Here is a new version of "How Can I Tell You" with me playing and singing Davies' now famous second guitar part.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - How Can I Tell You That I Love You?

There are many interpretations of “How Can I Tell You.” In my view, the song is hopeful rather than despairing. However one interprets “How Can I Tell you,” I feel the song is filled with incredible beauty that cannot help but shine through.

Stevens first met Alun Davies as a backup musician in a recording session. He liked what he heard. After another session, Stevens recognized that Davies was an exceptional talent. In a following private session, Stevens played something like fifty of his original songs for Davies, whereupon Davies decided Cat was an equally exceptional talent. He agreed to accompany Stevens on an upcoming tour. After the tour, Davies became Stevens' permanent 2nd guitar until Stevens stopped playing music with his conversion to Islam in 1977. When Stevens began performing again in 2003, the two artists reunited.

Here is a new version of "How Can I Tell You" with me playing and singing Davies' now famous second guitar part.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Sam How Can I Tell You That I Love You?

“The Bells in the Evening” appears on Gillette’s debut album, released in 1967. The album, simply titled “Steve Gillette,” stands as one of Steve’s finest recordings. “The Bells” is a bittersweet (actually sweet-bitter) song of love blossoming in the spring and fading away in the fall. I find the melody and lyrics deeply moving. Perhaps you will, too. The song is also replete with imagery. When you listen, what images come to your mind?

I’ve revisited “The Bells of the Evening,” adding a new background track by Giovanni Egusquista. Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:24) - How to Remember a Love Song

The studio did not like the instrumentation in the finished product. They buried it midway in the credits, not anticipating what a huge hit the song would become.

"Everything I Do" is one of the most successful singles of all time, selling over 3 million copies. It was #1 for 16 weeks in England and seven weeks in the United States.

Please enjoy my cover with background instrumentation by Giovanni Egusquiza. 

Chapters

• (00:00:12) - "Everything I Do, I Do It For You"

Chapters

• (00:00:07) - God's Love Songs For People In Heaven

Chapters

• (00:00:23) - "Always Thinking of You"

Bryan Guy Adams was born in 1959. As a teenager, he played in bands and in local studios.  In 1978, he met drummer and songwriter Jim Vallance, and together they formed a partnership that lasted for decades.  Their early collaboration helped Adams strike a deal with A&M Records for a reported one dollar.  His debut album was released when the folk-rock genre exploded in the early eighties.  The album was good enough to earn Adams a second one with A&M. It helped establish Adams as an artist on the rise.  His third album, 1983’s Cuts Like a Knife, proved to be the singer-songwriter’s breakthrough effort, including three Top 40 hits.

Later that year, while working on his fourth studio album, Reckless, Adams considered including “Heaven” on it, but initially felt it didn’t live up to the quality of the rest of the album. At the last minute, however, Adams changed his mind and added “Heaven” to the Reckless tracklist.

Reckless went on to sell 12 million copies worldwide, becoming the most successful album of Adam’s career.

Here’s my cover of “Heaven.” 

Chapters

• (00:00:06) - Baby, You're All That I Want In Heaven

Since I’m a newcomer to the Country Music Scene, I’d never heard of Paul Kennerly before. He’s an Englishman who has written 30 published Country Music songs. (I guess there are stranger things that abound in our world). I don’t recall Kennerly’s name being mentioned in connection with any of the songs I’ve covered here. Be that as it may, he has written two powerful songs that Emmylou Harris has brought to my attention. I covered the other song, “Born to Run,” in my previous blog.

“Heaven Only Knows,” as performed by Emmylou and her band, features a driving beat, compelling lyrics, and the recording artist’s beautiful, singular voice.

Digital Backup by Joaquin Masch

Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:08) - Why Loving You Should Make Me Cry

After hearing Miss Harris’ version of the song, I began listening to many of her other reels on YouTube. She is a consummate, unique performer, not to mention beautiful. Emmylou’s music has remained consistently excellent throughout her forty-year career. Willie Nelson is quoted as saying, “There are two types of people in this world…those who love Emmylou and those who have not met her.”

Harris has released more than twenty-five albums. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Here’s my cover.

Here’s another song, written by Paul Kennerly and made famous by Emmylou Harris, called “Heaven Only Knows.” The song was released on Emmylou’s 1989 album, “Bluebird.” The song reached #16 on the Hot Country Music Chart.

Since I’m a newcomer to the Country Music Scene, I’d never heard of Paul Kennerly before. He’s an Englishman who has written 30 published Country Music songs. (I guess there are stranger things that abound in our world). I don’t recall Kennerly’s name being mentioned in connection with any of the songs I’ve covered here. Be that as it may, he has written two powerful songs that Emmylou Harris has brought to my attention. I covered the other song, “Born to Run,” in my previous blog.

