I Can’t Keep A Secret

As the great Neil Young once sang, “Why do I keep f!@#*&$ up?”, I’ve sometimes had to pause and question myself in the mirror.

Standing all alone in my bedroom
Silence fills my ears to overflowing
The very thing I was thinkin’
Seein’ you walk in here drinkin’
I guess it’s a case of a dream come true
And I can’t keep a secret from you

I can’t keep a secret from you
You always see right through to the truth
The truth shall be revealed, hearts become unsealed
Loose lips sink ships, and broken hearts still love
And I can’t keep a secret from you

– Interlude –

You know, my darling, you’re my best friend
I’m always right there beside you ’til the end
And even after that, it’s gonna be written as fact
I guess it’s a case of a dream come true
And I can’t keep a secret from you

I can’t keep a secret
No I can’t keep a secret
I can’t keep a secret
From you

I Was Only Having Fun

I was only havin’ fun, sweet momma,
Only havin’ fun,
I wasn’t hurting anyone,
No, I was only havin’ fun

Well, I like to have my whiskey,
Have my coke and rum,
I like to pick on my guitar,
Throw my hair back and strum,
You might say I’m runnin’ a streak,
I’ll wind up on a tear,
You might swear my time has come,
But I was only havin’ fun

I was only havin’ fun, little baby,
Only havin’ fun,
You might call me a son of a gun,
But I was only havin’ fun

Have some fun, now!

Well, ever since my daddy
Set me on his knee,
Said, “Son, in all this great big world,
Be always brave and free,
Deliver yourself from evil,
Forgive all wrongs patiently,
And take your care to earn your share,
‘lest they do to you
What they done to me.

I was only havin’ fun, sweet baby,
Only havin’ fun,
You might say I’m a son of a gun,
But I was only havin’ fun.”

I was only havin’ fun, sweet momma,
Only havin’ fun,
I wasn’t hurting anyone,
No, I was only havin’ fun

You might say I’m a son of a gun,
But I was only havin’ fun
No, I wasn’t hurting anyone,
I was only havin’ fun

Gal I Left Behind Me

Alternative arrangement of the traditional folk song. I originally learned this song from my pal Fen from Rosa Blanda String Band; found some words later, changed ’em a little to fit my situation, and bent the chords just a bit to make ’em fit.

I was on the road in ’79,
I was nearly blind from cryin’,
As I rolled along, my mind ran back,
To the gal I left behind me

If I ever get off that wanted list,
And the sheriff he don’t find me,
I’ll make my way straight back again,
To the gal I left behind me

That sweet little gal, that true little gal,
The gal I left behind me;
With rosy cheeks and long brown hair,
The gal I left behind me

The wind did blow, the leaves did fall,
The snow did storm and blind me,
I thought of that gal, that warm little gal,
The gal I left behind me

She wrote ahead to the place I said,
I was always long for pining,
She says, “I’m true, when you get through,
Ride home and you will find me.”

That sweet little gal, that true little gal,
The gal I left behind me;
With her deep brown eyes and pretty pink lips,
The gal I left behind me

When we sold out, I took the train,
For the sheriff never to find me,
Rollin’ back along the track,
For the gal I left behind me

And she was there, I do declare,
And Red River did remind me,
I held her arms, her skin so fair,
The gal I left behind me

That sweet little gal, that true little gal,
The gal I left behind me;
With rosy cheeks and long brown hair,
The gal I left behind me

That sweet little gal, that true little gal,
The gal I left behind me;
With her deep brown eyes and pretty pink lips,
The gal I left behind me

Lonesome Neon Glow

Slight revisions on the traditional folk song “900 Miles”, just thinkin’ back to the days when I was a dishwasher, and having those old summertime blues…

I was smokin’ in the back,
Tears in my eyes,
Tryin’ to read a letter from my home;
If ol’ C-Tie treats me right,
I’ll be home tomorrow night,
I’m only nine hundred miles from my home…
Standin’ in a lonesome neon glow

Now my mother, rest her soul,
Was my daddy’s love and oh,
Stole his poor heart from beyond her grave;
Saved his body for a time,
But it just broke up his mind,
I’m only nine hundred miles from my home…
I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow,
Standin’ in a hollow neon glow

Sold grandma’s old man’s old gold watch,
Felt so lost without that chain,
Begged a prayer from the dog of our family tree;
And if the pawn man treats me right,
I’ll be home tomorrow night,
I’m only nine hundred miles from my home…
Standin’ in that lonesome neon glow

The 9 Train I ride on,
Travels all night long,
It’s just become a way of life each day to me;
If the bottle treats me right,
I’ll be okay another night,
I’m only nine hundred miles from my home…
Standin’ in a broken neon glow,
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow

Blow! Blow for miles around, let every soul who’s ears to hear the sound,
Blow! Blow her memory down, down down down below the ground

Ask Lord grant me one last wish,
Before I wash another dish,
Let my face forget my trouble so they won’t know;
And if the Heavens treat me right,
My star shall not cross tonight,
I’m only nine hundred miles from my home…
Standin’ in that lonesome neon glow,
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow,
Standin’ in a broken neon glow,
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow

Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)

Written by Joe Maphis, Max Fidler, Rose Lee Maphis
Originally recorded by Flatt & Scruggs

Sung by my buddy Fen, I had never even heard this song before this day, if you can believe that! I know, right? Kinda sad. But sure glad I know it now. Marty Stuart’s done it, Conway Twitty’s done it, Dwight Yoakam’s done it, Porter Wagoner’s done it. Gram Parsons did it. Buck Owens supposedly inspired the writing of it. I hear they even put a story about this song up in the Country Music Hall of Fame. I’d love to go there someday.

