It's Never To Late

A version of Carrying The Banner appeared on Take It Easy but I never liked the chorus. The other day I had some free time around the house and wrote this version which I'm a much bigger fan of. 3 settings are described around San Francisco in the song. There are alot of quotes in the songs "All my roads are set before me" is a C. S. Lewis quote, "It's Never To Late Too Mend" is from Blues Brothers and the title "Carrying The Banner" is taken from Newsies!

All my roads are set before me. Which path will I take?
Will I allow myself to answer? Will I allow my heart to break?

See I'm sitting on the back porch on a sunday afternoon
All the kids are keeping company but it's just not what i do
Yes you told me that you loved me as I walked out the front door
Yes you gave me your interegrity and I just asked for somemore

And this world has raked me over and this world has dragged me down
And the best things that are happening are in you part of town

Oh my baby with a broken heart you mean so much to
And I can't wait to see what our futures will be

It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too mend
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
& We can start all over again

Standing in the alley behind the record store
And I'm feeling kinda burnt out and I'm feeling pretty poor
Like the guy around the corner asking for a dollar bill
Just to buy his mom a present and to send her some good will

All my roads are set before me. Which path will I take?
Will I allow myself to answer? Will I allow my heart to break?

And this world has raked me over and this world has dragged me down
And the best things that are happening are in you part of town

Oh my baby with a broken heart you mean so much to
And I can't wait to see what our futures will be

It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too mend
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
& We can start all over again

I treated your affection like the woman down the hall
And I don't think I'm quite ready just to hear the trumpet call
But it's time you met my family it's time you met my friends
It's time for celebration it's time we start to mend

All my roads are set before me. Which path will I take?
Will I allow myself to answer? Will I allow my heart to break?

And this world has raked me over and this world has dragged me down
And the best things that are happening are in you part of town

Oh my baby with a broken heart you mean so much to
And I can't wait to see what our futures will be

It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too mend
It's never too late, oh it's never to late too render
& We can start all over again

In The End It Will All Be Ok

I was totally suprised by a song that came back to me from my first acoustic release End of The Rope called The Ballad of a Broken Heart. You can hear the link the original recording by clicking HERE!

Well I thought she was in love maybe in love with me
But I guess I was wrong you see
Well I had such great ambitions and such wonderful ideas
And it all turns out to be a joke

But oh well, all is well - IN THE END IT WILL ALL BE OK

Well I left a good friend on the side of the road
The night after I slept on his couch (sorry joe)
Maybe we'll fight later but I don't really care
Because I am out of out of here

But oh well, all is well - IN THE END IT WILL ALL BE OK

So now I sit with my van on fire just north of Eugene
Strangely enough I'm happy to be hear
And things are more then seem

But oh well, all is well - IN THE END IT WILL ALL BE OK
But oh well, all is well - IN THE END IT WILL ALL BE OK

It's Called Coffee

Marriage has been good for me. I've been in the middle of writing a legitimate batch of songs for the first time since before tour. Along the way I've also managed to finish a song that's been sitting dead for around 6 years amply titled, It's Called Coffee - this simple little tune is a little bluesy and definitely inspired by Deluxetone Rockets rockabilly fun.

There are photos of me drinking coffee at 6 months old.

A fun little note is that my friend Jessica was denied the ability to buy coffee when she was 17 @ a crazy book store in Roseburg because she was underage - the same time she was working @ coffee shop across town.

On my last tour I made a conscious decision to drink caffeine rather than die. Driving alone if my van all day everyday it felt like those were my only choices. By the end of the tour after drinking alot of caffeine everyday, I got to the point where I only had about 7 useable hours in each day, my eyes stopped working at night - speeding vehicles started to look like they were standing still, and my muscles still feel like there shutdown in parts. I was still drinking coffee everyday when I got my current job but during our walk through during orientation I was overwhelmed by the amount of very over weight co-workers I was seeing. I noticed a coffee machines everywhere and it just seemed to easy to just drink coffee all day long. So I decided to try quitting. I now only drink occasionally and most times when I do I feel pretty crappy the next day - dry skink, dehydrated, sore muscles, not to mention the feelings of almost puking when I drink coffee on an empty stomach. So here ya go enjoy the new/old lyrics.


It's Called Coffee

They say life being only after 9 AM and for the most part I agree
But then that coffee it gets inside of me

It's called coffee - if it's a drug then I'm an addict
It's called coffee - if it's so bad then I'm a victim

When I was younger I drank it for the style
now I'm old and grown and I drink it on my own

It's called coffee - if it's a drug then I'm an addictIt's called coffee - if it's so bad then I'm a victim

Now I've got a job working 40 hours
Where everyone drinks coffee seems like the shoot in there showers

It's called coffee - if it's a drug then I'm an addict
It's called coffee - if it's so bad then I'm a victim

Well I'm trying to quit coffee because it's dragging me down
Yes all my youthful energy just is not coming around

It's called coffee - if it's a drug then I'm an addict
It's called coffee - if it's so bad then I'm a victim (x2)

Driving Out Of Cleveland

I was trying to tell Tessa a story one night on tour and I was so tired I said the phrase "I was driving out of cleveland" about 30 times.. I kept forgetting the story about 2 lines in and almost falling asleep in my van. We ended up laughing alot until the line became one of those inside jokes that means nothing to anyone else. The song is me processing the changes and compromises that now exsist after choosing to be committed to someone for life.

The line about quite being passive is taken from a Microcosm Publishing sticker. The phrase haunted me until I told Tessa I loved her. Thank you Microcosm! This song also has reference to Social Distortion, The Beach Boys and The Hanover Saints. Can you find them?

I was driving out of Cleveland across the USA
Away from all my problems in California
Then I called you up, I was too tired to speak
Then I called you everything for six straight weeks
Then I quit being passive quit making laws
started loving my best friend now I have in-laws

And 2 become one, that's what we've done
and 2 become one, one, one that's what we've done

Now I'm sitting in Portland, strange sunny day
Not quite sure if this is where we wanna stay
See it's warmer than Chicago, colder than LA
East coast keeps calling us so far away

And 2 become one, that's what we've done
and 2 become one, one, one that's what we've done

I was driving out of Cleveland across the USA
Away from all my problems in San Francisco Bay
Now were raising the banner singing harmonies
Yes this is our future you and me

And 2 become one, that's what we've done
And 2 become one, one, one that's what we've done

And as the truth rings out on a saturday night
I'm gonna love you.... my whole life

3 Chords and A Smile

I played this song before Tessa's father gave her away at our wedding! I really enjoy it. Tessa and I were both really proud of the fact that we were virgins when we got married, so she was really excited when that was worked into the song.

What people neglected to tell us was that sex is hard work!

I'm telling you that I love you with 3 chords and a smile on my face
Yes with you I feel satisfied even in this crazy place

Yes I swear I've never been happier than whenever I'm holding your hand
I can't believe you wanna marry me feels like I've reached the promised land

And I Love You, Tessa I Love You
And I Love You, Tessa I Do

They say were gonna be happy and I thank God that there right
Because we've both waited all our lives to celebrate our wedding night!

And I Love You, Tessa I Love You
And I Love You, Tessa I Do

And I Love You, Tessa I Love You
And I Love You, Tessa I Do