These are some of the songs that I have written during the past 25 years that I've bothered to write down. I figured that rather than let them die peacefully, I'll share them with the world. Maybe someone famous will take a fancy to them and sell a million records (showing my age - records..) and inadvertently make me rich! Or maybe some struggling artist will pick up on one of these songs and make us both rich! or not... P.S. they are not really hit songs by the way..
Some of the following songs have the chords indicated. Some don't because either they are finger-picked on guitar and I don't know how to write it down. Some songs I've just forgotten what the music was. Anyways, in alphabetical order here they are:
This was written while traveling to the States, I hate flying so I wrote a song that has nothing to do with the fear of flying but the fear of succeeding. Go figure...
This was written while apartheid was a big issue in South Africa. I read the paper, thought this would be a good topic. I'm located about as far physically and politically from South Africa as you can get - I'm in Canada.
Early 80s nuclear holocast fear - pre collapse of the Soviet Union hysteria. What can I say...
This is a silly little song that everyone enjoys. Simple lyrics.
A song about bitter love and betrayel.
Here's a song that I wrote while in my reading of fantasy novels stage or maybe it was after seeing the Pirates of the Caribbean (is that spelt right?). Thought that I would try to write an old english /pirate style of song.
Western movies weren't poplular when this song was written. I thought that I would write a song about personafying (did I just make up that word?) a western movie that everybody has forgotten about. Probably will forget about this song too...
Wrote this one about driving fast cars - had a TR4A, TR6 (not really fast cars but Triumph owners like to pretend a lot) and then a 1972 Corvette which was very fast and expensive to keep. And I sold it after my girlfriend accepted my marriage proposal - didn't need it anymore ;-)
Early in a relationship with a girl who had trouble sleeping. I liked to rise early in the morning and have breakfast on the balcony of my apartment to watch the sun rise. The reality was that my apartment faced the back alley, power lines, a parking lot and another apartment building. Sometimes I could see the clouds. Oh well...
This was written early in a relationship. Enough said.
This is a song about everyone being in a rush. The music is rather complex (means more than just chords) and I don't have the time to transcribe it .
I was in Santa Clara in 1999 with time on my hands and this came out. Basically, it explores friends, wisdom and doing what is right. Sing it VERY slowly then it works. Thought that I could write a song that would change the world - oh well...
Story about some friends of mine who moved from Victoria B.C. to a Northern Alberta acreage. Sort of back to the roots type of story.
My attempt at an "Edmond Fitzgerald/Gordon Lighthouse" type of song about the Ocean Ranger drilling rig which capsized in rought waters off the Newfoundland coast with no survivors. I wrote it from the perspective of somebody on the rig. Play it slow and hauntingly if you can...
This was written after one of my many failed attempts at relationships (in this case one date) I am proof that nerds/geeks/nice guys do finish last. I really wasn't too interested in this girl but it made for a pretty good song.
This is definitely one of my favorites. I like the imagery. Hope you enjoy it too.
Another song where I finger-pick and run all over the guitar neck. Too lazy to sit and write the music down. I thought that this one would have the best chance of being a commercial success both musically and lyric wise.
I think I was feeling sorry for myself. Probably influenced by Supertramp's Crime of the Century lyrics.
I really liked this girl a lot but she wasn't interested in me. Went on a few dates but nothing developed. Starting to see a pattern in song writing here. Bad luck, pain, suffering - write songs. Good times, happiness - not write songs: hmmm
A song written from the perspective of a knight in old England (or my Canadian version - never having been to England). Influenced by some early Steely Dan - didn't they have a song called King John or something? It's the old macho thing where if you can't love than you gotta be tough but love conquers all. Anyways, played in a style similar to Greensleeves. Haven't played it for about 10 years now and seriously doubt if I could remember the music.
It seems that when you are looking for a relationship, there is this aura (desparation) that envelopes you that signals all eligible women to avoid you like the plague. When you give up and concentrate on other things, women are attracted to you like moths to a light. In this case, I was concentrating on my career and was literally taken by surprise in the relationship.
This is the story of a seventeen year old who was driving his car with friends. Someone dropped a cigarette and burnt his hand. When he reacted, he swerved onto the shoulder of the road, hitting a group of cyclist who were stopped for a rest. Killed 3 teens and injuried a bunch more. If it happened 1 second later or earlier on the empty stretch of highway, nobody would of been hurt. Senseless....
I wrote this one while on the road for 6 weeks in a little town called Swift Current, Saskatchewan. There wasn't much to do there except watch TV in the hotel room and wait for phone calls unless you drank which I didn't considering I was working 12-16 hour days. Now this one should be picked up by a phone company -the imagery is great for a commercial!
Another one of my feeling sorry for myself songs but this one with anger thrown in for good measure!