Come Away With Me

One of my voice students is working on this song, so I've had it in my head for the past few weeks.  I've always loved Norah Jones, and even got to see her in concert several years ago.  Unlike me, she's an amazing pianist; I rarely accompany myself on the piano or keyboard, but I gave it a go when I recorded this cover.  Don't judge my playing too harshly...it was a quick first take and I just went with it!



Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies

And I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won't you try to come?

Come away with me and we'll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I'll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me

Lately I haven't been too inspired to write anything new (aside from the children's songs that just come pouring out), which is why I've been posting so many covers.  But I figure that since this is just kind of a side hobby, that is perfectly fine :)  

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Everybody {Ukulele Style}

Please be kind, as this is my first attempt at covering a song on the ukulele. Also, I'm playing this Ingrid Michaelson song in the wrong key (it's too high) because I still have more chords to learn.  I've had my uke sitting around since last summer, but just this week started making the effort to become relatively proficient. It's a fun little instrument, and a nice change of pace from the guitar.  I'm thinking there are more uke videos in my future...

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New Fans, New Friends

While I was performing at Andiamo the other night, I noticed these three ladies come in and sit down. They looked like they were having a great time, singing along with me and drinking wine. Then they pulled out their cameras and started taking pictures of me, which made me wonder if they knew me somehow. I was super curious, so after my set, I walked over to say hello.

Before I could even introduce myself, Julie (the blond on the far right) said, "We heard you from the street and just had to come in and listen!"  Well that's a compliment if I've ever heard one!  As it turns out, Julie, Pam and Becky are sisters who were visiting Springfield from Wisconsin and Indiana.  They were killing time before the ghost tour (yes, Springfield has a ghost tour), heard my voice coming from the speaker outside, and came in to hear the last hour of my set.

We chatted for quite a while, and then before they left, my mom took this picture of me and my new fan-friends.  As much as I love having my family and friends at my shows, it's always fun to meet new people and hear that people enjoy my music without being obligated to do so :)

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Collide

Here's another one! This song reminds me of my first year of graduate school, during which Zach, who was a senior, and I started dating and spent all of our time together (when I wasn't in class...I think he took a total of 3 classes that entire year). It played on the radio constantly and has kind of stuck with me.

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Fidelity

This video was taken back in June, and I am just now getting around to editing and posting. Oops! The setting: Andiamo, a little cafe in downtown Springfield. I'm playing there again this Friday at 5 pm. I've been so focused on the release of my new children's CD, Time to Sing Hello, that it will be nice to sing some adult tunes again.

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Wonderwall

Ok, so I lied back in March when I said I was going to start posting here regularly. But now that summer is here (officially, today!) and school is out, I'm going to make an even better effort. No really, I am.

I thought it might be fun to post live covers as I record them on my new toy, the Fender Passport 500 Pro. I'm making a concerted effort to branch out when it comes to the songs I perform live, and this one was a suggestion from my brother. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner; this was a favorite of mine when it first came out back in the 90s.



Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
I don't know how

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now

And all the roads that lead to you were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
I don't know how

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all.
You're my wonderwall

Said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me

There are about 100 other songs I'd love to cover, so why not add a few more to the list? Let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm open to pretty much anything.

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Ringing in Spring

I've purposely been avoiding this blog for the last few months, mostly because I knew it needed a new look but I just didn't have the time or energy. This week I finally got around to it, and although it is still a work in progress, I am much happier with the look now. I'm also much more motivated to post here than I've been thus far in 2010!

Words cannot express how excited I am that tomorrow is the LAST day of winter. I absolutely loathe this season, and have been counting down the days until spring since, oh, January 1. There's no better way to ring in spring than to spend the weekend in Chicago, doing fun things like going to see the Bulls play (my first NBA game ever!), shopping, eating out, and watching Zach receive his 2009 "Agent of the Year" award at his company's annual banquet on Saturday night.

This spring is going to be a good one. In addition to our Chicago trip, I'll be spending the last week in March in St. Louis, recording a CD (my first real, live recording studio experience). Then the following week, Zach and I are heading to San Antonio for his company's rewards vacation. Not to mention the fact that the school year is winding down, with only a few weeks left before glorious summer vacation.

Life is good.

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Whiteout

This song was inspired by the snow falling outside my window earlier this week. It was so peaceful, especially since I knew I had nowhere to go. May be the beginnings of a Christmas album...



There isn’t anywhere, I have to go.
So let’s stay home, and watch the snow,
Fallin’, like I fell in love with you.

There isn’t anyplace, I have to be.
And you, you’re sitting next to me,
Smilin’, as our eyes enjoy the view.

White out, so bright out,
And all that I can see,
Is the snow, watchin’ it blow,
Knowing you’re in love with me.
I’m warm and cozy in this sweater,
But your arms are even better.
In this white out, let’s hide out,
Just stay.

I don’t have no plans tonight,
The air is cold, the lights are bright,
Twinklin’, through the snow that’s coming down.

I don’t have no friends to see,
‘Cause you’re right here, that’s all I need,
Chillin’, like the white stuff on the ground.

CHORUS (2x)

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