SONGS

Single Series #18: A new song from Amy Allison — so simple, elegant, and true. A clever phrase honed down to something more elemental. Classic. And that inimitable, grown-up vocal style — perfectly suited to this new suite Amy’s been bringing to the Club. Recorded live at The Living Room with Radio Free All Stars David Mansfield, Jeremy Chatzky, Dave Schramm, Mark Spencer, and Paul Moschella.

Amy Allison
No Stars in New York City (Amy Allison); recorded live with the Radio Free All Stars: David Mansfield, violin; Jeremy Chatzky, bass; Mark Spencer, piano; Dave Schramm, electric guitar; Paul Moschella, drums; for show number 18 With a Bullet. Shop Girl Songs (BMI) admin Bug Music

Single Series #17: Bob Neuwirth, Four Famous French Photographs. The mercurial Mr. Bob Neuwirth showed up at the studio one night last year. With Ronee Blakley and David Mansfield on board as well, somehow we managed to avoid Revue nostalgia and moved on to the matter of new songs. He entertained us in the kitchen, singing a song about the lighter side of suicide, but once the tape was rolling he smiled and sang this one, in his wise and mischievous voice. Georges Brassai meets Poncho and Lefty? Engineered and mixed by Andy Taub at Brooklyn Recording, with David Mansfield, Dave Schramm, Andy Burton, and JC Hopkins playing along. Rolling thunder indeed.

Bob Neuwirth
Four Famous French Photographs (Bob Neuwirth); performed live with the Radio Free All Stars. Recorded by Andy Taub at Brooklyn Recording, May 16, 2010 for show Number Six.

Single Series #16: Jennie Lowe Stearns, Mighty Diamonds. A song about seeing a band in the afternoon, and life’s fullness. Mournful, joyful, dark and bright all at once. A gorgeous live recording from a club show with Radio Free All Stars Dave Schramm, David Mansfield, JD Foster, Paul Moschella, Andy Burton and Doug Wieselman, with Victoria Williams and Kate Jacobs on backing vocals. Thank you, Jennie.

Jennie Lowe Stearns
Mighty Diamonds (Jennie Lowe Stearns); performed live with the Radio Free All Stars. Recorded by Jimi Zhivago at The Living Room, May 24, 2011 for show #16, Sweet Sixteen Tons; Porchbone Music (BMI)

Dave Schramm, Man of Few Words. A shimmering, romantic song. A movie song. A sad, romantic movie from the ’60s song. A walking in the rain sort of song.

Dave Schramm
Man of Few Words (Dave Schramm); recorded live with the Radio Free All Stars: Dave Schramm, vocals and tres; Doug Wieselman, bass clarinet; Al Greller, bass; Andy Burton, piano; David Mansfield, mandolin; Paul Moschella, drums; Recorded by Gary Arnold at Gary’s Chop Shop, February 24, 2011 for show #14, Seven and Seven Is; Hot Stove Music (BMI)

Don Piper’s, We Are You. Turn it up. With show #19 poised to post next week, we fast forward to a preview of show #20!

Don Piper

We Are You (Don Piper); recorded live with the Radio Free All Stars: Don Piper, vocals and guitar; Jeremy Chatzky, bass; Rob Burger, space organ; Dave Schramm, electric guitar; David Mansfield, mandolin; Paul Moschella, drums; Situational Sounds (ASCAP)

Happy New Year! We have two New Year’s songs for you from our archive. Birds at the Feeder by Kate Jacobs is a story of a family, a house, a marriage, a cold sunny new year’s day — with an exceptionally lovely arrangement by Dave Schramm and the Radio Free All Stars. New Year’s Here by Jay Sherman-Godfrey is a chiming, existential meditation on the nature of marking time.

