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…
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 @ 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…
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…
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…
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
Yeah, there's an "Indian" graveyard somewhere out there at the Stock Yards.
COWTOWN Key Em
Em C D Em
In a courtyard down the alley there’s a graveyard…
Naad Kaur Khalsa
James Michael Taylor oooo...shadows and regret...I am happy to say I haven't much regret...a lot of deep sorrow...pocketed in loss...shock that is oh so slow to wear off
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…
So, this friend listens to The Couch and immediately tells me I MUST mention the imaginary friends behind the couch. That "hair" is gookie. It didn't occur to her that if I mentioned all the things listeners thought of when they listened to the song, we would still be singing...
I FELL IN LOVE WITH TEXAS
Well, I was not born in Texas
I just came here for a while
You give a state like this an inch
It turns into a mile
I came to stay a day or two
It turned into a life
Now I've got three hungry kids
And one Texas…
Robert Dwain Elliott
I met a man named Michael today, Standing beside a hallway, With a cool coat and wearing a throng, For some $$$ he’ll sing you a song. (He was not born in Texas, he just came here for a while).He did run over a chicken on the road once… Feathers in the Wind.
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…
TROJAN capo @ 3 in C
(C) When mommy and daddy live two thousand miles from each other it’s hard on the (G) kid
He can’t hold both their hands but he must stand between them and you know it’s for nothing he (C) did
And you (F) know it’s…
Lee, I just dialed up TROJAN. By the time I read the 1st four lines I was crying.. Maybe, after all these years it a lot deeper than back when I wrote it.
Probably anyone who plays the guitar could write this song....
Someone asked if I was actually in Spain in 2003. Actually, 2000. Working on the movie, THE STONE RAFT with George Sluizer, from a book by Jose Saramago.
Inspired by something Jenni…
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…
Roland Brown
My friend, JT. My favorite song this year! Eat your heart out Guy Clark. John Stetson Michael James Ginger Brown Gayle Brown Rick Dodson Donna Pelkey Bailey Bill Nash
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…
I love the song. But change the hair and pins line to” my imaginary friends or images of my imaginary friends.
Donna
The hair and pins line may be the truth but too gross.
Donna
Donna Everete
Keep it imagery
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
I've heard a lot of your songs, but never this one that I can recall. Very powerful and touching lyrics. Ashley
😌🥰
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!!!
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
504 Hathaway, San Luis Obispo, California. 1954
Lazarus Knight Absolutely one of your best.
Kat Angel Absolutely beautiful!
Roberta Hargrove Bitter sweet! I love this!
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
Terry Rasor James Michael Taylor btw love that tune my friend!
Linder Bassy Wow I love the song
Patty Brunson That is a great song.
Nola Lloyd Griffiths Wolley I love your story telling singing style. Takes me back to my childhood. Love it
Nola Lloyd Griffiths Wolley Very much enjoyed
Naad Kaur Khalsa James Michael Taylor oooo...shadows and regret...I am happy to say I haven't much regret...a lot of deep sorrow...pocketed in loss...shock that is oh so slow to wear off
So, this friend listens to The Couch and immediately tells me I MUST mention the imaginary friends behind the couch. That "hair" is gookie. It didn't occur to her that if I mentioned all the things listeners thought of when they listened to the song, we would still be singing...
Robert Dwain Elliott I met a man named Michael today, Standing beside a hallway, With a cool coat and wearing a throng, For some $$$ he’ll sing you a song. (He was not born in Texas, he just came here for a while).He did run over a chicken on the road once… Feathers in the Wind.
Grant Morrison Thanks for making me cry dude lol
Lee, I just dialed up TROJAN. By the time I read the 1st four lines I was crying.. Maybe, after all these years it a lot deeper than back when I wrote it.
Kat Angel Delightful
Marian Brackney My absolute favorite… 😭
Scarlett Maneikis James Michael Taylor love the lyrics. Each guitar has a story.
Roland Brown My friend, JT. My favorite song this year! Eat your heart out Guy Clark. John Stetson Michael James Ginger Brown Gayle Brown Rick Dodson Donna Pelkey Bailey Bill Nash
I love the song. But change the hair and pins line to” my imaginary friends or images of my imaginary friends. Donna The hair and pins line may be the truth but too gross. Donna Donna Everete Keep it imagery