Ok, so, this is so dark. Inspired by today's artwork that looks like my BFF and her husband. Which reminded me of their marriage, which I hate for her - for them both, really. I recorded it with only a flute drone. I can't decide if I want anything else. I want it stark and barren... I completely indulged my drama for this one. And, was thinking of like a sea faring tale of warning or something. 

In my heart there is a cube
And all that's green and left of you
I store inside to keep it from
The wasteland that we've become

You hold me there in loving care
I turn to you, you hold my stare
You lift me up, my burdens shared
And all is lush and living there

Refrain: 
I've laid my flowers by the cube
To mark the spot I've buried you
I come to visit when day's done
I come to you beloved one

You are not gone, I live with you
But long ago, our love was through
Like sawdust earth that dried and cracked
Our love once red has since turned black

And, now this babe that I will bear
Grows inside me unaware
Of all she'll see, of what will be
When she is born, youngest of 3

Refrain
I've laid my flowers by the cube
To mark the spot I've buried you
I come to visit when day's done
I come to you beloved one

All that's left between us now
The farm, the girls, the sheep, the cow
The daily burdens we don't share
Our lives untethered, unaware

Should your path lead you astray, 
I would not miss you right away
I will be here, nowhere to go
My girls and I will make this home

refrain 
I've laid my flowers by the cube
To mark the spot I've buried you
I come to visit when day's done
I come to you beloved one
I come to you, beloved once

Saw Dust

I went to my friend's wedding yesterday. When I sat down to write today, I really couldn't thing of anything personal of interest - or coherent enough to write into a song. So, I wrote about her wedding. I've never tried to write from someone else's perspective. It was really cool! I just moved to Minnesota a year ago, and this song gave me the idea of writing this whole week about life here. For example, they did this thing called "dollar dances" where you pay the bride or groom $1 for a dance. And, they use that money on their honeymoon. I grew up in TN and MA, and never heard of such a thing. Makes me feel like a true Americana artist to include that reference in a song ;) 

So, we'll see if that theme actually happens this week. I can't imagine I'll be able to keep to it! But here's the first one.

Lyrics: 
Saturday, 28th of July, opened those church doors and saw the look in your eyes
Oh lord daddy, get me down this aisle fast
So I have a prayer of making this eye makeup last

And 14 minutes later, it was the best day of my life
The day they called me your wife

We drove down to the American Legion with all our friends and family and their plus ones
Ate our cheese cake and chatted a while
Took those dollar dances one by one with a smile

And 2 hours later, it was the best day of my life
The day they called me your wife

I am just a simple woman born and raised in this small Minnesotan town
And you have listened to my every story graciously and loved me as the days went round
And this is our day…

Saturday, 28th of July
Opened those church doors and saw the look in your eyes


28th of July

Day 2 - just saw that Tim and Diana wrote about superheroes today and I was looking for inspiration... So, this isn't actually about superheroes. But, it has the word super hero in the chorus. :) 

Simple Kind of Love:

It's late again on a Monday night. 
How hard you gonna work, baby, til it's finally all right?
I swear that muse of yours, she's gonna work you to the bone
But when you decide to throw in that towel, I'll be waiting here at home.

(Chorus)
I don't need a super hero, just our simple kind of love
The kind that wraps it's arms around me, watches that moon shinin' above
I don't need a super hero to save me from myself
Just our simple kind of love baby, and nothing else - nothing else

I hear the crickets now, the cat is howling how
If I'd just let her out she won't go crawling in those trees
I miss you baby, do you miss me too?
What I wouldn't give to watch this moon rise with you

(Chorus)

I knew before I came here, you would always do your best
You told me I would hate you, that you would make me second guess
So hear me say 

(Chorus)

Simple Kind of Love

Ok, I swear I wrote this song in an hour, and recorded the bass line and vocals in an hour. However... I did spend a little extra time tonight on production because we decided last minute to submit this one to the Regional Division of the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest!! Thanks to Beth Varela for the production work tonight. This was sooooo fun!!

Jess: vocals and baseline. Beth Varela: percussion, flute and organ. 

