626

(15 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hi Old Doll - I'll try to explain what I think you are asking about.  Seems you are pondering economic theory and monetary exchange rates.  Confusing topics, but there is actually logic to how all this stuff happens.

For better or worse, the US Dollar is the world's benchmark currency - in other words, it is sort of a universally recognized unit of value for international trade.  Goods that are bought and sold around the world (such as oil, cotton, soy beans, and other commodities) are often priced using US Dollars to quantify their worth.

The value of all currencies constantly fluctuate relative to one another.  Currently, the US Dollar is relatively 'weak' compared the Euro and most other major currencies.  This means that when Euros are converted to Dollars you will get 'more' Dollars.  In other words, the US Dollar is now cheap for Europeans and the Euro is expensive for Americans.

As an example, I would love to buy a German-made tandem recumbent bicycle (a ZOX 20x26 http://www.zoxbikes.com/english/duo_e.htm) and have been wanting one for a couple of years now.  When I first started lusting after this sleek machine it would have cost me a little over $4500.  Now that the Dollar is weak against the Euro, this same lovely bike would cost me $5300.  The price of the bike (in Euros) has not changed - what has changed is the relative worth of my Dollars as compared to Euros.

Maybe that doesn't answer your question - but if anybody has 3600 Euros lying around loose, you can buy that lovely recumbent tandem bicycle for me.  My son and I would be most appreciative.  We will think very nice thoughts about you as we zoom down the road on our ZOX tandem.

627

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I have finally gotten around to recording this dandy little toe-tapper about death!

"My Last Refrain" is now posted to my MySpace Music page:
  http://www.myspace.com/r200james

628

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks daddycool!  Glad you enjoyed this goofy ditty . . . it was fun to write and I do hope to record it in the near future.  Need to recruit a friend to play bongos with me - should be fun.

I'm thinking maybe I'll do one about 'Shoes' next?  (actually, not for a while maybe)

I've not been in hibernation - just been busy earning a living.

Am way behind on enjoying all the new songs that have been posted here recently - hope to catch up soon.

In the meantime, I shall be introducing myself as 'The man who has written the world's longest song about hats.'

629

(1 replies, posted in About Chordie)

Hi jeaniedaniel & welcome to the chordie forum!

Yes, you can select your default instrument - go the the 'Resources' page and click on 'change settings (instrument/tuning)' down at the bottom of the page.  Once you have selected Baritone Ukelele there your preference will automatically be displayed in your songbooks and songs you open from the index.

Hope this helps!  James

630

(21 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

I have just recently stumbled upon Mary Gauthier, a woman who's songs are both elegant and moving.  Her song "Mercy Now" is simple yet profoundly moving.  Her lyrical sensibilities are brilliant and the songs are marvelous.

Check her out here:
http://www.myspace.com/marygauthier 
And here:
http://www.marygauthier.com/site.php

She is too old to be 'rock', she is too pithy to be 'country' - another artist that doesn't fit into any of the convenient niches.

631

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks arkady, upyerkilt, and Old Doll!  Glad you found it entertaining.

This one just kept growing as more and more hats came to mind.  As I look at it I wonder if maybe I got a little too obsessed with the idea . . . but it certainly is a whimsical (and encyclopedic) bit of song writing.  I have had great fun noticing and pondering hats for several days . .  .

Interestingly, the Google-generated chordie advertising on my screen (upper right) right now is for TheFedoraStore.com

632

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

This song is about hats.
It is perhaps the longest song in the world about hats . . . and perhaps the silliest, too.

HatsJames McCormick, November 24, 2007


Verses sung, Choruses spoken, Chords & Bongos throughout




(spoken, with bongos and chords)

[G]Hats . . . . [C]Hats . . . . [D]Hats . . . . [G]Hats . . . .


[G]H . . . . [C]A . . . . [D]T . . . . [G]S . . . .


[C]Hats . . . . [G]Hats . . . . [C]Hats . . . . [D]Hats . . . .


[G]H . . . . [C]A . . . . [D]T . . . . [G]S . . . .


