This is a demo quickly recorded at the point I could mostly play and sing the song.   Here are the lyrics, mostly adhered to in the recording:

Beneath the Song
by James Olin Oden

Deeper than reality
Farther than our eyes can see,
Hidden beneath the stories
and the songs
I see your beauty,
So clearly,
If only I had
eyes to see!

Will you help me,
To mark out the time,
To draw ever closer,
unto the sublime,
tracing out the lines
hammering feet in time
forging in motion
what escapes the eye

(Chorus)
Beneath the song,
Beyond the dance,
Past the last breath,
Life continues on...
Love the only song...

Hand in hand,
Round and round,
We bring the vision
Into the world
Mercy screams,
Like a newborn child,
We nurture her
For but a while.


Leviathan,
Larger than all of us,
Swims beneath the waves
of the song.
But it's us I see,
Bonded in unity,
With cords forged
in the Fires of Love!

(Chorus)

Beneath The Song

When I first stood at the Cliffs of Moher, I did what I do in high places and pulled out my whistle and began to play an extemporaneous tune. When I was done a lady walked up and thanked me for playing what she said was a sad and very appropriate tune. I was a little confused, but confusion turned to sadness as she explained this was a place where people ended their lives and that her brother had not been dead quite year. For years I have wanted to put this into song and have failed.   I think I finally succeeded. 

We Bring the Summer In
by James Olin Oden

It was in the month of July,
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn*,
I found me-self on the Cliffs of Moher
Playing a mournful tune.

The mists rose up from the ocean below,
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn,
Samhain’s winds on my heart did blow,
Though the summer we brought in.

(Chorus)
Fly, fly away,
And yet you fall,
Fly, fly away,
To the rocks you withdraw,
To the rocks you withdraw,

And when I ceased to play
A woman approached me,
She said you play quite well lad,
And most appropriately.

I stared confused at her,  
While she explained what kind of place this be,
How many lives are ended here,
Thinking they might be free.

(Chorus)

Now the horror began to set in
As she continued on,
For it had not yet been a year,
Since her brother took the fall.

And then it was I understood,
The meaning became full,
The harm done when we take our hands,
And the seasons re-arrange.

* "Thugamar féin an samhradh linnn" - we bring the summer in.  It is from a Bealtaine song of the same name.

We Bring the Summer In

New song I've been working on.   Here are the lyrics:

Your eyes, your eyes, I see them in the night,
Like the stars they truly delight,
A spoken whisper dispelling fright,
Before them no fear can stand.

Your smile your smile, reflected in your eyes,
Before its gaze no trembling may arise,
In great repose all creation sighs,
And burst forth into spring.

(Chorus)
Like vines entwined we dance across green,
Encircling branches we sway in the breeze,
Hands raised high, do we do the dance of trees,
From season to season.
Do you feel the breeze blowing through your hair,
A thousand kisses, a feeling so rare,
Leading us on to who knows where,
It has its own volition.

Your breath, your breath, I feel it on my face,
The smell of flowers as we embrace,
No beginning or end there  is no trace,
We breathe the breath of one.

Your hands your hands, the work of your hands,
Is reflected in all lands,
From deepest valley to where mountain stands,
Is wisdom and beauty.

(Chorus)

Your Eyes

This is a quick recording with less than stellar performance of a reel I wrote.   The name is the name of our Mayor in Raleigh.  Why was there a twinkle in Ricky's eye; well you'd have to ask him.

Nancy McFarlanes (The Twinkle in Ricky's Eye)

A new song I'm working on.   Actually the lyrics were written years ago and I found them recently.   Tim Smith, a fellow musician, has been working on the lyrics with me, so at this point its as much his song as mine:

And We’ll Have No Regrets
By James Olin Oden

If you’ll but ask, I’ll sing you a song,
If you’ve the time, I’ll share a pint,
If the music’s right, we’ll dance all night,
And we’ll have no regrets of auld lang syne.

If you welcome me,  your company I’ll be,
If you’re humble and low, you're a friend indeed,
I’ll cherish our silence, our laughter I’ll keep,
And we’ll have no regrets of auld lang syne.

Those brave ones calling strength their friend,
In whose brave hearts to fear they will not bow,
Their songs ever sung, their memory not forgotten,
And we’ll have no regrets of auld lang syne.

So dance, friend, dance, don’t let the moments pass you by,
Sing, friend, sing all there is to sing,
May your heart burn bright all through the cold night,
And we’ll have no regrets of auld lang syne.



