Nobody

13 Thinkin' 'Bout You

12 Boom

11 Mr. Big Shot

10 Plenty Of Blues

09 Riverside

08 Meet In The Middle

07 Thank You

06 - Drinking With Hemingway

05 - Tower Of Babel

04 - Irish Dreams Tonight

03 - Drinking With Another Man's Wife

02 - Wanna Be Your Cowboy

01 - Losing My Name

I have come to enjoy, appreciate the creative process. It has taken awhile to get there. So much self doubt to overcome. Putting the guitar on my lap, turning on the IPad, figuring out the lyrics in my head as I go, even trying to sing higher notes - all done while trying to stay true to the original inspiration. Later on, I might decide to actually make a decent recording/song out of it, or maybe not. Who cares? All just for fun.  However, nothing will ever be as genuine and intimate as that initial, unproduced, highly flawed recording This song is about dementia and Alzheimer diseases song from two perspectives. Not really a very happy little song, but being a few weeks away from 69 years old, my mind goes there occasionally, especially hen looking for my car keys or wondering if I already took that medication today?
The words for those who struggle with my sloppy California accent -
What is your name, I like your face
Did I know you, in some other place
You touch my hand, tears in your eyes, you call me daddy
I don't know why
I'm falling, falling away, falling from you, falling from me
Falling from our yesterdays
Look in my face, do you know my name, We were married
On a summer's day
All that we've done, This is our home, Living with you
Is like living alone
He's falling, falling away.falling from you, falling from me
Falling from our yesterdays

Falling

Hey. Be You!
Dedicated to Everyone Who Is Courageous Enough to Share Their Creative Spirit.

Gary McMahon's Album

Sing Your Song (Still Working On This Song!)

Rerecording a couple of the older songs with a band, a really good band, much better than the singer/songwriter!

(De Nouveau) I've Done It Again - not mixed yet

I can now mark off my bucket list - writing a song with a cello in it. Last summer I was in a park in Ashland, Oregon and an older gentleman, dressed in his Sunday best, was playing his cello out among the trees. He played a beautiful rendition of "Hallelujah." It was a stunning and awesome moment. Everyone stopped walking as he played. His soul was connected to everyone's soul who heard him play. I am 69 years old and he was older than me. I fell in love with the sound of the cello. My friend Nicky Hines (guitarist for the country band "Shenandoah" figured out how to put a cello in the song we've been slowing working on, Mercy Me. Lizzy Munson, a cellist who has worked with people like Michael Buble, among many others, including Cirque Du Soleil, added her magic. I think it sounds beautiful. When it gets completely done I will list all the other amazing musicians.
Mercy Me is a prayer of recognition, an acknowledgment of Grace. Besides having a bucket list, I also have a shit list - things I would do differently. I don't say this very often about a song I've written, but I love this song. 
Thanks for listening-again!

Mercy Me (with all instruments and rough vocal/instruments mix)

The genius Steve Allen of Square One Studio found some time out of his very busy schedule to work on this track. I love the mix. I wrote this song a few months before losing our home and stuff in the Camp Fire in Paradise, California November 8th 2018. Ended up being a little bit prophetic. The original idea of the song came from a vivid dream I had during a turbulent time on my life. I often just ignore my dreams because they are confusing and, well, sometimes causes me to question my own goodness. Yet, the Bible is full of dream stories and appears as a way that God often communicated. Not sure why dreams are so often discounted or ignored now. Anyway, parts of my dream ended up in this song and the rest of the lyrics are just observations.  Nicky Hines, of the country band Shenandoah, plays all the guitar parts and directed the song. The sound is his vision. We originally were after that 70's Laurel Canyon sound, but of course my wandering vocals often don't end up where originally intended. I do like this mix a lot and the musicians are awesome.

