Things have been moving kinda slow lately in my music world. I suppose that is to be expected, with the other priorities of life taking precedence. I haven’t picked up the axe to write or play anything in several days, and it is starting to grate on me.

But, thankfully, some new music happened the other night in the 12-bar blues vein. It was sweet too – just started pouring out and before I knew it, I had a new song with some cool lyrics.

So, now I have about 3 new tunes that need to be laid down and put up – Four Dead in Five, Waiting and Pocketbook Blues. It has been a combination of fatigue and laziness that is the reason for the delay. It will happen this week though, by Saturday for sure.

Part of the problem is I live in an apartment, and belting doesn’t go over well with the neighbors late at night. If I don’t start early in the evening, I’m usually forced to wait until the weekend when I can get it done during an afternoon session.

This particular song, Pocketbook Blues, was inspired after listening to a Taj Mahal “Best Of” CD. I rolled into work one morning and suddenly was singing the phrase “Ain’t gonna be a slave to the man, baby/The Man’s getting rich off the money I spend…” and it took off from there. I suppose it was born from my natural contempt for consumerism and especially after hearing a story on the radio about credit card companies. Well, what better way to capture the cultural and personal moment than in a blues song bemoaning the state of affairs and one’s pocketbook?

One thing I learned when writing the lyrics…blues lyrics are tough. Mostly because excellent blues lyrics always has a one line clincher at the end of each phrase. Like “Red House”:

If my baby don’t love me no mo’

I know her sister will

Clincher. And usually, they are funny. How can you hear that and not laugh? So, coming up with witty clinchers at the end of each phrase was a challenge, but I think I accomplished it quite well – feel free to keep your disagreement to your damn self.

Well, that’s all I have time for now. Read, listen, move on…