Kate Jacobs

Birds at the Feeder (Kate Jacobs, arrangement by Dave Schramm); recorded live with the Radio Free All Stars: Dave Schramm, guitar; David Mansfield, violin; Doug Wieselman, clarinet; Konrad Meissner, drums; Jeremy Chatzky, bass; Rob Burger, piano; Small Pond Music (BMI)

Jay Sherman-Godfrey

New Year’s Here (Jay Sherman-Godfrey) performed and recorded by Jay with Cheri Leone, backing vocals, and Diego Voglino, drums; Kalamakeepsie Music (BMI) administered by Bug Music

Victoria Williams’ achingly sad and lovely cover of Townes van Zandt’s Buckskin Stallion Blues was recorded live at The Living Room in New York with the Radio Free All Stars. Vic learned this song from Amy Annelle. Arrived from her ranch in Joshua Tree, CA — where her own beloved buckskin stallion had just died — Vic’s take on the song is acutely personal, affectionate, and respectful of the greatness that is a good horse.

Victoria Williams

Buckskin Stallion Blues (Townes van Zandt) recorded live at The Living Room in NYC with Dave Schramm, guitar; David Mansfield, violin; JD Foster, bass; Paul Moschella, drums; Andy Burton, piano.

Here’s a brand new Peter Holsapple song for you Radio Free Song Clubbers. Peter sent this track for a live show. It was fascinating to listen to it coming in through the p.a. in a full club. We all gazed at the speakers and listened and laughed, and listened more carefully, and more carefully, as this American family opera unfolded.

Peter Holsapple

All Hail (Peter Holsapple) recorded by Peter and Webb Holsapple (complete recording notes below); Peter H. and Tray and Kathleen Batson, vocals; Webb Holsapple, violin; Hospital Music (BMI) admin Bug Music

Peter writes: All Hail has been clanging around inside my head like the proverbial bb shot-in-a-pie-pan for about three months. I’d hoped to have it ready for January’s RFSC but it became obvious that something more elaborate was formulating. So here it is, May 2011, and I got it finished just under the wire for the live show that I can’t attend.

This song is something of a folk-rockin’ political broadside cum operetta with four characters. The first singer (that would be me) is the deluded neo-con politico, drowning in his own Kool-aid. Next comes his distressed and depressed wife, then his teenage daughter (roles sung by Kathleen Batson). Finally, the moneyed politico bigwig weighs in (role played by Tray Batson — Tray and Kathleen are my bandmates in the exceptional kids’ rock band Baron von Rumblebuss). I played my new Squier Jaguar bass, my Fender ‘Esquire’, my NORD electro and my Guild D40 acoustic, as well as the drums. My son, Webb Holsapple, played the violin parts and engineered my drum tracks; suffice to say, I’m thrilled he enjoyed his studio experience and hope it’s the first of many collaborations with him. And big thanks to Tray and Kathleen for being such good neighbors and talented individuals.
Click HERE for the libretto!

Here is a confluence of three beautiful things. Jody Harris with a brand new song, a fortunate iteration of the Radio Free All Stars, including Dave Hofstra on bass and Doug Wieselman on clarinet, and the unseen presence of…? It’s Mister Nobody. James Bond in Portugal? Someone is being hunted. Song noir. Have you heard Jody Harris?

Jody Harris

Mister Nobody (J. Harris)

Jody (guitar and vocal), David Mansfield (mandolin), Ted Reichman (piano), Doug Wieselman (clarinet), Dave Hofstra (bass), Dave Schramm (gut-string guitar).

Single Series #7. Santa Cruz, sent to us by Todd Snider, is a worn and warm gravelly warble of a tribute to a West Coast disc jockey.

Todd Snider

Santa Cruz (T. Snider) Performed and recorded by Todd.

It was St. Patrick’s Day in New York, a beautiful spring evening. Sam Amidon and Beth Orton joined us in the studio for our Fourth Time Around. Sam sang You Better Mind, an old gospel song arranged for his wonderfully light, dry, utterly American voice. Warm and severe at the same time. Beth sang along with him, soothing and scolding us and traveling back in time.

Sam Amidon
You Better Mind
(trad., arranged by Sam Amidon) Performed live by Sam with Beth Orton, Dave Schramm and David Mansfield

Single Series #5: Dave Schramm’s Been There, Done That (New for You) hums along on a timeless melody. The Radio Free All Stars swing gently to this clear-eyed, unsentimental, tender waltz featuring Doug Wieselman on clarinet. Listen to the words — they don’t say what you might think.

