Thanks for 2019

Wishing all my listeners a Happy New Year and thank you all for your encouragement and support throughout 2019.

Somebody’s Acting Like a Fool

Another blues track off the ‘Smalltown Blues’ album which harks back to my very brief encounter with John Mayall way back when. I’ve tried to capture the style of that time with this one.

We had a stupid quarrel
And I don’t know what to do
We had a stupid quarrel
Something dumb with me and you
We need to talk it over
Somebody’s acting like a fool

We’ve been acting really stupid
Can we work out what to do?
We’ve been acting really stupid
Is it me or is it you?
We need to find an answer
Somebody’s acting like a fool

Somebody’s acting like a fool
Somebody’s acting like a fool
Tho’ my recollection’s hazy
I think that we’ve been acting crazy
We need to sort it out now
Somebody’s acting like a fool

I shouldn’t yell or holler
Get hot underneath my collar
We should try to keep it calm
Talking never did no harm
Got to pull ourselves together
Somebody’s acting like a fool

Somebody’s acting like a fool
We treat each other cruel
Like some kids just outta school
Somebody’s acting like a fool
We got to get our act together
Somebody’s acting like a fool

Politician

With an election coming in a week’s time. I thought it apposite to post this as a comment on the sad choice before us.

Politicians – out for themselves
Politicians – don’t care for no-one else
Politicians – red or blue
Politicians – are out to screw you

I think the lyrics speak for themselves and I quite enjoyed playing the slide as well – but that’s just me.

His lips are moving
The words are coming out
His lips are moving
He’s sowing seeds of doubt
You know he’s lying
He doesn’t mean a word
What he’s saying
Is really quite absurd

His lips are moving
He’s trying to tell us lies
His body language
He really can’t disguise
He’s saying ‘Trust me’
Do you think you could
His lips are moving
He’s saying that you should

Politicians
Playing their games
Politicians
Always the same
You know they’re lying
When their lips move

He looks real natty
In his tailored suit
But beneath the shell
He doesn’t give a hoot
There’s no democracy
So just do what you’re told
You know he’s lying
When his lips move

You see them on the telly
You see them in the street
You know that it’s elections time
When they try to keep you sweet
They’ll tell you anything
To try and get your vote
But when it’s over
They’ve got you by the throat

Politicians – all the same
Politicians – Playing their games

Breakup Blues

Here’s another tack off the ‘Small Town Blues’ album. This time it’s a slow blues number about breaking up and how at the end of the day you get over it and move on.

I’ve also been working on a collaboration with my good blogger friend, Dioclese, for this year’s Christmas single. It’s become a bit of a tradition that we do this every year. More news on that in due course.

Meanwhile, enjoy ‘Breakup Blues’

You broke my heart
You left me high and dry
You broke my heart
You told me all those lies
You broke me down
Can’t you hear me cry

The day you left me
I didn’t know what to do
The day you left me
All alone and blue
I didn’t think I
Could get over you

But now I’m over you
Like you’re over me
Can’t you see what you did to me
Can’t you see that you set me free

You stole my money
You drank my booze
You stole my money
I had nothing left to lose
It took a while to pick me up
Now I can’t believe my luck

Can’t you see
What you did to me
Can’t you see
That you set me free
Now I’m over you
Like you’re over me

So what you gonna do
When he’s over you
Then you’ll know
How I was sad and blue
You had it coming
Coming back on you

Heart of Stone

Here’s the opening track from the ‘Small Town Blues’ album.

Hope you like it. I’ll post some more tracks over the coming weeks but if you can’t wait then you can listen to the full album on all the good streaming and download sites like Amazon and Spotify to name but a couple.

She’s a demon she’s a witch
She’s a hard hearted bitch
She’ll love or she’ll hate you
But you’ll never know which
You better watch out
She’s got a heart of stone

If she gets you alone
Then she’ll cut you to the bone
Take my advice
And leave her well alone
You better watch out
She’s got a heart of stone

She’s a hard hearted woman
She’s one of a kind
She’s the one sort of woman
You’d hope you’d never find
Best leave her alone
She’s got a heart of stone

What you gonna do when she’s chewed you up spit you out
Ain’t no use to holler, ain’t use to scream and shout

Ain’t nobody like her
Better leave her well alone
She’ll pick you and put you down
Rip your heart out, throw it around
You better watch out
She’s got a heart of stone

Take my advice and find yourself somebody else
You’ll never see her coming she’s gonna take you by surprise
You better watch out
She’s got a heart of stone
Said you better watch out
She’s got a heart of stone

New album released

Pleased to announce that my new album “Small Town Blues: has been released and that at the time of writing it is live on Spotify with loads of other streaming and download sites to follow over the next few days.

As the title suggests, it’s blues album. “Loner” and “Brexit Blues” have already been released as singles and I’ll post some more tracks on here over the coming weeks. In the meantime, why not check it out on Spotify. If you don’t already have an account, it doesn’t cost you anything to open a free one and all my other stuff is on there as well.

Hope you like the album as much as I enjoyed making it.

Loner

Been quiet for a while whilst working on the new album, so here’s a little preview of what’s coming.

I’ve always been a big fan of the Texan style rock blues of ZZ Top, and this has a little of that flavour. It might well turn out to be the future title track but the jury is still out on that front.

