April: Only in the Spring

Only in the Spring

Of course, this song is about spring, which we are all waiting for. Despite the rain, there is so much green just waiting to burst forth, and that is the theme of this song.

At the last songwriters night, the suggestion was to write about spring green, naturally, as we are sick of winter grey. So, slowly this theme percolated around in my mind, various notes were made, lyrics started coming to me when I ran, and eventually a new song was born.

Part of the inspiration for the feel of the song was from a song by Pete Mulvey called "The Last Song". He uses an open tuning, though I couldn't figure out what it was. I came up with open D tuning: DADF#AD, on capo 2.

Recording to come.

Only in the Spring

Only in the spring is the air so warm, as the frost runs away from the sun
Long grey winter has lost it's voice as the earth tilts away from the moon.

Only in the spring do the nettles come alive, and young ferns start to unfurl
Leaves are waiting to burst from their sleep, and the flowers just can't wait to bloom

And everything is lighter, everything is brighter
And the green is oh so green
Everything is flowing and everything is growing
And the green is oh so green.

Only in the spring is there water everywhere, and new streams rushing down to the sea
Whispering rain from the showering skies, and the sun always tries to shine through.

Only in the spring do the robins come home, and the frogs start rumbling in the bog
Bears are waking and fawns are at play, and the hummingbirds hover and zoom.

And everything is lighter, everything is brighter
And the green is oh so green
Everything is flowing and everything is growing
And the green is oh so green.

Cause everything is changing, all of nature's rearranging
And the green is oh so green.
And everything is changing, all of nature's rearranging
And the green is oh so green.

March: Sunday @ Five

For March I decided to write a jazz song for the jazz group I play in. The lyrics are about the group, and the feel is in the style of Satin Doll. Not sure exactly what sub genre of jazz this is. Kind of relaxed swing.

The challenge with this song was the harmonization. In jazz, I - IV - V - I is not the typical progression, and that's what I'm more used to when writing singer/songwriter type songs.

In jazz it's generally a series of ii - V - I progressions with some iii - iv progressions thrown in. I also included some chromatic passing chords. Whether it is all correctly harmonized or not, I managed to come up with something that sounds like jazz and that has some harmonic interest.

Sunday @ Five

Sunday @ five when the day's almost done
Jamming together we're playing as one
Lifting the notes from right off of the page
Standards and ballads are free from their cage

Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five
Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five.

Melodies soar-ing so high in the night
Floating on harmonies smooth and just right
Drummer is grooving and setting the pace
Sliding down under's the rumbling bass.

Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five
Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five.

Swirling around us and joining our minds
Holding us all in sweet rhythm and time
Music is telling our hearts what to feel
Cares fade away in the moment so real.

Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five
Jazz comes alive Sunday @ five.