Bravo Jim and Kevin  , great prod as usual 👌

Oh, this is a beautiful song with a fantastic sound. What a loss that there won't be any more collaborations between you and Kevin in the future. Your collaboration on this song is just great. Thank you so much for sharing it with us, Jim.💫

oh man. sorry to hear the loss. beautiful song

Pretty beautiful song. I'm really sorry about your friend!

Beautiful song by you and Kevin, Jimmy.  I am very sorry for your loss, He really was a great musician, and always so kind! <3

Really nice song. And so sad to hear about Kevin.

Hi Jimmy very nice song, great sound 👌

Great musicality on this - the guitar melody is very striking with the synths. Hypnotic and brilliant. Sorry to hear your news. Great collaboration.

Written by Charlie Warner
Arranged by Pete and Paul
Pete-Acoustic 12 string and 6 string guitars-Vocal,backing vocal-Bass-Keyboards
Paul- Drums-backing vocals

Snakepatch                 Alternative

Dressed to Kill

This is a mastered version of this song that I had originally posted on here in 2022. I love how it’s given the song more sonic oomph! I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Ryan at RCD Audio. 
Take care
James 

Lyrics - Don’t want to be sat here

Goldfinches on feeders, in the winter sun
You’re sat by the window, watching as more come
I’m sat looking at you, quiet in my chair
Questioning my commitment, wondering if I still care

Have we dragged this deadweight, with no engine and no wheels, for far too long?
My broken back is screaming, my poor heart is just pleading - lets move on

The old dog keeps on scratching, he whines and then he sighs
And you bark questions at me, but never wait for my reply
All patience I may have had, its gone and now I know
We’ll suffocate and fester and our resentment will just grow 

Have we dragged this deadweight, with no engine and no wheels, for far too long?
My  broken back is screaming, my poor heart is just pleading - lets move on

Let’s give it up
Lets give it up
Cos I don’t want to be sat here, mean and bored
Lets give it up, lets give it up
Cos I don’t want to be sat here anymore

Solo

Have we dragged this deadweight, with no engine and no wheels for far too long?
My broken back is screaming, my poor heart is just pleading - lets move on

Lets give it up, please lets give it up
Cos I don’t want to be sat here, mean and  bored
Lets give it up, lets give it up
Cos I don’t want to be sat here anymore

(Come on come on)tell me 
tell me what you want 
Yeah, tell me what you’re thinking 
 (repeat and fade-out) 

Copyright James Whiteman 28 January 2022

Don't Want To Be Sat Here (RCD Master)

This piece was inspired by a trip to Salmon River in the Ghost Town of Hyder, Alaska with my son David in 2023.
Every year thousands of salmons migrate the River of their origin for spawning. The journey can take up to a year. After spawning  the salmons  protect their eggs until death which occurs after a few days for most of the salmons. For them the circle of life comes to an end here. For the bears they are food and so you are able watch both salmons and bears if you are lucky. The place is mystical,: the beginning of new life and death at the same place.

When I send a raw edition of this to Carl from ‚The Beautiful Dark‘, he agreed to work on it and wrote some gorgeous lyrics and a vocal line in no time. I am very happy about this collaboration with a great musician and a very nice guy. Hope you enjoy!

https://soundcloud.com/thebeautifuldark

Salmons Heaven

Look! We have eggs.
In 3 months they hatch.
Feed off yolk-sac. Alevin need not beg
Eat several weeks, Let growth attach.

Curate now, fry, five to ten weeks
You're swimming. Silver. A fish so to speak.
Careful now, Downstream.. Predator meet!
Life Lives we made it. Dear Parr says we saved us
East now. Lets evade blood. Finger markings make stones of us.

Smolt. School! Strength in all yous!
Adjusting our bodies for salt water truths
Look silvery again
May an Ocean we know
Ocean as Adult
Now feed
Smolt feed grow

Hazards: Men, seals, whales
Eat, hide, sleep, repeat these days with tail
Above look dark
Viewed from below white future spark
Easy, you zipped 2000 miles plus, left no mark
Now, home time, take magnet of map. Follow the heart.

