music journal

so I’m here in Portland Maine for a work thing, and when I have time I’m working on my Simple Songs. after a lovely pub dinner and a couple beers downtown I returned tired but ready to try to get a track down. the only problem was this rather noisey hvac unit outside, but thankfully this track isnt a very quiet one. but I did do a take in the bathroom just to see if it would sound better or not. so here’s the newly dubbed “Portland Waltz”. (I only yesterday realized it’s in 3/4 time, and I figured since I’m putting it down here in Maine, I might as well put it in the name for posterity).

here’s take 1 (in the bathroom) - less mistakes on this one I think

here’s take 2 (in the rest of the room)  - sound is a little more mellow I think

it’s a little tune I’ve been working on for a little while, and it contains 3 simple parts. usually I play the parts ABABCA but sometimes you never know how it’ll come out.

I think one of those takes will do for this one…on to the next!

now that I’ve got my new recording device, I’ve decided to put it to good use and record an album of my little acoustic songs. I think I’ll call it “Simple Songs” since, well, my songs are pretty simple and low-key. so I took a crack at recording the song I’ve been working with on-and-off for a while. I’m pretty happy with the recording quality so far, and hopefully I can learn to bring out the best sound with it. I’ve identified a couple things I can do better, so I may go back and re-do this one eventually.

so here’s my first track called Be Still (which I’ve shared before in a different version).

I have no idea if a whole album of this kind of song will appeal to anyone or not, but so far I’m enjoying the process. I have a goal of putting down 10 tracks by July, and I’ve got about 15 “song ideas” to work with so far (and I usually come up with a handful more now and then). now on to identify which song idea I’ll try to polish off next.

I got the idea to write a song from the shepherd’s perspective in Luke 2. I’m always struck by the fact that every time an angel appears, people are apparently scared out of their minds, so that’s where this got started. I havent wrote the tune down yet, but in my mind there’s old cowboy-style picking, and/or kinda like the Carter family. something that evokes life out on the range and around the campfire, since in my imagination they’re pretty much old-school cowboys. hopefully soon I can nail down a tune for this. here are the words so far. there’s a couple rough spots, but overall I’m liking it. I’d love any feedback with ideas for improvements, etc.

update: here’s a rough recording.

update again: got the chords in there now:

The Shepherd’s Song – By Bob Wiegers – 12/2007

(G) Twas a moonlit night, million (C) stars in the sky,
(G) Another night camped on the (D) hill.

(G) Another long day had (C) faded away
(G) And everything got (D) suddenly (G) still.
 
(Em) The sky exploded with (Am) light,
(Em) We were sure we would (Am-G) die.
But a (Em) strange voice said: (Am) Don’t be afraid!

 (chorus1)
 (G) Good news! Great joy!  You’ll (C) find in a boy:
 (G) The Savior, Christ the (D) Lord!

(G) He’s in King David’s town,  Go (C) worship him now.
(G) The One who was (D) promised is (G) born

(G) I was still afraid and (C) rather amazed.
(G) The night sky was bright as the (D) day

(G) I thought I was dreaming but the (C) angel was gleaming,
(G) Talkin bout (D) mangers and (G) hay

(Em) And quick as a bolt, the (Am) one became thousands
(Em) Each bright as the sun, and (Am) singing as one:

 (chorus2)
 (G) Glory to God in the (C) highest!  (G) Peace to those whom He (D) loves!
 (G) Glory to God in the (C) highest!  (G) Peace to (D) those whom He (G) loves!

(G) I wanted to ask just (C) what all this meant
(G) But quick as they came they were (D) gone

(G) So we all decided to (C) go down and find him
(G) To worship (D) Messiah the (G) Lord

(Em) The sheep had all fled, but (Am) we didnt mind
(Em) We ran down the hill to see (Am) what we could find (singing)

 (chorus 2)

(G) We searched the whole town but he (C) couldnt be found in the
(G) places a king ought to (D) be

(G) But then we remembered the (C) hay and the manger
(G) And found them, a (D) young fami(G)ly.
(Em) They looked tired and (Am) scared,
(Em)Asked why we were (Am-G)there.
We (Em) told them our story, and (Am) glimpsed at God’s glory.

 (chorus 1)

(G) So we danced in the streets telling (C) all that we’d meet
That (G) Jesus, the Savior was (D) born.

