SONGS
LISTEN
Contemporary American folk songs in the traditional storytelling style — with occasional detours into the unexpected.
Tales in Tune
TITLE
SONG DEMOS
MORE INFORMATION
DREAMIN’ SONGWRITER
This song is about the creative process used by the author as he was learning how to write songs.
Dreamin' Songwriter
Northern Logger
A few years ago I started a project that would have used a series of public domain songs to illustrate the westward expansion of the timber industry in the north woods. Since I concluded I wasn’t a performer. I decided to write my own series of songs toward his end. This is intended to be the first in the series.
Northern Logger
Yesterday’s Plans
I Dreamed up this title then decided to try my hand at a song that would specifically work as western swing. It works, but how well it works is up to the performer. Give it a try!
Yesterday's Plans
Hen and the Fox
This is a song I wrote with a Scottish jig performance in mind. It works well as Bluegrass too. It is based up on an event, with a raccoon instead of a fox, that occurred here on the farm recently.
Hen and the Fox
Skydiver or Fly with Me
I got the skydiver’s name from an old joke. Perhaps you remember the joke if you are old enough. The performance is 1950’s Doo-wop. A genre that grew out of urban communities in the 1940’s and was quite popular into the 1960’s.
Skydiver
Yellowstone Kelly (History/Geography)
Yellowstone Kelly was an explorer who spent a significant part of his life in the upper Missouri River region. This song tells that part of his story.
Yellowstone Kelly
More info:Yellowstone Kelly: The Memoirs of Luther S. Kelly (By Luther S. Kelly)
MULTIVERSE (Science 3)
This song offers an overview of the multiverse concept from quantum physics. The idea is that it could be an introduction to high school (or even college) students followed by coursework in the topic
Multiverse
More info:The Fabric of Reality: The Science of Parallel Universes – and Its Implications (By David Deutsch)
I AM BIGFOOOT (Fun)
There was a controversial video of Bigfoot filmed in 1967. Some said a zipper could be seen on the creature’s back. Clearly not AI, but maybe a hoax. This song is my take on how and who shot the film.
I Am Bigfoot
Bigfoots’s Video (By Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson)
HAPPY ALL ALONG (Life)
You’ve heard worry and don’t worry folk songs. How about, simply, a happy song?
Happy All Along
BACKPACKER (Life)
I love backpacking. Haven’t done it in awhile. Time to get back to it!
Backpacker
NEW AI (Life)
I started writing songs with the help of AI as a transcriber and collaborator. I spent more time messing with AI’s suggestions than writing. Now, I’ve forgotten AI and just use a rhyming dictionary.
New AI
SIMPLE QUESTIONS (RELATIONSHIPS)
This song illustrates either a brilliant or a stupid method to insure you are compatible with a potential partner. At least in the area of humor.
Simple Questions
OCEAN LOVER (Relationships)
This is a love song within a music metaphor. Suitable for weddings, anniversaries, and similar events. Dedicated to my wife of 33 years.
Ocean Lover
A BITCH IS A BITCH (Relationships)
This song is suitable for all ages. It is the continuation of long line of folk songs: “A Knave is a Knave” (1719), A Gob is a Slob (World War II),and “A Guy is a Guy” by Oscar Brand (1952 in the pop tradition of that era). This kind of song development is a folk tradition.
A Bitch is a Bitch
GREATEST GENERATION (Relationships)
My dad had many sayings that were derived from his generation – The Greatest Generation. This song captures a bit about his life to share with his great-grandchildren.
Greatest Generation
PORT ROYAL (History-Piracy 1)
This song provides a broader context for the Pirate Song Series. It’s historically accurate and addresses the code of the pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy. The local people appreciated the way pirates ruled their ships and helped the poor.
Port Royal
BERSHEBA’S RUN (History-Piracy 2)
The birth of the Golden Age of Piracy can be traced to a few days before Christmas, 1715. This song tells the tale in the tradition of English broadsheet ballads of the time.
Bersheba's Run
ROBIN HOOD OF THE SEA (History-Piracy 3)
Captain Black Sam Bellamy began his rise in the Golden Age of Piracy in April 1716. This song encapsulates the early part of his career, It is historically accurate – see the history link to the right or below.
Robin Hood of the Sea
THE WOODEN VANITY (History-Piracy 4)
This is the true story of an encounter between the The Ranger captained by Ben Hornigold with a crew of over 300 and a small merchant ship with a crew of five or so. The name of the small sloop is fictitious, but the story itself is funny and rooted in history. This story was not well known, probably because neither crew was proud of the event.
The Wooden Vanity
BACK OF HIS HEAD (History-Piracy 5)
This story is about Pirate Captain Stede Bonnet (AKA Captain Thomas). He left his wife, Mary Allamby Bonnet,and family to go pirating. This song is from her point of view. She was very self-sufficient and was happy to see Stede go – as far as I can imagine.
