Here on chordie we have some excellent song writers. I was wondering if anyone here takes the time to revisit some of our chordie friends songs from past years ????? Here is one of Phill Williams songs from a couple of years back which I enjoy listening to on youtube.
1,251 2020-09-10 05:40:40
Topic: Revisiting Old Songs By People On Chordie (2 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
1,252 2020-09-09 09:20:26
Re: Johnsonville Rain Kowhai Nectar (2 replies, posted in My local band and me)
Cheers Phill thank you for your feed back. I was trying to get that late 60s psychedelic sound it was also me being experimental with double tracking. I had an idea in my head but I couldn't pull it of the way I wanted it to sound. I messed up in a many parts of it. The up side of it was I have learnt a lot and hopefully it will help me to do something a bit better next time. If I did that one again I would do things different in various parts of it. The video side is just me taking pictures and videos on my cheap phone around the valley where I live. I like the idea of people making videos and taking pictures and making music without expensive tech.
1,253 2020-09-08 09:31:18
Topic: Johnsonville Rain Kowhai Nectar (2 replies, posted in My local band and me)
It is Spring here this a tune about when it rains here in the valley where I live and the birds and flowering trees that help give our local Tui birds plenty to fill their stomachs. I thought I would put this up even though it needs to be done again but I thought it might give you an idea of what I am trying to achieve.
Any comments greatly received.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEp3wrz6n0E
1,254 2020-09-07 00:18:28
Re: Writing as I Move My Lips (9 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Jeff that is brilliant you paint a good picture with your song of a writer in a quiet home making mind images with words that flow. For me to write a decent song can be very elusive for me. I admire the way you are able to do it naturally with a nice folky style that tells good stories.
My favourite time to write is when I am alone in the house my ears in the quiet hear the sounds around me which I don't normally hear. It is then I develop the ideas that have come to me in the days and nights before. I seem to get ideas for poems and songs while out and about and then when I am in the shower or doing other things more words come to me or sometimes new ideas. I have had whole poems or songs come to me in the shower but usually by the time get out of the shower I can't remember what it was. I have written a couple things early in the morning I will be fast asleep an idea comes to me I quickly hop out of bed speedily write it down before the universe steals the thought from me sending it into outer space and a place where I cant cant find it again. The right time to some how put it all together all those bits and pieces of words floating around usually for me can be hard to find sometimes. I need to be in my house with just me and my thoughts and the sound of life outside.
1,255 2020-09-05 05:28:41
Re: Blues Friday New Page (311 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Cheers CG One of our chordie characters Easybeat knows John Niland of EELMAN records who released and recorded The Windy City Strugglers music along with the other partners in that record business. John and Brian grew up in the same street together. I am glad to hear they are going to keep going with a new vocalist thank you for good info and weekly blues posting. I appreciate the effort you put into it and the various gems you come up with.
1,256 2020-09-05 04:59:03
Re: Psychic Tealeaf (9 replies, posted in Poems)
Cheers guys thank you for your feedback it is good to hear other people's outlook on things and also your stories about life.
1,257 2020-09-05 04:55:22
Re: Song on soundcloud - Feathers- Something to believe in (1 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Another excellent well written song by you Jim I have left you a message on soundcloud.
1,258 2020-09-05 04:53:33
Re: Something To Believe In (5 replies, posted in Songwriting)
A local character that Easybeat and I know is known locally by people in our suburban valley as Feathers due to his last name being Eagle.
1,259 2020-09-04 09:46:48
Re: Psychic Tealeaf (9 replies, posted in Poems)
Cheers Mojo I often wonder if the Miss Cleo's of this world are so good why don't they make big money predicting the future on the share market or finding that hidden treasure of someone that had died. In murder cases if they were that good they could solve the mystery of who done it.
I was wondering if anyone picked up on the rhyming slang meaning of tealeaf ( thief) in the title of my poem?
1,260 2020-09-04 09:37:33
Re: Blues Friday New Page (311 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
CG thank you for choosing a kiwi group. Sadly the Windy City Strugglers lead vocalist Rick Bryant died last December. He sang with many groups and played Sax. Here he is singing with a choir he belonged to also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWpyao9oFVM
1,261 2020-09-03 10:06:12
Re: Psychic Tealeaf (9 replies, posted in Poems)
Jim thank you glad my rambling made some sort of sense.
Phill cheers a friend of mine who was around 80 years old went to a psychic for a bit of fun and out of curiosity as his daughter was into those sort of things. The consultation wasn't cheap he told me but in a strange way he enjoyed playing along with it while giving the psychic some false info about himself.. To his amusement the medium had a message from his dead mother for him. After the visit he thought he better pop around and see his nearly 100 year old Mum just to make sure she hadn't passed away. A neighbour said to me the other day, " it is times like these I need a crystal ball that works." With so much unknown about the future at the moment in the world I guess there will be a lot of people feeling that way.
1,262 2020-09-02 11:30:07
Topic: Psychic Tealeaf (9 replies, posted in Poems)
Inside this short poem is a few stories connected to my life observation and experiences on the outside it might seem a bit weird but actually it is an observation if you know the background story behind it all. This poem is all about out there in the Universe we have billions of different things happening and when something like Covid happens we have to reset how we live and do things. At times like these it will depend on the powers to be and what options they take because there are millions of different ways they could go. Some people cope by going to psychics or things like that trying to figure out what the future holds. Years back my fathers mother and his father sister reckon they could read tealeaf’s in the bottom of a cup of tea to know about the future in same way some people go to astrologers. My mother side of the family saw things differently to dads side, me I stayed out of those arguments. I just take life day by day and look for the positives rather than the negatives. A friend of mine said to me the other day it finally occurred to him on turning 70 he didn’t need to work sixty to seventy hours a week anymore and all its done for him was make him so tired that he had stopped seeing the magic of life and nature. So that is what that line in my poem , “their so tired worn out they can’t find magic anymore,” is all about. Everyone has a different way about how we face the future I am observing rather than knocking or pushing anyone’s beliefs. Here is an attachment of me doing this poem with my guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD5kYxMIWRk
Psychic Tealeaf
Their looking at tealeaf’s in a bottom of a cup.