Dave Schramm

Been There, Done That (New For You) (D. Schramm)
Dave (vocals and gut-string guitar), Doug Wieselman (clarinet), David Mansfield (mandolin), Dave Hofstra (bass), Ted Reichman (wurlitzer piano), Paul Moschella (drums).
Hot Stove Music (BMI)

Shannon Airport in the West of Ireland is a stopover for troops on their way to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Flying Out of Shannon is Kate Jacobs’ song about the throngs of American soldiers she sees on her frequent travels through that airport. It’s a sort of breezy piano ballad, a kind of a show tune, a few stray thoughts on camouflage fashion, a war song, a mother’s song. She emailed a lonely vocal to Ted Reichman in Boston, and he overdubbed the beautiful piano interpretation and emailed it back. Doug Wieselman played bass clarinet live on the show.

Kate Jacobs

Flying Out of Shannon (Kate Jacobs)
Kate (vocal), Ted Reichman (piano), Doug Wieselman (Bass clarinet).

piano arrangement by Ted Reichman; Small Pond Music (BMI)

Tuli Kupferberg of The Fugs was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery the day we went in to cut Episode Eight. He lived around the corner from the studio and had been one of the first guests we thought of having on the show. He died before we got hold of him. In search of a way to honor Tuli, we gathered the lyric to “When the Mode of the Music Changes”, and without learning the song, or even really listening to it, each one of the Radio Free All Stars initiated in turn (clockwise), a completely different musical mode for each verse, led by Nicholas Hill’s dramatic interpretation. Musical telepathy at work, and the great spirit of Tuli Kupferberg.

The Radio Free All-Stars

When the Mode of Music Changes
(Tuli Kupferberg)
Nicholas Hill, Mary Lee Kortes, Laura Cantrell and Kate Jacobs (vocals), David Mansfield (mandolin), JD Foster (bass), Ted Reichman (piano), Paul Moschella (drums), Dave Schramm (electric guitar).

Freedy sent this song for our ninth show, If 9 Was 6. He recorded a vocal and acoustic guitar and asked Dave Schramm to do a live electric guitar overdub on the show. So simple. It’s called Baby Baby Come Home and it sounds just like that. Plaintive as hell. With a typically beautiful melody.

Freedy Johnston

Baby Baby Come Home (F. Johnston)
Freedy (guitar and vocal), Dave Schramm (electric guitar).

Trouble Tree Music, BMI

Last fall Susan Cowsill was on tour with her band. They stopped in for a long fruitful evening at The Chop Shop. You can hear the whole show here: http://radiofreesongclub.com/archives/1630. She brought a brand new song, and she sang on the song Peter Holsapple had sent — a loving tribute to The Continental Drifters — and she sang on a bunch of other songs, and then at the end of the night her wonderful band joined up with a Radio Free All Star and did a staggering rendition of Mississippi, an old Continental Drifters favorite. Here it is, for you:

The Susan Cowsill Band

Mississippi (Carlo Nuccio, Ray Ganucheau)

Susan guitar, Mary Lasseigne vocals, bass, Alexis Marceau vocals, Jack Craft guitar, Sam Craft fiddle, Russ Broussard drums, Dave Schramm guitar.

Johnny Oops Music/Bug Music/BMI, Valcour’s Oak Publishing/Bug Music/BMI

Two good things: The groundhog did not see his shadow and we have some new songs for you. Freedy sent us a high lonesome beautiful one — David Mansfield overdubbed it and Fred Tomaselli named it. Dave Schramm composed an eerie pop gem/dissonant dream that makes you feel like you’re at the movies. Jody’s was so tuneful and delicate Dave had to bring out the vibes for an overdub. Laura’s story of three women, three bars, and three letters is a melancholy tune with a ray of hope.

