Written in 2006, SOME MORNING is all about 9/11, the fear and damage left in its wake, and how peace, love and understanding are the first real casualties of anger. I also remember concepts of Heaven being talked about in the immediate aftermath of that tragic day and how anyone who would engage in such destructive and hateful actions could understand what Heaven is, after all. The thing is, destructive and hateful actions by 'religious' zealots are not anything new in human history. They've been committed by believers of all faiths usually when they fail to remember their own humanity. Regardless of faith, any vision of 'Heaven' has no room for such shameful behavior. 

This is my first attempt at recording the song though I had a pretty general idea of how I wanted it structured and how it should sound . I wanted to stretch myself a bit and take some chances. The basic rhythm tracks, guitars, keyboards, plus additional percussion was recorded and mixed in 5 straight days of work. Work continues and there's still more to do - a wailing sax solo would be sweet, likely a guitar solo and polishing up the vocals. At this point I think the song is nicely textured though I may add some more organ and other percussives. All music performed by myself using my voice, a Takemine acoustic guitar, a Yamaha keyboard, GarageBand for iPad (a nifty little version that is quite versatile!) and recorded and mixed using the desktop version of GarageBand.   - George Watts - 9.11.2013/10.10.2013

UPDATED 9.16.2013
Added another layer of guitar most noticeable in the intro with a temporary attempt at a solo in the middle section. Also, another vocal attempt (always the hard part for me) and some minor mix adjustments.  - George Watts

UPDATED 10.10.2013
More experimentation with vocals and phrasing. 

UPDATED 12.19.2013
Added bass support and experimentation with spooky high harmonies on the '9.11' choruses. Still working on polishing up the vocals and will soon fill some space with a friend's sax. 

SOME MORNING

"On the morning of September eleventh we walked into a storm
And on that morning we would feel like Heaven was a place so far from home
On that morning we were hypnotized by a blinding flash of doubt
So on that morning we would not realize what Heaven is all about.
 
'On that morning some years ago...' or so the story goes
But on that morning would we see that Heaven's just another thing we've wrapped up in gold
On that morning we were mesmerized by a towering crash of time
So on that morning we would not realize that Heaven isn't only 'mine'
 
9.11
   It's the devil's cry
9.11
   To put fear in your heart
9.11
   All the innocent lives
9.11
   It still breaks my heart

On a morning not so far away I hope we'll see it for ourselves
That on that morning, when the world was praying we could all be somewhere else 
we took that morning and got paralyzed by a fear that knows no bounds
Perhaps some morning we will realize that Heaven is all around 
Take a look it's all around you.

9.11
   It's the devil's cry
9.11
   To put fear in our hearts
9.11
   Why have we never really asked why
9.11
   It still breaks my heart"
 
© 2006/2013 George Watts

Some Morning

This is a new song - both an ode for anyone who has ever suffered from depression and a comment on the current general malaise of the human species. Distance is what keeps us apart. Many of us have been there before in varying degrees but staying in the Light tempers the 'chillness' and closes the distance between us. With a beat and a rhyme. 

Composed and recorded recently with my Takamine acoustic, a Yamaha keyboard, percussion, GarageBand and an Akai midi keyboard over a period of about a month & 1/2 but built on moments of contemplation, meditation, and a good deal of sorting through shit. Being human can be complicated sometimes. Most times it's simply a matter of perspective. In the end I remain a firm adherent to patience, love and understanding. 

DISTANCE

Where do you go when you’re in the dark?
It’s no picnic in the park you know 
Where do you hide when you pull yourself inside? 
I have wondered this most of my life. 

What do you do while you’re seldom seen 
Try to hold on to the dreams you know 
How do you feel? Do you know that love is real? 
Have you wondered this all of your life?

What do you see when you’re in the dark? 
Does distance leave a mark on the soul? 
Are we still alive when we keep ourselves inside? 
I have wondered this all of my life. 

Darkness, why do you cling to the soul of our sisters and brothers? 
It’s a chlllness like no other I know 
And yet we know how life should feel ‘cause we know that love is real 
We’ve all pondered this all of our lives. 