(sung)


[G]Rappers wear their hats askew all [C]turned a-which-a-way


[D]Country guys got Stetsons to [C]help them sing and [G]play


[G]Crooners had fedoras to [C]help them doo-bee-doo


[D]Sherlock Holmes had a favorite hat for [C]deducing [G]clues




[C]Jackie had a pillbox so [G]trendy and so pert


An-[C]nette had perky mouse ears to [D]help her flounce and flirt . .[D7]


[G]Guineviere wore a silken scarf to [C]keep her modesty


[D]Beauty queens win tiaras for [C]all the world to [G]see . .[D]


. . . .


Joe [G]Namath had a helmet to [C]help him throw touchdowns


Winston [D]Churchill put a bowler a-[C]top his jowly [G]frown


O-[G]sama's got a turban to [C]hatch his evil schemes


[D]Dali wore a black beret to [C]paint surreal [G]scenes




Com-[C]mandos got those ski masks and [G]lots of guns to shoot


The [C]Pope he's got a mitre and [D]fancy Gucci boots . .[D7]


Abe [G]Lincoln had a stovepipe with a [C]snappy little brim


The [D]Viet Cong wore paddy hats just [C]like old Ho Chi [G]Mihn . .[D]


. . . .


Well, [G]Merlin had a wizard cap and [C]lots of Druid power


[D]Hendrix had a headband to [C]help him play gui-[G]tar


[G]Dan'l Boone he had a hat made [C]from an old raccoon


[D]Jesus wore a crown of thorns while [C]trudging to his [G]doom




O-[C]lympians wore laurel leaves and a [G]little olive oil


[C]Farmers sport their seed caps while [D]plowin' up the soil . .[D7]


A [G]hard hat at a building site will [C]keep your noggin whole


[D]Miners use a head lamp while [C]diggin' out the [G]coal


(spoken, with bongos)

[C]Hats in movies, hats in books, [G]hats in history


[C]Hats on regular people, hats [D]on celebrities


[G]Hats for safety, hats for style, hats [C]as accessories


[D]Hats in art and acting parts, so [C]many hats to [G]see . .[D]




[G]Scotsmen look so funky cool in a [C]sporran and a tam


Za-[D]pata wore sombreros while [C]fighting for his [G]land


[G]Gomer Pyle and Castro wear [C]army fatigue caps


Mark [D]Spitz put on a rubber cap to [C]swim his record [G]laps


Ge-[C]ronimo's eagle feathers [G]marked a mighty chief


[C]Rabbis they wear yamakas as [D]part of their beliefs . .[D7]


[G]Pharoah was a major dude with a [C]serpent on his crown


The [D]guy who drives for UPS has a [C]cap that is all [G]brown . .[D]


. . . .


The [G]ladies of the COGIC church have [C]hats of every hue


Peace-[D]keepers for the UN have [C]helmets that are [G]blue


[G]Rangers in the National Parks got [C]hats like Smokey Bear


You can [D]get a hat made of balloons out [C]at the county [G]fair




[C]Lance had bicycle helmets, so [G]hard and fast he rode


[C]Gilligan had a canvas cap and a [D]bamboo abode . .[D7]


[G]Yassar wore a keffiyah u-[C]pon his grizzled brow


O'-[D]Leary had a bonnet for [C]when she milked her [G]cow . .[D]


. . . .


[G]Joltin' Joe had a Yankees cap, he [C]married Miss Monroe


[D]Mookie Wilson wore a Cub's hat in [C]windy Chica-[G]go


[G]Mao Tse Tung had a Mao hat to [C]match his green Mao suit


[D]Carmen Miranda could sing and dance un-[C]der a bunch of [G]fruit




[C]Cryano de Bergerac he [G]wore a foppish plume


Chuck [C]Yeager had a helmet when he [D]made the sonic boom . .[D7]


Red [G]Skelton would change characters [C]just by changing hats


Sir [D]Isaac Newton must have had a [C]well-worn thinking [G]cap


(spoken, with bongos)

[C]Hats in stories, hats in song, [G]hats in comic books


[C]Hats for hot, hats for cold, [D]hats just for looks


[G]Hats for war, hats for wow, [C]hats for everyone


[D]Hats for work, hats for sport, [C]hats just for [G]fun . .[D]




