BEAVERS AND WILLOWS
Capo @ 5 in C
FCG FC FCFG
F C G F C
Like beavers and willows
Bats and mosquitos
F) Toad C) frogs and F) flies (G
DA DA - E Am G C
Algae and oil spills
Shovels and coal hills
Black holes…
I wrote this song after planting and fertalizing a crop of sudan grass just to have the sun shine down with no relief on it for 100 days and no rain. We, Texas Water, were heading home one night AFTER A GIG at Gringo's in Grapevine when the…
CALIFORNIA
Capo @ 4 in C/Am
I’m (Am) going back to California
A little place in the San (E) Joaquin
(Am, stepping down A G F# F E)
Where the back pasture builds
To Sierra foothills
And Kaweah tumbles down cool and clean
I’m going back…
California has a chorus that camouflages the dramatic irony of the verse narrative. If it weren’t for the unusual intro, it’d seem zirconium. Christopher Youngblood
VIDEO https://www.facebook.com/reel/629088762494393
https://www.facebook.com/100007692130538/videos/122358790913196/
THE CIRCLE OF NO REGRETS Key C
capo @ 5
C F G C C G C
If your heart must be broken…
Circle of No Regrets sounds quaint. That’s what makes it hit. Unless you turn your ears on, it’s a boring song, but once you do, it’s hard to take.
It’s almost like you’re giving the audience an option. Christopher Youngblood
MOTHER'S EYES
I used to chide my mother
She saw the loss in every face
The cemetery. The old folks home
along the way
I used to laugh at Mother
She saw the pain in every eye
Now time has passed
and Mom is gone and here am I
And…
I wrote to my children, my answer. I told the how I watched them thru the window and enjoyed them in ways they never knew. How seeing them learn and succeed at their efforts was such pleasure to me. How discovering who they were by the talents and generosity they exhibited made me happy...The first response I got was from Embyr, now a registered nurse, mother of 4, just said, "Jim, you were mean."
Sat 11:38 PM
Christopher sent Yesterday at 11:38 PM
I listened to Kite a bunch of times, trying to think how it could be improved (it can’t be), and it occurred to me that Ben Franklin flew a key. That part of the story had never occurred to me as important before. But it’s like he was trying to unlock something.
Maybe he tried it on a clear day and let the kite rise to where he couldn’t see it. That’d be a different experiment altogether. Christopher Youngblood
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…
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…
THE COUCH - key - C
https://fb.watch/lIEUn31mBZ/
https://www.facebook.com/100054814402634/videos/2856132984527543/
1-C 4-F
Today we put the couch out by the road
5-G…
Ah! The history in discarded things. I see the similarity with my "his name in a book". I hope the couch found a new home (and the mouse..). Nice to have the words to read too, I hadn't thought of doing that.
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…
A GOOD CRY
Rick Babb/JMT
Why don't you cry
I know you need to
A tear is meant to ease your pain
A flood could come
And it would wash you
So, don't you try and hold it back
A good cry can't be bad
Why don't you cry
Come her, I'll…
Good gawd, this song still makes me cry, every time I hear it... and I have listened to this song for years. Good gawd, what a great song. You do know, old friend, that on most of your songs, I love your voice; but this song cries out for someone who is a true vocalist.
THE COUCH - key - C
https://fb.watch/lIEUn31mBZ/
https://www.facebook.com/100054814402634/videos/2856132984527543/
1-C 4-F
Today we put the couch out by the road
5-G…
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…
I've always said, The best compliment I can give a poet or a songwriter is... "Damn, I wish I had written that!" Damn, ol' son... I had forgotten what a great gut punch of a song this one is. I wish I had written it! But then again, if I had written it, then not only would no one else have had the chance to hear and appreciate how damn good it really is... but I too would never have had the pleasure myself. Old friend, you are one hell of an artist.
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…
SKINNY GIRLS
Capo @ 3 in G
...and then he said,
I like skinny girls
Toothy girls
Flat chested girls
I like girls with Adam's apples
A mouth full of titty
And a hand full of ass...
A girl with a six pack
is my kind of...
And then…
I'm not sure I want to know where you came up with this... :) acoustic57 My song "Down By The Sea" is from spending time at the beach with my wife. So, yes, it is pretty much real :)
M E L I S S A Key of G
These are letters I like to say - M E L I S S A
These are notes I like to play……
Letters that sparkle. Notes that jingle
Make a little song in my heart
There’s a song in my heart today - M E L I S S A
I wish…
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…
I’ll tell you the truth. I’ve been out of control
They took away my blanket. Put me out in the cold.
