Favs By Roger Whittlesey

Janne Hennie

Words and Music by Roger Whittlesey. Georg Boehme arranged and played all saxes. All other sounds by Whittlesey. roduced in New Hampshire and in Cologne, Germany. ©2024. Thank you, Georg, for participating in this process and for offering your awesome talents. 

What's this song about? String Theory is the notion that all time exists on a string—a string that never disappears. I'm a fan of the podcast/television show Closer to Truth, an American production hosted by a neuroscientist. The host interviews the leading experts on many scientific and philosophical subjects. In a recent podcast, scientists discussed String Theory, which became the inspiration for this song. 

One scientist explained that if you imagine a string along which all time exists—past, present and future—then you can understand that right now both the future and past still exist on that string. So, in theory, the past never disappears and the future is waiting to happen. He likened it to a DVD of a movie. At any point you can rewind or move forward. He suggests that this may be possible with time. 

What I drew from this notion is that all that has happened in my life, all the people I have known—in particular those who are no longer here—are, according to this theory, still existing on the string. Is this a comfort? I think it is for me. 

This is why in the refrain I sing, " I will always be with you." Even when I no longer exist, I will exist along the string, a string that connects me to a past before my own existence began and to a future that I will never see. 

Perhaps you will draw something different from this song and from the theory. In any case, I hope you enjoy the musicianship on this recording. Georg and I worked hard to produce parts and solos that we're proud of. 

Roger Whittlesey
February 18, 2024

See the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0mjns4dHvk

String Theory (Featuring Georg Boehme)

Words and Music by Roger Whittlesey. Arranged by Whittlesey and Audric Jankauskas. Guitar and synth by Jankauskas. All other sounds by Whittlesey. ©2024

Dear Reader, 

What is existence? Who made time? Is there a governing force? These are questions that cannot be answered with any certainty. Humankind has spent thousands of years creating stories to answer these questions and there are as many answers as there are cultures. 

When something good happens, there is a tendency for some to thank a deity. But what about when something bad happens? Some will say that this event was the deity's doing too, and that it is all part of some grand plan. 

I prefer not to twist myself into a pretzel attempting to apply logic to what are leaps of faith. And so, I follow science as it attempts to get closer to truth. In this song, I apply—in a whimsical way—a religious trope (Say Amen) to what is my secular belief. I encourage all to follow their own beliefs, whether sacred or secular. I cast no aspersions no matter what your beliefs, so long as those beliefs do not impinge upon the beliefs and freedoms of others. 

My special thanks to Audric Jankauskas for joining me on this song. His immense talent as a guitarist may be known to those of you who have heard him play on several of my other songs, but you should also know of his great musicianship, arranging and compositional skills. Audric added those beautiful angular lines toward the end of the song, which I think are so cool. 

This has been a great summer for me. I've had the opportunity to collaborate with at least 12 other musicians—talented players and singers from all around the globe. The autumn approaches, but the music will continue—I still have much more music that I am eager to release. 

Thank you for your continued support.

All My Best, 

Roger Whittlesey
August 2024

Say Amen

Words and music By Roger Whittlesey. Saxophone arrangement by Georg Boehme. Boehme plays soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes. He also plays the bass clarinet. Noel Barrett plays the bass guitar. All other sounds by Whittlesey. © 2024.

Dear Reader, 

In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," Ophelia drowns herself in what is a terrible and tragic scene late in the play. 

The idea for this song came when I recognized that the grief of loss, missed opportunities, and mistakes compound as we age, and they don't leave us. Instead, these emotions seem to haunt us—often surprising us when we least expect it. And so, these feelings are akin to the tragic drowning of Ophelia, except that they seem to happen again and again—hence the title of the song. 

Georg Boehme, a brilliant arranger, composer, and horns player from Cologne, Germany, joined me on this piece. I sent Georg the basic tracks and gave him no instructions. He knows what to do, and he always exceeds my expectations. His playing on this piece is amazing. As you get to know Georg's music, you will begin to see that he has a unique style, and it shines through in all that he plays. Thank you, Georg, for lending me your immense creative talents. 

Last week, I sent what I believed was the finished version of this song to Noel Barrett, an outstanding bass player from Cork City, Ireland. I knew he would dig the work that Georg did on the track. And he did. Without any prompting, he replaced the bass part that I laid down—and improved the tune tenfold in the process. Noel has rock-solid time and brings a melodic sensibility to everything he plays on the bass. It is a great pleasure and honor to have him guesting on this song. 

Finally, I thank you, my devoted listeners, for your comments and for your repeated returns to my channel. 

