50/90 is an online songwriting challenge which takes place every year during July-September. The idea is to write 50 songs in 90 days. Safe to say, I'm yet to 'win' or complete the challenge, but that's not really the point. It's principally about having the opportunity to connect with a load of other songwriters around the world, listen to their amazing songs, and collaborate.

This playlist includes some of my favourite tracks from the season. Many of them are collaborative efforts, so I'd like to say a huge thank you to the talented singers, writers, lyricists and musicians who helped bring these songs to life. I've included individual credits on all the relevant songs.

50/90 2022: Collected songs

This is my first song for this year's 50/90 songwriting challenge! (https://fiftyninety.fawm.org/)

I've been thinking about little ones leaving the nest quite a lot recently. My kids are 10 and 7, so not imminent, but it still makes me feel a tiny bit sad (and a tiny bit relieved). I certainly know others with kids who are closer to that point, so this one's for them 🙂

When I'd finished my bits on the track, it felt like it was still missing a little something. So I sent it over to my man @nahlejmusic for some sweet percussive magic and, as always, he promptly delivered the goods. Thank you!

LYRICS & MUSIC © David Taro

Oh little bird standing on the edge
Of your nest, will you fledge
Are you ready for it yet?

Oh little bird do your feathers feel the breeze
In the leaves of the trees
Will you spread your wings and see?

Oh, little bird...

Oh little bird getting stronger ever day
It's okay, fly away
You were never bound to stay

Oh little bird, there’s a future yet to write
Taking flight out of sight
In the hazy morning light

Oh little bird...

Oh little bird, wherever you may go
You must know, though you roam
This will always be your home

Though you roam
This will always be your home

Little Bird

My 50/90 offering for today... I don't know if this is cheating. I started writing this song when I was 14, but I think I only ever had the first two verses and the chorus bit (not even sure I had proper words for that). Anyway, for some reason it's been in my head this week, so I thought I'd do 14 year-old me a favour and finish it off, then record it.

For context, 14 year-old me was pretty obsessed with John Lennon. I think this was likely an attempt to channel 'Love', so I went with a pretty similar arrangement and added that little fade in when I was mastering. Hoping that makes it a tribute rather than a rip off 😬

LYRICS

Hanging my head
Wish I’d stayed in bed
I tell you that I feel down

Feet on the floor
Always wanting more
I tell you that I feel down

It makes me sorry
It makes me sad
It makes me worry
That I can’t tell good from bad

Standing in line
Am I wasting time
I tell you that I feel down

Electricity hums
But my fingers are numb
I tell you that I feel down

It makes me sorry
It makes me sad
It makes me worry
That I can’t tell good from bad

Nothing I do
Ever matters to you
I tell you that I feel down

You offer a hand
But you don’t understand
When I tell you that I feel down

Down

NEW SINGLE OUT NOW! 

Never Had A Love Like This Before is an indie rock song with a huge side-helping of bluesy guitar. It's about how love can simultaneously feel so right and so wrong. Why do we do it to ourselves, eh?

LYRICS:

Never had a love like this before
Never had something worth living for
Mind and body in a civil war
And I never had a love like this before

You barrelled into my life like a wrecking ball
The moment I saw you, well I started to fall
Now everything I had before is suddenly a broken mess
You stand there smiling like it's all a success
And oh, you ain't sorry

And I never had a love like this before
Never had something worth living for
Mind and body in a civil war
And I never had a love like this before

I tell you my secrets, you tell me your lies
It always fools me, I never know why
I'm a fly in a spider's web, I'm a moth drawn to a flame
My wings are burning and I'm falling again
'Cos oh, you ain't sorry

And I never had a love like this before
Never had something worth living for
Mind and body in a civil war
And I never had a love like this before

Now I'm stumbling in the dark
I'm never coming back
Everywhere I turn
I just can't escape the fact that

I never had a love like this before
Never had something worth living for
Mind and body in a civil war
And I never had a love like this before

I never had a love like this before
Never had something worth living for
Mind and body in a civil war
And I never had a love like this before

Photo credit: Cassi Josh, Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/lhnOvu72BM8)

Never Had A Love Like This Before

So... obviously this isn't me singing! It's the wonderful Hannah Busse, go check her out immediately (well, maybe listen to the track first): https://soundcloud.com/user-118433778

Really proud of this collaborative effort - I sent Hannah a demo with some painfully bad singing, and she transformed it into what you hear. She also redid the piano, changed up some chords and melodies, and generally made the thing about a million times better.

Thanks for listening to our song!

I Have My Doubts (feat. Hannah Busse)

***UPDATE 23 NOV 2022***

New mix and master (courtesy of Marsden Mastering: https://marsdenmastering.com/)

Releasing on Spotify, Apple etc. 23 December



This one started as a backing track earlier in the year, but it's taken me a while to flesh out the tune. The title came first (do others find that a lot?), and I kind of worked back from there in terms of lyrics. Originally, I laid down just drums, bass, acoustic, piano and lap steel. Recorded vocals before I went away on holiday last week. Then today I added some synthy elements to try and give a bit more movement and interest to the arrangement. Et voila...

LYRICS

Catch a star and make it shine
All along the borderline
I would walk a thousand miles for you
But time rolls on and on

Staring at the setting sun
Wish the evening hadn’t come
I would wait a thousand nights for you
But time rolls on and on and on

I thought that we were searching for the answer
When maybe there’s no answer to find
We only ever wanted to be dancers
When maybe we were dancing all the time

Blackbird singing in the tree
Pure as any song could be
Wish that I could trace it back to you
But time rolls on and on and on

Falling apart
A weight in my heart
As heavy as the sea

I thought that we were searching for the answer
When maybe there’s no answer to find
We only ever wanted to be dancers
When maybe we were dancing all the time

The Answer

This was a lot of fun. Clever, witty lyrics from @nancy-cunningham-2 on an interesting and contemporary subject. What's not to like? In my head, I was leaning into a bit of McCartney's Three Legs, the Beatles' For You Blue and a dash of Simon and Garfunkel. Did I hit the mark? Probably not. 

Last but not least, the song needed a solo, so I reached out to Rich Joseph (@user-831068061) to add his awesome, double-stopping magic dust. Thanks man!

LYRICS © Nancy Cunningham

Feed the Algorithm
Give him what he wants
Put your best foot forward
Your profile
Your full fronts
Tell him all your secrets
What makes you grin and grunt
Feed the Algorithm
Give him what he wants

Feed the algorithm
Let him roll your dice
He knows your S.A.T. scores
Your dentist and your size
Your IQ and your credit score
He can name your price
Feed the algorithm
Let him roll your dice

Feed the algorithm
What you got to lose?
He knows what you pay in rent
How often you hit snooze
He can tell you how to live
Where to buy your shoes
Feed the algorithm
What you got to lose?

Feed the algorithm
Let him feed you back
He'll tell you if your rainbow
Needs repainting black
He'll serve you tasty morsels
Like your clicking crack
Feed the algorithm
Let him feed you back
Let him feed you back
Let him feed you back

Feed The Algorithm

Half-British, half-Japanese, South London-based singer-songwriter and producer. Indie pop, rock and blues. Thank you for listening!

Feed The Algorithm

david taro