Jody Harris
Aquarelle (Harris)

performed and recorded by Jody with overdubs by Dave Schramm, vibes and shaker; Copyright Control Jody Harris

Freedy Johnston
The Only One (Johnston)

performed and recorded by Freedy with live violin overdub by David Mansfield; Trouble Tree Music (BMI)

Laura Cantrell

Letters She Sent (Cantrell)

performed and recorded by Laura on a back porch in Signal Mountain, TN; live overdubs from the Radio Free All Stars; Thrift Shop Songs (BMI) admin Bug Music

Dave Schramm

Background Music (Schramm)

Performed and recorded by Dave. Hot Stove Music, BMI

As we prepare these programs, life happens, deaths too.
Generally the passing of an artist whose work touched us requires a response, and the Radio Free All Stars being there at the ready for anything is always inspiring.
As this is a club of writers who have their own songs to present, I have taken the liberty of singing other songs that need to be sung for one reason or another. This month we saluted the Captain. When Don Van Vliet passed a few days prior to the recording of our twelfth show we had to attack a couple of his songs. Peter Blegvad was in town so he and I simultaneously recited “The Dust Blows Forward and The Dust Blows Back” into the telephone from down the street whilst the All Stars found something to hang their hats on and improvised a soundtrack. Peter and I never heard what they played.
Nice.
Later in the show, the chairs were arranged, and this song unfurled, most beautifully. I got to sing Beefhearts’ “Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles” with this month’s All-Stars.
What a blast! – Nicholas.

The Radio Free All-Stars
Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles (Van Vliet)

Nicholas Hill, vocal;
Dave Schramm, electric guitar;
Doug Weiselman, acoustic guitar;
David Mansfield, mandolin;
Ted Reichman, Wurlitzer piano and Vox Continental organ;
Dave Hofstra, acoustic bass;
Paul Moschella, drums.

It’s always gift-giving time with the Radio Free Song Club!
Time for a few songs from the mixed-up files: The wonderful singer and writer Mary Lee Kortes was our guest in July, recording Family Tree live with the All Stars. It’s a song about photographs—the stories and depths they hold—and it also rocks. Kate Jacobs’ song on that show was The Battle Droid—written to a little beatbox in a little beach house and recorded live with instant All Star arrangement led by Ted Reichman. Real Tears from Peter Holsapple is short and deliciously full of wordplay and harmony (though his drums were still in storage at that point). Victoria Williams wrote Amma Mama in a moment of divine inspiration after a hug from Amma herself. A song to soothe and pacify.
Joy and Peace to you all!

Mary Lee Kortes
Family Tree (Kortes)

Live with the Radio Free All-Stars; (Copyright control by Mary Lee Kortes)

Kate Jacobs
The Battle Droid (Jacobs)

Live with Kate and The Radio Free All-Stars; Small Pond Music (BMI)

Peter Holsapple
Real Tears (Holsapple)

It’s very short. I used my travel guitar, mic’d and direct, and my Danelectro bass with flatwound string. Damn, I miss my drums.

performed and recorded by Peter, Hospital Music (BMI) admin Bug Music

Victoria Williams
Amma Mama (Williams)

Craig Eastman is the engineer/producer and pianist, and his wife Alison Moynihan doing background vocals; Mumbletypeg Music (BMI)

Dipping into the treasure trove of exclusive Radio Free Song Club songs, we are pleased to present a little more gorgeousness. Peter Blegvad sat down and wrote Golden Helmet (how does he do that, some of us wonder). Just two chords, a retired knight, and pure wonderment. Robin Holcomb sent us It is A Blessing, a delicate piano spiritual of light and dark, straight from Seattle. Lord have mercy if Nicholas Hill didn’t celebrate the life and mark the death of Tuli Kupferberg by recording a rip-snorting version of CIA Man, with the Radio Free All Stars and his brother Timothy Hill too. Is it us or is Dave Schramm writing really catchy songs these days? Long Story Short is long on melody and we are amazed monthly by the intricate productions emerging from that basement.

