Track 1 Summertime This is an older song written about my wife, Hallie. We met during the summer in Colorado and had to be apart during the school year and I tried to convey the complete hold she had on me. I like it because it doesn't rhyme, the words just flow along with the music.
Track 2 Nowhere I wanted to write a simple song with a good premise, like WIllie Nelson's "Crazy." The chord progression is even similar at the beginning before it gets going. The drums really made this track. We had Andrew Gerfers use a soft mallet on the snare to give it a warm "bonk." I played electric piano as well and feel we really captured something special on this one.
Track 3 Julianne Part II I wrote a song called "Julianne Doesn't Live Here Anymore" about the next-door-girl-made-good and how the "neighborhood wishes her well." "Part II" was written later and is a somber take from a boy who never met Julianne because she wasn't a "fast girl.” He was too concerned with what his friends might say and lived to regret it. The treatment of this track set the mood for the whole album.
Track 4 Song For Keeps A song written about a song being written. A friend of mine wanted to be a songwriter and couldn't come up with anything good - so he asked me about what it takes to write something with meaning. Anyway, I took a George Harrison All Things Must Pass production approach and tried to explain how one can mine oneself for a tune with heart.
Track 5 Life of Paul This is written about both Paul McCartney and Paul the Apostle. Two Pauls whose words and lives inspired countless millions and whose convictions never lost their integrity. I'd "love to live the life of an inspired man" the lyrics say.
Track 6 Guardian Angel A lullaby tune I'd had for a while. I used Larry Graves' (co-producer) classical guitar that only had five strings, but the tone was perfect. Simple, short, sweet.......
Track 7 Beautiful Day My gospel tune about spiritual awakening and forgiveness. This one has been popular with my fans for a while because I had released it on a live album I did in college with another band. Bob Overton played a great slide part that completed the production. I wrote this years ago in school during a tough few days. I'd broken my hand playing football and had some complications with its healing, a few surgeries, rehab, etc. It had me really bummed out and in pain but it often takes times like this to figure what you're really about.
Track 8 Feeling Port Arkansas I spent a lot of time there in college. Friends, girls, beer, you name it. Good times, but stranger the further I get from them. We go through there now between gigs in Corpus and Houston and the landmarks and places on the beach have meaning and some of it is fun to recall and some of it painful, and all of it bittersweet and nostalgic.
Track 9 Stumbling Free About living the bohemian musician lifestyle. I'm not claiming to be a true bohemian, but for a guy from Highland Park, this is really roughing it (hey, I can't help where I'm from). It's hard sometimes but if you have someone you love with you, it can be truly liberating and fun with the right attitude.
Track 10 Long Way Gone Me on piano (scary!). I had the words and music for a while but had no real direction for the production. Larry heard me playing the chords and mumbling the words and thought we should record it just like that,...slow, ponderous, dark. Like I was drunk at the bar piano after all the rest of the wedding guests had gone home.
