Songs for 2019

Waging War on Paradise Song #97 in my "write 100 songs" project. This one was a tough one. I had some words written down in my little black book and was working to put them into lyric form. I had just checked out a book of Joni Mitchell's song lyrics and was reading "Big Yellow Taxi" and saw that I could use some of her ideas in my song, as inspiration and as a tribute. Big Yellow Taxi They paved paradise and put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hotspot. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you'e got till it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you'e got till it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Hey farmer farmer put away that DDT now Give me spots on apples but lea...

Alas, I just looked at my list of songs and discovered that I had numbered a song for 2010 that doesn't exist, meaning that I was no longer at 98 songs, but 97. Then, going down the list and re-numbering to correct that mistake, I found another mistake in my numbering. So, I'm actually only at 96 songs right now, rather than 98. That means I have to write four more songs instead of two!! :( So disappointed. The goal is now a little farther away than I had thought.

Cast Away Song #98!! These were some lyrics I had written in my little black book, lyrics about traveling across Canada once again to visit family. The song describes the journey, by ferry and plane, visiting friends and family on the other side of the country, and it brings in some ideas about what "home" means. I've had a lot of "homes" in my day, physical homes, I've probably moved 30 times in my life, though many times in the same city. In Bella Coola I moved four times, in Courtenay, two times. Now I've lived in one "home" in Halfmoon Bay for 5 years, the longest I've ever lived in one physical home. I can't even remember how many different places I lived in Vancouver. Many. But home can also mean wherever you find your personal, private and safe place. It doesn't matter where you are, there's always a sense of "home" wherever you find yourself. Maybe a hotel room when you're on a trip, maybe a ten...

April 2019 - Old Flame Song #97!! I was reading a novel, and there was a scene where this woman met up with an "old flame" after many years. They had had so much shared history, but now, many years had gone by. When she met him again after all those years, she couldn't say anything. That short scene was the inspiration for this song, aptly titled, "Old Flame". It had a jazz song kind of feel, so I found some jazz chords and wrote the lyrics. Of course, we probably all have an "old flame" in our past who we'd love to meet again. How would I react? There are two who I would like to meet again, but it's not very likely to happen, and I have no idea how I'd react. One would be very positive, the other would be tinged with anger, yes, even after so many years. Old Flame Old flame, old flame, so good to see you again. All of a sudden I'm way back when, Longing to hear you say, "I love you" again. We were so young, in...

March 2019 - You Got It 2019 got off to a slow start. Nothing until March. The goal of writing 100 songs draws near, and this song is #96. The goal now is to complete 100 songs by my 69th birthday on August 15th. This wasn't a song that I intended to write. I was going through some of my old lyric notes and came across a few bits of lyrics that I liked. Then I wrote the words, and then the song. A simple song, but none the less, a completed song it is. Another one in the "advice to self" category. This song is for guitar in G. You Got It  Everything you need, lies inside your heart Time will always lead you on, to find a brand new start. Oh, you got it, gonna make You got the strength to take it. You got it, gonna make it, You got the strength to take it all. Wisdom, patience calm, are there to guide the way. Time will always lead you on, to what you need to say. Oh, you got it, gonna make You got the strength to take it. You got it...