Refuge into the imagination:
Is it crazy?
Is it survival?
Is desire to survive crazy?
THERE SHE WAS Key - G 102811
G
She'd been gone for three years now so he'd been on the road
Playing every truck stop bar and every song he…
One night after three month of no rain, as we were driving home from singing at Gringos in Grapevine a splash of water hit the windshield.
I said to myself, "Sweet Rain."
I went home and wrote the song. It's on the soundtrack of a movie called…
I never sing this song the same two times in a row.
The lyric below is pretty close to how I sing it now.
Listening again, this is an awful version of this song...
I have my recording machine working again...I must redo this.
I PLAY C…
Like most or all of your songs, there is always something really stands out and pays off big time. That last verse (or is it the last two) is absolutely, powefully emotion packed. And it is somewhat Vonnegut like in that so much is conveyed so precisely and with elegant simplicity. "... in the dream we left behind" - my God man, it's pure genius. Not the first two times I heard the song, but the first time I "listened" to it, I thought WHAT WAS THAT! And the it sunk in.
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…
I have a new love
Of course she doesn’t know
How can a work of art
Know when lovers come and go
And when the artist is the art!
My eyes are the eyes of the beholder
And my eyes are the eyes of the world…
…when the artist is the art…
OUT THERE SOMEWHERE
Her eyes were blurry. Her face was painted
Her hair was dyed black. Her purse was heavy
She said something. I asked her to repeat it
She said, “Stop the car. I thot I could trust you.”
I pulled it over and I waited…
CATTAILS AND BUTTERFLIES capo @ 4 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…
"Somewhere between the stumbling and the falling..."
SOMEWHERE
G capo @ 2 - live @ 4
Somewhere between the summer and the winter
The leaves between the tree tops and the fall
Somewhere between my heart and circled letters
Somewhere…
"Somewhere between the stumbling and the falling..."
SOMEWHERE
G capo @ 2 - live @ 4
Somewhere between the summer and the winter
The leaves between the tree tops and the fall
Somewhere between my heart and circled letters
Somewhere…
"Somewhere between the stumbling and the falling..."
SOMEWHERE
G capo @ 2 - live @ 4
Somewhere between the summer and the winter
The leaves between the tree tops and the fall
Somewhere between my heart and circled letters
Somewhere…
"Somewhere between the stumbling and the falling..."
SOMEWHERE
G capo @ 2 - live @ 4
Somewhere between the summer and the winter
The leaves between the tree tops and the fall
Somewhere between my heart and circled letters
Somewhere…
OH JIMMY
capo @ 4 or 5 live
C Am F G
On page thirty of the yearbook he found a picture sweet
A girl named Marie Angel, in school right down the street
Dm walk down G
He didn’t notice…
I was trying to figure out the backstory here, at first I thought the girl might be the mom. But she doesn't seem to be even though she's standing beside the boy's father great with child. So the mind can come up with all sorts of interesting scenarios. You're probably right not to explain it, let the listener create their own story.
One night after three month of no rain, as we were driving home from singing at Gringos in Grapevine a splash of water hit the windshield.
I said to myself, "Sweet Rain."
I went home and wrote the song. It's on the soundtrack of a movie called…
I sent that link to my bff Misty. Remember her?
This was her response: I love the juxtaposition of the absurdity of the subject to the poignancy of the underlying message. Spoken like an English teacher. Michael Soto
Capo @ 5 in C
Back in 2008 I was the recording secretary for the Fort Worth Singer/Songwriter Association. I submitted this song at our annual contests and was awarded a plaque
for BEST COMEDY SONG, which I consider a serious misunderstanding…
A fun song you could play for the right crowds and really do well, and they say you don't write happy songs. :) This is a good change of pace song for you, if you feel a set getting too serious, throw this one in as palette cleanser.
One night after our gigs, Chris Zeller at the Hilton Hotel and me at Shananagans in Midland we met in his hotel room and decided we would both write a song called THE CHANGING OF THE WAYS. I wonder what ever happened to him.
THE CHANGING OF…
This is another upbeat, happyish song that you should think about doing a little more. It carries a message people can understand and had a nice beat that works well.
Tim Tandy said, "I enjoy the "play like" aspect of the Stockyards District today, but I KNOW what was real and what wasn't. When I grew up in East Fort Worth in the 50's thru the 70's, the Stockyards were a working affair. Everyone downwind got…
The story our song that night (Songwriter night, Tuesday, at The Post, where we would divide up into groups and have a new song ready to perform in one hour) was about railroads and a girl from San Antone. When I got home I had the Tejas/Chaos…
Love the piano. Love the brevity, and the words themselves. Love "voice like confetti"! I get more about her story from the music itself. The words set it up beautifully. But the music, the back up, the energy had me seeing those waves, and sensing the sleeping fish beneath! Love the "tip" of another story, her buying l ip gloss in NYC. Love that that is all that you gave.
Seen by Gwyn at 12:20 PM
Gwyn Henry
I BUY GUITARS
Em
One man might buy cigarettes and waste it all in smoke
Another marijuana and share a friendly toke
Am
Another, with more money, might invest in antique cars
Em
I buy guitars
A man might buy a baseball card
Keep it…
I have posted far too many wafty and generally pleasant songs. Time for something a bit more dark and malevolent - back to the dark side......
Lyrics:
I’m gonna wait until you are happy again And be waiting for you
I’m gonna wait until…
Another soothing, kind of playful fingerpicking tune, in something like E minor.
