A Sailor's Tale (Will You Wait For Me?)

© David Skellenger March 2014
HERE WE GO...

Harpin' With Mr. Fender Rhodes

1973

Crescent City Rainbows

A simple Love Song...in waltz time...feel free to dance around the Ballroom...
Lyrics:
I was always looking for an answer
Always needed a reason to believe
When you smiled just as I was leaving
Said, “I’ve got what you need”
“Yes, I’ve got what you need”

I was lookin’…in the wrong direction
I couldn’t find…the simplest of things
When you said, “I won’t let you down now”
“I will give you what you need”
“I will give you what you need”

A lost troubadour, I came in from the highway
Singing songs about times long gone by
Wishing I could live like they used to
You said, “Let’s give it a try”
We can give it a try…

So we’re traveling…down life’s road together
Now, I have that reason to believe
I’m still singing and you’re singing with me
Singing sweet harmony
Singing sweet harmony 

Never even saw this thing coming
Funny how life takes it’s turns
A simple life and learning to love now
Yes, we’ve got what we need
We’ve got what we need
© David Skellenger June 2014

Lost Troubadour (w/lyrics)

A song to help heal those who may need a bit of that sort of thing...

There’s still time
Time enough for things to change
If you just make up your mind
I believe you will find
That you’re not the one 
Always to blame

Chorus:
Just walk away
Don’t listen to what they all say
They’ve never walked a step in your shoes anyway…

How the Hell would they know how you feel
When your life’s upside down
You think you might drown
You’re in no shape to make any deals

There’s a place where the Sun’s going to shine
Where the darkness is gone
And you can move on
You don’t have to pretend
You can sing a new song

It’s O.K. to feel like you do 
After all you’ve been through
This not your last stand 
The start of a brand new day
is at hand
Chorus
{Repeat first verse}
© David Skellenger June 2014

Not Your Last Stand (w/lyrics)

Oh my! The things we find buried on old drives! This short alternate version was made while working out the song some years ago and I can't recall if I ever posted it. I hope you enjoy! The original acoustic folk version is also posted in the song gallery if you scroll down far enough! Words and Music by John Williford and David Skellenger

From The Southside (Alternate Version)

It seems we all have needed, now need, or will need saving at some point… 

All the rainbow's colors
I will give to you
Honey, if you’ll just take my hand
And help me to get through
Take my hand and save me 
Before I slip into the sea
Take my hand and save me 
Before I slip into the sea

We could have had it all
Your wish was my command
Maybe there’s still time 
If you’ll just take my hand

Honey, won’t you save me 
Before I slip into the sea
Take my hand and save me
Before I slip into the sea
© David Skellenger Aug 2014

Slip Into The Sea

Featuring Mr. Alfonso Llorente Sardi on Guitars

I was walking down
This lonely Avenue
In the early morning rain
In my quiet desperation and solitude
I promised myself 
I would never pass this way again
Chorus:
Lord, there’s been too memories around here
Oh, they just won’t go away
They haunt me in my dreams at night
Well, I guess they’re here to stay


I’ve been troubled by this sorrow
I’ve been burdened by the past
I hope the sun will shine tomorrow
Lord, I hope these blues won’t last
Chorus (Repeat)
© David Skellenger September 2014


Lonely Avenue Blues (Featuring Alfonso Llorente Sardi)

Propeller plane sound effect was used with kind permission from SoundJay.com
Lyrics: 
Hey girl, time for me to go
There’s one thing that I need to know
Honey, would you like to take a ride?
I’m not talkin’ about driving my car
Goodness, no, that’s much too slow
I was wondering… 
If you like to fly?
Yeah, Yeah, do you like to fly?
I bought myself a little aeroplane 
Yes, it’s a real fine machine
When I take it up in the sky…oh yeah!
It becomes a part of me
Makes me feel like I’ve got wings
Don’t you wanna give it a try? Yeah! Yeah!
Don't you wanna give it a try?
We could go up today
Fly right down the Carquinez Strait
Across the Bay to the Golden Gate
Watching those sailboats down below
Making circles in the cloudless sky
Wave good-bye with a dip of the wing
Honey, it’s a beautiful thing…oh yeah!
It’s really quite a fine machine.
© David Skellenger September 2014