“Heaven Only Knows,” as performed by Emmylou and her band, features a driving beat, compelling lyrics, and the recording artist’s beautiful, singular voice.

Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:08) - Heaven Only Knows Just Why Loving You Should Make Me Cry

Emmylou Harris sings like an Angel. She is a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee. I put Emmylou into my Hall of Fame alongside other Angels by the names of Eva Cassidy, Nanci Griffith, Linda Ronstadt, and Kate Wolf.

Here’s my cover of Paul Kennerly’s “Born to Run.”

Chapters

• (00:00:11) - Well I Was Born To Run

“Long May You Run” is written by Neil Young. The song came alive for me when I heard Emmylou Harris and her band perform it. Now in her seventies, Emmylou is still beautiful and sings like an angel, as attested to in the video I’ve included.

After hearing Miss Harris’ version of the song, I began listening to many of her other reels on YouTube. She is a consummate, unique performer, not to mention beautiful. Emmylou’s music has remained consistently excellent throughout her forty-year career. Willie Nelson is quoted as saying, "There are two types of people in this world...those who love Emmylou and those who have not met her."

Harris has released more than twenty-five albums. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:07) - Long May You Run

I was surprised to learn that John Lennon thought the song was “pure rubbish,” meaning that it was only a filler song created to feed the hounds of commerce. Paul McCartney had a more optimistic view: “Sometimes we didn’t fight it if the lyric came out rather bland on some of those filler songs like ‘It's Only Love.’ If a lyric was really bad, we'd edit it, but we weren't that fussy about it because it’s only a rock ‘n’ roll song. I mean, this is not literature.”

Most fans, like myself, can relate to the song, finding the lyrics acceptable and the melody beautiful.

Here’s my cover.

Written when he was turning forty, Browne originally thought he was writing about someone else, until he realized that “Enough of the Night” was about himself. He had grown tired of a destructive lifestyle that mostly involved drugs (Cocaine). He decided the time had come for a change, and Browne writes about it poignantly in his lyrics. Listen closely, and you’ll see what I mean. “Enough of the Night” is also reminiscent of Jackson’s sister, but that’s another story entirely.

Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:08) - Enough for the Night

The lyrics of “You Love the Thunder” suggest that while Browne’s lover may not always enjoy the difficult aspects of a musician’s life on the road, they are irresistibly drawn to the excitement of the lifestyle and the passion that runs through it like a vein of valuable ore. The line, “To be a woman in love with a man in search of the flame,” exemplifies the central meaning of the song: the enduring, though sometimes challenging, love for someone driven by a passionate, and likely spiritual quest.

Chapters

• (00:00:04) - You Love the Thunder and You Love the Rain

The song tells an in-depth story about women who have taken the easy way out by marrying for money alone. While the song is entirely fictional, it has an incontrovertible ring of truth. Maybe that’s why Lyin’ Eyes reached number 8 on the Country Chart. It is the only Eagles song to become a top 10 Country hit.

Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:15) - There Ain't No Way to Hide Your Lion Eyes

The song tells an in-depth story about women who have taken the easy way out by marrying for money alone. While the song is entirely fictional, it has an incontrovertible ring of truth. Maybe that’s why Lyin’ Eyes reached number 8 on the Country Chart. It is the only Eagles song to become a top 10 Country hit.

Here’s my cover.

“Tequila Sunrise” shows the transient nature of each lifestyle, as the singer falls for a woman who just wants to use him and move on. The theme didn’t immediately connect with the buying public, but the songs and the album stood the test of time.”* 

*Excerpted from Songfacts®

Chapters

• (00:00:19) - It's Another to Kill The Sunrise

Stevens released his version of the song on his debut album, New Masters. Because he never released “The First Cut Is the Deepest” as a single, the album went largely unnoticed.

Despite his shyness, Stevens’ songwriting and singing burst through to make him an international star in the music industry. I’m using Stevens’ version in my cover.

However one interprets “How Can I Tell you,” I feel that the song is filled with incredible beauty that shines through.

And thank you, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), for your always beautiful, wise, and inspiring music. Here's my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:23) - "How Can I Tell You That I Love You..."

The song refers to the destruction of natural spaces caused by overdevelopment and industrialization. It asks a fundamental question: What future awaits our children when the spaces where they play are increasingly paved over and polluted? 

“Where Do The Children Play” prompts us to consider the inherent features of the ‘progress’ we are making, as well as Humanity’s impact on planet Earth. Essentially, this beautiful and simple song begs for a balanced relationship between Human Beings and nature.

Typical of a Cat Stevens song, the rhythm is quite unique. Here’s my cover.

It has taken me some time to warm up to this song due to the violent rift I had with my father regarding my future. My Dad passed away in 2006, and now, in my older years, I can see and appreciate the opportunities he gave me. I am at peace with the relationship, and I am inspired by my father's accomplishments.