Peter Blegvad

Golden Helmet This is first version I recorded of three. I like the insecurity of it. I play all instruments, some of which are toys. As is my recording setup. It’s a loooooooonnnnng song, but radically short on chords (2) so you really feel the weight of time. Obvious models would be big favourites Dylan (“Highlands”) and the Velvet Underground.

Robin Holcomb

It Is a Blessing Performed and recorded by Robin

Nicholas Hill

CIA Man (Tuli Kupferberg) live with the Radio Free All-Stars, Mary Lee Kortes and Timothy Hill. David Mansfield (violin), Ted Reichman (piano), JD Foster (bass), Paul Moschella (drums), Dave Schramm (electric guitar)

Dave Schramm

Long Story Short Performed and recorded by Dave (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass and vibes). Live overdubs in the studio by David Mansfield (violin), Andy Burton (piano), Paul Moschella (drums) and Dave again (electric guitar); Hot Stove Music, BMI

While we wait for Episode 8, a few songs from our recent past. New members Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby stopped by and recorded Do You Remember That?— Amy’s song of the odd events that are romance. Freedy was in a bar watching the World Cup but we made him come down to the studio and he said he had half a song and recorded it in one take with the All Stars and it turned out to be way more than half. The Sign Points Both Ways is about his hometown of Kinsley, KS. Laura brought a recording of Do You Know What I Mean? to show #6 and the All Stars played along with her resounding moment of domestic melancholy.

Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby Do You Remember That? (Amy Rigby) Performed live in the studio by Amy and Eric; Grantland Music admin. by Bug Music

Freedy Johnston The Sign Points Both Ways (Freedy Johnston) Performed live in the studio by Freedy with Dave Schramm (electric guitar), David Mansfield (mandolin), Andy Burton (piano), Paul Moschella (drums) and JD Foster (bass); Trouble Tree Music BMI

Laura Cantrell Do You Know What I Mean? (Laura Cantrell) guitar and vocal, Laura; live overdub: Dave Schramm, gut-string guitar; David Mansfield, mandolin; Andy Burton, organ; J.C. Hopkins, bass; Thrift Shop Songs (BMI) admin Bug Music

Four new songs from our exclusive and growing archive. Victoria Williams recorded Heaven’s Door with Jolie Holland, John Convertino and Joey Burns of Calexico, and Isobel Campbell (Belle and Sebastian). Jody Harris sent True Love, a love song and ballad of shining beauty. Kate Jacobs had some All Star overdubbing on Buy Gold, a suburban landscape with old age and money. Nicholas Hill celebrated the late Jeffrey Fredrick, recording his surreal Singing to the Dentist with the All Stars in their rowdier mode.

Victoria Williams

Heaven’s Door (Victoria Williams) performed by Victoria with Joey Burns, Isobel Campbell, Jolie Holland, John Convertino “it was in nyc and tucson. i recorded the track at jacks with jolie holland and then in tucson john convertino and joey burns recorded onto the track. sounds like they were there!”; Mumbletypeg Music (BMI)

Kate Jacobs Buy Gold (Kate Jacobs) guitar and vocal, Kate; guitar and organ, Dave Schramm—recorded by Dan McLoughlin at The Vault in Hoboken; live overdub: Dave Schramm, Nashville guitar; David Mansfield, mandolin; Andy Burton, organ; Small Pond Music (BMI)

Jody Harris True Love (Jody Harris) performed, recorded by Jody Harris; Copyright Control Jody Harris

Nicholas Hill Singing to the Dentist (Jeffrey Fredrick) live with Dave Schramm, David Mansfield, Jessie Carrot, Sam Amidon and Gary Arnold. Beth Orton and Kate Jacobs harmonize. The late Jeffrey Frederick on the difference between rock & roll and country-western: “Country-western is six guys in a stationwagon, driving 300 miles to play for $200. Rock and roll is what you do when you get there.”

Here are three new songs for you, from our astonishing collection. Let’s Travel Light was recorded live with the Radio Free All Stars when Peter Blegvad was in town from London. He says it’s his favorite version of this song. In Your Father Said, Dave Schramm practices a little self-plagiarism with unexpected and complex results. Peter Holsapple sent Bicycle Song, a Pink Floydish narrative about a girl, a bike, and a train.