Ride In My Aeroplane (w/lyrics)

Sometimes we just need to get away...
Lyrics:
Got to get out of the City
Need to leave here right away
I can’t take it any longer
I can’t stand another day
Chorus:
If I come up to your Mountain
Can I stay with you for just a little while?
Could you teach me some of your Country ways?
I’ve always loved your laid-back Country style

Gonna pack it up, pack it out, Yes, I’m gonna leave today
I just have to get on out of this place
Can’t think of one good reason that would make me stay here
Traffic, all the sirens, crowds of people and the violence
Chorus:
If I come up to your Mountain
Can I stay with you for just a little while?
Could you teach me some of your Country ways?
I’ve always admired your laid-back Country style
© David Skellenger October 2014

Country Ways (w/lyrics)

I was fortunate to be joined by SC veteran Ray Scully on lead guitar and SC newcomer Micki Carlson (micki-carlson) on vocals and violin.  I’m very grateful for their participation. We hope that you enjoy our song and we thank you for listening! 
Music: Scully, Carlson, Skellenger       Vocals: Carlson, Skellenger
Here’s a link to Ray Scully's cloud: https://soundcloud.com/ray-scully-366103406 and Micki Carlson's cloud: @micki-carlson
Please feel free to sing along...
Lyrics:
Well, here we are on the move again
Driving through BIg Sky Country
On the road from Aberdeen
Trying to please that girl 
I know she’s had this dream
On and off since she was seventeen
Maybe it’s one of those things 
She just never got around to
One of those things she’d always 
wished that she would do
So I said come on let’s go
Honey, you just never know 
If it’s worth dreaming about 
It’s worth seeing through
Chorus:
We can take our time
Heading east on the old highway
Trying our best to avoid the Interstate
Oh, this amazing sky
Such a lovely star-filled night
Nothing better
than sharing it with you
Micki: Here we are on the move again
Driving through BIg Sky Country
On the road from Aberdeen
He’s trying to please me
Well, I’ve had this dream
Since I was seventeen
(Chorus)
Outro: On the Road from Aberdeen 
Crossing through Big Sky Country
Chasing that dream of yours
Wherever it leads to…
© David Skellenger March 2015

The Road From Aberdeen featuring Ray Scully & Micki Carlson

I had always wanted to jam with Tom Adams and couldn't resist the open collab which he offered upon his return to SC.  A chance to put on the blues shoes and realize how rusty I am on the blues harp...still, much fun! Welcome back Tom!  
Tom's latest fine cloud presence: https://soundcloud.com/user-342548892

Jamming Harp With Tom Adams

Lyrics:
I was thinking ‘bout you this morning
Can’t explain exactly why
Maybe it’s just this time of year
‘Bout a year ago you said good-bye
Chorus: 
I don’t want to hold you back now
There’s nothing left to say
 
I can still see you at the kitchen table
Yeah, it’s where you started almost every day
I was reading the paper…you were reading your tea leaves
You said they helped you find your way
Chorus: 
I don’t want to hold you back now
There’s nothing left to say

So I’m writing you this letter
That I’ll probably never send
But you can read it in your tea leaves
See just how the story ends
Chorus: 
Oh, I don’t want to hold you back now
Oh, There’s nothing left to say
© David Skellenger May 2015

Reading Tea Leaves

A Short Folk Essay 
Lyrics below...Please feel free to sing along...
Lyrics:
We all agreed with that British lad
Back when we were young
We all believed that time was on our side
He changed his mind years later
Told us “Time waits for no one”
Chorus:
But the damage had been done
It was written in the sand
It was written in the sand
All that time went by
It slipped right through our hands

We took it to the streets
To the Universities
Academics taught the stories 
of Peace and War and the struggle to be free
We were young … we had the time
We made our voices heard
Ivory Tower politicians never seemed to hear a word
(Chorus)
All my life, I’ve never changed my mind
About living free in a world without the wars
Given enough time we may yet see it come
We’d all come together
If we would only read the words
(Chorus)
© David Skellenger July 2015



Bottom Of The Hourglass

Thank you for listening!   © David Skellenger December 2015

Give Me One More Day

A bit of an homage to my home in Northern California...and an excuse to play some harp...
Lyrics:
Going back to California
Lord, I miss my Golden State
Oh, I miss my little home there
About an hour north of the Golden Gate
Well, I can sit up on the ridge line
Underneath the Redwood trees
On a warm California morning
I can feel the ocean breeze
Oh, I'm homesick…
Going back to California
Lord, I miss my Golden State
Yea, watch the sunset from my back porch
Oh, I’m just sipping my blues away…
© David Skellenger March 2016

Back To California

Thank you for listening!    © David Skellenger May 2016

It's Not Who I Am

Lyrics...feel free to sing along. Thanks for listening!