[G]Graduates don mortar boards when [C]they matriculate


[D]Wilber Wright wore a goggle hat when [C]he did avi-[G]ate


She-[G]herazade had many veils and [C]lots of tales to tell


[D]Paul Revere had a tricorn when his [C]warning he did [G]yell


The [C]Inuit got furry hoods so their [G]earlobes will not freeze


[C]Honey farmers wear helmet nets [D]when they tend to bees . .[D7]



[G]Snipers use a Gilly suit to [C]blend into the weeds


There's [D]helmets on the jockeys but [C]not upon their [G]steeds . .[D]


. . . .


Five [G]hundred hats on Bartholemew Cubbins [C]got him into a fix


[D]Groucho, Harpo, and Chico too had [C]hats to do their [G]schtick


[G]European aristocrats they [C]used to wear perukes


Darth [D]Vader's hat it was all black when [C]he was fighting [G]Luke




[C]Casey Jones drivin' that train wore a [G]hat for engineers


Ty-[C]rolean hats are just the thing for [D]drinking German beers . .[D7]


A [G]burqa it's just like a hat that [C]goes from head to toe


And a [D]Panama in the Suez might [C]not be apro-[G]pos . .[D]


. . . .


Tra-[G]ditional brides raise a veil to [C]start their wedded bliss


[D]Riot squads with helmets will [C]beat those who re-[G]sist


[G]Lovely Rita meter maid had a [C]cap and uniform


Brun-[D]hilda in the opera has a [C]hat with big old [G]horns




[C]Batman's helmet is a mask with [G]pointy little ears


Bear [C]Bryant wore a hat of tweed and [D]coached for many years . .[D7]


[G]Zorro had a big black brim his [C]sword was very quick


[D]Geishas wear kanzashi those [C]fancy old hair [G]sticks


(spoken, with bongos)

[C]Hats on women, hats on men, [G]hats on children too


[C]Hats of metal, hats of cloth, [D]hats for me and you . .[D7]


[G]Hats with brims, hats with bills, [C]hats with chin straps


[D]Hats with feathers, hats with holes, [C]hats with ear [G]flaps . .[D]




Ralph [G]Cramden wore a driver's cap to [C]drive a city bus


[D]Showgirls out in Vegas have [C]showy hats and [G]busts


Sir [G]Elton John would sing and play with flam-[C]boyant headdress


[D]Freddy Kruger had a ratty hat and he [C]always made a [G]mess


[C]Admiral Nelson had a fancy hat but he [G]lost one of his hands


George [C]Custer lost both hat and scalp [D]at his last stand . .[D7]


[G]Astronauts and cosmonauts have [C]very special rigs


Dumb [D]Donald's stocking cap was pink and [C]it was way too [G]big . .[D]


. . . .


[G]Generals wear headgear with [C]shiny bits of brass


[D]Hula girls have flower hats and [C]skirts made out of [G]grass


[G]Ataturk had a black mustache to [C]complement his fez


Con-[D]quistadors had metal hats like Her-[C]nando Cor-[G]tez




There's [C]halos on the seraphim, [G]cherubim and saints


[C]Hannibal Lector had a muzzle hat and [D]bodily restraints . .[D7]


The [G]Cat in the Hat is lots of fun when it's [C]too cold to go out


[D]Anglers wear hats with hooks when [C]casting about for [G]trout . .[D]


. . . .


John [G]Wayne he always had a hat to [C]do what a man must do


Nurse [D]Ratchett had an RN cap out [C]where the cuckoo [G]flew


Ma-[G]gicians they have top hats and [C]rabbits they do pull


To-[D]reros wear monteras [C]when they fight the [G]bulls




[C]Liza had a trilby in a [G]Berlin cabaret


[C]Mary Poppins tied on her hat be-[D]fore she flew away . .[D7]


[G]Ninjas they have hoods of black and [C]nasty poison darts


[D]Surgeons wear sterile caps as they [C]slice into your [G]parts


(spoken, with bongos)