Back of His Head
MARY JACK AND ME (History-Piracy 6)
This is a history song about two pirate women who fought back against a privateer crew sent to capture their ship. This happened at the very end of the Golden Age of Piracy as the British Crown moved to stamp out piracy in the Caribbean.
Mary Jack and Me
THE LAST PIRATE (History-Piracy 7)
This is the final song in the series of pirate songs about historic events during the
Golden Age of Piracy. It has Captain Henry Jennings in his old age reminising about all the pirates he knew passing before him. It sums up the events in the other songs in chronological order.
The Last Pirate
TODAY (Time)
I often think of the past and wonder about the future. This song drops those two focal points and zooms into today.
Today
Senior Moments
As a senior now, I remember some things I thought were senior moments at the time. Here are a few twisted into the way I might like to remember those moments. A bit convoluted. Bear with me.
Senior Moments
The Lodge at New Second Spring (Time)
This song is in the cockaigne tradition, like Big Rock Andy Mountain. Take what you don’t want, replace it with what you do want and make it into a song.
The Lodge at New Second Spring
Bring a Lantern (Science 1)
Carl Sagan said something like ‘Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.’ This song is about that. Elementary teachers: want to combine music and science? Here you go!
Bring a Lantern
H2 Hydrogen (Science 2)
Someday soon, trucks across the county will be running on hydrogen fuel. I happen to know something about that topic, so why not . . . Including a bit of hydrogen chemistry.
H2 Hydrogen
Wondering Wanderer (Nature)
This song came to me as a title. The title reminded me of the tune “Arkansas Traveler”, my backpacking days, and how nature is all related.
Wondering Wanderer
The Farmer (On the Farm)
Farming isn’t easy, but it’s a way of life. Get a sense of that in this song.
The Farmer
Whiskey Apple (On the Farm)
Apple seeds when planted grow into an apple tree but one never knows what the apples will taste like. Too sour and they are only good for whiskey. We have one of those trees.
Whiskey Apple
Ford 8N Tractor (On the Farm)
Any old time farmer can tell you this tractor is an icon. One came to us when we bought the farm. It still runs great!
Ford 8N Tractor
DAN’S TRACTOR (On the Farm)
This is a song about the same 8N tractor. It is written for spoken word and is from the viewpoint of the second (current) owner of the tractor.
Dan's Tractor
Lili and Gabby (On the Farm)
I thought I’d document the way our dogs Lili and Gabby play. A song seemed an interesting way to do that. Try it to the tune of Frankie and Johnny.
Lili and Gabby
I Remember You Fondly (Relationships)
This is a seafaring metaphor about the people who pass through a life — lovers, friends, rivals, children — remembered with warmth and without bitterness.
I Remember You Fondly
LUDWIG’S WORLD (Literature)
This song was inspired by Mark Twain and Gwendolyn Womack. The setting is 1885 Bavaria – or is it?
Ludwig's World
Alternate Takes: Blues
BUSY BUSY BUSY (Life)
After a hectic day, my wife remarked “I’m too busy to die.” Well, we didn’t want a song about death, so how about one about life.
Busy Busy Busy
Neo-Royalist Swing (Peace and Politics)
This song is based upon an analysis by a couple of Cambridge scholars. Their idea works from pre-sixteenth-century European dynastic systems. Learn More>>
Neo-Royalist Swing
San Song (World)
A friend returned from Africa telling the tale of the oldest continuing civilization it the world. How did they accomplish this? This song depicts one of the ceremonial dances of the San people and provides the answer.
San Song
Glory and the Bill (Peace and Protest)
Bob Dylan’s song “With God on Our Side” inspired this song for audiences today.
Glory and the Bill
NO ONE’S FREE (Peace and Protest)
I woke up with the idea of freedom running through my head. What is freedom?Maybe it’s knowing you are free, seeking to be free, or maybe just being free.
No One's Free
Citadel (Time)
My inspiration: “When the flood tides of human adversity, selfishness, cruelty, hate, malice, and jealousy beat about the mortal soul, you may rest in the assurance that there is one inner bastion, the citadel of the spirit, which is absolutely unassailable.“
Citadel
Mizzer Wattlemeister (Life)
I woke up one morning with Donald’s uncle scrooge on my mind. I had an image of him on a stack of gold coins. How did he get there? This is the story of Mizzer Waddlemeister’s journey – maybe it’s like Don’s uncle – maybe not.
Mizzer Waddlemeister
Mousey Mousey (Nature)
When we found a mouse in the house, I thought of what I would have done with it when I was a kid – if I could have gotten away with it. Try it to the Tune of “Bicycle Built for Two” published in 1892 as “Daisy Bell.”
Mousey Mousey
Alien Spacemen (Peace and Protest)
I wanted to see if I could pull off a nested metaphor. Here’s my attempt, in an allegorical march.
Alien Spacemen
Deadly (Life)
Definitey not sleeping when I saw a comercial about a drug with lots of deadly side effects. A topic and a genre found me at the same time!
Deadly
Call of the Deep
Dreamin’ Singers demos were produced by Global Creations LLC using SUNO.