Liza Dear

This one was written ad hoc on special request for my Little Liza Dear :)
(17-feb-2007: i adjusted the 2nd verse lyrics just a bit to add in 'echo & the bunnymen')
(23-feb-2007: rewrote parts of the first verse. it was just too dorky. i like this one better)

Half past four and a quarter of two,
and time just slips away
One bad day, just one more chat
It's late at night and she's online

We rant and rave, go on and on,
spill our guts and speak our mind
She calms me down, I grab a beer
there's nothing like little Liza Dear

She'll skip town to Savannah,
come back home, and write me a letter
saying "I'll cry till I die,
then I'll feel better"
Later on she'll sigh,
and say "whatevah"
Later on she'll sigh,
and say "whatevah"

She likes Joey Ramone a lot
Echo & The Bunnymen too
It makes think "Is she crazy?
or is she just emo?"

I've held her hand and kissed her hair
She's been good and I've been bad
Even after all these years,
there's nothing like little Liza Dear

She'll skip town to Savannah,
come back home, and write me a letter
saying "I'll cry till I die,
then I'll feel better"
Later on she'll sigh,
and say "whatevah"
Later on she'll sigh,
and say "whatevah"

She'll skip town to Savannah,
come back home, and write me a letter
saying "I'll cry till I die,
then I'll feel better"
Later on she'll sigh,
and say "whatevah"

Little Miss Piggy

It's a working title, not sure what to name it, but it's a song of desperation.

The 'Miss Piggy' reference is to her kindergarten graduation ceremony where the class sang 'Rainbow Connection' with a Muppets theme. She was chosen to play Miss Piggy and a boy she liked was Kermit The Frog. It was an awesome show, and I still remember it. She had curls in her hair, which mom did the night before. We have it on home video somewhere but it's probably lost over the years.

She still uses 'Miss Piggy' for some online references and something on her computer. No, she's not fat :) But like Miss Piggy, she is cute. (stay away boys, i'll kick your asses!) She's in a rough situation in life, with which I disagree but she'll never truly admit. She knows it's rough and I hope she can choose to get out of it and move here to RTP and live an awesome life. So this is dedicated to, and for, my dear sister, whom I love so much and want to have a better life.


3/4 time, 2 bars per line
Dm, A, E, E5/E

(Dm)
turn the key
(A)
close the door
(E)
on repeat
(E5 E5 E5 E - one on each word)
said this before

see a face
in the clouds
washed away
get out somehow

headed east
northernly
take a break
please stop halfway

chorus:
little miss piggy
won't you come home
everyone's waiting
you're not alone

little miss piggy
rainbow is gone
connection lost
won't you come home

verse (not finished):
carry on
as you were
---
---

chorus (above)

verse:
turn the key
close the door
it's a dream?
had this before

chorus (above, permutate as desired)

Denver

Here's a new one for my recent trip to Denver where I had the most best vacation trip EVER! This is called 'Denver'.
There is a slight rhytm change for the intro/outro and the verses. As typical, this one has no real chorus. Oh well.

This is played a bit fast in the vein of R.E.M.'s ITEOTWAWKIAIFF. And the last lyric in the 3rd verse is a blatant rip-off and slightly retooled lyric from Don't Go Back To Rockville. Hey, if I'm gonna steal, might as well steal something worth having :)

Amy is Chinese-born; raised in Brisbane, Australia; I met in an lay-over in Charlotte on my way to Denver; we ate dinner at a Japanese/hibachi place run by a Korean family; with small paintings on the wall of scenes in Brisbane, Australia which included one ACROSS THE RIVER where she lived!; who took a leap of faith and let me drive her to the place she was staying; who I spent the WHOLE WEEK with; who i introduced to Jeff; who is half-Vietnamese; and is my best friend from high school; who is in the Navy; stationed in Hawaii; sent to Denver for a training class.