You might think this song pertains to Cat Stevens' struggles with his father, but that is not the case. His father owned a Greek restaurant, and like all fathers, wanted his son to join the business. Stevens, of course, had vastly different ideas. Wisely, his father never stood in the way of his son's dreams.

Stevens wrote this song, imagining a Russian father and son differing about the son's future. "Father and Son" was originally planned as part of a stage play. The project never saw the light of day. Stevens eventually released the song on his "Tea for the Tillerman" album.

Here's my cover.

Always the explorer, Stevens sought the meaning and purpose of life, as illustrated in his songs like “On the Road to Find Out.” He eventually converted to Islam in 1977. Around the same time, he permanently left the world stage as a singer and songwriter. In his relatively short career, Cat Stevens left us with a body of music that is still relevant today and, to millions around the world, extremely enjoyable.

Originally, I played this song using a picking method, and then I switched to strumming. I watched a video of Stevens performing the song with a strumming method. I thought, I’ll never be able to play it that fast. To my amazement, I wound up playing the song as fast as Stevens when I strummed it. Interesting. Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:08) - Oh, Very Young What Will You Leave Us This Time?

Wayne Carson wrote “Always” as an apology to his wife when he was working in a recording studio in Memphis and stayed ten days longer than he expected to. When Carson called his wife to tell her that he had to stay in Memphis longer, she let him have it. To make his wife feel better, Carson told her she was “always on his mind.”

“It just struck me like someone had hit me with a hammer,” Carson told the LA Times. “I told [my wife] real fast I had to hang up because I had to put that into a song.  ‘Always’ is about one long apology. I guess there are a lot of people in the world who are looking for a way to say [what the lyrics express] in a song.”

“Always On My Mind” popped into my head from out of nowhere. Coincidentally, I’ve been hearing it at the gym where I work out, but after the fact. I’ve decided that it’s a reminder from the cosmos to appreciate my loyal wife of thirty-six years. Here’s my cover played in Nelson’s style.

Chapters

• (00:00:14) - Sometimes I Think I Didn't Love You Enough

In a 1997 interview with Mojo magazine, Browne said of this song: “I’m a big fan of ambiguity and its bountiful rewards, and ‘The Pretender’ is two things at once. It’s that person in all of us that has a higher ideal, and the part that has settled for compromise, like Truffaut says, there’s the movie you set out to make, and there’s the one you settle for. But in a more serious sense, ‘The Pretender’ is about 1960s idealism —the idea that life is about love, brotherhood, justice, social change, and enlightenment. These concepts were prevalent as our generation reached its stride, and later, we settled for something quite different. So when I say ‘Say a prayer for The Pretender,’ I’m talking about those people who are trying to convince themselves that there really was nothing to that idealism.” (excerpt from an article by SongFacts.com)

The boldface type is about a lyric in the song I could relate to most, since I lived through that period: “I want to know what became of the changes we waited for love to bring. Were they only the fitful dreams of some greater awakening?”

Here’s my cover of “The Pretender.”

Chapters

• (00:00:20) - Praying for the Pretender

Browne eventually played the song at the funerals of two other celebrity friends. And if one listens to the lyrics closely, “For A Dancer” becomes a larger commentary on the intransience of life itself. We cling to it like a thread.

To me, the larger meaning underscores the necessity of using every precious moment wisely. Here’s my cover.

Chapters

• (00:00:12) - A Dance for the Dead

Jackson Browne's guitar techniques, lyrics, and melodies stand apart from the crowd. What he says through his music is sometimes searing, sad, and occasionally, happy. However, all of Browne's songs have something in common: an incredible sensitivity and beauty.

Browne wrote "These Days" when he was only sixteen years old. Despite his youth, Browne demonstrated a keen sense of heartbreak. I'm not sure how a sixteen-year-old could feel the depth of emotion and remorse expressed in this song. If we assume Jackson experienced and gave voice to the words and tone of "These Days," then he was wise beyond his years and deeply rooted in himself from early on.

The song had its first release when a protégé of Andy Warhol named Nico picked it up on her "Chelsea Girl" album. Brown played acoustic guitar in the background. "These Days" gained wider recognition when several artists subsequently covered it.

Brown eventually released his version of the song in 1973 on the album "For Everyman." He rewrote "These Days" to make it more optimistic. In his own words, Jackson remembers, "Over the rest of my teenage years and into my 20s, I developed a kind of optimism, a kind of resoluteness, so I changed [one verse] to: 'I'll keep on moving, keep improving.' That's more to me what life is made of, the idea that I'll get through this, I'll continue looking."

I've always wanted to play this song the way Jackson Browne does. Thanks to my friend Jerry Lambert, I can now do it. Here's my cover.