[C]Hats in legend, hats in verse, hats [G]in mythology


[C]Hats of silver, hats of gold, [D]hats of royalty . .[D7]


[G]Hats on statues, hats on pets, [C]hats in cartoons


[D]Hats for day, hats for night, [C]hats for after-[G]noon . .[D]




[G]Perseus was invisible when he [C]put his helmet on


The [D]Easter Island Moai have [C]hats that weigh a [G]ton


[G]Santa Claus has a fuzzy hat that [C]is all white and red


Lady [D]Liberty has a spiky crown up-[C]on her copper [G]head


[C]Joan of Arc had a helmet but she [G]burned for heresy


[C]Lepers wore a big old shroud to [D]cover their disease . .[D7]


[G]Priests of Quetzaquatl had [C]special hats of course


Roy [D]Rogers wore a big white hat and [C]rode a big white [G]horse . .[D]


. . . .


French [G]Legionnaires wear kepis as they [C]march very slow


A [D]Roman wore a petasus but [C]slaves could not you [G]know


[G]Barristers wear horsehair wigs as they [C]argue at the law


[D]Dorothy's friend the scarecrow had a [C]hat full of [G]straw




(spoken, with bongos only)

Hats . . . . Hats . . . . Hats . . . . Hats . . . .


H . . . . A . . . . T . . . . S . . . .


Hats . . . . Hats . . . . Hats . . . . Hats . . . .


H . . . . A . . . . T . . . . S . . . .



633

(20 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Seems to me there is no practical way to draw a universal line that represents the demarcation between OK and Not OK.  Persons who are quick to take offense at all manner of stuff want to impose rigid standards - at the other end of the spectrum are no-holds-barred no-rules-at-all types.

I am somewhere between those extremes.  We are trying to raise our kids to be smart enough to think for themselves.

634

(7 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

Concerned Parent, glad that all is well.  Like other users have stated, the Moderators and Administrators on the chordie forum strive to keep it useful, entertaining, and informative.  We are proud to have participants of all ages from all over the planet.

Although some spam will occasionally appear, we take it down as fast as possible and ban the users who have posted the junk.  To my knowledge, we have never had to ban or suspend a regular user.  The spam comes from individuals who find an open forum, register & post their spam, and then are promptly banned.  Although this does not eliminate the problem, it makes it inconvenient for them to repeatedly access the site.

635

(27 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Golly last_rebel - this discussion seems to have pushed a button!

I am not anti-anybody either - history is full of brutal acts perpetrated by greedy and zealous people committed to religious and political ideologies.  The idealist in me wants to believe that our species will eventually grow out of this penchant for bloodshed - but the realist in me understands that there are always individuals willing to commit atrocious acts in the name of some 'higher calling'.

But while we are on the subject, the tribal nations that populated the Americas were not a bunch of free-love hippies living on one big commune and grooving on cosmic energy.  They also had violent conflicts and wars amongst themselves over territory and resources.  Tribal boundaries were constantly shifting as a group's power waxed and waned.  War and conquest were not new to these indigenous peoples - the Europeans merely had more lethal technology at their disposal.

636

(27 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Amongst all the holiday hoopla (Thanksgiving, Winter Solstice, Festivus, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years, Epiphany, Elvis Presley's Birthday, etc.) people seem to gloss over the fact that the Puritans (Pilgrims) were a truly wacky cult of religious zealots.

Their former neighbors in Britain were not at all sad to see them depart for distant lands.  The Puritans were a dour and dismal fundamentalist sect who espoused radical views.  They wanted to force their religious and moral world view onto society and they exhibited no tolerance for other perspectives. 

Popular culture conveniently forgets that the Puritans were 'way out there' religiously and politically.  They may have indeed suffered persecution back in Britain - but they brought it upon themselves by being a cult of fundamentalist wackos.

Thanksgiving is a great holiday and a wonderful time to gather with kith and kin to share a meal.    However, if you had Puritans (Pilgrims) as relatives, you probably would hope they wouldn't come over to your house because they would really throw a wet blanket on all the fun!

637

(15 replies, posted in Acoustic)

I don't believe there is anything magical about practicing for 1/2 hour.
The important thing is to practice each day!
Your muscles and mind need the daily dose of repetition.