Even Miami’s got ice on the ground
Man said, “You be a good boy and get out of my town.”
I’d just got to sleep when they turned on the…
THE SWING
When I was a child we'd drive 200 miles
To Gramma’s in the Spring
I’d hop out of the car. Run to her back yard.
Gramma had a swing
The times have changed...
And when I became a dad I took all the rope I had
And tied it to…
Another Minnesota Coffee Table Song! Written and recorded “live” in one evening.
Memories: Written and performed by John Bennet, Joe Passofaro, Mark Lofgren, Colleen Dillon & Greg Connor. Listen to Minnesota Homebrew Radio w/ Carl Unbehaun…
Florencia - I would telll you the chords
but I don't know what they are...
The tide is going out in Avila
I can feel it in my blood
Here I am in South beach Florida
Just like you knew I would
Florencia, I've been waiting…
Florencia Di Concilio It’s not the first time someone writes me a song, though it is the very first time I actually like it. I love the song, to tell you the truth! You’re awesome James Michael Taylor! You made my day. ❤️
LANCASTER STREET
Midnight in Cowtown. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street
Sunshine brings tacos. Sunshine brings beans.
Sunshine…
LANCASTER STREET
Midnight in Cowtown. 90 degrees
Too hot for a blanket. Too hot for a sheet
The trash on the sidewalk is trying to sleep
Breathing the bus fumes on Lancaster Street
Sunshine brings tacos. Sunshine brings beans.
Sunshine…
"This Balloon" was written for the Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show hosted by Carl Unbehaun. A March songwriting Challenge - Write a song about Balloons. Listen to Carl's radio show on the internet:
Pioneer Radio 90.1 Thief River Falls, MN…
You asked me who Jack Hardy was...He was a friend of mine, now gone. Beloved by many. This was a bit of teasing him, imitating how he sang. He and I shared a mutual respect. The first time I met him I was sitting under an awning at the Kerrville Folk Festival and he pulled up a chair and said, "Sing me a song." We were buddies from then on. The day he would arrive at Kerrville was always joyfully anticipated, not just because he made such great spigot. Here is a link to more about him:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hardy_(singer-songwriter)
This song is a spin-off from "Hold On". Tez found the original music and wanted to use it for his own lyric, so we assembled a new band, and Gabro replaced my original piano track (while still using the original harmonies).
The new lead melody…
THE CIRCLE OF NO REGRETS Key C
Capo @ 3
VIDEO - https://www.facebook.com/reel/629088762494393
https://fb.watch/lQdzfYTriA/
https://www.facebook.com/100007692130538/videos/122358790913196/. With Martha - practice
C. F. C…
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…
Easing my way back into music production. This is a work in progress, but I have so many ideas floating I don't know how long it will take to make progress. I do like the way this turned out so far. Enjoy.
Mid-tempo, loud, and sans vocals. You want to sing (or play) on it? Drop me a line.
EDIT: I may have a taker on turning this into a proper song. If he does, this is "off-the-market", but if he doesn't, then I'll put it back on or do my…
This is such a solid track it could go a dozen ways.
Also, thank you for your comment. I had a 7th line clear up until my final mix when I realized how useless it was...your response verifies my thot. The song was start to finish this afternoon.Thanks again.
THE BURDEN OF SANITY - capo @ 5 in An
Am F
As I turned on to Calhoun I could hear the music from the street
Dm E
A dog pissed on a speaker as I found myself a seat
Now, Buster is a caveman all hunched over his bones
Hair matted like a…
"The years can kill your spirit. The years you can’t explain
The years that simply melt away... like mascara in the rain."
Damn... what great words. JMT words.
Words that paint a picture... on the canvas of my spirit. `
Jon McCabe
SWEET AND FREE - Version B
Lyrics: Mohamed Ibrahim
Vocals, Vocal Melody: Kim Noble
Guitars: Frank Zax
Bass: Andy Gupta
Drums: Robert Cudmore
Original Music & Production: Steffen Offermann
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
Makes you think.