Peter Blegvad Let’s Travel Light (Peter Blegvad) live with Dave Schramm, David Mansfield, Andy Burton, James MacMillan and Paul Moschella

Dave Schramm Your Father Said (Dave Schramm) performed and recorded by Dave; Hot Stove Music (BMI)

Peter Holsapple Bicycle Song (Peter Holsapple) performed and recorded by Peter, Hospital Music (BMI) admin Bug Music

Here are three pastoral songs for you, here at the start of summer. A yearning, affectionate country love song from Laura Cantrell; an eerie, sweet patch of weeds from Robin Holcomb (our newest member!); and a bit of small town melancholy from the small town lad himself, Freedy Johnston.

Can’t Wait by Laura Cantrell and Amy Allison; vocal and guitar, Laura; dobro, David Mansfield; guitar, Dave Schramm; piano, Andy Burton; drums, Paul Moschella; bass, James MacMillan; Thrift Shop Songs/Shop Girl Songs (BMI) admin Bug Music

The Sweetest Thing by Robin Holcomb; piano and vocal, Robin; guitar, Dave Schramm; violin, David Mansfield; accordion, Andy Burton; St. Rose Music (ASCAP)

By the Broke Streetlight written and performed by Freedy Johnston; Trouble Tree Music (BMI)

Here are some new songs in classic styles. Tell it to the Marines is a sly ’40s scold from Kate Jacobs that ties up a timely scenario including war, financial ruin and a broken heart. Peter Blegvad’s Cote D’Azur swings into the hearts of the soul-searching rich; and Peter Holsapple ramps it up on Don’t Call Me Pete.

Kate Jacobs Tell it to the Marines written and sung by Kate Jacobs; piano arrangement and performance by Andy Burton; recorded by Andy Burton, mixed by Gary Arnold Small Pond Music (BMI)

Peter Blegvad The Cote D’Azur written, performed, recorded by Peter Blegvad; Copyright Control, Peter Blegvad

Peter Holsapple Don’t Call Me Pete Written and performed by Peter Holsapple with Tray and Kathleen Batson on background vocals; Hospital Music (BMI, admin. by Bug Music)

Vic Chesnutt’s death was a sobering event for us all. We’d like to share this collection of songs from the first few shows that were an unplanned response to the sad news. Victoria Williams sent us Vic on Vic, Syd Straw brought You Had Your Chance to play live on the show, Nicholas Hill sings Vic’s song Lucinda Williams, and Peter Holsapple brings us home with Don’t Ever Leave.

Four Songs For Vic Chesnutt

Vic on Vic (Victoria Williams) Mumbletypeg Music, (BMI) Victoria Williams, piano & vocal with David Mansfield, violin You Had Your Chance (Syd Straw/Mark Boone, Jr.) Strawsongs (BMI) Admin. by Bug Music, Inc. Syd Straw & Mark Boone Jr, vocals, guitar; Dave Schramm, lap steel guitar; David Mansfield, violin Lucinda Williams (Vic Chesnutt) Ghetto Bells (BMI), Administered by Bug Music Inc. Nicholas Hill with Dave Schramm, guitar Don’t Ever Leave (Peter Holsapple) Hospital Music (BMI), Admin. by Bug Music, Inc. Peter Holsapple, vocal, organ and electric piano

Please make a donation to Vic Chesnutt’s family in exchange for this music. Kristin Hersch has set up a fund: Donation for the family of Vic Chesnutt

Here are three new songs for you from our steadily growing archive of exclusive tracks: Something Went Wrong, Dave Schramm’s eerie, faltering lament from Third One Now. We Fell Through a Crack in the World, Peter Blegvad’s track from Second Number, is spoken, sung and howled. Mister Control, Jody Harris’s wonderfully cryptic song from Number One Issue sounds like a warning and an appreciation.