So you can imagine the massive force of the universe focused in this one spot. We had an *INCREDIBLE* week together (and brief times apart). Amy and I got lost in downtown Denver while searching for her place, which is when we got hungry for food and we agreed on a place immediately! Which is when we ran into the japanese place. That place was nearly-literally a "hole in the wall" shack. 4 booths, 5 bar stools and about 20 feet wide and 40 feet long. A little trashy, but FANTASTIC food!

I will never forget that trip. I still reflect on it, and it was such a happy week.

c, c/f, g

land in a plane in town the first day
met amy in a charlotte overlay

i will drive and she will guide
as we try to navigate

dinnertime, surprise 'ni hao'
brisbane, australia her home town

downtown denver was such fun
even after every turn

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget this day

d, e, f#, g (sound ok?) --or--
d, e, c, e, f#, g (eh?)

jeff and i drive south today
see strange shapes along the way

climb pike's peak up where it's cold
let's just hope the hummer holds

twist and turn as we face our fears
every cliff is just a sheer

as we drive we reminisce
think of all the things we miss

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget this day

d, e, f#, g (sound ok?) --or--
d, e, c, e, f#, g (eh?)

go to the park and play in the snow
flying high and laying low

climb red rocks look up look down
look down on the towns below

time to eat, let's ride around
beau jos was the best in town

go to the station to wait for the bus
amy's going home, that's far enough

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget this day

d, e, f#, g (sound ok?) --or--
d, e, c, e, f#, g (eh?)


on the last day we relax
jeff and i don't wanna go back

but we know that we'll be fine
hold on to the sands of time

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget these days

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget these days

i know it may sound cliche
but we won't forget these days

Life Savers

Resurrected from the depths of an old backup. Written in about 15min during a late-night phone conversation with CC while he was snacking upon his all-time-favorite-at-the-time: diet coke and life savers candy! The music came later but this is another tune that just wrote itself.

The minor key really expresses the late night scene, some would even say 'by candle light'. The lyrics are as about as explicit as it gets :) No metaphors here, folks. This is just "it".

[bm]
cherry is my [f#]least favorite
[c]lemon's right be[em]hind

[bm]pineapple
[f#]lime
[c]orange [em]is all mine

[bm]what i do [f#]is go through
[c]them one at a [em]time
[bm]until they [f#]are all gone
[c]and then orange [em]is all mine

[bm]uh! [bm]uh!
[d]
nothing goes better
with the [c] taste of life savers
than a [d] fresh can of
your [c] favorite diet cola....
[d]

For Natalie

This is certainly a continuous work-in-progress as I refine the words and feelings. But here's what I have so far, in some sketchy order. It has an airy sound to it like a cross between R.E.M.'s Electrolite, the acoustic flavors of The One I Love (no surprise) and Green Day's Good Riddance. I made sure to make a base chord progression out of it too so it doesn't sound like a constant drone.

At the risk of sounding un-creative, this song generally doesn't have a chorus (similar to Losing My Religion). Although, there is a familiar break between verses with a verse. Um, yeah..i think.

I worked it out so it's a 5-bar line. There are no straight chords like in Annie. They're all picked apart (see above references). The 5th bar is the 'transition' bar. I really could use a bassist on the support during each progression. Since it's new and in progress, these notes (no pun intended) are for my use to remember wtf I'm writing :)

[02-jan-2006]
ok, after months and months of continuous playing i got it locked in now, and the final lyrics are here!

[27-apr-2005]
k, i've updated this slightly. and i have decided to go all the way and flat out dedicate this to natalie. this is her song and she deserves it.

Natalie: i wish you the best in everything.

[14-may-2005]
ok, this is getting a MAJOR refresh! i've been playing this a LOT lately, because i REALLY like it and it's awesome on the acoustic... it sounds crappy on the strat.

the words are still there, teensy bit of re-arrangement. and i added a bridge which sounds very very cool.

[02-Jul-2005]
The refreshes continue with some tweaking of the wordings. Nothing exotic, just making it fit the tune better.

