by James Michael Taylor
I have a brain that I must keep busy
I have a heart with too many hurts
And I have a house with too many memories
My life is broken but somehow it still works
And I have a dream that wakes me up crying
I feel…
FISHING
People keep saying that it's a big ocean
There's more than one fish in the sea
Where did they get such a ridiculous notion
What's fishin' between you and me
Fishin' or fusion, photo voltaic cells
Wind mills and hydrogen too…
This is the original version of WILD BILL
that I submitted to Production back in '95
when I was working on the film. It got set aside
when the music was forwarded from Ry Cooter to Van Dyke Parks.
One day I came in from work and Peggy…
This is the original version of WILD BILL
that I submitted to Production back in '95
when I was working on the film. It got set aside
when the music was forwarded from Ry Cooter to Van Dyke Parks.
One day I came in from work and Peggy…
This is the original version of WILD BILL
that I submitted to Production back in '95
when I was working on the film. It got set aside
when the music was forwarded from Ry Cooter to Van Dyke Parks.
One day I came in from work and Peggy…
OCCUPY 0112
It's a highland I call my land
It's an island in the sun
No matter how you measure it
It's always number one
If I had a house to occupy
I'd occupy my wish
But to have a house to occupy
I must defy the rich
We buy the…
OCCUPY 0112
It's a highland I call my land
It's an island in the sun
No matter how you measure it
It's always number one
If I had a house to occupy
I'd occupy my wish
But to have a house to occupy
I must defy the rich
We buy the…
OCCUPY 0112
It's a highland I call my land
It's an island in the sun
No matter how you measure it
It's always number one
If I had a house to occupy
I'd occupy my wish
But to have a house to occupy
I must defy the rich
We buy the…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
OCCUPY 0112
It's a highland I call my land
It's an island in the sun
No matter how you measure it
It's always number one
If I had a house to occupy
I'd occupy my wish
But to have a house to occupy
I must defy the rich
We buy the…
OCCUPY 0112
It's a highland I call my land
It's an island in the sun
No matter how you measure it
It's always number one
If I had a house to occupy
I'd occupy my wish
But to have a house to occupy
I must defy the rich
We buy the…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
Beautiful guitar and arrangement. Maybe happiness is accepting reality and doing the best you can with it, but I wouldn't know for sure, cause I haven't reached that point, either.
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
Just thinking about Happiness. Thinking about how she said she was leaving because she wanted to be happy.
HAPPY Key - C walking down...
Happy is the anvil as the hammer strikes the blade
A fleeting spark that fades as the memory is made…
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…
Matthew F. Blowers III
I am really liking your song on California, I have a special love for that state. You captured all the reaons I miss it, with your superb storytelling in lyrics and with the smooth harmonies and extremely well played music. It has a catchy beat, and I listened to the very last note.
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…
So today, for some reason I decided to read the words first.. Just the words. And found it an absolutely beautiful experience. The metaphors you use to describe great and cosmic plans and intentions of great societal achievement, contrasted with the lines that begin with, "BUT I dreamed we met for breakfast".... (the switch and the contrast is very powerful) what a tiny, common human thing: meeting over the sharing of food,. Then followed by, "I dreamed I held your hand"... human touch/connection, as though those two simple things are worth more than all the highest achievements of worldly fame, and material ladders climbed! Which they are. They so are. The rest of the lyrics continue to develop & express that idea beautifully. Then I listened to the sing, and although it is good as a song, For me, the words in themselves stand strong and impactful w/o anything else. Not to contrast them and say one is "better" than the other. Just that sometimes I see lyrics that stand alone, And just saying, these words do that very well. Gwyn Henry
So I was locked in the broom-cupboard, checking out some old songs that need recording.
I'd just picked one and then suddenly this thing came out of nowehere. It started with one of those guitarist doodles that other musicians love so much…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
Now here's a bit of an oldie - the second song I ever wrote. In... 1978!
