Fluted Funk

Dave and I did this way back when - March of 2006.  It was an improvised everything.  Dave started playing the bass line, I grabbed the flute and dug in.  I hadn't played flute in several years, and given that, I'm pretty pleased with what I got.  Dave did his typical masterful work both in playing the instruments (everything other than flute) building the drum tracks, and mixing the whole thing together.

Fluted Funk
© 2006 Dave Duce and Stephen Brown

Vocal Refresh - Now We're Going to War

I did a refresh of the vocals on "Now We're Going to War".  Little more like I sing this as I wander around the house.  To see the original post (now with the new recording):

3 March 2011 - Now We're Going to War

Finer Things

 FAWM 2011

Finer Things
© 2011 Stephen Brown




I don't buy cars or diamond rings
My friends buy all those finer things
They live in houses twice the size
And I just came to realize
I don't give you stuff like that
I ask about it, you begin to cry

Warm tears rolling down your face
I feel like I'm a big disgrace
I promised I would care for you
Thick and thin, I'm there for you
I gave you what you needed
But I never gave you what you wanted, too

And then your face lights up
I am baffled and surprised
And the look you give
is love and a hint of pity

You said
I don't care for diamond rings
Fancy cars and finer things
Let the Jones' buy their gem
I don't want to keep up with them
And the things I would like to have
I'd give up so that I could be with you

You promised you would care for me
Thick and thin you're there for me
There's one ring that I'd like to keep
I wear it even when I sleep
A symbol of some promises
The one you gave to me many years ago

Then my face lights up
I'm baffled and surprised
And now all that's left
Is warm love in your eyes

Love's a crazy thing

Cousins

Mom asked if anyone had anything special to share at the family reunion, to prep for it and we'd present it in whatever form.  I was on an airplane on the way to Fargo ND when I got the message, and the first couple lines of this song popped into my head.  I quickly recorded it on my iPhone (yes, I was singing to my phone on an airplane, surrounded by other passengers, at 33,000 feet).  Took me nearly half a year to get back to it, but here you go.

I accompanied the song with piano, and expected that I would play it that way at the reunion.  However, there was no piano handy, so I did it on guitar.  Here is how the song was originally conceived.

Oh, one more thing...

That little bridge section "We all wish..." - I didn't play that part at the reunion.  Seemed that folks were a little emotional, and didn't really need to push that any further.

Cousins
©2010 Stephen G BrownStarted 12 April on a flight from Dallas to Fargo
Finished 1 September on a flight from Dallas to Baltimore




Well my cousins are my brothers and my sisters too
All of this began when my mother married you
People think it's crazy but I tell them that it is true
But another big surprise is that I am my cousin, too

Now my father is my uncle and you wonder awkwardly
But he's not my mother's brother, which would be kind of icky
So my mother's sister's widower is husband to my Ma
Reminds me of that kid who sings he is his own grandpa

My mother has some nieces and a handful of nephews
They all call her aunt but they can call her mother too
Cause my mother went and did something not many people do
That's the way we ended with this great big motley crew

We all wish we had my dad
We all wish we had aunt pat
But you know that we're all thrilled
That you're together

Uncle carrie granddad red, Aunt orange mum dutts Nan
The two of you have loved us more than most people can
So we wish for you the blessings that you have given to us
Thank you for another year here at Canonicus