Dave Schramm Something Went Wrong written and performed by Dave Schramm Hot Stove Music, (BMI)

Peter Blegvad We Fell Through a Crack in the World written and performed by Peter Blegvad with screams by John Guerrasio; copyright control Peter Blegvad

Jody Harris Mister Control written and performed by Jody Harris

—————————————————————————————————-

Beth Orton and Sam Amidon Thirteen written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, performed by Beth and Sam with Dave Schramm and David Mansfield live on Radio Free Song Club: Fourth Time Around. As we gathered on St. Patrick’s Day to tape show number four, we learned of the death of Alex Chilton. Beth Orton and Sam Amidon were in the studio that night and worked out a version of Big Star’s “Thirteen”. Ted found the lyrics online, Sam picked out the chords and they sang it for the first time. Here it is.

photo by Ted Barron

Freedy Johnston A Little Bit of Something Wrong written by Freedy Johnston, performed by Freedy with Dave Schramm live on RFSC Second Number Trouble Tree Music (BMI)

Laura Cantrell Kitty Wells’ Dresses written by Laura with Amy Allison; performed by Laura and Mark Spencer; recorded by Mark Spencer Thrift Shop Songs/Shop Girl Songs (BMI) admin Bug Music

Peter Holsapple Oh My (I Gotta Write a New Song)

written, performed, recorded by Peter (Hospital Music, BMI admin. by Bug Music)

I’ve never experienced writer’s block like the one I’ve just tried to ramrod through with this song, which is all about ramrodding through writer’s block. The wonderful opportunity afforded me last year by my friends at The New York Times online to write about songwriting made me consider what I had done somewhat automatically for thirty-five years prior. Describing how and why I did what I did to make a song appear seemed to demystify the process, made me self-conscious and wary, and demagnetized whatever internal music ions that had caromed around freely beforehand. I couldn’t start, much less finish, a song for about a year and change. When Kate approached me about joining this group of songwriters, my fear that I was done for nearly capsized me into thanking her and declining. Instead, some tiny spark said I’d better do it, and that I’d better write a song. So I wrote a very ‘of the moment’ batch of lyrics, even more so than “Here and Now” had been. This song is true confession time, expounding on my catatonic writing state, in an effort to dislodge the logjam and get going again. I think most every songwriter worries that his or her current song is the last one to come down the pipe. With any luck, this one of mine is merely the chemical agent that cleanses the system I’ve been fortunate enough to possess for years. And while it may not be the best song I’ve ever written, I can happily say it’s the most recent one.

Victoria Williams Fall Experience written and performed by Victoria (vocal and long neck banjo), Jeff Fiellder guitar, Isobel Campbell cello and background vocals, and Jim the engineer background vocals

Freakwater Mockingbird written and performed by Catherine Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean, Jim Elkington helped record the tune and played mandola Catherine Irwin of Freakwater on Mockingbird: I have always been pretty crazy about mockingbirds. They are kind of scrappy. They are really territorial. They will sometimes chase cats out of their own backyards and they always have sort of an ”I will fuck you up” look on their faces. You can talk to them and they will make fun of you and they sing all night long. Last summer a mockingbird flew in through the back door of my house and landed on my bed. I was pretty freaked out, mostly because of the eye-gouging beak thing but also because of the daggery lizard-chicken claws and the generally crazy blood-thirsty behavior of franticly flapping trapped birds. Maybe it’s a rare thing for birds or bats to get tangled up in a person’s hair, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t ever going to happen. Oh, I forgot to say that the mockingbird pooped on my bed. That psychedelic purple mulberry poop. I am not one of those annoying people who are constantly searching for meaning and who are, consequently, constantly finding it, but this event did strike me as potentially revelatory. Through the rosy lens of my ego-mania it seems as if I have perhaps at last been chosen.

bird: craig houghton

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Radio Free All-Stars Radio Free Song The theme song for the Radio Free Song Club. Written and recorded by Dave Schramm. Performed by Peter Moser (drums), and Dave Schramm (guitars, bass, organ)

LISTEN

MAILING LIST

SONGS

photo by Ted Barron

bird: craig houghton

wave form: ted barron