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

Now We're Going To War

This was part of the final push to finish FAWM.  I think it's a fun song, and I'll go back to re-record it at some point.

After listening, my wife asked me if I had been reading about Irish history, but alas, the story is entirely fictional.  Any similarities to anyone or anything are purely coincidental (unless there is a benefit to me to claim that it was intentional).

I recorded this sitting on a couch with my laptop on my lap. That meant there was no room for the guitar on my lap, so I was leaning over awkwardly as I played.  Everything recorded using the built-ins on the computer. In hind site, if I wanted to be this sloppy about it, I would have done better to use the iPhone.

Now We're Going to War
©2011 Stephen G Brown




Now we're going to war, boysNow we're going to war
So kiss your wives, and kiss your mums
You won't see them no more
Now pack your bags for battle
Pick up your shields and swords
It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

Jim Clancy is a rowdy man
Made some noise about this town
Well he never crossed the line with me
But it seems he crossed the crown

And he wouldn't go so quietly
For what the neighbors say
Ten soldiers came to take him
And eight of them got away

Now we're going to war, boys
Now we're going to war
So kiss your wives, and kiss your mums
You won't see them no more
Now pack your bags for battle
Pick up your shields and swords
It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

And Darby is a friend of mine
For many years gone by
His yes is yes, his no is no
He'll never tell a lie

But they came to pick him up one day
The charges, they weren't clear
Darby's pistol answer them
T'was the last thing that they'd hear

Now we're going to war, boys
Now we're going to war
So kiss your wives, and kiss your mums
You won't see them no more
Now pack your bags for battle
Pick up your shields and swords
It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

Instrumental Interlude

Now we're going to war, boys
Now we're going to war
So kiss your wives, and kiss your mums
You won't see them no more
Now pack your bags for battle
Pick up your shields and swords
It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

We believe in God and Counry
Law and order should aboud
But the crown is there to serve the men
Not the other way around

And we'll start no fight if we're left alone
Cause peaceful folk we be
But we aren't afraid to defend what's ours
We'll fight for liberty

Now we're going to war, boys
Now we're going to war
So kiss your wives, and kiss your mums
You won't see them no more
Now pack your bags for battle
Pick up your shields and swords
It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

It's time we set things straight once more
Now we're going to war

Be

Another iPhone recording.

I wrote this during a sermon last week. It didn't have anything to do with the sermon, per se, but the preacher was talking about different people having different gifts, and this was stirring about in my head.

Now, is it cheating if you have a 45 second song, and simply repeat it three times to get it over two minutes?

Be
© 2011 Stephen G Brown



I am
You are
He is the Savior

He is
And was
And always will be

I am
You Are
We were created

He gives
Us Life
And in Him we will be
And in Him we will be
And in Him we will be

Beautiful

Started while driving from Des Moines to Omaha on 16 February 2011, continued on flights from Columbus to Chicago and Chicago to Austin on 18 February 2011, finally finished off in Paige on 20 Feb.  Ooops. Nope, not done yet.  Okay, finished, at least for now, at home 22 Feb.

I was pretty excited about this song when I started it, but I just haven't been able to pull it together the way I wanted to.  Fought hard with the lyrics, still don't like them.  And it didn't come out the way I wanted it to musically, either.  But I need to take a break from this so I can finish FAWM a winner!

Beautiful
©2011 Stephen G Brown




I can't stop thinking of the way you solved the riddle
All the sins that I was stained with, now you've washed me clean
What I had put asunder, could not be joined together
You found a way that you could make it whole again

I can't stop thinking of the way you gave forgiveness
You took three nails on a cross, You wore a crown of thorns
You suffered, died and then, you rose to life again
You conquored death for me and all who live in you

And You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You
You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You

I can't stop thinking of the the way you filled my spirit
Like a fire you breathed into me, and set my heart aflame
I want to live my life in you, the way you made me to
Cause if the Son has set me free, then I am free indeed

I can't stop thinking of the way you solved the riddle
How the death that I was cursed with you took off of me
If I keep my life I'm loosing, if I give it then I'm choosing
To spend it with you joyful in eternity

And You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You
You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You

And You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You
You are beautiful
You made me beautiful
Everything's beautiful in You