I first heard "Cornflower Blue" as the opening song on Kate Wolf's 1983 double album "Give Yourself to Love." As I listened to the album many times over, "Cornflower Blue" grew on me (no pun intended). I began to appreciate the exquisite beauty in the lyrics and in Kate's lovely singing voice.

Oftentimes, songs like this one will find their way into my heart, and I feel compelled to play them myself. With this song, I had my doubts. The chances were good that I might not pull it off.

Learning how to play "Cornflower Blue" like Kate does was like learning how to walk again. The style is completely counterintuitive to what I'm used to, but I'm glad I made the effort. I hope my cover of the song conveys some of the mystery and beauty of the original.

With twenty-four albums released from 1978 to 2002, Griffith has left a lasting impression on an art form she once described as “folkabilly.” Nanci’s music merges the elegant folk of her early years with the folk-rock of her later years.

I’ve covered many of Nanci’s songs on this blog, including this latest, “Trouble In The Fields.” It’s a penetrating and beautiful song inspired by Griffith’s recollections of her great-grandparents’ struggles with drought and hard economic times during the 1930s. “Trouble In The Fields” is dedicated to Nanci’s great aunt and uncle, Nettie Mae and Tootie, farmers for eighty years near Lubbock, Texas.

Here’s my cover.

Even in the midst of darkness, this is the dawn of a new age. It may be difficult to believe or see it, but it’s happening. Nothing can deny us our destiny in love. Not doubt. Not ignorance. Not fear.

Some of us are at the forefront of this new world. Kate Wolf was one of these visionaries. I’m a great admirer of her work and her music.

Here’s my cover of “Brother Warrior.”

The song is about finding hope in any situation, of being present and joyful. With the simplicity and joy of a child, Stevens writes about seeing life as it is in the moment, without comparing it to others’ lives or other times in an individual’s life.

Moonshaw is a beautiful song expressing the idea that every moment in life is rich and unique. Whether we are aware of it or not, Stevens is saying, we are always “leaping and hopping on a Moonshadow” every second of our existence. He cautions against being too wrapped up in our worries and concerns about what could be or what has been, and consequently missing the richness of life as it is.

Here’s my cover played in the artist’s style.

Ligtfoot put the lyrics away in the glove compartment of his car. Eight months later, Gordon wrote the music for "Carefree Highway" after almost forgetting about the song. Wouldn't you know that the song became one of Lightfoot's biggest hits?

Here's my cover.

Tom Paxton released "The Last Thing On My Mind" in 1964 on his album, Ramblin' Boy." The inspiration for the song came from Dave Van Ronk and Bob Dylan's versions of "He Was A Friend of Mine." This lost love ballad became one of Paxton's biggest hits. He is also known for his protest songs against the Vietnam War and other social injustices. (What Did You Learn In School Today?)

"The Last Thing On My Mind" was one of the first songs I learned some forty years ago when I started playing the guitar. This is the first time I've released my cover publicly. The themes of the song include friendship, loss, and the passage of time. Here's my cover.

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" is another song that emerged unexpectedly from my subconscious. The song bounced around in my head until I played it. Here's my cover. 

A recording of Kate playing a song by Tom Paxon called “Hold On to Me Babe” drew me to Wolf’s music again. Her voice is transcendent, as it is in most of her recordings. I haven’t been listening to Kate’s music lately, and her version of Paxon’s song reminded me of the beautiful realms she takes me to.

Here's my cover of one of Kate's early works titled "Looking Back At You."

I’ve recorded Kate Wolf’s remarkable story and several of her songs on previous blogs. To learn more about this courageous and uniquely talented person, go to: “An Unfinished Life” “Gentle Love” “Feeling the Heart” and “Through Her Music”.

Not surprisingly, “Across the Great Divide” is one of Wolf’s most popular songs. Without Jerry’s help, I would never have figured out how to play the song Kate’s way. She uses a simple and, at the same time, complex alternating base method the likes of which I’ve never seen.

The song is about longing for a loved one, specifically Suze Rotolo, who Dylan dated from 1961 to 1964. It is widely believed that another Dylan song, “Girl From The North Country,” is also about Rotolo.

Here’s my cover.

Is Marc Cohn a one-hit wonder? The answer, in a word, is “yes.” That being said, Walking in Memphis is a noteworthy accomplishment for a man who has spent most of his career steadfastly under the radar.

To his credit, Marc won a Golden Globe Award in 1991 for Best New Artist. Now, well into his fifties, Cohn is still touring with an ambitious schedule ahead in 2023.

Working on this song made me wonder: What made Elvis Presley so popular? In case you may be wondering too, here's an article that helps to explain it.

Here’s my cover of "Walking in Memphis."

To me, the song is as lovely and memorable as many of Lightfoot’s hits, including: “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Early Morning Rain,” and “Song For A Winter’s Night.”