Check the sails…carry on
Help me sing our favorite song
And it’s alright …yes, it’s alright
Make a run down the Coast
Maybe down to Old Mexico
It’s alright…yes, it’s alright

We can watch the sunlight fading from a lovely day
As we watch it fade away
No place that I’d rather be
Than in your lovin’ arms
Nothing ever felt so right

Dropped the sails in Monterey
Silver sunlight on the bay
And it’s alright …yes, it’s alright
Gentle swells on fair seas
Love that Coastal ocean breeze
And it’s alright …yes, it’s alright

As we watch the sunlight fading from a lovely day
As we watch it fade away
No place that I’d rather be
Than in your lovin’ arms
Nothing has ever felt so right
© David Skellenger July 2016

Sailing

© David Skellenger August 2016
Thank you for listening!
Lyrics:
We all watched the Phoenix rising
From the ashes through the flames
It shouldn’t have been all that surprising
We’d all been waiting for a change
And I was hopeful for tomorrow
Wondering what it might bring
I was thinking of a precious love 
That I held so close to me…
As we watched the Phoenix rising.

We all watched the Phoenix rising 
From where the Station used to be
Some were joyous…some were frightened
Knowing our lives would surely change
And I was hopeful for tomorrow
Wondering what it might bring
I was thinking of a precious love 
That I held so close to me…
As we watched the Phoenix rising.
© David Skellenger Aug 2016

Phoenix Rising

Words and Music:  David Skellenger
As always, thank you for listening!

The Mind Over Matter Blues Song

As always, many thanks for stopping by!
Lyrics:
Tell me stories ‘bout all the little things
Tell me stories ‘bout the rain
How the wind blew you into my life
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday

Tell me about the photograph you keep
in a locket on that golden chain
Tell me ‘bout the memories it brings
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday 
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday

It’s those little things 
that make us who we are
in those memories we keep
Tell me stories about your rainy nights
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday 
Tell me stories ‘bout yesterday

all the little things w/ lyrics

A song about a very fast little girl...
As always, thank you for listening!
Lyrics:
Well, I'd seen her coming
Yea, she came down the hill running
Little girl so fast 
It was quite a thrill
to see the little girl come flying down the hill
Mama couldn’t catch her
Oh no, no she tried
Went to reach out and grab her
Little girl just went flying on by
Family dog couldn’t catch her
No. he was nipping at her heels
Yea, she just looked back and smiled 
Took off like she had wheels
Her daddy said oh yea, she’s always been a runner
Since the time she was two
Her Momma and me didn’t know what to do 
When she went down the hill running like this

Hey, I'd seen her coming
Yea, she came down the hill running
The little girl so fast 
It was quite a thrill
to see the little girl come running down the hill
Yeah…she’s fast
So fast!

Down The Hill Running

Thank you for listening!
Lyrics:
Bobby was dancing in the corner
Listening to a song only he could hear
Annie was sitting on her barstool
Talking to a man she calls “Pete”
He couldn’t have known it at the time 
but Annie had been planning his seduction all night
And I was drinking my iced tea
Waiting on a drummer I supposed to meet tonight
And Bobby just kept on dancing
I believe he was trying to get his moves just right

And I’m still waiting on my friend the drummer
who was supposed to meet with me here tonight

I slowly moved up toward the bandstand
Had an old guitar in my hand
And there was the drummer 
Oh Lord, he could sure keep time
Annie led Pete out to the dance floor
Slow dancing to that song of mine

Yeah, just another Tuesday night at Clancy’s

Tuesday Night At Clancy's

A short bit of folk...
I've included the lyrics because I love to hear all of you singing along! As always,  thank you for dropping by!
Lyrics:
You’ve got a right to be
livin’ in a world that’s free
You’ve got a right to think
everything’s gonna be alright
everything’s gonna be alright
You’ve got a right to say
anything that’s on your mind
You’ve got a right to believe
everybody should be kind
Yes, everybody should be kind.