George Watts
© 2015

Distance

The inexplicable, silent rumble of it all! We are the spawn of a ball of gas and plasma that provides everything we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste for every life that lives or has ever lived on Planet Earth. It gave rise to the rocky planets, gas giants and innumerable objects that share orbits with  us. We are never detached from the Sun's influence, never from its warm glow and magnetic personality, never from its sunlight and Vitamin D, and sunburn if we're not careful. We owe our very being to this Mother of all stars and the bounded yet unbounded space we share. 

This final iteration of the song is the culmination of a few months work and I had a hard time figuring out where I wanted to take it or where it wanted to take me! Not sure who's fooling who but this is what Mother fed me! ;) 

All guitars, vocals and keyboards trickery are me with additional assistance from GarageBand. I do some finger desk drumming somewhere along the way, too. Listen close - the planets (and Pluto) have sonic cameo appearances.

Remember, love your Mother! All of them!

MOTHER STAR
Sing a song of Mercury floating across the face of the sun 
Keep your eye on Mercury how quickly it is gone.

Chasing the light of Venus, mysterious, too timeless to convey 
You can spend a year on Venus and never age a day.

We'll have a dance with Luna, close and with a long embrace 
Remember any dance with Luna is just a passing phase.

Bridge 1
Breathless and warm, face to face 
From dusk to dawn we move into place 
Oh, my, my Mother Star
We're caught in a wave with you.

If I could plan a trip to Mars I'd likely disappear 
And find myself at Jupiter where the gravity keeps me near.

Passing through the rings of Saturn we see painted beautiful dreams 
Another stroke from the palette gave us two worlds in blues & greens.
        'Sky King Star (Uranus) and the Sea King Star (Neptune)'

C'mon and say hello to Pluto as we voyage to the end 
It's so cold out there for Pluto, it'll always need a friend.

Bridge 2
Your light is a lift from our sorrows 
From dawn to dusk we follow you 
Oh my, my Mother Star 
We're riding a wave with you.

Feel the motion of Mother Earth around the space of old Sol 
Every season on Mother Earth bears witness for us all.

© 2015 George Watts

Mother Star

Over 2 years ago I was approached by a qi gong classmate, Amy Aidman, one Saturday morning who wrote some lyrics for a potential future project themed around the idea of taking a break from our 21st Century techno-gadgets and reconnecting with life with a focus around not texting while driving. Her lyrics were a lot of fun to work with, phrasing being especially challenging. I tried to find as natural a flow to the rhythm of the lyrics as I could. Initially I did a quick demo with just me and my guitar, a more folky version that I continued to work on and develop based on what Amy liked when she first heard it. In juxtaposition to a working folk version I initially created a dance version with all kinds of bells and whistles (which can still be found on my SoundCloud page). While it was quite fun to create and produce, in my heart I knew what Amy was really looking for. 

So, as originally requested of the lyricist, I've created here a simpler, more direct folk interpretation of the song, adhering to the original lyrics and spirit of the message. Unlike the fun, dance version I first created, there are no fancy vocalizations,  gimmicky notions, and only minimal special effects. Basically, just me, my guitar and bass, a combination that reflects the back-to-basics spirit of the message. 

UPDATED: April 2017 to 5.13.2017 - Added bass and vocal 'percussives' to provide more body and movement. Otherwise, it is a simple folk version with vocal clarity making sure this important message is heard.

TURN IT OFF (lyrics by Amy Aidman; music composed, arranged and produced by George Watts)

When you're driving in your car 
And the cell phone starts to chime 
or to sound its little ditty 
And the texts and tweets are chirping

When it's late at night and you know you need some sleep 
The computer screen is glowing, the cpu's a-humming 
The room's awash in light and the noise is white

That could be the time to remember 
Turn it off
Turn it off 
Go ahead and unplug

When you're staring at the tv hour after hour
And ads keep flashing creating new desires 
And the programs in between the ads are really quite inane 
And you wonder to yourself why you don't feel sane

That would be the time to remember 
Turn it off
Turn it off
There's a time to unplug

Oh, a time to unplug, a time to unplug 
You can claim your mind as your own 
Go outside for a stroll 
Look out the window 
Talk to someone face to face

A time to unplug, a time to unplug 
Plant something, watch it grow 
Do some artwork, play some music 
Sing a song, dance around 
Have some tea, cook a meal 
Or don't do anything at all

Just turn it off. Turn it off 

Or if you're driving in your car and texting like there's no tomorrow 
And you forget about others on the road and you end up in the ICU 
with all kinds of tubes going in and out of you and your brain is not worth much anymore 
But your heart and kidneys and eyes are still real good 
and someone else would really like to have them if they could

That might be the time when the doctor will say 
Turn it off 
Turn it off
It's best to unplug

That might be the time when the doctor will say 
Turn it off 
Turn it off
It's time to unplug

Just turn it off. Turn it off 

© 2013/2014/2017

Turn It Off (folk version - demo)

HEY!!

