You're Near Me

This is a tune I wrote, and it's on my cd that I'm getting returned to me on Friday...100 copies, and it's called "To the River EP". This song is on there, but it's with piano instead of uke.



I don't need roses or candy,
or anything fancy,
I don't need anything at all
when you're near me.

I don't need walks on the beach
as long as you're within reach.
I don't need anything at all
when you're near me.

And when you're near me,
there's a love like I've never known.
I'll bet that you agree with me

that nothing else even matters.
You know that I'd rather
forget it all,
stay home and wait for your call.
I need nothing at all
when you're near me.

We'll Meet Again

This tune was recommended to me as an "Ali song". My bandmate, Randy, thought that this would be right up my ali alley (ha). Anyways, I watched the end of Dr. Strangelove on Youtube:



and then I realized it that I have it in my extensive Rosemary Clooney collection (on the demi-centennial album). Anyways, here it is.

One of My Favorite Songs ever

I love this song, and I'm happy that I thought to include it in my gig book. Playing Saying Goodbye here was my Mom's idea, so thanks for the request, Mom! I also have a studio version available to listen to on my WEBSITE. I am thinking about doing a mini-set of this song, It's not Easy Being Green, and The Rainbow Connection. Here's the original, in case you were living under a rock when The Muppets take Manhattan was released in 1984.


Muppets Saying Goodbye - Free videos are just a click away

I really think it's good that kids who watch the Muppets are exposed to quality music like this, and no just the Hannah Montana rip-off tunes of today. They don't make tunes like this for kids anymore. Here's proof that the Muppets teach kids good stuff about music:



He's even using a metronome. And this one:



They're classical favorites, and they're well-done, on top of it. On the last one, I like how the chicken get out of their boxes at the end.

Now check out the impact:



Too cute. I remember singing all sorts of songs as a kid and recording them on my dad's super hi-tech tape recorder. Anyways, 25 years, many, many thousands of dollars
for music school and lessons, and too many hours to count later, here we go:

I'll Be Seeing You

This is another song I've been performing for over 10 years. But, not until I looked in my trusty Wikipedia, did I know the history of this song. Well, I knew it was popular in WWII, due to all the men leaving their wives/significant others. And, it was written in 1938 by Sammy Fain, and Irving Kahal. But here's the stuff I didn't know. I also didn't know the first 4 lines have a melody similar to Mahler's third. Not being an orchestral player, my knowledge of symphonies is lacking, I guess. I did know that it was played at the end of Misery, but I did not know it was played during the final episode of Beavis and Butthead, which is a TRUE work of genius.

Dream a Little Dream of Me

It seems like we all know this tune due to the late and great Mama Cass, but it was actually first recorded over 30 years earlier, in 1931. This tune seems to beg for the ukulele, and it was the first uke song I ever recorded. If you're interested in hearing the "studio" recording (studio in quotes because the "studio" is actually my office), then go to my MySpace and listen. There are even more than the 6 regular recordings in my profile area. Anyways, have a good one.