These are some of the songs I helped create for the FAWM 5090 in the Summer of 2022.The challenge is to write 50 songs in 90 days.
https://fiftyninety.fawm.org/

This is the long form of the February Album Writing Month - 14 songs in 28 days.
https://fawm.org

Summer 2022 - Songs Created for FAWM 5090

Am I Scared
Nancy Cunningham / JazzAnarchy

Oh, she musta been a mystic
I got her dissertation in my car
Used to tell me where you won't go
That's just who you are

It's been a couple years now
It's still hard to believe
I think of her at bed time
and when I'm raking leaves

I keep crawling through her phone book
Calling her old friends
The Jacksons and the Johnsons 
Then the Ks and Ls, the Ms and Ns

Am I scared, well I'm keeping it at bay
That's always been my way, that's what she would say
Tell me, am I scared?
That's what she would say
It's always been my way
Keeping it at bay
So am I scared?

It isn't like I'm done for
I shower and get dressed
It's not like I'm obsessed
It's not like I'm obsessed

Oh, she musta been a mystic
Her dissertation's in my car
Used to tell me where you won't go, that's just who you are

I keep crawling through her phone book
Calling her old friends
The Jacksons and the Johnsons 
Then the Ks and Ls, the Ms and Ns

Am I scared well I'm keeping it at bay
That's always been my way
That's what she would say
Tell me am I scared
That's what she would say
That's always been my way
Keeping it at bay

Am I scared
Well, I'm keeping it at bay
That's always been my way
That's what she would say

Tell me, am I scared?
That's what she would say
That's always been my way
Keeping it at bay
So am I scared?

Oh, oh, oh

Am I Scared? (performed by JazzAnarchy)

Sounding Out (No Dragons Allowed)

WORKING ALL THE TIME (Cunningham/Jones)
© All Rights Reserved 2022

Drilling offshore, digging in the mine
Handing out a ticket, paying down a fine
Harvesting the heartland, driving my rig
Singing at the Opry or any other gig

I’m working, working, working, working all the time
Working in the morning, working overnight
Pulling double shifts then working on the side
Ever’thing I do, it's all made with pride
I’m working all the time
to keep us working all the time

Rooting out the riffraff, a bouncer at the door
Putting it together on the factory floor
Breaking my back, Fixing what’s broke
I can kid around but work’s no joke

I’m working, working, working, working all the time
Working in the morning, working overnight
Pulling double shifts then working on the side
Ever’thing I do, it's all made with pride
Cause Hon, I’m working all the time
to keep us working all the time

You know the point of work is living,
the point of life is love
In work, in life, in love,
I give you all I’ve got

I’ll pitch nine innings, I'll sell my pint of blood
I’ll fill up a hole, I dug in the mud
I’ll predict the weather, I’ll bury the dead
I’ll box and I’ll build, I’ll deliver the bread
I’ll keep sweating and keep swearing, I’ll keep keeping us fed

I’m working, working, working, working all the time
Working in the morning, working overnight
Pulling double shifts then working on the side
Ever’thing I do, it's all made with pride
while I’m working all the time
Honey, I’m working all the time

And we're working all the time
Yes, we’re working all the time
© Nancy Cunningham 2022

Working All The Time

I Wrestle With The Beast
Original Lyrics by TC Elliott
Modified by Nancy Cunningham

I sit down and I start to write
A song or two by candlelight
Until my thoughts run thin and dry
What use is this I wonder when
I scratch out lines I can’t quite mend
I start to cease to even try
But I wrestle, I wrestle
I wrestle with the beast

I get up and I pace around
Step by step retracing  ground
I battle  with my muse at night
I’d like to do the best I can
But how to I finish what I began
Can’t seem to sing, can’t seem to write
But I wrestle, I wrestle
I wrestle with the beast

In my mind this blankness grows
And swallows every phrase I chose
It’s not simple to write a single word
But I won’t quit, I’ll buckle down
I’ll sit up late and stand my ground
Bare my soul while my mind’s disturbed
I’ll wrestle, I’ll wrestle
Wrestle with the beast