I have much more music to write. This is only the beginning of the journey. 

Highest Regards, 

Roger Whittlesey
July 9, 2024

Ophelia Drowns Again

It's a special honor that my dear friend Michele Ansani asked me if I would like to work on a song he wrote years ago called 'Alla Fine della Fine delle Fini' (To the end of the end of the ends) which is a great track. When I listened to it I said to Michele that I thought the song is already finished and asked what I supposedly could do with it. He said, that he wasn't going to publish it and wanted me to work on the root idea of the song to create something new.  Thank you so much Michele for being so generous to leave the basic song idea to my purposes (all flaws are mine).

Listen to his wonderful music here, you all know him anyway: https://soundcloud.com/michele-ansani

Michele Ansani: Seed idea
Me: Instruments, vocals, lyrics, arrangement.

Photograph from the top of Half Dome, Yosemite NP, CA, USA by A. Besinger  2022

One day I walked the shores of time
Wiping away the footprints left behind

Tossing stones into the sea  
Just to watch the ripples making their way back to me  

What if these dancing rings were just memories
Would they come to life once more to set me free?


Abandoned this place that I called home ￼
and took that boat I was hiding for so long 

Facing the storms, past the sirens song
The love of gods in mind may have led me wrong

Set course to the end of the end of the ends
So when you step off the edge of the world 
Make sure that your wings are spread 

When I stepped through the gates of Plutonion
Caught between Scylla and Charybdis I would be found

Sacrificed the ones to whom I belonged
A wise man would rather be envied than being wronged

Set course to the end of the end of the ends
So when you step off the edge of the world 
Make sure that your wings are spread 

Set course to the end of the end of the ends
So when you step off the edge of the world 
Make sure that your wings are spread

Off the Edge of the World (with Michele Ansani)

Music: Little Man Project & Janne Hennie
Lyrics & Vocals: Janne Hennie
Instruments & Mix: Little Man Project

Lyrics:

A demon came and poked me on my shoulder and said
Girl you're so stupid and bad
Stay away from people, you will only hurt them
And make them miserable and sad

When demons like that tries to push you down
Tell them to go back to hell
They just try to break you
But you're stronger than you know
Make them disappear from yourself..

The demon just kept going
Appeared every day
Whispered ugly things in my ear
But I chased it out
Watched it crawl away
I shouted: Don't come back, don't you dare!

When demons like that tries to push you down
Tell tem to go back to hell
They just try to break you
But you're stronger than you know
Make them disappear from yourself..

The demon returned tried again and again
To force its way into my mind
I will not feed it my negative thoughts
My weakness the demon won't find

When demons like that tries to push you down
Tell them to go back to hell
They just try to break you
But you're stronger than you know
Make them disappear from yourself...

The Demon

A little demo song about appreciation,,,,,,,,,you know who you are…………..cheers for having a listen


You never ask for more than nothing
A kinder heart you couldn’t find
And what you have you’d gladly give
Always there, to ease my worried mind

And when the wind was angry
And the sky got dark
I’d listen to you sing
And the light would shine around you
And make me smile again
You kept me under your wing

A smile can say more than a thousand words
Among the noise it’s hard now to be heard
But you always got an ear to lend for sure
Never hesitate, to open up your door

And even in my darkest hour
When no one’s getting through
You showed me nothing but love
Your arms wrapped tight around me
Making me feel safe again
You kept me under your wing

Under Your Wing

Words and music by Roger Whittlesey. Lead guitar by Audric Jankauskas. Bass by Noel Barrett. 2024.

Crossfire

Merveilles. (translated after the French text)

Vidéo : https://youtu.be/szflIdLROGY

Texte:      Sanzen
Chant :     Orelya
Musique : Alain Illos

Moi, je vais devant moi, 
tant que je vois le ciel.
Que je pense et que j'aime,
 l'air, les fleurs, le sel.
Un brin d'herbe tressaille, 
au sommet des collines.
Et dans le ciel vaste,
c'est mon coeur qui défaille.
Quand nous étions amants, 
quand nous étions aimants, 
sous le ciel lourd d'octobre, 
quand la nature se change.
Et je vois, dans les prés, 
la splendide fraîcheur. 
Et flotte dans le vent, 
les images délivrées.
Moi, je vais devant moi, tant que je vois le ciel. Je fais un pas de plus, l'air, les fleurs, le sel.
Solo
Les brins d'herbe qui tressaillent, 
la céleste harmonie.
Quand la nature se change, 
quand je pense et que j'aime.
Quand nous étions amants, 
au sommet des collines.
Que dans le ciel vaste,
nous voyions des merveilles.

