How Will I Ever Be Simple Again (Richard Thompson) - 
Live Cover by Mike Breen

Oh she danced in the street with the guns all around her
All torn like a rag doll, barefoot in the rain
And she sang like a child, toora-day toora-daddy
Oh how will I ever be simple again

She sat by the banks of the dirty grey river
And tried for a fish with a worm on a pin
There was nothing but fever and ghosts in the water
Oh how will I ever be simple again

War was my love and my friend and companion
And what did I care for the pretty and plain
But her smile was so clear and my heart was so troubled
Oh how will I ever be simple again

In her poor burned-out house I sat at her table
The smell of her hair was like cornfields in May
And I wanted to weep and my eyes ached from trying
Oh how will I ever be simple again

So graceful she moved through the dust and the ruin
And happy she was in her dances and games
Oh teach me to see with your innocent eyes, love
Oh how will I ever be simple again
Oh how will I ever be simple again

How Will I Ever Be Simple Again

How Will I Ever Be Simple Again (Richard Thompson) LIVE COVER

2024 Greater Arizona Country Music Hall Of Fame Inductee Mike Breen began his musical career in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania playing guitar and singing bluegrass music.  After a few years at Penn State University studying creative writing and playing with the "Magnificent Truckstop Band" Mike moved to Phoenix, Arizona and immediately got a gig in a folk duo called 'Smith and Breen' performing at the Salt Cellar restaurant.  A year later Mike began a three year stint as a "Barnstormer" at The Windmill Dinner Theater.  During this time Mike met many musicians and songwriters including Darcie Deaville with whom he collaborated on stage and in the studio and co-wrote her Kerrville winning song 'Icy Barrel of a Loaded Gun.’

Mike released 2 Cds in the nineties -  "No Excuses" and "Past Lives" to critical acclaim (favorable reviews in "Dirty Linen," "Sing Out" and several other national publications) and started to have other artists record his songs which eventually led to a passion for recording.  Also, during this period of time Mike got the call to perform with the Red River Opry Band in Tempe, AZ and in 1996 got his first b bender telecaster which would eventually lead him to write and record a CD called "Mescal Mary and Other B Bender Guitar Instrumentals" which received notable reviews in many national publications including "20th Century Guitar." 

Mike's freelancing work on stage and in the studio has given him the opportunity to work with several country stars that would come through town including Jessi Colter (with whom he recorded tracks for her "Out Of The Ashes" CD produced by Don Was), John McKuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doug Haywood of Jackson Browne's band, Hank Thompson, Colin Raye, Skip Ewing and opening for such artists as Roy Clarke, Jo Dee Messina, Confederate Railroad and Eddie Rabbitt as well as well as releasing more of his own work including "Apartment Living" and "All Night Long" which include some of Mike's most compelling songs.
Over the years Mike has gained an enthusiastic following for his "story songs" and has been a finalist in many songwriter competitions including 
The Tucson Folk Festival, The Sierra Songwriters Festival, The KRCL Songwriting Competition and The Lake County Folk Festival Songwriting Competition.  

 Currently, you can find Mike performing at the Rusty Spur Saloon in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ, The Musical Instrument Museum - The MIM - contributing to other projects including "Spirit Cave" with his son, Ryan, and composing and recording music for television and movies including the made for TV special "Walker, Texas Ranger - Trial by Fire,"  A&E's "Duck Dynasty" and "Intervention," Discovery Channel's "Sucking Amps," and "Auction Kings," A&E's "Biographies" on Bruce Willis, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Cuba Gooding Jr, Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Leonardo Di Caprio, Patrick Duffy, Owen Wilson, "Lassie's Pet Vet," NBC's "America's Got Talent," TLC's "Property Ladder," "My First Home,"  and "Toddlers And Tiaras,"The Discovery Channel's "Clinically Wild - Alaska," "ABC's Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," "American Idol Rewind," "Wedding Central," "Farmer Wants A Wife" on the CW network, "Can You Duet" on CMT, "Clean House" on the Style Network, "Losing It, Tales From Fat Camp,"  "The Osbornes Reloaded," "Love Kills" on Investigation Discovery, "Blood Money" on the History Channel, "Aerial America: Yellowstone" on The Smithsonian Channel, "America's Got Talent" and the theme song for "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo."

How Will I Ever Be Simple Again (Richard Thompson) LIVE COVER

Mike Breen Singer/Songwriter