[1] Gmaj
[2] C9
[3] Dsus2 (mid)
[4] Am7
[5] d/dsus4 (f#/g) (high)
[6] C
[7] G (not maj)

oblig. intro:
[1] [2] [3] [4]   [5]   x 4

then bridge:
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   


[1]            [2]    [3]          [4]           [5]
Today you      left,   I saw you   go
Three weeks will pass, and I will cope
Don't say good-bye, just say hello
Tokyo,                is  where you must go

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   


August will come in full bloom
Seattle calls and beckons you home
Saturn will call and return you
September comes and I will be home

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   

Soon, with luck, you will be gone
Soon, with luck, i will be home

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   

Don't say good-bye, we just say hello
Tokyo is where you must go
Seattle calls and welcomes you home
September's come, and I will be home

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   

Soon, with luck, you will be gone
Soon, with luck, i will be home

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4]   [5]   

Have a happy landing
Have a happy ending
Have a happy landing
Have a happy ending

(bridge)
[6] [7] [3] [4] 

pick out C, drop E to D (brief C9 transition)
end with broken G

Waltz on F

Well, it has no words but it's a sort of 'waltz' I cobbled together as a practice riff to help with some finger dexterity. I liked it, so I refined it and added it to the repertoire. I like to think of a ballroom full of French nobility dancing around like the scene in the movie "Man In The Iron Mask". Pretentiousness mixed with style and grace. (why is 'pretention' not a word?)

[02-jan-2006]
'pretention' is not a word, which would make sense, but 'pretension' is and defintion #4 means "pretentiousness". http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=pretension

To avoid making this space more blank:

The verse tune to 'Clear Tape' also started out as a practice riff to try to mimick Peter Buck's early styles. I had an early R.E.M. fetish (and still do), so I allowed myself to be imprinted. Later, Chris in SC continued to beat me over the head with my poor rhythm, tempo, and that damned syncopation again. So I reworked it into something nice that he has since approved :) Thanks 'cc'.

I also have another strange guitar 'lick' that has yet to find its way in. Chris in SC liked it, so it has merit. Just gotta find a place where a Metallica-like "pre Black album" riff can fit. (those were his words, i still have no idea what that means).

Newest Song

Many possible 'real names' for this one, so I haven't picked one. Why? Because it's the newest one written. A few weeks ago, in fact. You've seen those double mirrors in the dentist's office. One reflects backwards, the other one gazes forward (so to speak). Well... what? You want me to draw you a picture?


The juice is dry, it's tenderized
I look to the sky for somewhere to hide
I can't move on from yesterday
I'm happy here and I'd rather stay

I'm lying, and you know well
I'm crying, and you can't tell
I'm dying, and you know well
I'm lying, and you can't tell

The juices are dry, and tenderized
I look in the sky for somewhere to hide
I can't move on from yesterday
I'm happy here and I'd rather stay

I'm lying, and you know well
I'm crying, and you can't tell
I'm dying, and you know well
I'm lying, and you can't tell

Little Secret

No, not Victoria's. We all know hers. This was secretly about a certain friend of mine at the time, but she doesn't know it. Think "re-education". However, as fate would have it, I ended up being slightly re-educated. Damnit. Although, fate seems to have worked itself out and she finally got the re-education she needed (yeah, like I should be deciding these things). Along the way I lost a friend, gained one, and saved two. Could've been worse.

This is another one written late at night while driving on the highway, and intermittent distractions fucking up my train of thought.

Curiously, this is my mother's favorite song.


I'll let you in on a little secret:
I know what it means to be free.
I thought I knew what it was to be happy
And now your soul is shining down on me

No one ever seemed to follow
I had more fun on my own
And to make things more interesting
You close your eyes, and sing

I have to be looking into the mirror
to see your lights flashing
Looking out my window
the sunshine blinds me

I am trapped inside this world
And everything counts to four
I'm breaking out and looking forward
I'm looking, for today

I have to be looking into the mirror
to see your lights flashing
Looking out my window
the sunshine blinds me

...

