42 posts tagged with strumstick.
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The Great Compromise (John Prine)

When I heard the news of John Prine's hospitalization on March 30, I was, of course, saddened. His music has meant so much to me over the decades. On that day, I recorded this cover of one of my favorites from Prine's early output, a political song cleverly disguised as a broken-hearted love ballad. There's a video I posted to YouTube of this very same performance, which also includes some spoken introduction, about how I was feeling upon getting the news of John's contracting the coronavirus, and so forth. So, if you'd like to hear that, and see the song performed, it's here. I did a little bit of work on the audio for this MeFiMu upload, though, so I think it might sound a little better here than on the video. Anyway, rest in peace, John Prine, rest in peace.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 8, 2020 - 2 comments

Ferguson, Missouri

This song addresses the situation in Ferguson and the frightening militarization and violence of today's police forces across America. I made a video for it, which you can view here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 15, 2014 - 14 comments

Woman in Black

A song inspired by this story. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 31, 2014 - 2 comments

Eric Garner Is Dead

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner, accused of a minor infraction of the law, died at the hands of the New York Police Department on a Staten Island street. Tody, July 23, 2014, I wrote and recorded this song about the incident. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 23, 2014 - 4 comments

The Devil Walks the Earth

Here's a live recording of a song I premiered at a gig two nights ago (July 18, 2014). The bassist accompanying me is Keigo iwami, from the Swamp Root Jimmies. The song is anti-war, anti-greed, anti-death. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 20, 2014 - 6 comments

Gone Getaway

Here's my band, the Swamp Root Jimmies, recorded live at a show in Tokyo on June 25, 2014. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 6, 2014 - 2 comments

What Was That Sound I Heard

A song concerning the September 15, 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. I made a video of historic photo images to accompany the song, which may be viewed here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 24, 2014 - 5 comments

Homeless Jesus Creeps Me Out

I'm often inspired to write little songs and poems in Metafilter threads, as some of you here might have noticed over the years. I've decided that from now on, whenever time allows, I will not only post those kinds of things as text in a thread, but will record and post them here at Metafilter Music as audio, and in as timely a fashion as possible. This song was inspired by a comment posted by homunculus in a post I made about a statue of Jesus.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 14, 2014 - 4 comments

Democracy Stolen

Wrote this about the execrable Supreme Court ruling of April 2nd, 2014. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 4, 2014 - 5 comments

Cold Cold Highway

From the recent, second gig of my new band the Swamp Root Jimmies. God I love these guys. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Mar 15, 2014 - 3 comments

March 11 2011

Written and recorded on the third anniversary of the Great Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Mar 11, 2014 - 1 comment

Random Pictures of Strangers

As happens from time to time, a comment someone made here at Metafilter was the spark of inspiration for a song. This was the comment, and here's the song.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Feb 4, 2014 - 6 comments

Man With Three Mules

This morning at around 10am I was reading Metafilter, and I came across this post. The moment I saw the headline, "There is a man wandering around California with three mules", I knew I'd have to write a song. Fortunately, today I had the morning completely free. So I wrote the song, and recorded it, and now, here it it, four and a half hours from the original inspiration (woulda been four hours only, but, damn, I was hungry, and HAD to eat lunch), uploaded, for your listening pleasure.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Sep 11, 2013 - 8 comments

Never Took a Dollar from a Dead Man

This is S&H, from a show we did just the other night here in Tokyo. I'm so digging working with percussionist Habu Hiroshi, he's really bringing the groove. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Sep 10, 2013 - 6 comments

Oh Death (by S&H, live, April 2013)

Well it isn't the first time I've posted this song to Metafilter Music. Nor is it the second, third or fourth. But, in my defense, I'd say that all of these versions are, well, rather different from each other, in their various ways. This fifth one is from my duo band S&H, and was recorded live at a little African restaurant in Shinjuku. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 3, 2013 - 0 comments

Down the Road

Yours truly on stick dulcimer and vocal, Habu Hiroshi on percussion. Our band is called S&H. Lyrics and other versions of the song here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Feb 6, 2013 - 4 comments

Annie Took the Money

Last of the tunes recorded earlier this month in a little house in the mountains. Vocal and stick dulcimer. A very prolific songbird who was just outside can be heard throughout this performance. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 25, 2012 - 1 comment

Couldn't Tell You Why

Another tune recorded the other day at a little house in the woods. Just vocal and stick dulcimer, and a little bird outside that joins me for the very last note. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 18, 2012 - 1 comment

Butterfly Trapped In a Phone Booth (minimal mix)

The second in my new series, Songs of the Mundane. It's written specifically for a video, which is, of course, viewable at YouTube. The version I'm posting here features vocal and dulcimer only: thought I'd start posting alternate mixes here to MeFiMu since I almost always link to a video version, and why not make 'em different, right? The version you can hear with the video has several percussion tracks, and, of course, a butterfly...
posted by flapjax at midnite on Oct 13, 2011 - 2 comments

Man in a Red Hat

This song, the start of a new series called Songs of the Mundane, was written and recorded specifically for this video.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Oct 11, 2011 - 9 comments

That's the Way It Wiggles

Recorded this at home the other day, using the stick dulcimer and a stomp box. Lyrics and video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Sep 3, 2011 - 2 comments

