About The Songs
About The Songs
Back In Time
Richard Elkerton and I wrote this pretty-much, face-to-face at his kitchen table. I had the main riff (at the beginning), and he had the chorus riff idea laying around. Rich is a big fan of the “Back To The Future” movie trilogy. This tune could be considered a nod to that masterpiece (the movie). I would love to go back in time if I could.
Memory Of You
I was living at my parents’ home at the time. Unfortunately, a lady that lived across the street and about three houses down was murdered by a stabbing. There were the police, ambulance, and news reporters at the scene. It was surreal. Along with that time, I was searching for things to write about. I decided to make this incident part of my consciousness: I imagined being called to be informed of this woman’s murder. I imagined that I knew her when we were younger and how her death reminded me of my experiences with her. The song wrote itself.
Heaven Help Us
I dreamt the “hook” as-is with chords and melody. Went to Rich (Elkerton) with it and together we came up with the rest. This is a rather timely song (even though it was written over 20 years ago). I did re-write some of the lyrics, with Rich’s blessing. If anybody is wondering about the second verse lyrics, “someone you know too well,” is a rather sarcastic line that reflects all too well knowing about an individual mass-shooter that is hell-bent on ambush killing others because their own life is not to their own liking. “Like a church in flames” is a reference to the Notre Dame church fire and that reference being used to increase the harsh reality of the next line: “walls engulfed blood from veins.” I have never seen the after-scene of a mass shooting, but I would assume there is a lot of blood everywhere. I do believe something must be done to limit access to guns, especially military grade weapons, i.e. AK47s, AR15s, any semi-automatics, explosives, ETC.
One Kiss
This is a Sigmund Romberg-Oscar Hammerstein II song. I learned of it by being a Barbra Streisand fan. Her “Color Me Barbra” album featured this song. It has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and the version on her album one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. By the way, One Kiss has nothing to do with gender. The emotion and devotion invested in this love-relationship is the same regardless of gender.
Red Neck Rock N Roll
I just had this idea laying around so when it came time to do this album, I wanted to include this idea. There have been previous tunes of the same title. I just wanted my own. And, I get to play slide!
Reality Garage
I dreamt that my “wife” and I were building a spaceship in our garage. It was perfectly symbolic of the teamwork and love within our relationship, or any relationship for that matter. “This love’s no mirage, it’s just our reality garage” is what I heard in my head as I was waking up. Not sure how I came up the main riff (intro), but I do like it.
Destiny
This tune should make your hair grow because I had a lot at the time I came up with this. However, I did write the lyrics in 2019. For some reason, it was very difficult to get the lyrics on this. It was a song whose lyrics that I had to labor over for months. The process was like giving birth. Of course, I do not know what it is like to give birth; however, I understand it is painful, laborious, and finally rewarding. Hope you like it; it’s all I got for it.
Windsong
Jim Bonevich was a GREAT friend of my mine since I first met him way back. He unfortunately, tragically, and prematurely passed away in 2016. His passing has left a void that will never be filled. I wrote this at the time we were working together and just having a great time playing and jamming together. My
tribute to him.
Love Turns Its Back
I went to Rich with the very beginning of the tune: “In this world, in our time, seems like love is hard to find…” and that’s all I had. Like most of our songs, we wrote this one head-to-head at his kitchen table. He came up with the hook so he gets “front billing.” It is a favorite of mine because of the “Lennon-McCartney” vocal harmony at the chorus. I would be nowhere, and definitely not even here, if it were not for The Beatles.
Still
Another Richard Elkerton collaboration. I brought this to him with the chorus intact and the verse’s chords and melody. Rich wrote the lyrics for the first verse, and I think we wrote the second verse together (?). I omitted the second verse on this version due to the lyric of “By a lyrical brook in your slumber, let me cast a spell for you to be under. Then I’ll sing every song of love to you in a dream that I hope comes true.” At this point in “modern history,” it kind of sounds like Bill Cosby was giving us instructions.” And, I just want to say that Rich and I do NOT know Bill Cosby.
Step Down From Love
This is a “good time tune” about being fed up over being
brokenhearted. Yeah, I know it sounds like the a Black Crowes tune. They “ripped off” others, so I should be allowed to “rip them off,” right?
Main Vain
This is just a little thing that makes my left hand cramp (in the bridge). Those chords are a bitch. The solo is on my 1968 arch top & back Silvertone acoustic that my parents bought at the local Sears, Roebuck And Company. This guitar is the guitar that I learned on and took my first lessons with. It is therefore very fitting to feature this guitar on the last track of my album. No, it’s not for sale.