Out the door:

Sitting at home, another hot summer night
Waiting for you to come and start a fight
I ain't got time for this, I tell you I am through
I'm leaving boy, now tell me what you're gonna do

I've heard you scream and curse my name so many times before 
You hurt me once, you hurt me twice, I'm out the door

You called me at the end of your rope
I nursed you back to health, I gave you back your hope
You've resented me every time that I reached out
take a look into your mirror, what is that about?

I've heard you scream and curse my name so many times before 
You hurt me once, you hurt me twice, I'm out the door

I've heard you scream and curse my name so many times before 
You hurt me once, you hurt me twice, I'm out the door

Out The Door - Jess Yoakum 1

This track is a mess!! But, I don't have time to fix it... I think I'm gonna revisit this one at the end of the week cause sadly I need to go to work!! It was fun to make, I just need to start over with the recording, though!!! 




My Song 5

Basically a chronological account of my days today and yesterday :) Not sure what I want to play during the chorus, yet, so I just left it blank. I was highly distracted while writing and recording this, so I started and stopped the track a bunch. Here's what I got... 

Lyrics:
You and I, we can do anything
Play flute and cello on their wedding day
Ride our bikes on down to Cedar Lake
Then jump right in cause it's still Saturday

(chorus) 
You pull me closer and say you're the lucky one
I lay back into the lake and smile up at the setting sun
I'm free

Summer days are long and beautiful
Easy living, life is never dull
Sit out at Bev's and have a drink with me
We'll invite our friends and see who is free

(chorus)
You pull me closer and say that you're the lucky one
I lean back into my chair and smile up at the setting sun
and I'm free

(bridge)
Come out and play with me
I like the me you see
We have the world baby
There's nothing else we need
And, I'm free

The back yard smells like basil and tomato
Let's eat our meals outside today
You make spring rolls, I'll bake some chicken
Meet you outside when our work is through

You pull me closer and say that you're the lucky one
I lean back into my chair and smile up at the setting sun
and I'm free
I'm free
I'm free



Free

Here's my latest song in progress. There's a pause between the verse and chorus because I don't know what I want the baseline to do there, yet. But, it does keep going! I just have to let this go for today and go about my life!! :) If I can find some time with Beth to play around with this one I might revisit it and upload an edited version. 

I'm writing from someone else's perspective again... interesting for me to play around with this this last week!!

Lyrics:
It's just another lonely day since you walked away
I told you it was the right thing, but not all I say is true
You told me that you loved me baby, the best way you know how
And here I am still loving you, even now -
Even now

(chorus) But you know I'm gonna rise up (rise up)
And you know I'm gonna move on (move on)
You know I'm gonna be strong (be strong)
Find the place where I belong (belong)
But some days (some days)
This journey just seems so long (so long)

I've been down this road a time or two, before I met you
I still hoped this love would stand a chance, just like I always do
But since the day you married me, you've been my friend and nothing more
and even after all this time, I believe there's more in store
I believe there's more in store

chorus



Move on

My Day 7 song.... SWEET! I did it :)

Obviously this one is still in progress. I am uncertain of the melody at certain points. And, it seems like maybe there's still a bridge coming. But, I had to keep this to an hour of songwriting today, because I have to leave to teach now. So, this is what I had time for!

This has been an awesome week (and a half)! I hope to have some time in the next week (and a half) to edit and re-record a couple of these. Soooo encouraging to know that teaching doesn't take away my ability to write. Just sucks up some time. But, I can do both if I make time for it! :)

Oh, just a note about the inspiration... the first line, my drummer drums to a slower beat is cause I keep getting feedback in my classes that I sing our songs really slow. In the midst of utter chaos (I teach toddlers-kindergarteners), my reaction is to get super grounded and slow down. I tend to write slow songs, too (like yesterday's). So, I just decided my drummer drums to a slower beat... and hence this song was born. :) I also realize it's no longer July - but, poetic license applies here, right?

Lyrics:
My drummer drums to a slower beat
I try to pick it up, and I lose track of me
Take a little time to breathe I always see
The days are so much easier

(chorus) I've got a full belly and warm skin
The rest will be done as soon as it begins
The bugs are singing the cars drive by
I love this simple morning in July
July

You go build a house today, I'll sing my songs
Then come on back home tonight, where we belong
Let's make a meal and eat it out in the back yard
And talk until the sun sets

Chorus...