If possible, practice for at least 1/2 hour.  Ideally each practice session should have some goals.  Don't just sit and noodle around - work on specific skills that you need to master.  The advantage to using instructional method books or online courses is that they will present you with goals that are useful AND attainable.

Following a relatively rigid or structured course of study may run counter to some people's sense of artistic freedom.  However, my experience is that doing anything every day (and doing it with focused effort) will yield real results.

'Practice' has negative connotations for many people - so, think of it as 'worship' or 'meditation' or 'training' or 'recreation' or 'pushing the envelope' . . . Once playing every day becomes a part of your life you will hear and feel real improvement.

638

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Sorry if this does not make much sense to non-Americans, or even Americans too young to remember the Jerry Seinfeld TV comedy show.

Festivus was a made-up holiday celebrated by George Costanza's family.  The family would gather around a bare metal aluminum pole (tinsel is too distracting), share a meal, air grievances against one another, and then wrestle.  The gathering would continue until somebody could pin the host.

Festivus has become sort of an anti-holiday hoopla celebration.  Google up Festivus and you can find lots of info . . .

639

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Well, I dragged this little ditty out of the archives and made a recording just in time for the holiday season . . .

Hear it here:

  http://www.myspace.com/r200james

I was asked once to join some friends to help play for a kindergarten class outing.  There were maybe 40 kids plus teachers and parent chaperon people there.

The organizers wanted us to play 'Old Timey' stuff.  We dutifully cranked out several nice old traditional tunes.  However, after a while we noticed that the kids were not really enjoying the tunes (no real surprise).

So, I dug into my binder and yanked out the "Spongebob Squarepants" theme song . . . as soon as I warbled, "Who lives in pineapple under the sea" our audience suddenly came alive.  The children were thoroughly delighted and were hollering along with song.  The organizers of the event were somewhat upset that we had strayed from their theme - but the kids were thrilled.

641

(20 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

As far as I can read and hear, there is nothing 'out of bounds' in this thread.

Don't know why "Concerned Parent" is all in a snit . . .

642

(6 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hello all - I have just posted a recording of 'Hunker On Down' to my MySpace Music page.  Also, just discovered that MySpace Music now allows up to 6 songs to be posted . . .

Here's the link to my page:
  http://www.myspace.com/r200james

643

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hi stratomac & welcome to chordie!  Glad you like this song and would love to see your stuff also.  The way to make your songs appear 'all purdy like' is described in a sticky post at the top of the Songwriting forum.

Go to the forum index and select 'Songwriting'.  The very first message in the list has the details.
The format is called 'chordpro' and it does not take any special software or fancy programming.  It is not hard to do and makes the song very easy to read.

644

(6 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I grew up working on cars - old VW Beetles and Renault LeCars.  Rebuilt several engines and used to take great pride in being able to diagnose and repair what I drove.

Haven't really worked on my cars in years - too busy and too decadent.  Had to replace the battery in my wife's 2002 VW Beetle today.  Thought it would be a simple task . . . dumb mistake.  Took all afternoon to coax the battery from deep within the bowels of the engine compartment.  Had to use some colorful German vocabulary that I learned in college . . .

Anyway, here is a song . . .  sort of country, sort of melancholy . . .