Please enjoy this remembrance of the one and only Gordon Lightfoot.

"Girl From The North Country" is another one of those songs that popped into my head from out of nowhere. I can't decide if it's a message from the Beyond or just a little piece of my subconscious rising like a sunspot from the deep layers of my skin with aging. Whatever the case, "Girl From The North Country" is one of Dylan's earliest recorded songs, written in 1962 and released in 1962. Listening to it now, I find the ballad enchanting.

As a young adult, I followed Dylan's work tangentially since it was so much a part of the mainstream. Lately, I've developed a deep appreciation for Dylan's music and the man himself. I've covered several Dylan songs in this blog, including "Mr. Tambourine Man," "My Back Pages," and now this one.

"Girl From The North Country" is a beautiful ballad recounting a lost love. Many believe the woman in the song is Suze Rotolo. At the time, Dylan had just dropped out of college to pursue his musical career in New York City. Rotolo had just graduated from high school and entered the Greenwich Village folk scene. Their first meeting took place at the First Riverside Church concert in New York City. Dylan described the meeting in his memoir: "Cupid's arrow had whistled past my ears before, but this time it hit me in the heart, and the weight of it dragged me overboard."

Eventually, the couple lived together in Greenwich Village and then grew apart when Dylan went to England, and Rotolo went to Italy to continue her education.

After some time passed, Dylan went to Italy to find Retolo. At the same time, Rotolo returned to New York City. The couple finally reunited and lived in Dylan's apartment until their final breakup.

The album cover of Dylan's second album, Freewheeling, features Dylan and Rotolo walking arm in arm down a Greenwich Village street.

“American Tune” is a fine example. With its melody, guitar picking, lyrics, and overall artistry, the song comes together as a masterpiece. “American Tune” expresses the recording artist’s political disappointment in the early nineteen-seventies. The nineteen-sixties bloom of racial equality, love, and peace had already blossomed and faded.

While my favorite recording artists continued to produce heartfelt, meaningful, and exquisitely beautiful folk and folk rock music, America’s social and political evolution stalled. With the election of President Richard Nixon in 1972, the glowing hope and ideals of the prior decade receded into the background.

Paul Simon artfully captures the undercurrents of this period in this remarkable song. Despite its melancholy tone, I am deeply moved by the beauty of the words and music.

“American Tune” popped into my head unexpectedly and without warning. It literally came “from out of nowhere.” I think it did because we are about to take another evolutionary backward step under the Trump administration.

Please enjoy my cover of Paul Simon’s moving song.

Lightfoot arrived in downtown Toronto as a young man after growing up in Oridella, a small rural Canadian town. Since there were no clubs to play in at the time, Gordon landed a job in a bank to earn a living. Lightfoot was about to earn a promotion when he told his manager that he had decided to leave the bank to accept a role as an extra on a square-dancing Canadian TV show. Lightfoot’s manager found it hard to believe that the young man was leaving a good job with a future to go square dancing.

As folk music became commercially viable in the late sixties, clubs began to spring up featuring promising musicians. Gordon landed a spot in one of them. He stood apart from the crowd because he performed many of his own songs in a characteristically pure voice. After he developed a following, a club owner invited Lightfoot to perform at his club across the street at twice the salary. Lightfoot gratefully accepted the invitation to perform at the Riverboat, Toronto’s premier folk music club.

With his beautiful voice and prolific outpouring of quality music, it was only a matter of time before Warner/Reprise Records rewarded Lightfoot with a one million dollar recording contract, an unheard-of number for a Canadian singer. His first album with the new label was released in 1970 when Gordon was forty-two. Lightfoot had left United Artists after five albums because he felt they did not represent him adequately. “Sit Down Young Stranger” shipped 80,000 copies before sales stopped dead. The album “had no legs” in the industry’s parlance. Warner changed the name of the album and picked a new single to lead it off. “If You Could Read My Mind” became a runaway hit when an announcer on an important local radio station kept playing it. Sales of the album ballooned to 650,000 copies. The rest is history.

Here’s my cover of the song.

Nanci Griffith introduced her third album with its title song, "Once in a Very Blue Moon," on the Austin City Limits TV show in 1984. She sang to a live audience with her typical, bold, and beautiful voice, which continues to endear this singer/songwriter to millions of people around the world after her passing.

This poignant song could easily sound sad, but not the way Nanci performs it. With her crystal-clear voice, it actually sounds uplifting. A quality comes through Griffith's songs. It sounds to me like "nothing will ever get me down." I'm sure Nanci Griffith endured many hardships and obstacles in her life, but she always came out on top. I dedicate my cover to the memory of this inspiring woman.

Signed by Electra Records, the group produced seven albums for the label, most notably their first four, which included “The Five Hundred Spirits or the Layers of the Onion” and “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter.”