I have to be looking into the mirror
to see your lights flashing
Looking out my window
the sunshine blinds me

I'll let you in on a little secret:
I know what it means to be free.
I thought I knew what it was to be happy
And now your soul is shining down on me

No one ever seemed to follow
I had more fun on my own
And to make things more interesting
I close my eyes, and sing

I have to be looking into the mirror
to see your lights flashing
Looking out my window
the sunshine blinds me

Looking out my window...
Looking out my window...
Looking out my window
the sunshine blinds me

After all this time...(Hope)

This is one of my recent, favorite songs. It's fun to play and sounds great. Even after all the trials and tribulations there's still hope and the hope for hope. Quoth the architect: "Hope, the quintessential human delusion".

[Update: I have now named this song "Hope. After all this time..."]
[02-jan-2006]
after months and months of playing this one, it's up there with Natalie's song as one of my favorites. minor lyric corrections. (now i know how michael feels...)


It's so nice to have you here
Hanging around
After all this time...

Never knowing
Where you have gone and
Where you have been
After all this time...

Where have you gone?
Where have you been?
What brings you back?

Was it the food? or
Was it the beer?
After all this time...

It's so nice to have you here
Hanging around
After all this time...

Never knowing
What lies ahead
For me and for you
After all this time...

Where do we go?
Where to from here?
What brings us back?

What lies ahead
For me and for you
After all this time...

It's so nice to have you here
Hanging around
After all this time...

Never knowing
What lies ahead
For me and for you...

...

Distance

Mix 1 part vitriol, 1 part hope, 1 part irony. Stir. Pour into tall glass. Serve with bitterness.


We could walk around forever
Soak up the day between us
We could ride around forever
Spend all day just the two of us

The time has come for you to move on
You never forget to write me
I'm sorry I never did write you back
It's perfectly fine for you to move on

Now how ironic: There's a growing distance
Now how ironic: growing between us

Now nearly a decade has gone by
Cleaning up reveals the memories
Of a life long past, not forgotten
Desperately hoping for a second chance

Now how ironic: We're closing on the distance
Now how ironic: We're closer than we've been before

A night on the town with you was a treat
You invited me to come over
Looks like things are going great
But it looks like I was mistaken

Now how ironic: There's a growing distance
Now how ironic: growing between us

Now I feel strangely alone again
You never did call or write me
I would have gladly come right over
If only you had invited me

Now how ironic: There's a growing distance
Now how ironic: growing between us

Now how ironic: We're closing on the distance
Now how ironic: We're closer than we've been before

New Song 3 (Just before I Go)

Take the character from 'Clear Tape', fast forward 10 years, rip out his still-beating heart, and spit on him. Oh, and call his mother a dirty whore and kick him in the head.

Capo on 4th fret (edgy diminuitive, half step down from the angelic 5th). Music was originally written on mandolin and later transposed to guitar. So it can go either way, or both.


Can you look in my eye and tell me what it's like
To never have to know one who has never had to love
And what we say to one if we get to know them
And then there'd be an answer
at the far end of hope

Just one look, was all I wanted
Just one chance, was all I ever ask
To see the sun, sparkle your hair
To see the light, glitter in your eyes

Just before I go...

I can't wait to meet you, I can't wait to try
I don't understand your motives, I don't understand these lies
Was it something I said long ago?
I'm asking for the oppportunity to say "Hello"

Just one look, was all I wanted
Just one chance, was all I ever ask
To see the sun, sparkle your hair
To see the light, glitter in your eyes

Just before I go...

I won't be coming home...
I won't be coming home...
I won't be coming home

I'm done with this ride I don't want to feel the pain
I paid all my debts, and I talked a good game
So don't reach out for me I'm leaving all alone
I don't want to bring you down
I don't want to bring you down

Just one look, was all I wanted
Just one chance, was all I ever ask
To see the sun, sparkle your hair
To see the light, glitter in your eyes

Just before I go...