Spawning adult we sense that circle
Pure birth rivers to Salmon their temple
As rugged rapid ready redden our new
We dodged the bears. Natal stream for me and you
Now shake that tail. Fill our Redd
I'll fertilise. Let's protect till dead

Salmons Heaven

The Beautiful Dark Vocals + Lyrics
BeSinger Composition, Instruments, Back Vocals

Salmons Heaven (with The Beautiful Dark)

Sounds odd but I think I more or less agree with these lyrics. The "purpose" of life or for that matter anything is subject to interpretation. However i do think we spend far too much time and energy searching for a reason or purpose when one probably does not exist. Life is a wonderful accident. This distraction of searching for "meaning" distracts us I think from the practical task at hand: caring for each other and the planet.

lyrics
I walked through the woods on a sunny day
nothing on my mind to get in the way
I looked to my left,I looked to my right
I looked straight up at the sky so bright
when I stumbled uopn something hard to explain
6 big trees in a circle so perfect
there HAD to be a reason
There HaAd to be a purpose
who could have done such a wonderous thing
Deep in the woods away from everything

As I left the trees and walked along
my eyes now firmly fixed on the ground
I didn't look left, I didn't look right
my ears had gone deaf,my eyes had gone blind
my mind was too full
my thoughts too profound
a circle? why a circle?
so perfectly round
what was the purpose?
A reason MUST be found

I kept walking with those trees on my mind
to my surprise what did I find
a big empty field of broken swords and shields
piles of bones of horses and men
a glorious battle here must have been
I saw 2 banners, one red and one blue
facing each other as the cold winds blew
one bright and proud of this I was sure
but now dull and tattered,ripped and torn
each of them stained with the blod of the other
I wonder who won this epic struggle

I picked up a skull and looked into the eyes
and started at the empty space inside
why did you fight? why did you die?
where is your gold? where ids your glory?
Is there no one left to ell your story?
what was the cause? what was the purpose? it must have been great to cause such carnage
but the forest was silent I heard no answer
there was no reason why
I thought of the circle I thought of the skull
so I left the clearing  with a step that was light
I looked to my left I looked to my right
I looked straight up at the sky so bright

we work too hard sometimes it seems 
to give a purpose to everything we see
and no longer have to ask mysellf why?
now I can look up at the sky

the circle and the skull ( are we kidding ourselves??)

Link to video where I tell the story behind the song : https://youtu.be/cilXaNM0IoI?si=IbBwc2wlxYTwoADH 


In Catholic school, whenever I misbehaved, the nuns used to pull my hair.
If I could go back in time and do it all again, I’d gab some clippers and shave my head bare.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic school
I was never the kid who was considered cool
Eight straight years of Catholic School and somehow, I survived
Eight straight years of Catholic School.  Thank God I’m still alive  
My first-grade teacher was a nun, who if you’re penmanship was sloppy
She’d make you take all your books and stand there holding them in the back of the room.
She was like a witch except instead of a pointy hat she wore a habit
She carried a crucifix instead of broom.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic School
I was never the kid who was considered cool
The cafeteria food tasted horrible, but I had to eat it
I had to wash it down with milk that was warm and sour
I’d try to fold my plate in half and throw it away, but the nuns would catch me and make me eat it
It’s like they had this secret food wasting detection superpower
Every year your birthday, it was customary for the kids in the recess yard,
To grab you and kick you and punch you for every year of your age.
I still have flashbacks of a girl with pointy hard black shoes kicking me really hard in my rib cage.
My fifth-grade teacher Sister Margaret she’d been teaching for way too long
It was time for her to retire but they let her teach another year and that was wrong
She had long grey whiskers growing out of her chin
She’d sit at her desk and trim them with of scissors and you sure as hell better not grin
She’d tell cautionary tales about innocent kids who got into cars strangers
She seemed to enjoy describing all the bloody graphic details of the danger.
I did eight years of hard time in Catholic school
I was never the kid who was considered cool
Eight straight years of Catholic School and somehow, I survived
Eight straight years of Catholic School.  Thank God I’m still alive

Catholic School

Lyrics:
There was trauma when you woke in the night
There was chaos when you started the fight
There were no winners or losers
Just plasters on bruises
And angry neighbours who turned on their lights

And no one can afford to go out
But you don’t have to shout so loud
We’ll get some cheap wine from Aldi and sit on the hill
And watch the sky as the bombers fly out

I’m just a little bit wiser just a little bit older
Just a little bit sadder just a little bit colder
You and me and trauma

You put the trauma in a box
And stored it in the loft
And then told me off
Because I’m either too sad 
Or not sad enough

We’ll take the lock down dog for a walk
Throw it snacks and throw it bones
Give it different pet names to make it confused
Will it be living with me or will it be living with you?