Through intermittent tours and appearances at prestigious venues like the Albert Hall, The Incredible String Band gained worldwide fans and international recognition from their humble beginnings in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Listen to Mike Heron’s lilting, whimsical “Painting Box” to get a sense of The Incredible String Band’s multifaceted musical range. Here’s my cover.

Seeger created his eleventh album, “Against the Wind,” intending to record hit songs. In other words, the artist wasn’t overly concerned with aesthetics. He wanted to make a commercially viable collection of songs, leaving it up to Capitol Records which ones to release as singles. Along with his Silver Bullet Band, Seeger certainly succeeded.

“Against the Wind” has been described as a bittersweet cross between country and rock music. The song holds an attraction for me as I look back on my life from the perspective of a 75-year-old. I’ve published eleven novels and recorded innumerable songs. Has any of it made a positive and significant impact on the world? Perhaps in a very small sense, the answer is “yes.” But the results have been far below my expectations.

I’m sure we are all, in one sense or another, running against the wind. There are things we turn away from that must be confronted. There are obstacles we must overcome if we are to move forward. Seeger ends this song with a determination to keep running against the wind no matter what it takes. I offer my cover in the same spirit.

Recorded with Audacity software–Absolutely the best free recording software out there.

The song's chorus references a passing parade. Fogerty says the lyric is inspired by a Dr. Seuss book he read as a child, "To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street."

Some people say the lyric "Won't you take a ride on the flying spoon" is a reference to cocaine or heroin. Fogrety vehemently denies this. He discouraged drug use by any of his band members, saying drugs interfered with their music and their jobs.

Credence Clearwater Revival gained prominence in the late 1960's. The band split up acrimoniously in 1972. John Fogerty is still performing as of this writing.

Here's my cover of this fun song.

When I read the lyrics, I get a picture of a farmer of indiscriminate age waking up at the crack of dawn and looking out through a window at his fields. At the very instant when the sun rises, there is barely sound. Our farmer reflects back on his youth and how it felt every day to awaken with a song in his heart and the dreams he envisioned to pursue.

The last refrain floated into my head from out of nowhere:

"There'll be the evening,

In the end,

But 'till that time arrives,

You can rest your eyes,

And begin again."

The lyrics are beautiful and express the child-like innocence found in many of Cat Stevens' songs. I interpret this last refrain to mean: Take advantage of and be grateful for every moment you are alive.

Here's my cover.

Kenny Loggins wrote the song in 1970 and released it as a single. It went nowhere. Later that year, Kenny teamed up with Jim Messina and released the song on their first album, "Sittin' In." Again the song went nowhere. If nothing else, "Danny's Song" showcased Loggins' talent for capturing a feeling for a moment in time.

It was not until Anne Murray covered the song and released it as a single in 1973 that it became a hit, reaching #1 in Canada and #7 on the charts in America. The song's success put Loggins and Messina on the map.

Here's my cover.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the song with Paul writing the optimistic verses and John writing the more pessimistic chorus, in this case, the bridge.

The song sprang from a disagreement Paul had with his then-girlfriend, actress Jane Asher. Jane and her mother, Margaret, had a powerful impact on Paul's life. The couple stayed together for five years from 1963 to 1968.

Here's my cover.

The song’s lyrics are replete with metaphors and symbolism, for example, the “holy magnolia” and “naked earth,” which elicit a sense of purity and connection to the universe. Cat Stevens, known for his introspective and spiritual songwriting, uses this narrative to convey a deeper message about the power of love and the unpredictable ways in which destiny unfolds. It is a beautiful story in song, rendered in Stevens’ unique style. 

In a truncated life of only forty-four years, Kate Wolf embodied the words of this song. She used her time to create over two hundred songs, performing mostly at venues in her native state of California. Kate’s work has warmed and gladdened the hearts of millions of people around the world. Here's my cover of the song.

I had never heard of Carrie Newcomer before a friend played one of her songs in an online gazing/meditation class. "The Gathering of Spirits" bounced around in my head until I finally had to learn it.

I bought Newcomer's album of the same name, and I have to say the other songs on it are, for me, an acquired taste. However, I'm glad I was introduced to Carrie's music and this song in particular. She's a unique individual and an unusually talented artist, as you'll see by clicking on the link above. Here's my version of "The Gathering of Spirits." 

"Day Is Done" is a simple song about a clandestine relationship. Since very little has been written about the song, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact subject matter. It could be about two married adults having an illicit affair. The lyrics and tone, however, indicate a relationship between two adolescents forbidden by parents or society.

The drawings on the album cover of "Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings" tend to support the theory of a prohibited young love.

In "Day is Done," Prine has written a charming little song with universal implications. Many of his songs deal with the intricacies of human relationships and are laced with Prine's subtle sense of humor. Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings was John's fourteenth album. Released in 1995, it is another example of the artist's exploration of the human condition.

