SONGS
I’ve been writing original songs since I was thirteen, and every now and then one of them winds up getting recorded.
My influences? Uh … The Smothers Brothers? The Chad Mitchell Trio? But also Phil Ochs, John Prine, Steve Goodman, Randy Newman, Tom Petty - and then everybody else.
I do it for fun and for my friends. I like that it doesn’t take nearly as long to finish a song as it does to write a screenplay or stage play, so it’s always satisfying in that way.
I’ll post a variety of old and new stuff, first-pass one-mike dirty bar recordings and rudimentary demos, solo efforts and collaborations.
I’ll add to the collection when I can and as I write new ones.
I think that’s everything. Enjoy!
Public Domain
I wrote this song with Jono Manson. We thought it was funny that releasing a song to the public domain was similar to how we talk about death. Once we dug into the lyrics it became all that, but more importantly it became a song about the struggle between artistic expression and commercial success.
Crazytown
Here’s a playful one from my album “LIKABLE”, with songs I co-wrote and performed with Jono Manson. It’s also the second break-up song on the album - from two happily married fellows. Go figure. Most important: we managed to write a relationship song that includes the word "solipsistic".
Your Old Man
One more from LIKABLE, the collection of songs I wrote with Jono Manson. I love how timeless this feels, a love song about growing old together.
Iowa
Here’s a new song about love and connection in age of the internet. I’m super proud of this one - I even recorded it in a studio that was not my garage. I hope it connects with you, too!
Lazy Man
A love song I wrote to my wife.
Nouveau Jour
I wrote "Nouveau Jour" in lieu of an essay for a high school French class. This recording is from a performance at a songwriting festival in Ann Arbor.
Say Goodbye
A sweet heartbreaker. I only have two heartbreak songs. This one was real. The other one was just made up - maybe I’ll share that one next time.
Moonlight Pantomime
I always liked this little fantasy/romance. That’s my song and me on guitar, but I’m not sure who the singer is! If anybody knows…
Gerrymander My Love
A silly political love song
Breaking My Heart
What it's like to have kids (...I wrote this before I had any!)
Young Again
A nostalgic birthday song for baby boomers.
I cowrote this with the amazing Ron Crowder. This is my demo version. Ron has a terrific pop version that I'll post at another time.
One Bad Buffalo
Soon after arriving in Santa Fe my brother bought some bison meat at the Farmer's Market, cooked and ate it a week later, and called me from his kitchen floor while fighting hours of food poisoning. So I wrote a song about it.
This is a one-off single mike recording of me being goofy with the idea. If I record it again I will sing in tune, play in time, and add a jug band. In the meantime this is still kinda fun.
The Reaper Song
A dance with death...but with attitude.