A new recording of a song co-written with friend, Michael Ruggeiro in the early 90's at a time when I was writing a lot of songs while my life was filtering through some emotional & spiritual growth. I'd been toying with it for about a week recently and, without even thinking about it I did a final push in the early morning hours  of, and all day Mother's Day 2016. Mom was always a huge supporter of my music interests and I think, perhaps, she was here pushing me on late into the night and all day on her special day. Thanks, Mom, for always inspiring when least expected! It certainly made for a brighter day!

UPDATED 11.07.2016: Additional guitar overdubs, another layer of vocal harmony, and balancing the vocal and guitar mixes. 

UPDATED 09.17.2017: Revised lyrics and arrangement with fresh vocals and remix. 

BRIGHTER DAY
Can't tell if I'm right or wrong
Don't know if I'm weak or strong 
It's so hard this life to believe in love 
But I'm hangin' on 
Uh huh, hey hey I'm looking for a brighter day. 

There's more than my eyes can see 
A whole world in front of me 
Should I take a step to the right, to the left? 
I'll be hangin' on 
Whoa oh, hey hey I'm looking for a brighter day. Hey!

(Bridge)
Revolving doors that I pass through 
Fancy that meeting you 
Come around one more time 
In and out of my mind.

Sometimes I stop and wonder why 
As the years go bye, bye, bye 
Why did it take so long to believe in love 
And I'm still hangin' on 
Uh huh, hey hey I'm living for a brighter day. Hey!

Can't tell if I'm right or wrong
Don't know if I'm weak or strong 
It's so hard this life to believe in love 
And I'm hangin' on 
Uh huh, hey hey I'm living in a brighter day. Hey!

© 1992/2016 George Watts

'Brighter Day' is now available for download on iTunes

Brighter Day

My reaction to the 2016 election of an American demogogue and the sycophants that surround the arrogance of misguided power. The dangerous and destructive combination of ignorance, hate, greed and ego as typified by current 'Murican politics have created social, cultural and natural challenges for what has always been a great yet flawed nation. Nothing is perfect in life but truth, empathy, healing and love can move us forward beyond the reach of little hands. 

12.05.2016 - 12.08.2016: Vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards (piano and misc percussion), cabasa, thigh slaps and what-not are by me. Drum loops courtesy of Garageband.

LITTLE HANDS

Hey Little Man
Why do you want to lead us down this dark, dank road 
Paved with the loathsome language of a callous heart?

Everybody knows you said it.
Everybody heard it plain.
Dignity is lost in a touch grabbing too much with little hands.

Hey, Little Man
Why do you want to drag us down this dirty road 
Paid with the gloomy gold standard of a selfish heart? 

Everybody knows this history 
A circus trail of trumped up games 
For all the things that we knew truth still slips through little hands.

Ego bears a weakness like a thin, weary refrain ('Make America Great Again')
The only road to greatness is where only Love remains 
Ego rings hollow when you lose the 'popular' claim 
A world set in harmony is what empathy sustains. 

Hey Little Men 
Why do you want to heave us down this rocky road 
Laid with a heavy load of bullshit from flippant hearts?

Everybody gets the meaning 
When they 'tell it like it is' 
Perhaps they're tweeting too much with too many little hands. Little, Little Men.

Hey, Little Men 
Why do you want to drop kick us down a lonely, dead end road 
Shaped by the violent tone of an unforgiving heart? 

Everybody saw it happen 
Now we're calling out your names 
For betraying all trust with every touch of little hands. Little Man.

Ego bears a weakness like an old, dusty refrain ('Law and order') 
The only way to justice is a healing of the pain. 
Yes, ego brings a railroad like a runaway train. 
The only track for freedom is when Truth keeps chuggin' away. 
And the only road to greatness is where only Love remains.
The only hope for greatness is when only Love remains.