Busy people everywhere
Rushing here and rushing there
There’s no time to sit and stare
Only time to shout and swear
Keep me safe from all of that
Isolate me from that crap
Give me time to be myself
Stop me being something else
Other people give me grief
Rob me of my self belief
I’m a loner, plain to see
But that seems to work for me

Safe and sound within my room
Hiding deep within the gloom
Not expecting I’ll get out
Not about to scream or shout
Here my fears fade away
Homely comforts all around
Things to keep me safe and sound
Hide away behind my door
Suits me fine I want no more
Just like things the way they are
No ambitions to go far

Disconnect that telephone
I’m quite happy on my own
Long as I can live my life
Free from trouble, free from strife
Want to join me? Come right in
Here your new life can begin
No more fear no more stress
Life out there is such a mess
Seems to work just fine to me
I’m a loner, can’t you see

Take the Money and Run

Last track off the Handyman album. All done now and soon will be moving on to the next one.

This is about work. I used to love it so much that I couldn’t get enough of it. I think you can tell that from the lyrics.

Retirement was the best thing I ever did and I’ve never regretted it. Gives me time to write and record and do all the other things I like doing instead of climbing the greasy corporate pole. Anyway, I was never very good at office politics.

I wake up in the morning
Drag myself out of bed
Drink a cup of coffee and head for the train
Looking forward to the day ahead
Hey man it’s a beautiful day
But remember what they say
Somebody gonna spoil it
Cos they only want it done their way

Take the money and run
Don’t kid yourself you’re having fun
Ignore that crap that they’re dishing out
Take the money and run

Ain’t no use in arguing
It does no good
No-one is listening
Ain’t no reason they should
Going through the motions
Not giving a damn
Looking forward to home time
Remembering what they say

They say take the money and run
Don’t kid yourself you’re having fun
You’re no worse off than anyone else
So take the money and run

Everybody knows better than you
Everybody wants their own way
Keep your head down and zip your mouth
Don’t let them wreck your day!

I get home in the evening
Pour a good stiff drink
Watching the TV
And trying – not to think
Do it all again tomorrow
Earn my packet of pay
Remembering the golden rule
That gets you through the day

No such thing as a good job
Working for the boss ain’t fun
They’re gonna chew up everyone
So take the money and run
Take the money and run
Take the money and run
Don’t beat your head against a wall, man
Just take the money and run

Shadows

The new album is progressing quite well at the moment and the Brexit Blues single would seem to have been well received.

This is another track off Handyman. A bit slower this time. An accoustic number just to give you all a rest from the heavy bluesy rock stuff. I’m not quite sure where the lyrics came from other than to say that they reflect my bafflement at how easily some people just seem to drift through life, feeling nothing much at all.

Seems such a waste to me.

I‘ve been lots of places
I’ve seen lots of things
People existing
Not doing anything
Living in shadows
Out of the light
Going through the motions
Avoiding real life

Can’t hear the laughter
Can’t feel the pain
Don’t feel the sunshine
Or get wet in the rain
Life washes round them
Life passes them by
Seem to be alright
But don’t ask me why

I’m not feeling lonely
I’m doing just fine
I’m not in the shadows
I’m in the sunshine
People around me
Don’t feel what I feel
They don’t understand me
And don’t know what’s real

They can’t hear my laughter
They don’t share my pain
While I’m in the shelter
They’re out in the rain
Life washes by them
Like leaves in a stream
While I’m busy living
Life’s passing them by

Don’t know what I’m seeing
When I look at you
Living like shadows
Not knowing what to do
It all seems so tragic
Life passing them by
They seem to accept it
But don’t ask me why

Brexit Blues

I don’t know if something like this has been done by somebody else, but it seems to me that if Brexit is such a fuck up then it’s an ideal subject for a blues song. After all, it’s a pretty damn depressing situation.

Anyhow, as anyone who’s followed me for a while will know, I’ve always had a thing about writing songs around current affairs, politics, social issues and the like, so here goes nothing.

Crank up the volume and enjoy.

You can’t believe a politician
Can’t believe a word they say
They say they know what’s best for you
That’s how they get their pay
You don’t know who they work for
And they do just what they like
They are your lords and masters
And they tell you what to do
You know they want to frighten you
You know that’s what they do
To scare you into giving up
Although it isn’t true
They roll out project fear
They do it every year
It’s worked in other places
So it really should work here

They asked me what I wanted
They let me have my say
But they really couldn’t care less
Gonna do it anyway
I told you once I told you no
I got the answer wrong
It’s not the one they wanted
And it’s totally insane
Safer stronger better off
We know what’s best for you
It turned out weak and wobbly
And here’s what we’re gonna do
Safer stronger better off
It’s all a guess at best
Safer stronger better off
To hell with all the rest

There’s a right way and a wrong way
And mine’s the one that’s wrong
They are our lords and masters
And they sing the same old song
They bullied me and lied to me
So you could get their way
It was totally irrelevant
What I had got to say
Safer stronger better off
Nobody really knows
Strong and stable, weak and wobbly
Gets right up your nose
Yes we’re leaving, no we’re not
It’s all a pack of lies
Safer stronger better off
They’re telling porky pies
And if we tell them no
Then they’ll ignore the things we’ve said
And if we say we’ll go along
Then it’s full speed ahead
Never mind democracy
To hell with all of you