Instead of dealing with things that come their way.
They go to a psychic because they think the psychic knows the future.
Instead of dealing with things that come their way.
They worry about burn out while burning the candle at both ends.
As they huff and puff their way through life.
Sometimes we ask what is the best way to do something.
Instead of asking why are we doing it at all.
Yes why are we doing it at all.
Their so tired worn out they can’t find magic anymore.
People talking about how we have lost our normality.
Maybe normality was the problem.
As worry throttles their confidence and starts chocking their spirit and perspective on life.
They should be looking at the universe which is full of possibilities.
Look at the sky the moon and stars at night.
They are but just mere droplets in the vast ocean of the universe.
Yes why are they looking at tealeaf’s in the bottom of a cup hoping to find a way.
Instead of dealing with things that come their way.
Well their looking at tealeaf’s at the bottom of a tea cup.
Hoping to show them the way.
Gone to see a psychic hoping to hear about what’s going to happen on another day.
1,263 2020-09-02 11:12:25
Re: the parking lot remake with chorus (5 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Mojo that has come out real good.
1,264 2020-08-31 10:47:14
Re: Cabin Fever (2 replies, posted in My local band and me)
Cheers Jim it was my attempt at trying to write a simple positive lockdown song that didn't have many lyrics. Maree keeps me on my toes we enjoy each others company even though we are very different in a lot of ways. Her taste in music is different to mine but apart from that we enjoy many other things together. Thank you for your feed back.
1,265 2020-08-31 10:38:39
Re: Justin Townes Earle has died ! (4 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Jim that is sad I didn't realized he has passed away and so young. The last time he toured New Zealand was only in August of 2019. He played a gig at a local club here in Wellington on that tour. I liked his style of songwriting and performing and the way his lyrics told stories. Unfortunately I didn't get to his gigs when he played here but I heard he was good live..
1,266 2020-08-27 10:33:51
Topic: Cabin Fever (2 replies, posted in My local band and me)
I decided to have a go at writing a simple sort of singalong song. Here is a video of me doing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U3cx3LmhDQ
1,267 2020-08-25 12:05:04
Re: Never Too Late (3 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Beamer you got a good rock and roll sound on your video and your lyrics hit the nail on the head.. When I heard young teenagers playing rock and roll in town the other day it felt good to know that rock and roll is forever.
1,268 2020-08-22 05:39:12
Re: forgotten songs? (8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Roger I love the way you did Phills song your piano is the perfect backing for your voice.
1,269 2020-08-22 03:31:59
Re: Something To Believe In (5 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Jim I love those lyrics of yours and the way they make the story of faith being available to an individual to choose in everyday life if they so want. The art of calling out to a higher power and believing. That is what I used to love about a lot of Johnny Cash's songs. I will attach a link to Johnny's sister Joanne Cash singing about it recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_tKb9RXYMw
1,270 2020-08-20 17:32:10
Re: forgotten songs? (8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Phill three words came into my mind reading your post GO FOR IT. Now you have twenty four tracks to play with you have a big musical canvas to play with. I agree with all that Jim and Beamer said.
1,271 2020-08-20 17:25:14
Re: To Lose is to Gain (5 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Jeff I hope your feeling better and I look forward to hearing you do this song.
1,272 2020-08-12 07:05:26
Re: Bar Room Couple (5 replies, posted in Poems)
Cheers Phill the under thirties seem to be addicted to their smartphones. The smartphone battery gone flat is a major life threatening crises for many young ones.
Jim and EB I enjoy watching people doing everyday things. I wonder if in twenty years time if the young ones will still be addicted to their smartphones ?
Thank you guys for your feedback as I know my stuff doesn't always work it is always good to hear your thoughts. Hopefully my way of writing about everyday things doesn't bore people.
1,273 2020-08-12 06:45:06
Re: inspired (2 replies, posted in Songwriting)
EB your singing voice and guitar playing good.
1,274 2020-08-11 07:16:41
Topic: Bar Room Couple (5 replies, posted in Poems)
Just me writing about a local bar.. I like to to put my experience of every day real Kiwi life into words hope it works.
Bar Room Couple.
Boy and girl sitting at the bar.
She pulls out her phone.
Drowning out a quiet guitar playing at the bar.
Her voice travels across the room.
“Lets put our selfie on Facebook”.
A quick little snappy are they bored or are they happy.
Why do they need their face on cyberspace.
Are their minds in this space or another place.
Is multi tasking while talking to each other.
A new way of dating and mating.
Are new apps updating looking to grab more of their time.
Are they in love with each other.
Or are they looking for another.
Texting looking at their devices.
Nattering and chattering.
While taking little sips from flash cocktails.
On the other side of the bar beers in pints.
There is me and my mate talking lost in debate.
I look at the time.
I need to shoot through.
Got other things to do
The young couple catch my eye as I am preparing to say goodbye.
Raise their glasses high.
Wishing me good health
Enquiring of them. I ask,“ Are you having a good day”?
He says” yes” and with a big smile she shrieks “this day has been the best.”
“My boyfriend asked me to marry him and I said yes.”
I drain my uplifted glass in a salute.
Wish them God Bless and all the best.
1,275 2020-08-11 07:03:30
Re: Song Writer (5 replies, posted in Poems)
Cheers Phill and Beamer thank you for your comments. I try to look at everyday things from a different angle but at times I am not sure if it works or let alone make sense.