For You...

I am pleased to present a new duet made possible with help from my musical friend Olivia who posts on SoundCloud as O.C.A.   Please visit her page at: https://soundcloud.com/o-c-a   Olivia is a wonderful composer, musician, and singer-songwriter who hails from France and has been so very kind and generous to assist me. We hope you enjoy the song and thank you for listening!  The lyrics are included below. 

Thinking ‘bout a Season long gone by but not forgotten
I was thinking ‘bout those days of you and me
Can’t help but wonder 
why we never stayed in touch
perhaps it wasn’t meant to be

Would you have been the one to be there
if I fell again?
Would you have been the one to be there
in my time of need?
There are times along this road
when you surely need a friend
I was kind of hoping
you would be that friend to me.

I came across a photo long ago forgotten
A bit faded but I believe it was you and me
Separated by circumstance or a choice made long ago
Oh, perhaps it wasn’t meant to be

Would you have been the one to be there
to catch me if I was falling?
Would you have been the one to be there
in my time of need?
There are times along this road
when you need a friend
I was kind of hoping
that you’d be that friend to me.

Would you have been the one to be there
If I would have fallen?
Would you have been the one to be there
in my time of need?
There are times along this road
when you need a friend
I was kind of hoping
you would be that friend to me.

Retrospect : A Duet With O.C.A

A Few Words About Falling In Love Again

A reworking of an older song I wrote. I hope you enjoy the tale and as always, thank you for listening!
Lyrics:
We would sneak through the backwoods
and play in her Gardens
She seldom left her big house up there on the hill
One thing’s for certain
not many know her
Her life’s been dissected in the local rumor mill

Some say she used to be a Ballerina
and traveled the World with a famous Ballet
and that she was damaged back in the Sixties
trying to set her mind free
It didn’t work out that way
They say she now walks only in the shadows
and that she can’t stand in the light of the day

In all of the times we snuck into her Garden
In all of the hours that we did play
I never once saw her up there in that big house
All of that changed for me today
I saw her looking down from an upstairs window
I believe that she had a smile on her face

Ballerina's Garden Revisited

Never Look Into The Sun

An Original  buried on the hard drive.  As always, I thank you for listening!

Lyrics:
Well, I know that you saw me 
You looked so surprised 
I can’t believe I saw tears in your eyes
After all that you said 
And all that you’d done
I’d have thought you’d been long gone
Out on the run

You always seemed like such a Big City girl
with your high fashion dresses, your diamonds and pearls
You should be out making friends 
in the bright City lights
Holding court with those boys
during the parties at night

I thought that you’d left this small town behind
Did you ever leave or just change your mind?
Dry those eyes 
Smile through those tears
It’s really nice to see you 
It’s been a few years…

Something sweeter may come along
Always a brand new verse for the song
Enjoy the ride for it may not last long
No reason to question if and how it went wrong
Yeah, should be out on the run…
Out having some fun Baby!

Out On The Run

As always, thank you for listening!
Lyrics:
Morning light touches the sky again
Reaches out… and begins to pull me in
Will this day bring me closer to the end?
I’m comin’ home to you
I’m comin’ back home to you
Wait for me on your distant shore 
Count the clouds up in the sky
From that place I remember oh so well
Where we watched the sea birds fly
Before that last good-bye…yeah.

Morning Light/Denver Layover...

Tom was kind enough to post up this open collaboration and I couldn't resist a chance to add some harp.  Check out more of Tom's extraordinary blues guitar at his Tom Adams Aka Tytlblues page.  
https://soundcloud.com/user-342548892
Hope you enjoy! Stay Safe and Stay Well!

The Thrill Will Return with Tom Adams (Guitar) and David Skellenger (Blues Harp)

Thanks to all who have taken time to listen, comment, like, or share my songs.  I hope you enjoy your time here on this small piece of the Cloud.  Love, Peace and best wishes to all of the SoundCloud musicians, composers, and listeners!

David Skellenger

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