I had intended to put some lyrics over the rhythm track, but then I was having fun with the lead and decided to just keep it this way for now. Maybe another version…
My attempt at this super fun sea shanty!
This is an old New Zealand whaling song. The popular recent version was recorded a cappella by The Longest Johns. I'm using the chords suggested by Piotrek_G on ultimate-guitar.
Edit: re-uploaded…
A bit of wah lead to a song......
As the clouds start to break the suns on the run again
Keeping all that rain at bay
I’ve had enough of this damn lockdown
I want out, I want to live and have some fun again
Come on sun shine down on me…
She lies alone. She's crying.
The truth hit her like a rock
A rock thrown thru her window
The window to her heart
His eyes told her a story
And she believed it, every word
She made plans to leave forever
Her time was over on this earth…
Written for a song challenge. We were given the theme of a name found on an item, carved on a tree, on a street sign - whatever. Then off we raced all in our different directions, just to see where different songwriters would end up. I chose to…
When I was young we lived opposite a big play area - lots of grass and trees and bushes to rampage around - and in the middle a tarmac playground with the "amusements" - a witches hat (aka umbrella), a long rocking horse with saddles along its…
Ashes and dragon's breath - bright things in the sky, childhood games, battlegrounds, cemeteries.
Lyrics:
Long long days, summer holidays, staying up late
green wood on the bonfire, we danced around the flames
street lights and stars…
Ashes and dragon's breath - bright things in the sky, childhood games, battlegrounds, cemeteries.
Lyrics:
Long long days, summer holidays, staying up late
green wood on the bonfire, we danced around the flames
street lights and stars…
Summer In The Wind was written by me and recorded by the Ninja Broilers (myself and my sister). It is dedicated to our mum. A song of sad goodbyes and new beginnings.
This is one of our first "international collaborations" - so the production…
Written for a song challenge. We were given the theme of a name found on an item, carved on a tree, on a street sign - whatever. Then off we raced all in our different directions, just to see where different songwriters would end up. I chose to…
Written for a song challenge. We were given the theme of a name found on an item, carved on a tree, on a street sign - whatever. Then off we raced all in our different directions, just to see where different songwriters would end up. I chose to…
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
Cory Michael -I listened to the song and think you should definitely sing it next week. You're a hell of a story teller, James!
Cindy Grayson James Michael Taylor beautiful song
Pamela Steuber Anderson James Michael Taylor I love this song. Thank you.
Like most or all of your songs, there is always something really stands out and pays off big time. That last verse (or is it the last two) is absolutely, powefully emotion packed. And it is somewhat Vonnegut like in that so much is conveyed so precisely and with elegant simplicity. "... in the dream we left behind" - my God man, it's pure genius. Not the first two times I heard the song, but the first time I "listened" to it, I thought WHAT WAS THAT! And the it sunk in.
heartfelt, sincere. i dig the banjo and mouthharp
That is beautiful, James. Thank you. Rachel Eastman
Honking horn was exactly how I thought you would end this song
504 Hathaway, San Luis Obispo, California. 1954
Absolutely beautiful!
Lazarus Knight Absolutely one of your best.
Kat Angel Absolutely beautiful!
Roberta Hargrove Bitter sweet! I love this!
I was trying to figure out the backstory here, at first I thought the girl might be the mom. But she doesn't seem to be even though she's standing beside the boy's father great with child. So the mind can come up with all sorts of interesting scenarios. You're probably right not to explain it, let the listener create their own story.
Such a fantastic song, and timely for many of us right now.
I sent that link to my bff Misty. Remember her? This was her response: I love the juxtaposition of the absurdity of the subject to the poignancy of the underlying message. Spoken like an English teacher. Michael Soto
A fun song you could play for the right crowds and really do well, and they say you don't write happy songs. :) This is a good change of pace song for you, if you feel a set getting too serious, throw this one in as palette cleanser.
This is another upbeat, happyish song that you should think about doing a little more. It carries a message people can understand and had a nice beat that works well.
you got a beutiful voice...u should finish writing this one.
Terry Rasor James Michael Taylor btw love that tune my friend!
Linder Bassy Wow I love the song
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
Love the piano. Love the brevity, and the words themselves. Love "voice like confetti"! I get more about her story from the music itself. The words set it up beautifully. But the music, the back up, the energy had me seeing those waves, and sensing the sleeping fish beneath! Love the "tip" of another story, her buying l ip gloss in NYC. Love that that is all that you gave. Seen by Gwyn at 12:20 PM Gwyn Henry
"Love this! That last verse... ummm hmmmmm." Gwyn Henry
Could you please add the lyrics. I'm a bit hard of hearing and I'm missing some words.
Great guitar sound. You write great "throw-away songs."
What a great groove (with Beatle fragments).
My mother had dementia:https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/tracks/mama-has-a-time-machine
It might be silly but that's great rhythm track.
I like the bendy-swooniness of this..
Fresh and lively...trying to pick along...
Love it!
Gitty Up!
Been there with my parents...so sad.
"Unbelievable..., unbuckled my jaw." Christopher Youngblood
This song makes me want to share a song of mine with you:https://alonetone.com/jamesmichaeltaylor/playlists/cushions/the-couch-022815-1
You are the female Pete Seeger. Talking is singing and singing is talking.
You are my new favorite singer/songwriter. I want to know everything about you.
Another gem. A picture book...
Another beautiful piece. I want to listen to everything you have written.
...and, yes, we do know!
Beautiful. Perfect voice. Love the chord change at "at the time." "Indigo night," brings a tear. Thank you.