From humble beginnings, John Prine came a long way in his fifty-year career. He won Grammy Awards and was posthumously inducted into the Country and Folk Music Hall of Fame. What struck me, however, is this early recollection of John's career. It is taken directly from Prine's official website:

"Prine still remembers the first three songs he performed on any stage: Sam Stone, Hello in There, and Paradise. With humility, he recalls, “I sang those three songs and people just sat there and looked at me. I thought, ‘Wow, those are really bad.’ They wouldn’t even applaud.'”

Things changed dramatically when a young journalist named Roger Ebert dropped into a Chicago folk club for a beer while John was on stage. Ebert wrote a glowing review of Prine's performance in the Chicago Sun-Times which essentially launched John's career.

Here's my cover of "Day Is Done."

"I Remember Everything" was the last song John wrote. Published posthumously, it's a simple yet moving song looking back on a life well-lived.

Prine may have had a premonition that his life was coming to an end. If that is the case, then "I Remember Everything" is John's epitaph, which he characteristically wrote himself. Here's my cover.

Bob Dylan wrote and recorded the original version of "Mr. Tambourine Man," but The Byrds' electrified folk-rock version shot it to #1 on both the US and UK charts. The song hadn't been released when The Byrds learned it from a demo Dylan gave to their manager, Jim Dickson.

Dylan released Tambourine Man in March 1965 on his Bringing It All Back Home album.

What is "Mr. Tambourine Man" about? On the surface, this tambourine man is a wandering musician whose music has captured Dylan under its spell. The song is considered by many to be about drug experiences, with lines like "Take me for a trip upon your magic swirling ship" and "Take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind." Phrases like these suggest a marijuana or LSD trip. Dylan is famously close-lipped about explaining his songs, but in his 1985 Biograph compilation album, he revealed that "Mr. Tambourine Man" is not about drugs. Instead, he said the song was inspired by a backup folk musician named Bruce Langhorne, who played a large tambourine in one of Dylan's recording sessions.

To me, the song's poetic images are like impressionist paintings. The melody is haunting and mesmerizing. The song stands alone as a true work of art. Here's my version.

These lyrics and the refrain popped into my head a few mornings ago. This sort of thing has been happening to me frequently these days: Long-forgotten songs resurfacing. It may be a function of the aging process, or it might be the universe talking to me. I kind of hope it’s the latter.

In the 1970s, a group called the Bryds covered a few Bob Dylan songs. They made songs like Mr. Tambourine Man and this one popular. The Bryds’ cover of Mr.Tambourine Man went to number one on the US charts, and their cover of My Back Pages went to thirty. I may have never listened to My Back Pages had it not been for The Byrds. By the way, Roger McGuinn and The Byrds are credited with starting the Folk Rock Revolution. And they inspired Bob Dylan to go electric.

In 1964, Dylan released his fourth album, “Another Side of Life.” Around this time, he began to distance himself from his earlier songs. He claimed his earlier work was not about politics, but universal themes rather than individual political issues. In “My Back Pages,” Dylan lambasts himself for his authoritarianism and arrogance.

Moving forward, Dylan’s music focused more on individual consciousness and personal freedom. He is remembered more for his music from 1965-1970 than his earlier work.

To me, the lyrics at the top infer that we tend to think we know it all at a young age. I know that I did. As we age, we gain more wisdom and realize that we know less than we thought we did. This understanding opens us to learning more when we admit that we know little in comparison to what is out there. To be open to learning without imposing pre-existing ideas is to become more pliable and, therefore, young.

Here’s my cover of this powerful song.

Cat Stevens wrote and recorded quite a few hits at the Zenith of his career in the 1960s and 1970s. Stevens is an exceptionally talented artist. His songs began to climb the charts in his native England when he was only eighteen. There is a recurring theme in Stevens' work about leaving home to go out into the world. In Stevens' words:

"[Wild World has] to do with leaving, the sadness of leaving, and the anticipation of what lies beyond. There is a criticism sometimes of my music that it's kind of naïve, but then again, that's exactly why people like it. It goes back to the pure childish approach of seeing things almost for the first time."

I've covered several of Stevens' songs on this blog, including "On the Road to Find Out," "Fill My Eyes," and "The Wind." I'm a huge fan. Stevens' songs still inspire me some sixty years after their release. Here's my cover of another popular CS song: "Wild World."

Prior to this blog post, I had never heard of Richard Marx. I was only vaguely aware of the song. When I heard the beginning of the song on a Facebook reel, I was inspired to learn it. Now that I’ve read the backstory, I agree with Marx’s friends. “Right Here Waiting” is a truly moving and beautiful ode to long-distance love. Marx plays a piano accompaniment. I’ve composed a guitar background. Here’s my cover.