I’m just a little bit wiser and a little bit older
A little bitter sadder a little bit colder
You and me and trauma

You and me and trauma
I’m just a little bit wiser and a little bit older
I’m just a little bit wiser and a little bit older

You and me and the trauma

Music Dave Rose
Here is a track I have just done today which to my mind sounds it like it could be off a detective show. Possibly :>)

Gumshoe

This song was written by Kevin Lyons and myself, it's really about nothing, just a play on words on my part but Kevin made it his own and composed a beautiful tune for it. I added some guitars and percussion to it. Turned out very nice. *UPDATE: Kevin passed away in Germany last Mother's day 2025. I just found out and am very saddened about this. I don't have any other information on what happened yet. He has a channel on YouTube "Kevin W Lyons" if anyone would like to listen to his music and songs. He and I wrote several songs together from 2022 to 2024 and I made videos for several of them and they are here in my channel on YouTube. if you would like to watch them. This is one of them in which he wrote the music and sang, I wrote the lyrics and played guitars. I will miss him dearly. 🙏🙏🙏

VIDEO - https://youtu.be/tkkaH9YYpjM

“A REFLECTION OF ME”

THIS SONG HAS NO PURPOSE,
NO RHYTHM OR RHYME,
JUST THOUGHTS STRUNG TOGETHER,
HELD CAPTIVE IN TIME,

IT SOLVES NO GREAT MYSTERY,
DOESN’T MOVE ONE TO TEARS,
JUST WORDS ON PAPER,
WORN THIN BY THE YEARS,

NO SECRET MEANING,
NO STRUCTURE OR PLOT,
JUST ANOTHER FACELESS STRANGER,
PASSED BY AND FORGOT,
             
THERE’S NO HIDDEN INSIGHT,
THAT THIS SONG WILL REVEAL,
JUST SOME VERSES AND MUSIC,
THAT MAY OR MAY NOT APPEAL,

THIS SONG HAS NO PURPOSE,
NO REASON TO BE,
IT’S CREATION A PUZZLE,
A REFLECTION OF ME,
A REFLECTION OF ME,
A REFLECTION OF ME.
                          
BY JIM VALDES & KEVIN LYONS © 2023

"A REFLECTION OF ME" (Video - https://youtu.be/tkkaH9YYpjM)

Cast of characters:
The Beautiful Dark -- @thebeautifuldark -- Carl — acoustic guitar, vocals, lyrics, and compostion
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– (?) electric guitar, production, mix, and mastering
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four-string bass, and Roland organ
Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Strat electric guitar
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – triangle, and ancillary vocals

This song began when Carl, who is always making connections on the Cloud, was inspired to write a song about our bandmate, Mark. As you can tell from his lyrics, Carl shares our appreciation and respect for our resident Canadian singer and multi instrumentalist. So, when he had the chords worked out on his acoustic guitar, and a great vocal track, he recorded them and started a project, to which the rest of Eclectic Collective were invited.
  First up to bat was Ken, laying in his always clever, essential beat for the rest of us to work with. Stephen was the next person to lay down a track, which was his essential, but subtle electric rhythm track. Later, after it was almost done, he also added a fiery solo in the firt part of the ending section. Josh came along right after Stephen, laying down his signature fretless bass. He also added the organ shortly after, as well. Tez entered the fray next, adding the lightning, Gilmore-esque final solo in the end section. 
  We considered what to do with this song for a minute, too. The thought was whether to present it to Mark as a gift, or to include him in the mix. We decided to go with the latter, and he added the awesome vocalizations towards the end, as well as some cool triangle.
  Once we had it in the bag, we turned it over to Stephen for the production, mix, and mastering, which he always does in a very pro manner.
  This is our second of hopefully many songs with Carl. If you have good music on your page, there's a good chance that he'll hit you up to collaborate. Like the moon, he's everywhere, and he's a damn fine collaborator, too. We hope you enjoy hearing this as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Carl also wanted to share this message about Mark, as well.
  "This song is written for our Canadian friend Mark. Mark is a pivotal member of the Eclectic Collective who as a band and equally Mark as an individual I'm discovering are phenomenal to work with. I was particularly struck how multiple generations of Mark's family enjoy music and creating together. Thanks for your music man. You really do show a unique approach and I look forward to making more really enjoyable songs like this one with you buddy. In my head lyrically Mark is whoever you focus the love on. Rock and Real!" ----TBD

