JDB Original songs 2025

Tried an original song about longing for home. WT on drums and Chris on keys. Fun to dig into the roster of recent songs to try out a deep cut. 

Knoxville (WTJBCD) 1-15-25 v3.3

First original hip hop song. Built off a drum groove by WT. Vocals by Slang Man, bringing Brooklyn rapper vibes. Guitar and production by JB. Fun to try. 

I'm Alright With You (Slangman) 1-15-25 v1.2

Revisited an original song about my young son who had separation anxiety as an 8 year old and didn't want his parents to leave him at bedtime. Playing this a few years after writing it brings me back to that time. WT holding it down on drums. 

Please Don't Go (WTJB) 1-23-25

This is a song under development. I tried a series of chord inversions on this song. I recoded them with WT on drums. Her drumming towards the end is insane. I sent the track to my friend Lauren in Texas and she overdubbed her vocal. The song is still a work in process, but I liked Lauren's direction. 

Inversion (feat Lu)

improv blues jam with my nephews. Henry on sax. Elliot on drums and vocals. I'm on the Telecaster and then on the overdubbed bass.

Ronny Ron Blues 2 - 17 - 25 V2.3

Though the subject matter of this song is a lament of loss, this project was a thrill. I came up with a minor key progression on the guitar and sent it around to a few musical friends. One of them sent back lyrics inspired by the Civil War (this friend being a Southern son). I sang  the progression with his lyrics, and bang - we have a start at an original.

Letter From Vicksburg 2-17-25 v1

Ronny Mel breaks out an original song. A bluesy funk vibe. Lyrics are still basically a mumble track. But it was fun to settle into this groove with the nephews. 

Mr. Blue  (Ronny Mel) 2-23-25 v1.5

This is an original blues song that I wrote in 2023. In this incarnation, it is with a bunch of terrific musicians. Chris D on keys; WT on drums and Tim Schmidt sending a guitar solo straight from LA. So grateful for all these talented peeps helping make this song. 

Cry Baby Cry (WCJT) 2-6-25 v3.3

I asked Charlie to play drums with me for 10 minutes. He set a timer, which you can hear going off at the end of this song. It's not a ten minute song - I just took the second half of our improv jam. The comedy came at the very end of the song when my wife (Charlie's mom) comes downstairs and asks if I could turn down the amp because the sound is going "All the way through the house." Hence the name of this track. I love the few chances  get to play with Charlie. I overdubbed bass. 

All The Way Through the House 2-27-25 v1.3

Playing an original song with my nephews. Elliot on drums and Henry on bass. Ostensibly, they don't play those instruments. But fun to hear them going for it as i tried to hang on.

Boxcar Music (RM) 3-2-25 v1.4

Midnite Radio (Karis, Jonathan, Chris and John) try an original song written in memory of the death of John's father. It is a slow, contemplative blues song with lyrics adapted from a WH Auden poem.

Funeral Blues (MR) 3-5-25 v1

I was bored on a plane and went back through my old soundcloud. Found a playlist from 2018 called "Dreams of Agedir", which was a surf spot we visited in Morocco. I found the bones of this song in Open D tuning. I re-worked it today and added different chorus structure and different lyrics. Fun to revisit long lost friends. 

Drop D Blues 3-13-25 v1.2

A song I made yesterday, the day after posting the first pass of Drop D Blues. This was the first attempt with another person - in this case the killer drummer WT. 

Drop D Blues (WTJB) 3-14-25 v3.2

Another take on a new song called "Drop D Blues". This song is actually a reimagining of a song I wrote in 2018. It is in Open D tuning (Drop D), and played on capo 2. I was experimenting with a new recording approach. I was in close proximity to a single Neumann TLM mic, aimed so it picked up more vocal than guitar. I copied the original track and pasted it into two separate tracks, panned left and right and with different production on each. Makes it sound richer to my ear. 

Drop D Blues 3-30-25 v1.2

A version of an original song with WT on drums. This song is about the separation anxiety that my eight year old son had a few years back. He never wanted his mom or me to leave him after tucking him into bed. It became an elaborate negotiation. I'm glad he's over that phase, but it was also a tender time and this song reminds me of it. 

Please Don't Go (WTJB) 4-4-25

Debut of a new song I wrote. WT on Cajon and shakers added so much. We also tried it in a full drum kit and agro strumming, but I think I prefer this more nuanced version. Has a latin feel. 

Color of Blues (WTJB) 4-10-25 v2

An alternate version of a new song (work in progress). This take has a full drum kit rather than just cajon and shakers. A little higher energy. 

Color of Blues (WTJB) 4-10-25 v1.2

New song idea on a Dobro. I overdubbed bass. Not even sure of verse or chorus structure yet. The verse/Chorus here is more of just a vibe.

Go See The Races 4-16-25

First attempt at an original song with a pro drummer. That drum pocket adds so much. I played guitar on a Telecaster and sang with the drummer live. Overdubbed Chapman bass.  

Mr. Blue (WTJB) 4-24-25

First attempt at an original song with a pro drummer. I played acoustic guitar and sang live, and then overdubbed bass and second vocal. 

Not Like You (WTJB) 4-24-25

Acoustic guitar; folk; Americana; jam band influences; blues; rock; old time; bluegrass; grungey stuff. Even some electro and EDM vibes occasionally. I play a wide mix of music with a lot of different people.

JDB Original songs 2025

John Britton