And We'll Have No Regrets

A rough demo of You Struck Me, a song about finding love when not looking for it.

You Struck Me Out of Nowhere
By James Olin Oden

I was traveling along, 
didn’t mean to cause harm,
Keeping my own way,
When you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck out of nowhere.

Was a one man band,
Just trying to make stand,
Dancing to my own song.
When you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck out of nowhere.

(chorus)
Didn’t know it had even happened,
The beat of my heart was no longer my own,
When you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck out of nowhere.
Two souls entwined without even kiss,
Was the glamour of your words, your soul I could not miss,
When you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck out of nowhere.

Now I’m far away and I have to say,
I can’t get you out of my mind,
Cause you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck me out of nowhere.

And even if we go our separate ways,
My heart will never beat the same,
Cause you struck me out of nowhere,
You struck me out of nowhere.

You Struck Me

There are those who choose to use what talent they have to criticize and judge others, to tear down their works, and to try to control them and manipulate them.   This song is about these folks and their petty fiefdoms atop the dung heap.

Concerning execution, I'm still learning to play it, and perhaps the music is not quite done yet.   In truth is very hard for me to play because classical guitar players don't play a lot of power chords, at least this one doesn't.   So this definitely out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing:

The New Lord of Flies
By James Olin Oden

Standing in your field of pride,
Shocks of arrogance all around you,
Vulgarities wrapped in paper wisdom,
Judgements you give so freely.

(chorus)
You’re the new lord of flies!
Buzzing,  Buzzing!
Ba’al Tzivuv newly revived!
Lord of the dung heap,
Buzzing,  Buzzing,
You’re the new lord of flies!

A thousand pupils ever watching,
Others build what you cannot,
You’ll tear them down with witticisms,
So everyone will catch the buzz,

Holding court in your high places,
Looking down on all you survey,
No matter how loud your buzzing,
The smell of your filth you can’t escape!

The New Lord Of Flies (work in progress)

This is a demo of a song about our desire for war,  how we are drawn to it against our own best interests.   It is also a song about being drawn to a mate that might not be the best for you.   Embedded in it is a bit of the Cattle Raid of Cooley, an old Irish legend.   Certainly there are subtexts when you consider that war can be a metaphor for many types of struggles.

Who Are You (Mórrígan)
By James Olin Oden

Who are you?   Dancing in the midst of the fray?
Cheek to cheek your wry smile spreads across your face.
And who am I that I should be so drawn to you?
You are my doom,  I seek no escape.

As bodies fall all around your gait,
You dance to their very last breath.
Raven’s dine, where ere your feet do touch,
I should run, but we are step to step.

Do you hear the drum beat,
As the the pipes, they  moan and bleat,
With sword and spear we dance,
Our bodies breaking against the Mórrígan.

Cúchulainn heard your raven screech,
Served Ulster well when Maeve made the breach,
In labor’s pain Ulster’s men on the turf did reel,
A young boy your dance partner would be.

No one could stand before your very own,
A young man, bent by your ríastrád,
The warriors fell before your chosen one,
Even in death, your boy would stand.
 
Who are you?   Dancing in the midst of the fray?
Cheek to cheek your wry smile spreads across your face.
And who am I that I should be so drawn to you?
You are my doom, I seek no escape.


2016

Who Are You (Mórrígan)

Love Again Somehow (demo)
By James Olin Oden

I’ve been running down the road,
And I can’t seem stop,
It's not quite clear,
What it is I'm running from.
And I do not know,
Where these roads may lead.
I’m a running ragged, I'm mighty haggard,
I'm a ball of misery.

(chorus)
Won't you help me,
To find my way,
I'm running blind,
No I cannot see.
Death awaits me,
But I still got time,
To learn to love again somehow

(chorus)

I've been scrapping,
With my old enemy,
He's a lot of fun,
Looks a lot like me,
He drinks his fill,
of destructive tendencies,
And he lays me out, almost every time,
In a bed of agony.

(chorus)

It's never easy,
to leave a friend,
To break a heart,
So yours may mend,
I planned a murder,
the victim was us,
I took out the knife, and I cut our life,
it bled out on the floor.

Love Again Somehow

This is a song about that moment your partner decides something unilaterally that effects both of you, but in which you know you will have no say.

The Worst Thing
By James Olin Oden


I could hear it in your voice,
I could see it in your eyes,
The resolution of your heart,
A conversation I’d be denied.


