIX OCLOCK SHADOWS
At six o'clock the windmill throws it's shadow on the grave
The cattle chew their cud and lowly low above the one we didn't save
The broken body buried there beneath the sod we carried there that day
And tho we hold each…
This song is a perfect companion to the other. Both are beautiful unto themselves, but together they compliment and fulfill each other... and together they become even more beautiful. Bravo Bravo
The story is at www.iburymydead.com
THE CHILD WITH THE BEAUTIFUL NAME
What remains of an eagle that's fallen
The roots of an oak tree now claim
To draw sap for the shade for the cattle
O're the child with the beautiful name
The law…
Jimmy, this song represents well, why I love you and yours. Thank you, so much, for sharing your life. This song is a masterpiece. I know it was birthed from deep shared pain. It is beautiful.
IN MY ROOM
In my room there's no day and there's no night
In my room, just an incandescent light
...hanging from a wire.
In my room there's no hot and there's no cold
In my room,I'm not young. I'm not old
...hanging from a wire…
Guilty Roses
Three dollars at the drug store
For a rose as real as life
Can't pass the display
I want to take one to my wife
But she's one suspicious lady
A rose herself you see
"I'm not that complicate."
That's what she said to me…
Guilty Roses
Three dollars at the drug store
For a rose as real as life
Can't pass the display
I want to take one to my wife
But she's one suspicious lady
A rose herself you see
"I'm not that complicate."
That's what she said to me…
I'm not at all sure what a "song-form context" is, but I bet it's important. On the other hand, I'm getting to this 12-13 years after the fact, so it probably doesn't matter. I kept hearing a Miles Davis muted horn wandering around in the background. JHardinStephens
DEAR PEGGY Capo 3 in Am
A bass stepping A G F G
Dear Peggy,I thot you'd like to know
That blue tile in our bathroom you said would have to go
I replaced with the slate that we bought at Home Depot
mmmmm mmmmm
Dear Peggy, The heat has…
I NEVER DREAM capo @ 2 in C
C
I never dream of building bridges. I never dream I’ll build a dam
I never dreamed of a cathedral for the mighty God, I Am
F
I never dreamed of founding clinics or make donations to the cause
C
I don’t see…
key of C - no capo
We listen for years for words to explain ourselves. "I'm good but not THAT good," was such a moment for me. Good enough to stay in the game but never good enough to win.
Last night I kissed somebody
I kissed somebody…
Always been a fan of John Prine and next to Sam Stone this was one of my favorites. Done with a slight hip hop beat to it.
All tracks played by me....in my studio....in my office....at home.
Yeah, I'm kinda low budget...
This is the first thing I recorded using the telecaster you can see in my profile pic. It's a one-take jam played over one of those guitar magazine backing tracks. Thanks for the listen :-)
Psychological consequences of war.....written and performed by Nick Plagakis.....Lyrics:
Sixty seven shots ringing
Across the desert, heads are spinning
Bang, Bang Bang; is all I hear
Bang, Bang, Bang;…
A little jazz-funk for your delectation. My homage to Jeff Beck's 1975 masterpiece album "Blow By Blow". The title is the name of a Lee Child book I was reading at the time I was writing the tune.
That's even cooler if you can program drums all by yourself. I just tap them out on my midi keyboard sometimes, or whack a snare drum, add some reverb and pull it back in the mix. About THE WINNOWING, I don't know if it's obvious but I sang all the parts.
A little jazz-funk for your delectation. My homage to Jeff Beck's 1975 masterpiece album "Blow By Blow". The title is the name of a Lee Child book I was reading at the time I was writing the tune.
This song's going on 32 years old...
Some 12 years older than I was when I wrote it!!
I borrowed the title from one of my favourite madrigals, The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons:
"The silver swan who living hath no note, when death approached…
I wasn't going to post this - it's the original demo that the finished version is based on. This is the same lead vocal and resonator part that's on the full version - no EQ or anything, just the naked tracks. There's two bars of silence before…
Geas poured some magic sauce on this one and opened up the song to a new level .....Thanks Geas
WHY
the innocence of a lie
the reason behind the why
the sigh of regret
at that moment of death
why
why
oh why
while were swimming in…
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
I can really relate to this! This my my childhood too! Love this.
Another one I just found, great story and works very well.
What a splendid song.
Just found this one, nice job.
It’s about an older brother, or would be older brother that if had not drowned at 2 years I’d have not been born…..
That doesn’t sound like an original song- That sounds like a Johnny Cas son-
Beautiful song
And there’s nothing much finer Than an old brown recliner Rocking on the porch for my pain Still here, if you still have my email, send me yours. David
I found this one recently and really enjoyed it. Nice job.
This song is a perfect companion to the other. Both are beautiful unto themselves, but together they compliment and fulfill each other... and together they become even more beautiful. Bravo Bravo
Jimmy, this song represents well, why I love you and yours. Thank you, so much, for sharing your life. This song is a masterpiece. I know it was birthed from deep shared pain. It is beautiful.
Wow, nicely poetic. Cool how your vocals and simple guitar work keep the lyrics centered for the listener.
James, this is unusually beautiful. Great job! James Oliver in Corpus Christi
I'm not at all sure what a "song-form context" is, but I bet it's important. On the other hand, I'm getting to this 12-13 years after the fact, so it probably doesn't matter. I kept hearing a Miles Davis muted horn wandering around in the background. JHardinStephens
I love it!
Oh, and could you add chords for this one please.
This is another country hit song and I think you need to start singing it again.
Dark, Solemn, & Sad w/ a bit of Humor. I Like 'Em Dark & Sometimes Uncertain Feeling. Sister or Lover ??
AWESOMENESS !! FANTASTIC WRITING !! MUCH ON THE TALENT, BROTHER !! WELL DONE, AGAIN.
AWESOMENESS. EXCELLENT WRITIN̈G !! LOVED IT !!
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
Beautiful song very effectively sung.
Love your delivery.
Has a Townes Van Zandt sadness about it.
You need to get in touch with Jody Jones to get a slot at the songwriter showcase at the Magnolia in Fort Worth on Monday nights.
The new John Renborn.
Lost my mom a couple of years ago. I understand your playing with so much feeling. I try to hold on to my mom by singing in her clear sweet voice.
Great picking.
That's relaxing...
So well said.
That's even cooler if you can program drums all by yourself. I just tap them out on my midi keyboard sometimes, or whack a snare drum, add some reverb and pull it back in the mix. About THE WINNOWING, I don't know if it's obvious but I sang all the parts.
...and now you are going nashville on us. What range you have!
Could be the theme music for one of those007 movies. Very English.
Welcome to Alonetone. And thanx for listening to my songs. I like this. So sparse. So nimble when you go to the second guitar. Are those live drums?
This is very popie/r&B. Sounds like a fun one to sing. I might have posted LAYLA back when i first recorded it. Can't remember
Yeah, imaginary lovers are easier to keep around.
Martgueritaville II
I will miss his very specific and kind comments.
Wish you would tell more about who you are and about this song. So beautiful.
Sooooo pretty.
ATTITUDE! Yes!