High-Tech SpaghettiJames McCormick, November 11, 2007


[G]Used to be an [C]automobile was [G]something I could fix


[C]Simple tools, a couple of beers, yeah [Em]that would do the [D]trick


[C]Reach right in, [D]twist some bolts, [G]make it run just [C]right


But [C]now that is im-[D]possible 'cuz [C]everything's too [G]tight




I [C]open up my [D]hood now and [G]all there is to [C]see


Is [C]hoses, tubes, and [D]miles of wire just [C]high-tech spaghet-[G]ti




My [G]oil filter is [C]buried way down [G]somewhere in this mess


[C]Spark plugs are in there someplace, but [Em]I can only [D]guess


[C]Somewhere in this [D]awful maze there [G]is a batte-[C]ry



But e-[C]xactly where and [D]why it [C]is a myste-[G]ry


I [C]open up my [D]hood now and [G]all there is to [C]see


Is [C]hoses, tubes, and [D]miles of wire, just [C]high-tech spaghet-[G]ti


[G]Used to be an [C]automobile was [G]something I could tune


[C]Reach right in, grab a part, there [Em]was a lot of [D]room


[C]Cars today are [D]marvelous, so [G]technically ad-[C]vanced


But [C]I miss wiping [D]grease and oil all [C]over my shirt and [G]pants


I [C]open up my [D]hood now and [G]all there is to [C]see


Is [C]hoses, tubes, and [D]miles of wire just [C]high-tech spaghet-[G]ti


Yeah, [C]hoses, tubes, and [D]miles of wire just [C]high-tech spaghet-[G]ti



645

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Hi Roger, It's Sunday morning now.  The festival was great.  Johnny's sister and daughter were there to accept the 'pardon' on behalf of the family.  They also received a check for $36 as a refund on the fine he paid.  They donated the amount to the local Boys & Girl Clubs - all festival proceeds go that fine charity.

The attendance was lower than the organizers were expecting, but the music was great.  No - my song did not get performed.  Perhaps I should have been more pushy about getting it into the proper hands . . . I am acquainted with some of the main organizers, but they were all quite busy and stressed so I didn't bother them.  I did distribute lots of little slips of paper with my MySpace Music url - so I think it will get lots of listens.

Ken, thanks for your ringing stamp of approval for this and other songs - I would love to get my songs out there to a wider audience.  However, how accomplishing that goal is something I must learn how to do -

646

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I have posted a recording of "Flowers by the Highway" to my MySpace Music page.
http://www.myspace.com/r200james 

Now, I'm off to enjoy the Flower Pickin' Festival!
James

647

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Thanks, All - Glad you find it to your liking . . . thank so much for the positive comments.  I had a lot of fun trying to put myself into the shoes of person who's flowers he picked.

The property where it all happened is still there, but over the years the trees and shrubs surrounding the house have become so overgrown that you would hardly even know there is a house amongst all the dense vegetation.  The area surrounding the property used to be a neighborhood of big, nice houses - but it is now sort of a junky zone that has seen better days.

I shall try to get this saga recorded very soon - but, I'm really hoping to get it into the hands of a more talented performer this weekend during the festival.  It would be a real thrill to hear it performed!

Here is the festival's site:
http://www.pardonjohnnycash.com/

648

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

I wrote this one in honor of the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival that is starting tomorrow here in good old Starkville, Mississippi.

Mr. Cash's song "Starkville City Jail" tells the story of how he spent a night in our local jail in 1965 after being arrested for public drunkenness very late one night.  According to Johnny, he was "just pickin' flowers".

As part of the festival Mr. Cash will be formally pardoned by the city council for his arrest.
A theme for the festival is 'Redemption' - hence the religious themes in my song's choruses.

This song tells the whole 'flower picking' story from a different perspective.  Here the storyteller is an elderly woman who is very frightened to discover a drunken stranger staggering around in her yard and then passing out in her beautiful flower beds . . .

Flowers by the HighwayJames McCormick, November 1, 2007


6/8 time: A waltz in honor of the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival




(Spoken, with rhythmic meter & chords in background)




I've [C]always loved to garden, to see the flowers grow


The [Em]fragrances and colors are miracles you know


Through [F]every passing season, so much for one to do


[G]Prune and weed, fertilize, replant and water too




My [C]husband, may he rest in peace, he dug these beds for me


The [Em]kids were little babies then, just 5 and 4 and 3


Our [F]Junior he is a hero, he died upon a beach


The [G]girls have their own babies now, young helpers I can teach


Our [C]home beside the highway has seen the passing years


The [Em]trees so big and sturdy now were watered by our tears


[F]Joyous tears, tears of pride, tears of woe an pain


[G]Tears so bitter, tears so sweet, tears that fell like rain


Our [C]home beside the highway, well now it is just me


Just [Em]me and my memories and my poodle Miss Fifi


[F]Both of us are getting on, a little hard to get around


But she [G]helps me in the garden helps me dig into the ground


(Sung)




It was [C]2 in the morning, I was [Em]probably snoring


My [F]poodle she [G]started to [C]growl


Miss [C]Fifi was a-barking, a-[Em]jumping and a-snarling


Like the [Dm]world was [G]ending some-[C]how.