© 2016 George Watts
Song photo image by George Watts © 2016 George Watts

Little Hands

Another set of lyrics from the early to mid '90's but first time laying it down here as a simple guitar/vocal demo. A song about "Lord" and "God" in the "Universal" sense.

SPIRIT'S DRUM

Be 'round in the morning, come and wash the tears away.
If these seem to be the hardest times  then bow your head and pray.
Oh Dear Lord, get me through
Loosen the string that keeps me weighted or my heart sinks like a stone.

Been 'round through the ages, ah, we've been through this before.
Love is always everywhere, it passes through us all.
Oh Dear God, make it clear 
A spirit's drumming in my ear tells me we will never be alone.

Maybe some days you'll often think of me and smile.
And I'll be right there 'cause giving break the bonds of time. 
Oh Dear God free my love
Help me fill those empty pages and map my way back home.

© 1992/2018 George Watts

Spirits Drum

I wrote this song about a Minnesota eaglet named Harmon who found himself in peril early in life but was visited by a friendly and caring community of human beings who chose to give Harmon a fighting chance. Unbeknownst to Harmon this all played out online in front of a live audience and it was a sight to see! With a story so heart-wrenching, heartwarming, inspiring and full of love's endless capacity to transform how could I not write a song about it?! Many thanks to my friend, Rob Scott, for his magnificent harmony contributions at the choruses, his subtle but effective (and affective!) harmonica and invaluable production assistance! Also a tremendous thanks to the folks at Broadband Corp for their very kind permission to add Harmon's voice to the mix! 

I lovingly dedicate 'Harmon' to my late Mom and Dad for, without them, I would not have been here to write this *song.

Harmon is the surviving eaglet of a pair. Kirby, his sibling took a bad tumble over the nest one Monday and did not survive. By Thursday of that week Harmon managed to get his right leg and wing stuck in nesting material including fresh mud from recent rains that subsequently weighed down his right side and preventing his young, still weak body from getting any leverage to correct himself. Over a 24 hour period Harmon was immobile and struggled to free himself. Mom and Dad seemed to sense something amiss but were at a loss to free their young one. Through the services of the Minnesota Bound Eagle Cam, The Raptor Center, the Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Broadband Corp. and a caring social community Harmon was freed from his predicament and had injuries tended to. Harmon was given food and rest and then returned safely to his nest within 48 hours. The next 24+ hours waiting in hope for his parents to return and resume nurturing their baby was excruciating but in the end nature's joy returned as the family was reunited. His story inspired the following song lyrics:
 
HARMON
 
Sitting up in a tree 
Just learning to be 
Then nature takes you 
and disturbs your harmony. 
 
Kirby took quite a fall 
and left you with it all 
You got stuck in the muck one day 
It's really not fair at all.
 
Then you got a helping hand from strangers on high 
A lesson for the rest of us about kindness 
We all saw it on the internet stream 
That caring for each other is what it means. 
 
Harmon, don't you fret with all this love before you know it you'll be back in your nest. 
Hey buddy, you will be set free as an eagle was meant to be. 
 
Living up in a tree 
For all the world to see 
And the best of human nature 
Sings sweet harmony. 
 
Now you're back on your own 
To welcome Dad and Mom home 
Tell 'em you were abducted by 
The friendliest alien you've ever known.
 
You got a helping hand from heaven above 
It's a lesson for the rest of us about love 
We all felt it through the social stream 
That caring for each other is what it means. 
 
Harmon, have no fear all this love around is bound to lift you high in the air 
Hey buddy, you will be as free as an eagle was meant to be. 
 
All is good in the cottonwood with your place in the skies all around 
A world of love feeds your sweet eagle dreams where the spirit of Kirby will be found. 
 
Harmon, be free, hang tough 
  In the end we'll always remember the love 
Hey buddy, you will live as free as an eagle was meant to be 
Hey buddy, you will be as free as free as your little heart can be.
 
George Watts 
© 2012

*NOTE: 'Harmon' is available for download on CDBaby.com, plus iTunes, Amazon.com and most other music retailers. A portion of the proceeds of 'Harmon' will go to benefit The Raptor Center and to MNBound and Broadband Corp. for their collaborative dedication to providing a fascinating and rewarding public educational and social experience.

