Just a retake on one of my favorite cover songs "Dirty Old Town", originally by The Pogues. This version is all me just messing around in the studio and the tempo is a little slower than the original.

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

Clouds are drifting across the moon
Cats are prowling on their beat
Spring's a girl from the streets at night
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I heard a siren from the docks
Saw a train set the night on fire
I smelled the spring on the smoky wind
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I'm gonna make me a good sharp axe
Shining steel tempered in the fire
I'll chop you down like an old dead tree
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

Dirty Old Town

This is our first ever take on this cheerful New Orleans classic, hope you enjoy !!
Wishing all a happy New Year !!
Just for the pleasure, here's a take by the fabulous group Tuba Skinny on this one  : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wpJ1tmUfE

Wabash Blues - Happy New Year !!

Don (Zorro of Sorrow) McCarthy– electric guitars
Nathan McCarthy– bass
David Partridge– vocals, keys, percussion
Guest alien– Peter LeBlanc– cello
Produced in Nova Scotia by David Partridge
Words and music by David Partridge

The WobblySaucer aliens know you won't get far in the universe on the power of a few light bulbs. They're nice hanging from the trees, though...

STRING OF LIGHTS 
We all hang tight to our tether
On nights when the dark seems immense
An owl’s call seems like mocking laughter
That’s when you might feel like that string of lights.

This lonely string of lights barely illuminates the trees
Outshone by the rays of a fulsome moon
It sways, halfhearted on the breeze.
The back porch lamp is much the same flickering, hazy moth cocaine 
Alluring to things with powdery wings– the ritual’s always been the same.

The lonely string of lights– each wire, each filament, each reed–
Existed before in a hardware store
With other things nature doesn’t need.
It hangs, as if perhaps it sinned, flickering and woozy on the wind
Measured in lumens, created by humans– that’s where the paradox begins.

We all hang tight to our tether
On nights when the dark seems immense
An owl’s call seems like mocking laughter
That’s when you might feel like that string of lights.

The wind seems to have a lot to say. Lights sway as if they know its tune
And if you get caught in a parking lot
The lights on poles are not immune.
They hum & buzz on stormy nights, faultering, interrupted lights 
They can’t defend us, the dark is relentless– it’s nature, you cannot win this fight.

We all hang tight to our tether
On nights when the dark seems immense
An owl’s call seems like mocking laughter
That’s when you might feel like that string of lights.

This lonely string of lights barely illuminates the trees.

STRING OF LIGHTS

All rights reserved January, 3 2025

Inside, the heart still aches
There’s no way around, all the sights and sounds that greet the day
What will it take
Just To climb that hill, such a bitter pill..that lingers there

Outside, the air is light, as the sun appears, and you feel the fears
Begin to grow…another fight
Then you hold the tears and the yesteryears
Inside your mind…

Now I’ll be on my way watching days go by
Searching to find a way and wondering why

Til then I’ll try again, as I watch the change through the windowpanes
And soldier on into a world
Such a pointless cause stuck in these four walls
As darkness falls

Now I’ll be on my way as days go by
Wasting away and a wondering why…

Darkness Falls

Welcome to my World
Lyrics and Music (c) 2024 John David Lawson

Life folds back on itself 
From the last day to the first day
Say hello to the new you
Good morning, happy birthday 

Welcome to my world
Welcome to my life
Everything is magical
Pop on by tonight

Hey, there up the hill
I heard there's gonna be fireworks
We could all bring some blankets
Drink wine and laugh until it hurts

It's so good to be seeing you
In the yellow glow of the sunlight
All my friends really loved you
They don't have to know what we did last night

Welcome to my world
Welcome to my life
Everything is magical
Glad you stopped on by

Magical
Magical
Magical

Welcome to My World

FADE

The story of Icarus came into my memory recently, and this piece is the result.  

It is a tale of King Minos, a labyrinth, and a deadly monster, the Minotaur.  It is a tale about Theseus, a hero who succeeds in subduing the monster to save fourteen youth taken from another land as the Kings offering to satiate the monsters appetite. It’s also a tale of the labyrinth’s inventor Daedalus and his son Icarus, who are punished for helping the hero and banished to a remote island to live their remaining days.  It’s also is a tale of feathers and wax, of directions and attention. Ultimately, it is a tale about staying focused on our goals since losing focus of our goals can lead to us crash and burn, or, in Icarus’ case drown in the sea.

O Icarus, O Icarus, fly in the middle of the air
The sun will melt the sealing wax
The sea your feathers tear
O Icarus, O Icarus, don’t watch the northern skies
Or change course to Orion’s Belt
Don’t turn your wandering eyes
Follow me and stay the course
Keep your eyes on freedoms prize

This song features me on all instruments.

Copyright 2025 Dan Swanson Music

Icarus

A song I wrote about trips to a local reservoir when I was a kid, one of my Mum's favorite spots. Acoustic guitars, Hofner bass, some keyboards and percussion bits, over a great reggae one-drop beat purchased from PocketJams on bandcamp. Thanks for listening.

Reservoir Song (demo)

(Uploaded December 22, 2025   BMI)

ASKING THE WIND

I’m just asking the wind 
Will I ever see you again 
Before the last bells on Marluth
chime
Or I forget I've lost my mind 

I used to say no regrets 
Didn’t know how bad it could get
 But time’ll turn the world around on a man
 So I’m asking the wind

Is your heart still that blue harbor
Refuge to a stowaway 
Or has it shallowed
Has it narrowed and 
Forever turned me away

 Those days left you troubled and confused
But you knew I'd always tell you the truth
You belonged to him and I belong with you
Nothing else that I could do

It’s been a while now I guess 
You've put all those monsters to rest
But you know I've seen more than my share of them
So I'm just asking the wind  

Is your heart still that blue harbor
Refuge to a stowaway 
Or has it shallowed
Has it narrowed and 
Forever turned me away

I’m just asking the sky 
Where love goes when it dies 
And could you take me along for the ride
Could you let me step Inside

And see every way that I’ve failed 
Friends lovers and betrayals
If I could well I’d make amends
Just asking the wind
I'm just asking the wind

Asking The Wind

I am a Combat Viet Nam Veteran .. 51st Infantry, so before you think I have no love for my country, think again .. but I will never stand blind to a leadership that is more for themselves than for their people .. anyway, having said that I wrote this for an Indie film back in 2004 about the Irag War .. submitted it again for another film many years later and that same war was still being fought .. make no mistake I support our troops, but too often what the troops are fighting for has nothing to do with what the war is all about .. But just like then nobody was listening to me but I keep on playing .. Copyright Ray rayski Pitts 2004 ..

Talking 'bout The Colors

One of the last songs I wrote before leaving Nashville, Tn., and heading out to Arizona   After I did this demo they said, "What is it" .. They said, it's not country, it's not Rock, what is it?? ..   I knew I was in the wrong town .. of course I guess they thought I was in the wrong business, haha . .
Copyright Ray rayski Pitts

Dirty Old Town

hank49

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