. . .


[C7]Through the [F]blinds I did peer, [C]trembling with fear


A [F]widow afraid all a-[G]lone


Out-[C]side there was danger, some [Em]stumbling stranger


Pickin' [F]flowers in [G]front of my [C]home


And I [Bb]pray every [F]day for [C]sinners astray


For-[Bb]giveness for [F]those who re-[C]pent


Our [Bb]Savior [F]died for [C]all of our sins


But that [Bb]drunk he was [G]hurting my [C]plants . . . [G7]


He was [C]dressed all in black, his [Em]hair was slicked back


Like a [F]hoodlum all [G]chiseled and [C]hard


He was [C]staggering around, then he [Em]fell to the ground


In my [Dm]perfectly [G]manicured [C]yard


. . .


[C7]My [F]precious little flowers, I [C]tend them for hours


[F]Pruning and weeding each [G]day


My [C]garden is so splendid, so [Em]perfectly tended


Now [F]ruined by such [G]tomfooler-[C]y


And I [Bb]pray every [F]day for [C]souls gone astray


We're [Bb]sinners the [F]same every-[C]one



Sweet [Bb]Jesus he [F]died for [C]all of our sins


And it's a [Bb]good thing I [G]don't have a [C]gun


Miss [C]Fifi was yapping, [Em]snarling and snapping


As I [F]dialed the [G]Starkville Po-[C]lice


I [C]told them some drunk, some [Em]trespassing skunk


Was [Dm]scaring the [G]wits out of [C]me


. . .


[C7]They [F]came straightaway and [C]hauled him away


So [F]proud to protect and to [G]serve


That [C]hoodlum was mean, de-[Em]structive, obscene


And he [F]got just [G]what he de-[C]served


And I [Bb]pray for [F]those who have [C]lost their way


The [Bb]pathway I [F]hope they shall [C]see


The [Bb]Road to [F]Salvation is [C]open to all


Our [Bb]Lord gave us [G]wills that are [C]free


. . .


And I [Bb]pray for [F]those who have [C]lost their way


The [Bb]decadent, the [F]careless, un-[C]kind


The [Bb]Road to [F]Salvation is [C]open to all


Re-[Bb]demption I [G]hope they shall [C]find




(Spoken)




That [C]man out in my garden, whoever he may be


Well [Em]when he sobers up, I hope that he can see


He [F]is somebody's precious, some loving mother's boy


He [G]is a child of God, and that life can be a joy




This [C]home beside the highway, shall stand for many years


New [Em]families will live here, find their joys and tears


The [F]trees will keep on growing, long after I am gone


And the [G]flowers by the highway, will sing their fragrant song


(Sung)




And I [Bb]pray for [F]those who have [C]lost their way


The [Bb]pathway I [F]hope they shall [C]see


The [Bb]Road to [F]Salvation is [C]open to all


Our [Bb]Lord gave us [G]wills that are [C]free


. . .


And I [Bb]pray for [F]those who have [C]lost their way


The [Bb]decadent, the [F]careless, un-[C]kind


The [Bb]Road to [F]Salvation is [C]open to all


Re-[Bb]demption I [G]hope they shall [C]find


Re-[Bb]demption I [G]hope they shall [C]find



649

(5 replies, posted in About Chordie)

hello again ferretmummy - Another useful chordie feature is the 'Change Settings Intrument/Tuning' gizmo on the Resources page (right next to the Forum page tab).

You can specify your instrument (uke C, uke D, mandolin, banjo, left-handed guitar, etc) and then the chord grids displayed on your song pages will automatically show the correct fingerings.  Alternate fingerings can also be displayed by clicking on the chord grids . . . .

650

(12 replies, posted in Songwriting)

No sign of Las Vegas showgirls yet around here - maybe they got the address wrong.
And now for something completely different:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54rEQJlc5J8