Harmon

Another demo from the early 90's, a personal favorite and one which holds a lot of meaning for me. Written during a Florida gulf coast beach trip in 1991, 'Looking at the Edge of The World' is essentially a love song of many layers. It's also a song that, even today, I'm always playing around with trying different rhythms, pacing and even melody depending on my mood but the essential drone-ish undertone always remains. It's a meditation on the meeting of ocean and sky and, of course, an ode to love. 

LOOKING AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

I can see how beautiful it can be 
Looking at the edge of the world 
Nothing more could possibly astound me 
Looking at the edge of the world

  I can see forever all around me 
  It's a place where my mind is free 
  It's an ocean deep and wide 
  Oh, I wish you were here with me

Feel the breeze whispering my name 
Looking at the edge of the world 
With every breath nothing is the same 
Looking at the edge of the world

  I can see the future all around me 
  Its love flows warm and free 
  It's an ocean deep and wide 
  I feel you here with me

© 1991/2012 George Watts 

Looking at the Edge of The World (demo)

"The government has failed us. You can't deny that...." - Malcolm X

I've been sitting on this for years for mostly technical reasons - it's a working demo of a song that I wrote, recorded and produced among a slate of songs I wrote and recorded in the early 90's. The overlapping lyrics here were difficult to completely decipher due to the complex production mix (reflecting the chaos of our times) AND I had misplaced my original lyric sheet, while the original 8-track master recording is on 1/2 inch tape that was recorded on an old Otari deck we had in our radio production studio back in the day. But months ago I finally found the original lyric sheet tucked in folder in an odd cabinet I would not have expected and in light of America in 2020 I can't hold back any longer.

It's a song I wrote in 1992 about the Rodney King incident. Some things never change, only the names do.

KING THING
I see a man getting beat, he's falling down 
                         ('oh, help me, please', he's calling out) 
How many blows does it take 'til you finally say 'No, I can't do it no more'
I don't get it I don't understand what separates the beast from the man?
 
This is outrageous, this travesty of justice 
                     (This blind walk on feet of clay)
Something's amiss, can't believe this mess (What the hell's going on with the world today?)
I don't get it I don't understand what separates the beast from the man?

What is this King Thing? (All over the front page)
What is this happening here? (That flies me in a rage)
What is this King Thing? (You know it kicked me in the head) 
What is this happening, happening, happening, happening? 
                            (Might as well be left for dead, for dead)

I hear a new kind of message in America 
                         (Justified violence in the name of the law) 
This color-coded society's gonna pull us down, gonna pull us down (My heart's icy cold, naked and raw) 
No, I don't get it I don't understand what separates the beast from the man?

Trial by jury in lily-white fashion 
                   (Put yourself in the man's place every now and then) 
The man gets beaten beyond recognition 
 (When you occupy that man's space your heart will never beat the same) 
No, I don't get I don't understand what separates the beast from the man?

What is this King Thing? (All over the front page)
What is this happening here? (That flies me in a rage)
What is this King Thing? (It gives me such a fright) 
What is this happening, happening, happening, happening? (Something just isn't right, isn't right, isn't right, isn't right) 

Oh, this King Thing won't let go 
Oh, this King Thing is hard, I know 
My heart is broken in two 
And all I can say to you is love, love, love.

George Watts
© 1992/2020

George Watts's Album

King Thing (demo)

Born and raised in Chicago and suburbs, I started playing guitar in 1970, my first guitar being a cherry red 1963 SG Jr. These days I mostly play a Takemine acoustic/electric guitar. 

I've been writing songs about as long as I've been playing though few remnants remain of those very early songs. Most of my serious songwriting really began in the mid-to-late 80's/early 90's. I could cite many influences in my writing style and, as for so many other songwriters, chief among them would be The Beatles, of course. My earliest memory of exposure to music, however, was the jazz and soul records I heard my older brother and sisters spinning. 

My feelings about music are nicely summed up in this quote: 

"Oh, God, I love music. The writing, the listening. It's better than we are, you know what I mean? I just love it." - James Garner in 'Mister Buddwing' (1966)

Indeed, when I set out to compose a song or a piece of music I'm always looking to make something better than myself. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not but it's not for the lack of trying. Isn't that what the legacy of life is really all about? 

I hope you find enjoyment in my humble attempts to better myself!

Peace & Love, 
George Watts

Breathe deep, slow, and often. 

GTDUB

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