Malaise
Posted on September 10, 2020
Today felt like the world was ending. The sky was a menacing dark orange all day
Its dark in the corners
Its dark outside
Man in the Bottle
Posted on September 7, 2020
An amazing reflection in a bottle this past winter . . .
Uncork this bottle
Let me out
I’ll stay quiet
I won’t shout
Was the best of times
In my cocoon
Like a genie
On the moon
Magic potion
Cast a spell
Make a wish
In the well
Chorus
These are the good old days
Count my blessings
A thousand ways
These are the good old days
Old Ghost
Posted on September 6, 2020
Shadows of Your Past
History repeats
They always say
Time in a bottle
Another cliche
The ticking of the clock
The tocking of the tick
The past is such a jumble
Like a cosmic trip
Memories come back
Throw you off your track
When you reminisce
Your mind starts playing tricks
Chorus
It creeps up fast
You’re the unwilling Host
Shadows of your past
The forgotten Holy Ghost
Paint With Sound
Posted on September 1, 2020
Trompe L’oeil
I wanted to use my violin in a rock song, and its not an easy thing to do. Some bands like Roxy Music incorporated quite a few orchestral instruments in an avant-garde way, and a very interesting way.
Lyrics
Paint your days
With beautiful sound
Sing a song
You will astound
Play a song
Light the day
Uplift your soul
Light the way
Music notes
Are just like paint
Light and color
Sometimes quaint
Always rich
Always bright
Paint is music
Music is light
Cathedral of Ghosts
Posted on August 31, 2020
Shortwave Radio
I participated in an online Zoom “Happy Hour” of everyone who graduated Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania in the 80’s. It was great – I actually knew several people in the chat, and we shared some fun memories.
What I have realized since then is that we were all “Radio Kids” – our generation was informed by both AM and FM radio – and a few of us “outliers” also listened to shortwave radio. While I have some favorite “Internet Radio” stations – nothing beats the old time “real” radio.
I didn’t have a favorite band that influenced me, but used my “chord wheel” to see what chords are in the key of B. I then used a lap steel with a cool Zoom effects pedal to get that fading radio sound.
I can hear the station
In between fades
Playing my favorite song
On the radio
Like a marker of time
Music on the radio
Our Great Cathedral
Our Cathedral of Ghosts
Sailing through the airwaves
Our histories past
We hold our memories dear
On the radio
Chorus
Fading out now
In my dreams
Fading out now
And forever
“Cathedral” Radio . . .
The Wall
Posted on August 29, 2020
I built a wall – and didn’t scam anyone
This song was influenced by another favorite band, The Feelies. By the way, the Feelies were movies in Aldous Huxleys famous novel, Brave New World.
Lyrics
Yards from my desk
There’s a gurgling creek
It gives me great solace
Where I write tongue in cheek
During the Fall
When the season will change
The trees turning color
A glorious range
I can’t get too serious
Or red in the face
Nature doth humble
With incredible grace
The wall is a rebuild of a retaining wall that was falling over – into our creek. It was made using old broken up patio slabs. Rather than stack them as the previous wall builders did – I turned them on their side – since they were thick and heavy. I also used the footing of the old wall as a rock path – and set the wall back several feet into the hill.
The end of the wall and path that runs along our creek
Since Covid-19 started, I have been quite prolific in my gardening / hard-scaping and also learning a lot about music theory and have stepped up a big level where I can now easily write simple lead lines and melodic counterpart bass parts.
Dried out leaves making a small composition along the rock wall path
Years ago I read a book by Freeman Patterson – who challenged the reader to take photos every day around your house and yard – and it was a great exercise. The world is constantly changing – and even in small ways – right under your nose is a whole universe – waiting for you to see and enjoy.
Maybe Tomorrow
Posted on August 24, 2020
Does Hope Have a Statute of Limitations?
This is an instrumental piece, but I do have a little lyric or haiku.
Maybe tomorrow
Ill feel a different way
Maybe tomorrow
Hope will be here to stay
Icarus Complex (The Daedalus Myth)
Posted on September 13, 2020
Don’t fly too high or too low . . .
The last few posts, I found some truth amongst the horror we have experienced the past four years. I realize that this truly is all a game – a ruse – one that has cost the US – but one that won’t ruin us. I’ve never been a protester – or even a punk – although I admire those who are – but I have found that taking some bad news story of the day and relating it back to Greek Mythology – or even Christian Mythology is comforting – mainly because it reminds me that this is not the first time the world has experienced this sort of horror.
Over confident
Under competent
How the story goes
Don’t fly too high
Don’t fly too low
Heed my advice
Your hubris
And over confidence
You’ll pay the ultimate price
Chorus
He flew too high
He flew too low
Category: Art, Assemblage, Biography, Lyrics, Music, Orinda, Photography, Politics, Protest Songs, Social Commentary, The East Bay Tagged:
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