Original lyrics by The Beautiful Dark:
You are the Mark
Mister Lark
Pedigree Bark
Stunning musical stark
Meet Mistermark

From Wondr to Bossa
All from I' Spy
Projecting your best
Proud human melody cry

May 2019
Maybe some fear became esteem
Soft bands in garage channel a way
Internal dreams in sound found light this day

So Dad was a seed
Kudos big man
You do good breed
In music we learn with proper concern
I think now you found Josh the EP

So onto Collective
You expand their perspective
With you and your music
Now Earth gets more fuses
Because of your music
It's a better blue ball
I know I certainly love hearing Marks call

We pressed the remote
We having those jams
Let's get it on and get more brain tan
We singing to clan
Wham bam thank you man

Miss No Mark

       This song I wrote back in 2011 and I wanted a swampy, funky, sexy, soulful, sound to it, just a slow mellow vibe to groove to in a slow dance or something. I was going for that Barry White or Marvin Gaye kind of vibe. I worked hard on the lyrics and tried to capture that first date/first dance kind of chemistry! A little spark in the dark, if you will! Charlie did a great job singing it. I had done a video for it early on but it just wasn't very well done so I remixed the song and produced a new video for it about a weeks ago. I think it sounds and looks way better now. Let me know what you think? Watch the video for a little extra excitation!😂

VIDEO - https://youtu.be/toy4u50uwDk

This song is intended for adults to enjoy, no silly love song here!😂 I was trying to write a "Strangers In The Night" type of song with a funky beat. Nothing personal and no back story for this one, just some Funky Fun for all the Dirty Dancers out there!😂 Remember you can't spell Funky without a little Fun! Charlie also played some very groovy harmonica on it. I hope everybody likes it because sometimes between heartbeats love fades away! 😍 Thanks again and take care!🙏😎✌🏼

“BETWEEN HEARTBEATS”

I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION,    
SIPPING CHAMPAIGN AND EATING CAVIAR,     
A BIT OF CASUAL FLIRTATION,      
A LITTLE TEA FOR TWO,     
A MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS,
              
HER EYES WERE ASKING ME PERSONAL QUESTIONS,    
GRABBING MY ATTENTION LIKE A FIREFLY,    
USING THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF DISCRETION,     
WE DANCED THROUGH THE NIGHT,   
ON A BEAM OF MOONLIGHT,
    
A ONEWAY TICKET STRAIGHT UP TO HEAVEN,         
ON A STREAKING COMET ACROSS THE SKY,  
WITH DAYBREAK CAME A LITTLE ISOLATION,    
AFTER ALL, IT MAY HAVE BEEN A DREAM,     
I KNOW IT’S NOT MUCH OF A CONSOLATION,    
BUT WHEN STRANGERS MEET,     
BETWEEN HEARTBEATS,   
THEY FADE AWAY,     
THEY FADE AWAY,     
THEY FADE AWAY……
             
BY JIM VALDES © 2011

"BETWEEN HEARTBEATS" (Video - https://youtu.be/toy4u50uwDk)

See me that way

**I NEVER USE A.I. IN ANY OF MY SONGS OR VIDEOS!** Hi everybody, my name is Jim and I’m a songwriter, I've written over 300 songs, I play guitar, bass, piano, and am an okay lyricist.  I play all types of music and have my own recording studio.  I use no A.I. or DAW or any computers to make my songs or my videos, all the instruments are played by me live on a multitrack studio recorder and Charlie, my vocalist, sings most of my songs and also plays the Harmonica on several tracks. I use video clips from Motion Array or Pexals or Pixabay for my videos. I'm not a pro or a great musician but I do what I can with the tools that I have! I belong to the "Keep Humans In Music Movement" (KHMM)! We're NOT perfect but we're REAL! Thanks everyone for listening and the world needs more music now, real music made by HUMANS not MACHINES! So let's all sing a song with our own voices, please! I do not consent to any of my songs or videos being used or sampled or lifted in any way or fashion. Take care!👍😎✌🏼.

"A REFLECTION OF ME" (Video - https://youtu.be/tkkaH9YYpjM)

MIAMI JEFF

Recent comments

heart house and the new kindness.

LARENGONAT.

Joe Stroffolino

TSM

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