Wonders

I go ahead, 
as long as I can see the sky.
That I think and love,
 the air, the flowers, the salt.
A blade of grass twitches, 
on the hilltops.
And in the vast sky,
it's my heart that falters.
When we were lovers, 
when we were loving, 
under the heavy October sky, 
when nature changes.
And I see, in the meadows, 
the splendid freshness. 
And floating in the wind, 
delivered images.
I go ahead, 
as long as I can see the sky.
 I take one more step, 
the air, the flowers, the salt.
Solo
The twitching blades of grass,
 celestial harmony.
When nature changes, 
when I think and love.
When we were lovers, on hilltops.
 When in the vast sky
 we saw wonders.

Merveilles avec Orelya

Chayne's 3rd single, released 15 November 2024
Video here https://youtu.be/ElVhFN_vLhI?si=yaqSyDj6Und1rUry

Quicksilver

Words and Music by Roger Whittlesey. Bass by Noel Barrett. All other sounds by Whittlesey.  2024.

The Minutes of Night

Instrumental by Nver Avetyan: https://ultimatrailer.com/composers/
Vocals, Lyrics by Nadia Selvaggi

Time by Nver Avetyan & Nadia Selvaggi

Original acapella Sergi Yaro :
https://www.looperman.com/acapellas/detail/22445/im-with-you-now-118bpm-pop-acapella

Im With You Now Ft Sergi Yaro

"Shifting Sands" - A psychedelic journey through time and consciousness, where Pink Floyd meets modern indie folk-rock. This introspective piece weaves together shimmering guitars, ethereal piano melodies, and dynamic percussion to create a dreamlike atmosphere where reality and imagination intertwine. A meditation on memory, transformation, and eternal love, brought to life through layered instrumentation and haunting harmonies.

Lyrics:
In empty rooms of yesterday
The mirrors still reflect our ways
Each fragment tells of different changes
All we knew to rearrange
And in the silence of the dawn
When shadows paint what's gone
We trace the lines that led us here
Beyond the wall of fear
On the other side of forever
Where the old dreams sleep
We found each other in the ether
In waters running deep
Running deep...
The world outside is growing old
Its stories left untold
But in your eyes I recognize
The light that never dies
Like distant stars that guide us home
Through fields we've never known
While time dissolves the walls between
What's real and what we dream
And as the old world slips away
Into shades of grey
We build our castle in the sky
Where love refuses to die
Can you hear the sound?
Of circles closing round
While somewhere in the distance
Time is breaking down
Breaking down...
Breaking down...
So here we stand on shifting sand
Two souls who understand
That in this space between the lines
Where reason intertwines
With fragments of forgotten days
We'll find our own escape
Through doors that only dreamers see
When love sets madness free
On the other side of forever
Where lost souls find their way
We'll dance between the never
And the light of dying day
Till time itself surrenders
To the games that lovers play


Featuring rich layers of acoustic and electric guitars, atmospheric piano, dynamic percussion, with touches of brass and banjo weaving through the sonic landscape. Perfect for fans of classic psychedelic rock who appreciate modern indie sensibilities.

Shifting Sands

Ooh
Waiting on your call
JNO let's try it again

I've been waiting all night
Waiting on your phone call
Cause I know your insight
And I know you want it all

And we're up
Late text messages
Waiting on your call
Waiting cause I know
I know you want it all again
Nah
So imma try again

So imma try again (imma try again)
And I know what when (know what when)
Your up out all night (up out all night)
Baby just take a line (you know I'll take it)
You clean it with your face (I clean it up)
Baby just take a taste (you know I like the taste)
Cause I know what's right (know whats right)
And I know your mine (know you're all mine)

Late night messages
Waiting on your call
Baby don't pretend
I'm just giving you my all
My all
So imma try again
From enemies to friends
I would do it all again
Do it all again
Do it all again
Imma try again

So imma try again (imma try again)
And I know what when (know what when)
Your up out all night (up out all night)
Baby just take a line (you know I'll take it)
You clean it with your face (I clean it up)
Baby just take a taste (you know I like the taste)
Cause I know what's right (know whats right)
And I know your mine (know you're all mine)

JNO let's try it again

For more information, visit jno.one
© 2025 JNO Records

Try Again

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Roger Whittlesey is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter from the Boston area. He often composes and records pop music with intricate harmonies and deceptively sophisticated chord changes. Many songs spring from his 60s, 70s and 80s influences, but his music is original and unique. Whittlesey often collaborates with instrumentalists and singers from the world of jazz, folk, and pop to create a hybrid form.

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