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
Is the only kind of life you’ll ever even understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You’ll never make a wife to a home loving man

A home with little children means nothing to you
A house full of love, and a husband so true
You’d rather have a drink with the first guy that you meet
The only house you’ll ever call a home is the bar room down the street

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
Is the only kind of life you’ll ever even understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You’ll never make a wife to a home loving man

Drinking and dancing to a honky tonk band
Is the only kind of life you’ll ever even understand
Go on and have your fun, you think you played it smart
I feel sorry for you now, in your honky tonk heart

Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
It’s the only kind of life you’ll ever even understand
Dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
You’ll never make a wife to a home loving man

Fallin’ Through The Sky

Did you ever have one of those times where your whole world falls apart? Well, I have, and I wrote this song about it! This recording is a performance with the band I play in, Moon Shines Red, featuring Ashly on vocals in the second verse, and Chris backing us all up throughout.

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ your daddy, I’m callin’ my mother
You’re cryin’ to your sister, I’m laughin’ with my brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Well just the other night, the fire burned so bright
Sittin’ with our family, although somethin’ wasn’t right
Our money’s gettin’ tight, we got so much to do
We start in to fight, like the turnin’ of a screw
And now we’re

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ your daddy, I’m callin’ my mother
You’re cryin’ to your sister, I’m laughin’ with my brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Well I huff when you ask me, ’cause you bluff when I answer
You think that I’m a fool, but I know you are a dancer
You come home late at night, I stay out even later
You think that you’re alright, I believe I’m even greater
And now we’re

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ your daddy, I’m callin’ my mother
You’re cryin’ to your sister, I’m laughin’ with my brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Did ya ever have one of those times when your whole world falls apart?
All you ever think to do is tear your own love apart
You got better things to do, but you’re too busy starin’
Pointin’ at each other with them six guns a blarin’

So young when we got married, I didn’t even ask your dad
But I took in your son, and you raised the daughter I had
Where did it all go wrong? We struggled through such fog
They played our favorite song, we still lost the family dog
And now we’re

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ your daddy, I’m callin’ my mother
You’re cryin’ to your sister, I’m laughin’ with my brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ my daddy, I’m callin’ your mother
You’re cryin’ to my sister, I’m laughin’ with your brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other
You’re callin’ your daddy, I’m callin’ my mother
You’re cryin’ to your sister, I’m laughin’ with my brother
We’re fallin’ through the sky, firin’ at each other

Pour Another Round

A quiet little demo of a song I was hearing one recent morning… let me know if you’ve heard the lyrics somewhere before, they sound pretty familiar.

Hey bartender, pour another round
This glass is gettin’ low, so don’t you go and set that bottle down
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right
I know I wanna see my woman tonight, so
Hey bartender, won’t you pour another round

Hey bartender, pop a top again
And while I got you listenin’, won’t you fill me up a double shot of gin
Music on the jukebox sounds just right
And I kinda like them neon lights, so
Hey bartender, won’t you pop a top again

Well that’s okay, I won’t drive
I just have to feel alive
Take my keys, lock the door
While I stroll out on the ol’ dance floor
Hey bartender, pour another round

Well I started out with nothing,
And I’m proud that I’m a self made man
But my friends, they all come crawlin’
Slap me on the back and say
Hey bartender, pour another round

Say bartender, did you pour another round
This wheel’s on fire, and I believe we’re sinkin’ down
Frowns to the left of me, smokers ashed my beer
Has anybody seen my woman still here, and
Say bartender, did you pour another round
Hey bartender, don’t you pour another round

I Needed You Today

Written and recorded a few years ago, just a rough draft of a new song. I was learning how to play country licks on my Telecaster, and had a fun time recording all of these parts for a layered sound.

At first it wasn’t real apparent
I knew I wouldn’t feel it right away
Though it’s a long time comin’, change hit me in an instant
I knew I needed you today

Baby I know it sounds so silly
Just a worn-out old cliche
But I know the truth so simple
I got nothin’ else to say

And I know I went on for a long time
Before I come callin’ back your way
Baby I’m just beggin’ you to feel me
I knew I needed you today

Always felt like the outsider
Unseen walking through the crowd
I know nobody’s listenin’
Even when they hear me talk out loud

But when I look into your eyes, babe
I know we got some kind of understanding
So honey take me by the hand, babe
I hope our love is never ending,
Never ending