Love Has Gone Away

Haven't tried writing a new song in months. Very low production quality, just sort of winging it with misplaced notes and all and the door wide open to all the household noises. The inspiration (Verse II)comes from an experience during a high school football practice in 1968. A new kid had moved into town. He was a good player and a nice, gentle soul. During practice once, the school principle and another administrator came down to the field and asked for the new kid to follow him to his office. Never a good thing. Couldn't figure out what he might have done wrong. Later we found out that they told him his 20 year old brother had died in Vietnam. I have never forgotten that scene nor the impact it had on their family. Years later, I am wearing tee shirts that say "Made in Vietnam."  Why, why, why?  Not knowing is what this song is about, bad and good.  I'll listen to it for a while and see if it is worth developing. God Bless you!

Just An Old Man Playing His Guitar 
capo 3

Verse I
G                  Em
Tears in the dark
C                    G
I know how it feels
G                  Em
Your broken heart
C                D 
His love wasn’t real
Em                    C
You look in my eyes
G                           D
For answers you need
Em                C
But I’m not that wise
G                              D
Won’t find them in me
C          G                 Em                        D
Don’t understand why things they are
C                 G             Em           D         G
I’m just an old man, playing his guitar
Verse II
Shirt on my back
Made in Vietnam 
I knew a boy
He never came home
His name on a wall 
With others who died
So hard to believe
A big truth was a big lie
Don't know why things they are
I’m just an old man, playing his guitar
Verse III
Under the snow
Wildflowers grow
How could this be?
Mystery to me
Out of the darkness
And into the light
A baby is born
We cradle new life
I don't know why things they are
I’m just an old man, playing his guitar

Old Man Playing His Guitar

Let ‘er ride refers to gambling and leaving your winning chips on the table in an attempt to double up your money and catching a hot streak… nearly always ends up going bust. True story, first time in Las Vegas and being underage, I won 17 consecutive hands of 21/Black Jack. … . This song is about the tragedy of addiction….A work in progress, still need to add final vocals and then mix it .....takes me a long time....
This motel room smells like urine, the broom won't sweep it away, it doesn't matter though, I'm only here for today, tonight- I'll let 'er ride
I can be your Elvis, you be my Priscilla, They say if you do it long enough, it's never gonna kill ya, tonight- I'll let 'er ride, let 'er ride
They say they didn't know, I kept it to myself, all they had to do, was look upon my shelf, tonight-I'll let 'er ride
I can be your Elvis, you be my Priscilla......

Let 'er Ride (unmixed)

A Woman Like You

Yesterday Again

This Old Cardigan Sweater (Music, Recording, Vocals by Chuck Aaron, Lyrics by Gary A. McMahon)

Ah, just fooling around with the Iphone and the imagination

Dreamer and Storyteller: The Great Tree (rough recording, poppin' the P's)

On This Christmas Night

My Side of the World (with Chuck Aaron, Mark Mayes, and Lawrence Farr. Thanks guys!)

(Used to be) The Dumbest Song I Ever Wrote (I've Written Dumber Since)

Songs From the Shed

You Blue

Deep Within the Pages

Dear Chuck, Lawrence, and Josh, thank you. This song means so much to me. Lately I bounce between dispair and gratitude. I need the star as my guide through all of these new challenges. How wonderful it is to collaborate on a song of hopefulness. 
Lawrence and Josh, your vocals are expressions of big loving hearts. Thank you so much.
Chuck, your vocals, songwriting, guitar-playing, producing (from 4 guys in 4 different parts of the world using 4 different platforms and recording equipment) is amazing and so good. Also, you're the one who made this all happen. What a wonderful Christmas gift. Thank you, thank you all.

Know, That I Love You

So happy with this. This is our 3rd Christmas song together - Chuck, Lawrence, and myself and we were fortunate enough to have Mark Mayes and Josh McAlexander join us on the first and second one.  So happy Lefty Mike joined us this year! Chuck wrote the melody, played the guitar, and cleaned up the lyrics that I sent him. This is no easy task with all of us using different microphones, recording at different levels, and with our own unique timing. THANK YOU Chuck. You are one of a kind and your heart is huge.  Please visit Chuck's, Lawrence's and Lefty's pages. They have incredible music posted there. Thank you guys!
The song speaks for itself.

Gary A. McMahon

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks