Hey Ken - I know how you feel. I have been to Alpine but I really want to go into the Big Bend park and check it out too. I've heard lots of stories so now I want to see for myself. Thanks
1,603 2008-08-04 01:04:47
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks you two - I have it loaded on the Friends of Chordie Myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/friendsofchordie
Hope you like it.
1,604 2008-08-03 16:25:21
Topic: "The Calling" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
This song is about going back to visit places where you grew up. I know my dad spent much of his youth in what’s now called Big Bend National Park in south west Texas. A few years before he passed away he went back to visit the Big Bend area and remember his youth. I remember him telling me that he had to shake out his boots in the morning to make sure no scorpions had crawled in overnight. In the chord sequence, Bb C C# D, I use barre chords and just slide on down the fret skipping the B chord of course. The barre chord sequence sounds good to me, but give it a shot and see what you think. The Danville I mention in the first verse is Danville, Illinois which for some reason my grandmother thought was a good place to be born, and it is also the birth place of Dick Van Dyke.
The Calling By Jeff Gilpin
August 3rd, 2008
Verse 1
[D]My dad was born in Danville
[C]Born there but not raised [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[D]Soon as he was in this world
[C]He went down Texas way [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
And [G]he grew up in Texas
[D]Living in the Big Bend
He [G]went down for a visit
[A]Some time near his end [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
Verse 2
[D]Strange how you’re called back to
[C]Places where you were young [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[D]Like you got some business there
[C]To finish before you’re done [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[G]Not sure what would happen
[D]If you never left home
I [G]guess that I’ll never know
Because [A]all my life I’ve roamed [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
Verse 3
[D]Maybe I’ll go to Danville
[C]To see where dad was born [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[D]Although I’m not sure what I’d do
It’s [C]kind of like I’m torn [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[G]Torn because I have no
[D]Way to track him down
[G]Sure he was born there
[A]But with no ties to the town [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
Verse 4
Or [D]I could go to Alpine
[C]Out by the Big Bend [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[D]I’d see some of what he saw
When he [C]went back there again [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
[G]Or maybe I’ll just go and see
[D]The places I grew up too
Or [G]put that visit off until
My [A]days are almost through [Bb] [C] [C#] [D] [Bb] [C] [C#] [D]
1,605 2008-07-31 06:17:27
Re: "Two Roads" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks - Life does make think about all the possibilities
1,606 2008-07-31 06:15:32
Re: "Where Does Love Go When It Dies" (6 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks guys - I will try and record it sometime soon.
1,607 2008-07-30 15:58:55
Re: "Two Roads" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Russ - Thanks - Funny how an ideas can turn up another one that's quite different. Thanks for the inspiration!
1,608 2008-07-30 15:47:18
Topic: "Where Does Love Go When It Dies" (6 replies, posted in Songwriting)
A friend of mine asked this question and it got me thinking of it as a song.
Where Does Love Go When It Dies By Jeff Gilpin
July 30th, 2008
Verse 1
[A]Where does [Em]love go when it [A]dies [Em]
[A]Does it [Em]leak out of your [A]eyes [Em]
[D]Does it e[Am]vaporate to the [D]clouds [Am]
[A]Is it [Em]passed out among the [A]crowds [Em]
[G]Does it just go away
[Em]I just can’t say
[A]Where does [Em]love go when it [A]dies [Em]
Verse 2
[A]Where does [Em]love go when it [A]dies [Em]
[A]Does it add [Em]pounds to your [A]thighs [Em]
[D]Or does it just [Am]wither a[D]way [Am]
[A]Like a flower that [Em]water couldn’t [A]save [Em]
[G]Maybe it’s hiding inside
[Em]To hitch another ride
[A]Where does [Em]love go when it [A]dies [Em]
Verse 3
[A]I think [Em]love is every[A]where [Em]
[A]But you can’t [Em]see it when you des[A]pair [Em]
[D]But if you de[Am]cide to let it [D]in [Am]
[A]Then you can [Em]begin to love a[A]gain [Em]
[G]So the answer is no surprise
[Em]Love never truly dies
[A]Love [Em]never ever [A]dies [Em]
[A]Love [Em]never ever [D]dies [A]
1,609 2008-07-30 04:26:43
Re: "Two Roads" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks James and Roger. There was a lot of advice I should have taken but I made it through okay. You're right though Roger, it sure would have been much easier knowing what I know now.
1,610 2008-07-29 16:19:51
Re: "Two Roads" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Phill - Thanks. I agree but I remember when I was a kid too and I was just too "busy" back then so I understand.
1,611 2008-07-29 15:51:52
Topic: "Two Roads" (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Russell Harding got me thinking about the choices we all make in life with his song Soap on a Rope. That got me to thinking about how the choices we make can lead off to many different paths.
Two Roads By Jeff Gilpin
July 29th, 2008
Verse 1
[G]Young one you’ve got [C]two roads in [G]life
To [G]take on your [D]journey a[G]head
[G]Both have got side roads of [C]struggles and [G]strife
And [G]yet both leave [D]you just as [G]dead
[C]Which one you [D]take is [Em]all up to you
The [C]journey is all in your [D]hands
[G]Find what you’re made of [C]along the [G]way
And [G]learn as [D]much as you [G]can
Verse 2
[G]One road you can take may seem [C]easy at [G]first
But get [G]steeper as [D]you travel [G]on
[G]It might not be [C]quite what you [G]wanted
So [G]go back if [D]you get it [G]wrong
[C]Nothing [D]wrong with [Em]trying to start over
Just [C]don’t burn the bridges you [D]cross
It's [G]hard to go back by [C]jumping a [G]stream
Of [G]one of life’s [D]lessons you [G]lost
Verse 3
[G]Another road starts and it [C]tries to dis[G]suade
As if [G]it knows you’re [D]not tough e[G]nough
Yet [G]nothing worth having comes [C]without a [G]price
You'll put [G]up with [D]all sorts of [G]stuff
[C]After a [D]time it [Em]all may pay off
[C]But sometimes it [D]don’t
[G]That’s the funny [C]thing about [G]life
[G]Either it [D]will or it [G]won’t
Verse 4
[G]Life sure seems straight [C]forward at [G]first
[G]Choices don’t [D]seem all that [G]tough
But the [G]longer the journey the [C]deeper the [G]thirst
Any your [G]choices may [D]get a bit [G]rough
So [C]make your best [D]choices and [Em]don’t second guess
[C]Try hard not to look [D]back
[G]No one can know [C]what might have [G]been
So [G]stick to your [D]guns and re[G]lax
Verse 5
I [G]want an old porch swing at the [C]end of my [G]road
So [G]I can just [D]sit and re[G]flect
But [G]it just might be the [C]curb of the [G]road
[G]Life’s tough and you've [D]got to re[G]spect
The [C]journey that [D]teaches and the [Em]lessons you learn
And the [C]lessons that others learn [D]too
So [G]enjoy the journey but [C]duck when it’s [G]needed
There'll be [G]time to re[D]flect when it’s [C]through[G]
1,612 2008-07-29 00:20:02
Re: SOAP ON A ROPE (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Russell - Nice to see the ripple effect that I also use for many of my songs. Send me the lyrics and chords so I can give it a try. I'm a sucker for story songs and this is a doozy! Jeff/jets
1,613 2008-07-21 10:53:49
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Lena - Thanks...not ready with the tabs though so I left them off.
1,614 2008-07-20 02:55:52
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Ken - Thanks - You have my permission and I plan on recording it tomorrow so I will gett it posted as well. I'm not very good at the tabed portion yet so I know it will take me forever to get down.
1,615 2008-07-18 11:15:53
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey James, I will get on it this weekend. Thanks
1,616 2008-07-14 22:15:17
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thank you William - I surely will.
1,617 2008-07-14 02:08:07
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Lena - I would if I could but alas she, my dog not my daughter, is too attached to me. Yeah, I miss my daughter a bit even though she has be back for a visit fairly often. I'm a typical father I guess, smitten by his little girl.
1,618 2008-07-13 16:59:03
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey KAP - I believe so eventually. I really need to get some new music up there.
1,619 2008-07-13 16:55:49
Re: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Roger - I thought I'd try something new and the tabs help people reading it to know how the lyrics sound too, at least in the first part of the verse. I kept it simple as this was first time with tabs. Thanks - I will record it but need to work on the tabs as I'm a little sloppy with them too and kind of why I wrote it like this. At least it gives me something I can practice on.
1,620 2008-07-13 16:11:46
Topic: "My Daughter's Lullaby" (23 replies, posted in Songwriting)
This is just a little good night song for my daughter who’s sleeps far away from home.
My Daughter’s Lullaby By Jeff Gilpin
July 13th, 2008
Verse 1
To[C]night when you go to sleep my [G]baby
I want you to think what you mean to [C]me
The world today could not get more [G]crazy
But because of you it makes sense you [C]see
[Am]You bring beauty where it’s [Em]missing
[Am]Shine where only darkness can be [Em]found [G]
So to[C]night as you fall asleep my [G]baby
Remember I love you as you sleep [C]sound
Verse 2
instrumental
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back to vocal
[Am]Keep the world filled with [Em]beauty
[Am]Keep the smile of wonder on my [Em]face [G]
Be [C]safe and remember it’s your [G]duty
To keep the world we live in filled with [C]grace
So good [Am]night
Sleep [Em]tight [G]
Good [C]night
1,621 2008-07-07 22:23:05
Re: Here Comes Mr Heartache (10 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Mr. McCready - Great song there - I took the liberty of playing it a little country and it turned out real nice if I do say so myself. Well done sir!
1,622 2008-07-07 22:18:31
Re: "Wrinkles and Regrets" (12 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Great Song James - I always feel like a big kid until I see the old man looking back at me in the mirror. You sure do have a talent for coming up with some great lyrical ideas and then weaving them into poetic works of art. I will keep an eager ear out for this on myspace.
1,623 2008-07-07 22:07:18
Re: "14 Days and 14 Dollars" (9 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks Roger, Phill and Daddy - I guess I was more fortunate that I thought in my tough times which could have been a whole lot worse. But just like you all I really think back on the tough yet simple times with fondness sometimes almost wishing I could go through them again even though the reality of having to just get by living pay check to pay check would smack the nostalgia out of me P.D.Q.
1,624 2008-07-07 01:58:37
Re: "Hopeless Love" (11 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Hey Roger - bittersweet as some of the best love songs are. I really like how you've strung the chords together...really fits this sadly sweet song. Well done
1,625 2008-07-06 21:16:32
Re: "14 Days and 14 Dollars" (9 replies, posted in Songwriting)
Thanks you Roger and Lena - I think living through tough times can make people better and buitd a lot of character. From a song writing perspective, surviving those times sure gives me a lot of ideas to write about. I'm glad you both could relate and were able to take a visit back.