This is another song that popped into my head unexpectedly. At first, I decided not to blog about it. But the melody, like Chris Biondo, wouldn’t give up. I guess someone is trying to tell me something. Here’s my cover.

From his roots in Northern Ireland, Van Morrison began his musical career at the age of thirteen. He played the saxophone, harmonica, and guitar in several bands until he formed his own group called “Them.”

“Brown-Eyed Girl” launched Morrison’s solo career due to the song’s overwhelming popularity. Ironically, Morrison never truly cared for the song. He considered it “too commercial.” And the psychedelic cover of Morrison’s first solo album appalled him. I think it’s safe to say Van Morrison never came anywhere near the mainstream of music and pop culture.

Most of Morrison’s work consists of rhythm and blues and occasional jazz pieces. The man may be unpredictable, but his songwriting has certainly been prolific. He has written over three hundred songs in his fifty-year career.

Commercial or not, this is a fun song to play. Here’s my cover.

"Eternal Flame" is another song that came into my head from out of nowhere. It just started playing in my mind on its own. I remembered the song, but I had never heard of (or don't remember) an all-girl band called The Bangles. The group was popular in the 1980s. Susanna Hoff, their lead singer, wrote Eternal Flame with songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. The idea came from a Cyndi Lauper song Hoff admired and from the eternal flame shrine near the Elvis Presley tomb in Graceland, where The Bangles saw it.

I still don't know why "Eternal Flame" barged unannounced into my head, but I'm glad it did. The song is BEAUTIFUL! Here's my cover.

I still own Gillette’s debut album and listen to it occasionally. Despite all of this fanfare, Steve Gillette never became a household name. Some say Gillette’s obscure status is the result of his emergence towards the end of the folk music boom. I don’t buy the idea. For reasons unknown, some people never make it to stardom, no matter how much they want it. Gillette wanted it, but his music failed to resonate with audiences broadly enough to make him a bonafide star. He made several more albums and eventually married Cindy Magnuson. To this day, the duo continues to tour relentlessly and make a modest living with their music.

There are those who did make it big in the sixties, like two of my folk/pop favorites: Jackson Browne and Gordon Lightfoot. Still, Gillette has left us with a number of original and memorable songs. “Back On The Street Again” is one of them. Here’s my cover.

Like many of us, Don McLean suffered through difficult passages in his life, many of which are reflected in his music. He wrote and recorded “Empty Chairs” when his marriage was failing. Despite the subject of lost love, I feel there is incredible beauty in the lyrics and the melody, and Mclean’s unique guitar style.

Although the subject is mentioned just once in the song, McLean chose the symbol to sum up his feelings and state of mind at the time. The title is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings of empty chairs. Mclean sympathized with Van Gogh and admired his paintings as revealed in his song “Vincent” recorded on the same album: “American Pie.”

I’ve re-recorded “Empty Chairs” with a better guitar and some improved technique. Please enjoy listening.

While I find all of the lyrics in this song beautiful, this sentence hit me in the center of my heart. I can picture a mother teaching a child about life. She is telling the child about the importance of dreams and to use his or her time wisely. Use it well, not only for yourself but for others too.

Certainly, love, beauty, and a full range of human emotions come through Kate Wolf’s music. “See Here She Says” is a remarkable song because it speaks to children and adults alike with an ocean of love and understanding. Interestingly, the word “sea” appears at the beginning of the first verse.

Perhaps I can feel Kate’s heart even more now that she has passed into spirit.

Please enjoy my cover of “See Here She Said.”

Kate Wolf–Singer-Songwriter–1942-1986

Please enjoy the memory of this song and the one and only Gordon Lightfoot.

The genesis of "Early Morning Rain" can be traced to Gordon's 1960 stay in Westlake, Los Angeles. At the time, Lightfoot became homesick for his Canadian roots. He remembers going to the Los Angeles International Airport on rainy days to watch the aircraft take-off and land. The memories of the flights launching into the overcast skies stayed with him. In 1964, while caring for his 5-month-old son, Lightfoot remembers thinking, "I’ll put him over here in his crib, and I’ll write myself a tune." In that moment, "Early Morning Rain" was born.

The lyrics refer to someone down on his luck who stands at an airport fence to watch the thunderous takeoff of a Boeing 707 airliner. The theme of the song suggests a jet-age musical allegory to the by-gone days of hobos loitering at railroad yards to steal a train ride home. Lightfoot credits the popularity of the song to his improvement as a songwriter.

I've always loved this song. Lightfoot strums it. When I heard Eva Cassidy perform the song using a picking technique, I had to learn it her way. Unfortunately, there were no guitar tutorials available. Since Eva plays "Early Morning Rain" close to her version of "Kathy's Song" I was able to figure out how to play EMR three-quarters of the way she does.