I won't be coming home
I won't be coming home
Don't stay up late for me
Don't wait for me at the door
I won't be coming home
I won't be coming home....

Orange Glow

My first, my pride and joy. Inspired by the NC DOT for our new state flower: The orange-and-white striped barrel. Living in, and driving through, the metro area had grown increasingly frustrating. Written at about 1am while driving back home in the pseudo-college days. In the fog, things tend to blur. Add 500 of those damn barrels and you get the idea. I also had long hair at the time and was compelled to make such an obvious reference. Chris in SC has lectured me endlessly on the syncopation, too.


There's an orange glow coming down the line
There's a street sign with a name that's mine
There's a paper floating through the air
And the corner is wrapped around your hair

Street lights faintly glowing dim
head on into bright lights
Street lights faintly glowing dim
head on into bright lights

There's a feeling with a clock, that's time
And the calling with a voice, your line
And the taser with a man, no crime
And the making of another line

Street lights faintly glowing dim
head on into bright lights
Colors red, yellow, white
make an ugly sight

Colors red, yellow, white
make an ugly sight!!


There's an orange glow coming down the line
There's a street sign with a name that's mine
There's a feeling with a clock, that's time
And the making of another line

Street lights faintly glowing dim
head on into bright lights
Colors red, yellow, white
make an ugly sight

Colors red, yellow, white
make an ugly sight

Colors red
yellow, white
...

Colors red, yellow, white make an ugly sight

Clear Tape

This is an early one. Written at the same time as 'Orange Glow'. The words were written by an old friend at the time, so I get half-credit on this one. However, the theme has been so prevalent in recent years, I resurrected it with new music and minor adaptations. Quoth Stipe: "Life is tough".

As an homage to my Underworld influence (www.dirty.org), I composed a quasi-surreal intro which I call the "Dirty Numb Angel" intro.

[02-Jan-2006]
after months of playing this one, too, i still like it, but i decided to take out the explicit "letter" part.. seemed too verbose. leave that as an exercise for the reader.

For some really wierd reason, my grandmother likes this one. Go figure...


You never thought you'd be naked
You never thought you'd ever make it
Your time is up and your gig is too
The final shot is coming at you

In the time of Santa Claus
we were just good friends
Now everyday we fight
and it just depends

On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do
On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do

It's late at night and you're not coming home
Out on the street, I begin to roam
Then I get your call you say you're better
Then you ask me if I got your letter

In the time of Santa Claus
we were just good friends
Now everyday we fight
and it just depends

On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do
On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do

It's been a long time since I've been home
And I'm making it on my own
I'm gonna find myself some new friends
Who are gonna be there until the end

In the time of Santa Claus
we were just good friends
Now everyday we fight
and it just depends

On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do
On me, On you
On whatever we decide to do

Now it's over and time to say bye
And you never wonder why
And you never wonder why
Why?
Why?
Why?

Annie

Everyone seems to like this one. Infatuation run amok...


She's a pretty girl
Working at the Ruby Tuesday
She's a pretty girl
Working as a waitress day by day
She doesn't have much to say

What can you ask a girl?
When all you have is her name
Annie can I have your number?
Annie is it ok?

She's a pretty girl
Working at the Ruby Tuesday
She's a pretty girl
Working as a waitress day by day
She doesn't have much to say

What can you ask a girl?
When all you have is her name
Annie can I have a date?

Annie, yes it's true
I'm thinking of only you..

She's a pretty girl
Working at the Ruby Tuesday
She's a pretty girl
Working as a waitress day by day
She doesn't have much to say

Annie what can we do
After a dinner and movie?
Annie if it's ok with you
I want to take you home with me

She's a pretty girl
Annie I'll be your man
She's a pretty girl
Annie will you take my hand?
She's a pretty girl
Annie's a pretty girl..