Kim Triolo Feil James Michael Taylor that's a fantastic story and a very lovely song
California has a chorus that camouflages the dramatic irony of the verse narrative. If it weren’t for the unusual intro, it’d seem zirconium. Christopher Youngblood
Circle of No Regrets sounds quaint. That’s what makes it hit. Unless you turn your ears on, it’s a boring song, but once you do, it’s hard to take. It’s almost like you’re giving the audience an option. Christopher Youngblood
I wrote to my children, my answer. I told the how I watched them thru the window and enjoyed them in ways they never knew. How seeing them learn and succeed at their efforts was such pleasure to me. How discovering who they were by the talents and generosity they exhibited made me happy...The first response I got was from Embyr, now a registered nurse, mother of 4, just said, "Jim, you were mean."
Sat 11:38 PM Christopher sent Yesterday at 11:38 PM I listened to Kite a bunch of times, trying to think how it could be improved (it can’t be), and it occurred to me that Ben Franklin flew a key. That part of the story had never occurred to me as important before. But it’s like he was trying to unlock something. Maybe he tried it on a clear day and let the kite rise to where he couldn’t see it. That’d be a different experiment altogether. Christopher Youngblood
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
Sure is some good listening .....
Ah! The history in discarded things. I see the similarity with my "his name in a book". I hope the couch found a new home (and the mouse..). Nice to have the words to read too, I hadn't thought of doing that.
"Unbelievable..., unbuckled my jaw." Christopher Youngblood
Good gawd, this song still makes me cry, every time I hear it... and I have listened to this song for years. Good gawd, what a great song. You do know, old friend, that on most of your songs, I love your voice; but this song cries out for someone who is a true vocalist.
Gwyn Henry Again...poetry!! Love this. Can relate to the discoveries under the couch!!
I've always said, The best compliment I can give a poet or a songwriter is... "Damn, I wish I had written that!" Damn, ol' son... I had forgotten what a great gut punch of a song this one is. I wish I had written it! But then again, if I had written it, then not only would no one else have had the chance to hear and appreciate how damn good it really is... but I too would never have had the pleasure myself. Old friend, you are one hell of an artist.
Pake Rossi James Michael Taylor this is one of my favorite of your songs!
A JMT musical Haiku! Love it!
I'm not sure I want to know where you came up with this... :) acoustic57 My song "Down By The Sea" is from spending time at the beach with my wife. So, yes, it is pretty much real :)
Hey, cool. Makes you feel young again :). acoustic57
Nice song James. Great vocals. Reminds me a lot of CSNY. from acoustic57 :)
Carolyn Wade 60 Years later?? This is a good song. Love the lyrics, the music fits the words.
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
"That was brilliant. We are crying." Maria Moss
If I lived near you I would want to be part of this tribe.
Florencia Di Concilio It’s not the first time someone writes me a song, though it is the very first time I actually like it. I love the song, to tell you the truth! You’re awesome James Michael Taylor! You made my day. ❤️
Laurie Callinan - Its very beautiful. Love the line about the garbage trying to sleep.
Connie Pittman Ramsey Visually sorrowful and heartfelt.... Thank you James, once again, for going where most dare not go
First, the guitar sound is amazing. This friendly little project is is special in so many ways.
You asked me who Jack Hardy was...He was a friend of mine, now gone. Beloved by many. This was a bit of teasing him, imitating how he sang. He and I shared a mutual respect. The first time I met him I was sitting under an awning at the Kerrville Folk Festival and he pulled up a chair and said, "Sing me a song." We were buddies from then on. The day he would arrive at Kerrville was always joyfully anticipated, not just because he made such great spigot. Here is a link to more about him:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hardy_(singer-songwriter)
That bass is awesome! Great build!
This is beautiful.
Wonderful, James. Thank you for singing the songs in your heart. This world needs them.Summer Loraine Russell
Mighty powerful feelings of aloneness and independence, songs and songwriting/singing a perfect fit! Keith Haas
This immediately puts me in a mythical meadow with fairies and crickets and lightning bugs at dusk...
This is such a solid track it could go a dozen ways. Also, thank you for your comment. I had a 7th line clear up until my final mix when I realized how useless it was...your response verifies my thot. The song was start to finish this afternoon.Thanks again.
"The years can kill your spirit. The years you can’t explain The years that simply melt away... like mascara in the rain." Damn... what great words. JMT words. Words that paint a picture... on the canvas of my spirit. ` Jon McCabe
Crisp and crystal clear!
Perfect for your voice. "aging Silverado..." "so, I don't say a word, my order is heard."
Love your voice on this. Like 50s American pop song.
So clean! Really rocks. Sounds like your first language is American English.
Great production! Is that all you playing everything?
So clean. Very interesting...I'm missing some of the words tho. What country are you from?