Queen of New Orleans

I haven't been too productive on the song writing side of things for a wee bit.  A couple of songs I've done lately are just songs.  Nothing that I particularly liked, but I finished them anyway.  I've been playing around with some music though, so I've got a few things in the works.   As often happens with me, I start playing around with a piece of music, but I just can't seem to find a topic where the lyrics flow.  Then out of the blue, a phrase or two will hit me.  

A couple of weeks ago, I had this piece of music that I really liked.  Not complicated, just a nice flow.  Last Saturday I traveled out to BC to visit with some home town friends.  The night before I was playing around with this tune and a simple phrase just stuck with me.   "I left my home in Texas,  I found my heart in New Orleans".   It didn't go anywhere until Sunday.   Sunday afternoon, my friends decided to go golfing.  I purposely didn't take my clubs with me - not much into golf these days.  So while they were out, it was quiet, and I had a couple of hours.  By the time they got back, I had most of the song done.  I played it for them, and they seemed to like what I had done.  

Monday morning I left for the 7 hour drive home.  Figured I'd turn it into a 12 hour drive.  I stopped a few spots along the way to take some photos (another hobby) of Mount Robson, some water fall photos, and a few of some river rafting,  Somewhere between Mount Robson and Jasper, I stopped off at a nearly vacant campground to have a bite to eat.   I pulled out my guitar and finished the song.  

The song is called "Queen of New Orleans".   Its about a cowboy from west Texas who gives up the cowboy life to follow his dream.  He leaves his home in Texas for a boat called the "Queen of New Orleans".  

I figured that I should record it so I didn't forget how it went.  I remembered that my laptop has a built in camera and some video software.  So I got a recording of the song.   The video quality is good, but the sound is poor.  Guess they make better cameras than microphones for lap top computers.    

I redid the song at home on my zoom.  I play this on my Blueridge guitar because it has the volume unplugged that I don't get with my Takamine.  Have a listen. Hope you like my cowboy turns sailor song. 

Have a look.  Hope you like it. 

Walking In the City - A Recording & Video

I got home tonight, intending to work on putting together the music for our show on Saturday.  Instead, I picked up my guitar and started playing around with Walking In the City.  Then I got out the Zoom,  played it several times and here's the result.  It still needs some work on the vocals, but once I do this with Don and Brian, I'm sure it will come together, and probably with a whole new and interesting sound.  Anyway,  you'll get the idea from this. 

Extravaganza Video

I just got some video (amateur) from the Magpies Extravaganza.  This is a song that I like doing to kick a little life into the party.   It's an old Jimmy Reed song called "Doing What You Want Me".   You might know the Elvis version that he did on his comeback special in 1968.