I think I played it once, or maybe twice, at school assemblies. My musical peers and colleagues back then dismissed it as corny/rancid pop music…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
I found this one while I was digging through the shoe-box for the 1994 songs. Apparently I wrote it on 10th November 1995.
Foolishly, I thought it would only take a week or so to record... I was originally expecting…
(Remastered 22/10/2021)
So I got me a new geetar the other week.
Named her Lala, obviously. Seemed kind of appropriate - she wears a faded gold dress and is full of chunes and mischiefs.
This is our first effort together. It was meant…
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…
I hope Brian (one of us Proods) will forgive me for posting this before we could get together to work on it further. He first played it for me a few months ago and I've been obsessively tweaking it every chance I could get.
I like to imagine…
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…
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
Comments on James Michael Taylor's stuff
The silent alarm - great line! Lovely clear vox.
I can see you sitting on a stool in front of a live audience. Really cute song.
Great story telling! Be careful . . . You might bring up the spirit of Townes VanZant too! There is nothing better than a wistful song.
A story perfectly told. Love the vocals!
Love the contrasts in the vocals .....the trumpet works a treat ....a wonderful story
Makes me want to hoist a pint and it's only seven in the morning!
Picturing JMT in a kilt.
Very Gaelic in flavour,love it
Here is the rare chance to listen to JMT who thinking about ~Happiness~
Come here to listen to what The Man said!
Gosh, this is powerful stuff and a refreshing rework of the original. Your vocal timing is impeccable.
Sounds like an Irish folky song. The "Diamonds back to coal" is a great line! Love it, very jaunty!
whoo... JT memory is such a tricky thing
whiskey did some one say whiskey
Beautiful guitar and arrangement. Maybe happiness is accepting reality and doing the best you can with it, but I wouldn't know for sure, cause I haven't reached that point, either.
Love lyrics!
Beautifully heartfelt lyrics and haunting melody..........love it.
Beautiful, dark, thoughtful. Your imagery staggers my imagination.
ah, the poet visits the night
Lovely song james .tres emotionnel!
Comments made by James Michael Taylor
Matthew F. Blowers III I am really liking your song on California, I have a special love for that state. You captured all the reaons I miss it, with your superb storytelling in lyrics and with the smooth harmonies and extremely well played music. It has a catchy beat, and I listened to the very last note.
Very catchy! Too short, maybe. Gotta listen twice.
So today, for some reason I decided to read the words first.. Just the words. And found it an absolutely beautiful experience. The metaphors you use to describe great and cosmic plans and intentions of great societal achievement, contrasted with the lines that begin with, "BUT I dreamed we met for breakfast".... (the switch and the contrast is very powerful) what a tiny, common human thing: meeting over the sharing of food,. Then followed by, "I dreamed I held your hand"... human touch/connection, as though those two simple things are worth more than all the highest achievements of worldly fame, and material ladders climbed! Which they are. They so are. The rest of the lyrics continue to develop & express that idea beautifully. Then I listened to the sing, and although it is good as a song, For me, the words in themselves stand strong and impactful w/o anything else. Not to contrast them and say one is "better" than the other. Just that sometimes I see lyrics that stand alone, And just saying, these words do that very well. Gwyn Henry
This is cool. It gives me ideas.
WoW! Knocks me out. Really sizzles.
Makes me want to find a partner and do a little dance...very nice.
You had me at, "If I back off and shut my mouth..." Know exactly where you are. So afraid the answer is, "No."
Sounds like a 50s Buddy Holly era song. Very sweet sentiment. And, yes, I can dance to it.
Great characterization. Great kick drum sound.
WoW! Rock me, dude! Love the imagery.
Kim Triolo Feil James Michael Taylor that's a fantastic story and a very lovely song
Yes! A MONKEES song, for sure.
Interesting sounds. Cool chord shifts.
Aaah, if Love could only be forgotten... Nice.
Like it.
Very nice...
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