If You Believe

Another tune recorded in the woods of Nagano Prefecture. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Sep 1, 2011 - 2 comments

The Silence Could Be Heard

How I spent 4 minutes and 52 seconds of my summer vacation. Recorded yesterday, in the woods. Video YouTube or Vimeo.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Aug 19, 2011 - 5 comments

Not Anywhere Anymore

i put down the phone / left a bag of cookies on the corner / filled my brain with a soft white light / sent all my 8-track tapes / to my cousin down in mississippi / took my foot off the pedal, and gave up the fight... A brand new song, live in Tokyo, May 1, 2011. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on May 6, 2011 - 14 comments

Random Act of Cruelty

Recorded live at Super Deluxe, Tokyo, April 22, 2011. I'm playing strumstick and stompbox. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on May 2, 2011 - 4 comments

Grateful Wanderer

Many of the gigs I'm doing these days here in Tokyo are fundraisers for Tohoku quake/tsunami disaster relief. This tune was from one such concert. The video for it has been added to the Artsts Support Japan YouTube channel, and it can be seen here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 18, 2011 - 8 comments

Bless Your Pretty Bones

Another tune recorded in a former elementary school classroom on Awaji Island, Japan, during my March exile from Tokyo. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 14, 2011 - 2 comments

Pigs Ate My Roses

Another tune recorded during my brief exile on Awajima Island. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Mar 23, 2011 - 5 comments

For a Little While I Was Free

Over the last few days, at a former elementary school on the island of Awajishima, I recorded a number of songs. This one is the newest of those: written on the train out of Tokyo on 3/17 and recorded on 3/18, in a rather reverberant hallway/stairwell. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Mar 22, 2011 - 2 comments

Wouldn't That Be Fine

Breaking out ye olde stick dulcimer again for this one, plus the trusty stompbox. Live in beautiful downtown Shibuya, February 10, 2011. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Feb 11, 2011 - 3 comments

Hope You Catch the Drift

Live in concert at Barrelhouse, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, on December 12, 2010. Vocal and stick dulcimer. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jan 14, 2011 - 7 comments

Blues Wrapped Round My Head (live, 2010)

This is a live version of a tune I originally posted here back in 2007. Video here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Dec 19, 2010 - 3 comments

Jacaranda

Brought the strumstick out the other night, for a solo gig in beautiful downtown Ikebukuro. This is a tune I've posted here before, in another incarnation. Video here. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Dec 16, 2010 - 1 comment

Until You Kiss Me (live, 2010)

Back in 2007 I posted this same song (a studio version) which eventually made its way onto my 2009 CD release, Roomful of Ghosts. Here's a live version of the tune, recorded June 25, 2010, at Super Deluxe in Tokyo. Video of this same performance here at YouTube, and just for good measure, here's the video for that studio version as well.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 7, 2010 - 1 comment

Over Amsterdam

A new song, hot off the presses, recorded live in concert just a little more than 24 hours ago, as of this posting. Video of this same performance at YouTube and Vimeo.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jun 26, 2010 - 4 comments

Ready To Rock

Solo, live at CAY in Aoyama, Tokyo, April 14, 2010, accompanying myself on the strumstick. Video of this same performance at YouTube or Vimeo.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 16, 2010 - 13 comments

Dance Into the Fire

A brand new song, from a gig I did on March 25, 2010, at Super Deluxe here in Tokyo. Video of this same performance at YouTube here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Mar 28, 2010 - 1 comment

You Came Out of Nowhere

i keep thinking there's something i need to do - and i keep not doing it... Recorded live in performance at Nana Hari, Hachobori, Tokyo. Here I'm accompanying myself on the strumstick. Video at YouTube and Vimeo. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jan 25, 2010 - 5 comments

As I Slowly Disappear

Recorded live in performance at Nana Hari, Tokyo, on January 17, 2010. Accompanying myself on the strumstick. Video at YouTube and Vimeo. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jan 19, 2010 - 5 comments

Oh Death (live)

In the very first hour of the brand new year of 2010, I was on a stage in Tokyo, part of Mike Watt's yearly "We Jam Econo" event, singing about death. Video of this same performance can be seen at YouTube or Vimeo. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jan 7, 2010 - 6 comments

Chain and Shadow

This song is a direct result of a Flickr comment. I took a photograph, titled Chain and Shadow, and posted it to Flickr in March. A contact there, who knows my music, commented: "chain & shadow" is sweet. get out your strumstick and write a song.... And I thought, yeah, he's right, there's a song there for sure. I wrote one, and recorded it yesterday. I also discovered that "chain and shadow" (or some close variant) is a popular photographic theme indeed at Flickr. Hope y'all enjoy the tune. And/or the photograph(s). [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jun 24, 2009 - 13 comments

Gone Gone Gone

For the April "two chords" Challenge. The two 3-note chords even share a note in common, so we're talking a total of five notes serving as harmonic accompaniment for this song. Played on the strumstick. There's a hoop drum, too, of indeterminate pitch. I posted a lo-fi, live version of this song to YouTube as well, direct from my 6-mat tatami room at home. You can see it here.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Apr 29, 2009 - 12 comments

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