I’ll staple scales on to the page
I’ll breathe a whisper of the rage
Silhouette that monster for now
Sketch a chorus, Nail a verse
May not be good, but it could be worse
I ‘ll hammer out a song ‘bout how 
I wrestle, wrestle
Wrestle with the beast

How I wrestle and wrestle
How I wrestle with the beast

Wrestle With The Beast for FAWM 5090 - Based on TC Elliott's lyrics

Workaholic Country Blues
Music - Jeff Walker
Lyrics - Nancy Cunningham and Nadine De Macedo 

I could tell the boss I'm leaving
Pay me out, we'll be even
Takin' fifty-two weeks vacation every year

I could turn in my time card
Might make my making rent hard
'less I bass fish (more) and hunt for deer

But the hard truth is
I wouldn't know just what to do
I got the Workaholic Country Blues
It's true
They' hard to lose
The Workaholic Country Blues
Got the Workaholic Country Blues

I could take this Job and Shove It
But in some way I must love it
I make just enough to cover bread and beer

I could crack my nest egg
Bingo might pay off big
But more likely I'll keep working right on here

'Cause the hard truth is
I wouldn't know just what to do
Without my Workaholic Country Blues
It's true
It's hard to lose
The Workaholic Country Blues
Got the Workaholic Country Blues

Grandma ploughs past sundown
Grandad drudges in town
That's the life they choose
My whole family's got the Country Workaholic Blues

And the hard truth is
We wouldn't know just what to do
Without our Workaholic Country Blues
It's true
It's hard to lose
The Workaholic Country Blues
Got the Workaholic Country Blues

Workaholic Country Blues

This was a lot of fun. Clever, witty lyrics from @nancy-cunningham-2 on an interesting and contemporary subject. What's not to like? In my head, I was leaning into a bit of McCartney's Three Legs, the Beatles' For You Blue and a dash of Simon and Garfunkel. Did I hit the mark? Probably not. 

Last but not least, the song needed a solo, so I reached out to Rich Joseph (@user-831068061) to add his awesome, double-stopping magic dust. Thanks man!

LYRICS © Nancy Cunningham

Feed the Algorithm
Give him what he wants
Put your best foot forward
Your profile
Your full fronts
Tell him all your secrets
What makes you grin and grunt
Feed the Algorithm
Give him what he wants

Feed the algorithm
Let him roll your dice
He knows your S.A.T. scores
Your dentist and your size
Your IQ and your credit score
He can name your price
Feed the algorithm
Let him roll your dice

Feed the algorithm
What you got to lose?
He knows what you pay in rent
How often you hit snooze
He can tell you how to live
Where to buy your shoes
Feed the algorithm
What you got to lose?

Feed the algorithm
Let him feed you back
He'll tell you if your rainbow
Needs repainting black
He'll serve you tasty morsels
Like your clicking crack
Feed the algorithm
Let him feed you back
Let him feed you back
Let him feed you back

Feed The Algorithm

Different Way

Wrote a song and have been working on it with my son and daughter playing the piano. This was just a 1 track live recording. I had my son find some chords that sounded good with the strumming and just let him do his own thing, he's 8. He was really getting into it and it was super fun. Haven't really had the time lately to make anything polished, so for now it's just a demo. Hope you enjoy.

Sacrafice (Demo)

All bass beats and bits produced and certified by the fudge nutz

Beats Bobs And Bass

I write songs with people and on my own.  I love the way a song can light a match and illuminate a story or a feeling or a character. I'm especially drawn to Americana and Country.

I spend every February writing at fawm.org (February Album Writing Month). It's a great place to hang out if you've ever wanted to sing, play, write, compose, listen, or discuss music. You can find me there as nancycunning.

 I've gotten to write with friends in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington Wisconsin, as well as Canada, France, England, Finland, Germany, and Peru.

Wrestle With The Beast for FAWM 5090 - Based on TC Elliott's lyrics

Nancy Cunningham

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