(G) Go worship Him now here in (C) King David’s town
(G) A baby, our (D) Savior, the (G) Lord!

 (chorus 1, chorus 2) 

for most of this year I’ve been doing simple recordings of our church band practices. some of them turn out better than others, but overall I think they give a good idea of what we’ve been up to. so I’ve compiled 11 tracks into an album called Crude Home Recordings, Volume 1. if you’d like to take a listen, you can download it here. there’s also a bonus track of the SEPC string quintet.

Tracks are as follows:

01 Stricken, Smitten
02 In the Sweet By and By
03 For All The Saints
04 Jesus Cast a Look
05 Jesus Lover of my Soul
06 Poor Sinner
07 Thou Lovely Source
08 Grace Upon Grace
09 Take My Life
10 Hallowed
11 On Jordan’s Stormy Banks
99 Rhosymedre (bonus track from our church’s string quintet)

(cross posted at the family blog)

there’s a hard situation I’ve become aware of, and it inspired these words. 

here’s an MP3 of my first attempt at a tune. somewhat bluesy. please excuse my poor singing and playing. my friend Mitch is going to try to write a tune for it too, so we’ll see which we like better.

any ideas for improvements are welcome.

don’t pray for me

pray for her, she’s 2 blocks down but a world away,
not even 18, a mouth to feed, and another on the way.
nobody who cares, nobody to make things ok,
Hard to find a reason to hold on another day.

chorus:
don’t pray for me, don’t pray for me,
I’m taken care of and I’m already free
don’t pray for me, don’t pray for me,
there are those ‘round here with a greater need.

pray for him, her boy just 3 years old,
no daddy to teach him how to live in this world,
mama’s doin her best, but that aint goin so good,
just tryin to keep him fed and out of the cold.

(chorus)

pray for her, she’s so tiny and so weak,
they’ll kick down the door, stop her little heartbeat,
she’s got nowhere to go, why cant anyone see?
please, dear God, wont you bring her to glory?

back in college I wrote some simple/silly blues songs, which were fun, but nothing really to be proud of. I do wish I still had them written down just for the nostalgia, but oh well. but last night I finally put together what I’d call a “real” song, all of my own.

the words are from a poem I wrote in college about 9 years ago. I was in a poetry writing class and we were to write a villanelle (the most famous example of this form being “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night”). so I chose to write one about the night Michelle and I fell in love — Covenant’s spring banquet at Rock City. there’s a long back story here, but suffice to say that I was in denial about being in love, but the poem clearly shows that I was (the word “lover” was not in the original, so it wasnt THAT obvious). anyway, this remains one of the very few things I’ve written long ago that I actually still like.

so I’ve been wanting to write a song in general, and specifically I’ve been wanting to write a song for Michelle. I often have a hard time letting her know just how much I love her, so I thought a song would be good. so I thought of my old poem, and since its in a lyrical form, I figured I could try to set it to a tune.

the poem is about a waltz, so of course the song itself needed to be a waltz. mama was out yesterday evening, and as the kids were playing I started noodling in 3/4 and I was surprised how quickly a tune came that I was pretty happy with. it has hints of “the times they are a-changing” which is also in 3/4 time. so I worked on it for a while and put down the chords on paper (G,C,D,Am) and sang it for her last night. and she really likes it. she even said she thought the tune was rather catchy.

I want to work in it some more and maybe get the guys to play with it too and then maybe try a little recording of it. until then, here’s the words to “Lover and Friend”

Lover and friend, full of beauty and grace,
In three-quarter time you don’t mind the rain,
Laughing and dancing in spinning embrace.

With black dress swirling, a curl in your face,
You playfully try to lead once again,
Lover and friend, full of beauty and grace.

Now missing a step, the downbeat we chase,
The one-two-three pulse we slip, then regain,
Laughing and dancing in spinning embrace.

My eye searches yours, sees barely a trace,
Of the forthcoming frustration and pain,
Lover and friend, full of beauty and grace.

But tonight in this mysterious place,
Your smile and delight I seek to sustain,
Laughing and dancing in spinning embrace.

Oh for the power to pause time and space;
Take away sorrow and let this remain:
Lover and friend, full of beauty and grace,
Laughing and dancing in spinning embrace.

update: here’s a recording of it.