The most painful thing I ever felt,
Is when I realized,
You’d already made up your mind.
No conversation could we have,
No hearing of my side,
You’d already made up your mind.


(Instrumental)


Now it’s happening again,
A conversation that can’t even begin,
She’s made up her mind,
And I’ve got nothing to say...that would mean anything!


(chorus)
And I feel
just a little helpless
And dead inside.

The Worst Thing

A demo of a song I wrote to describe what might be the feelings of someone who having unwilling gone through a break up finds that no other partner will do because they keep comparing others to the one that left.

You’re Not Her
By James Olin Oden

(chorus)
I’d hold your hand, but it’s not hers,
I’d kiss your lips; they wouldn’t feel the same,
I’d love your heart, but it’s not hers,
It just wouldn’t ever quite be the same.

She broke my heart, but I’ll always love her,
A special place with in my mind,
I look in your eyes, but it’s her I’m seeing, 
Her olive skin ever on my mind.

(Chorus)

Your hair is straight but hers is curly,
Your brown eyes just are not the same,
And oh your smile though it is charming,
Won’t light the room, nor my heart within.

(Chorus)

So I guess I’ll pass you by,
You’ll never be my only one,
You’ll never make my heart sigh,
You’re not her, no you’re not the one.
You’re not her, no you’re not the one.

2017

You're Not Her

Calavera Girl
By James Olin Oden

Some say the winter
Comes in early November
En diá de los muertos 
A new love is born
Calavera girl you move me
Calavera girl you moved me

No season lasts forever,
Our winter only four months,
But I'd lay with you forever,
Holding back springs blooming,
Calavera girl you move me
Calavera girl you moved me

I thought that we belonged together,
But you love were haunted by another,
The changing seasons must be obeyed,
And I’m a spirit of the spring time, I’m afraid.

Our love it seems was haunted, 
By an ancient specter,
The dead belong with one another, 
Yet in the spring you haunt me,
Calavera girl you move me
Calavera girl you moved me
Calavera girl you move me
And you always will...

Calavera Girl

The Silence
by James Olin Oden

There is no crueler sound,
    At least that I have found,
    than silence between two lovers,
It echoes ever on,
    under each and every song,
    it lies a constant murmur.
The dead have more to say,
    though within the grave they lay,
    their communion so much the clearer.
And as night follow the day,
    and time widdle away,
    the silence grows e'er the louder.

For did they not once lay,
    Entwine and sport and play,
    One breath they held between them.
The air was ever filled,
    With words that ever trilled,
    The joy they held between them.
So Intent would e'er they listen,
    Their hearts beat to attention,
    For to see their souls between them.
But now the void does fill,
    A chasm dark and still,
    There is only silence between them.

No there is no crueler sound,
    though you search the whole world round,
    than silence between two lovers.

The Silence

This a demo of my song Enthralled.   The premise of the song is moving out of a slave mentality incurred by abusive relationships into a mentality of ruling your own life.

Enthralled
by James Olin Oden

How does a thrall become a queen?
How can a slave learn to lead?
Every bit of freedom helps.
Every bit of freedom helps.
Free to make her own judgements, whether good or ill.
Free to make her own judgements, though death may stare.
Free to make her stand,
In strength without fear.
Let her be the repose of her people.
Let her rest in her might,
Like a dragon who rides the night,
Never fearing the dawn!

You've been beaten down and abused,
Intentions twisted and accused.
Trembling in his shadow,
Trembling in his shadow.
The bonds seem so hard to shake, you cannot move.
A snake constricting 'bout your neck, you cannot breathe.
But you will breathe free,
As your own strength you see.
Rise up let your chains fall before you!
Dance in the full moon light
Your time of waning is over,
And now you rise.

(chorus)
Living in the shadows,
Hunting down the light,
Never more to be afraid,
This is my night.
Basking serenely,
'neath the Mother's light,
I spread my wings,
And launch in flight!

(repeat first verse)

(repeat chorus)

Enthralled

Enthralled - Demo Revision 2

Just a quick joke dark happy birthday song.

Ljuba's Birthday Pyre

*EXPLICIT LYRICS*
This is a song Christy Moore sings on his album Folk Tales (2012) which was written by by Barney Rush and Paul McCormack.  It is a delightful tale of some Irish "boys" from Kildare taking a little weekend trip to Amersterdam wherein they experience all the city has to offer.  When I heard Christy Moore do it I about fell out of my seat laughing.   

This rough recording was done at a Songwriters Circle in Carborro on 6/3/2012.  

James Olin Oden

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