Of late, much of our activity has moved over to our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/teagandpk — As much as we try to keep updates going for both pages, sometimes it’s just too difficult… So “Like” us over at Facebook…
We also have a nice video montage that Jim Owens put together from our rocking four-piece show at the Loft as part of the Lifted Festival – Besides Teag and PK, the band is featuring Rick Wyble on Bass and multitasker-extraordinaire, Jim Owens on drums -
This is a piano tune that I recorded a couple weeks ago. I’ve been sitting on it, as I’ve been promoting Ghost Ship on a Black Sea, but I’m looking to keep moving on these tunes, so I’m posting. Enjoy.
Song: Imperfections
Lyrics: Instrumental
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
Another week slipped by me, sort of… I knew it was coming up and even though I have numerous tunes ready to go, I’m sitting on them, waiting.
Michael Teager and myself had a fantastic gig at a place called The Raven Cafe in Port Huron, Michigan, and it went pretty perfectly. The venue was really interesting and we played on a loft sort of stage that we needed a ladder to get to, and once up there, we just kind of stayed there and continued to make music for two-plus-hours… I felt that we really stretched ourselves, musically, playing a wide range of covers and originals and a good amount of improvised stuff with one instance of totally improvised lyrics, actually we may have written a new song. I recorded it, but I’ve yet to listen back. Overall, though, it was a great gig and it kind of got us aligned and back on track, more focused than we’ve been the last month or so as we’ve dealt with issues around other musical endeavors, unrelated to Teag and PK…
But about the songs, I don’t know, 52 Songs may go by the wayside, or at least the 52 Songs in 52 weeks part, not because I can’t keep it up, because I certainly feel able to do that, but I’m concerned that I’m not putting enough emphasis on really working the tunes out before I post them. Some of the songs, I write them, record them and forget them, until I start looking through week’s past works, and then other times if I don’t keep rehearsing the tunes, then I forget the chords and kind of have to start over again… All of this leads me to think that I need to spend more time with the tunes before I post them, live with the tunes a bit longer and integrate them more fully into my repertoire, thus delivering a more refined work.
This refinement seems like the natural outgrowth of a lengthy prolific period. Now that I know that I can maintain the output, can I also maintain quality? I think that I can, but it’s going to mean more infrequent postings and more time spent on the tunes… Anyway, I’ve got some of my best ever in the works and I’m looking forward to getting ‘em online for you to hear.
This is a silly little tune that I came up with this past weekend at Ikea. Now, mostly this store, at least in Detroit, is always busy and the people scurry about, seemingly without direction, like when you turn the lights on and cockroaches go running… I decided that as many times as I’ve experienced this Ikea retail reality, that it must be universal.
The songs speaks for itself, as I improvised all but the second part in this take and then rewrote it to capture the sentiment, even if I didn’t capture the exact wording. Anybody who knows me knows that there’s a lot of improvisation in my work and the songs are no different.
I’m looking forward to playing this one out, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
Song: He pushed the cart at Ikea
Lyrics:
Spoken improvisation at beginning…
Intro
We were at Ikea, a couple days after Thanksgiving. We needed to buy some home goods and other things for the house. I was getting our pre-purchased, sustainable bags ready on the carts, not the yellow cart, because those are kind of flimsy and always feel like they’re going to tip over, and it wasn’t one of the really big ones that kids can ride in and hardly fit down the aisles, rather it was one of the medium carts that fits a couple bags and allows you snake through the sofas and kitchen items with ease…
Anyway, as I finished up, I noticed my son staring longingly at me, so I asked him: “Son, why are you staring longingly at me?” He said that he wanted to push the cart. I looked around at the frenetic masses rushing about two buy 99 cent silverware and two dollar bath rugs… I was unsure, and I looked back at him, his expression hadn’t changed… he was still looking at me longingly… If not now, when? I thought to myself, and then moved out of the way so that he could man the helm…. He smiled and took over, relishing the power of the cart in his hands…
I told him to be careful, and as I watched him navigate the slippery retail floor, I cam up with this song, this ode to his retail prowess!
Part 1
He pushed the cart at Ikea
What was he thinking?!He pushed the cart at Ikea
Two days after Black FridayHe pushed the cart at Ikea
Even dared to go the wrong wayHe pushed the cart at Ikea
Don’t even know why he did it…Part 2
He pushed the cart at Ikea, and navigated expertly
He safely swerved around small children and the elderly
He pushed the cart at Ikea, like a ninja in battle,
He moved with the authority of a herd of cattle.
He pushed the cart at Ikea between arguing spouses and screaming kids
He made his way through piling discount homegoods as he did
He pushed the cart at Ikea, He pushed the cart…
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
I knew that I wanted to do a song of thanks this week with Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, but I just couldn’t get myself to write a tune about Thanksgiving, so I decided to do a song of thanks.
It’s also curious that after two decades of being surrounded by the blues and blues forms that now, I’m writing all of this music with such a heavy blues influence. This tune was originally called Thank You Blues, but then I realized that there was nothing particularly bluesy about it outside of its chord structure and my phrasing, so I just decided on Thank you.
All has been quiet on the Web front since I’ve started posting the songs. I used to get some comments here and there, but since I’ve been doing the songs I’ve scarcely heard from anyone… That’s curious, but I’ll ride it out. The last few weeks I wasn’t sure that I’d even get a song up, resigned to not, and then bam! inspiration hit…
Anyway, here tis – Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Song: Thank you
Lyrics:
Spoken improvisation at beginning…
Thanks for everything
Thanks for so much
Thanks for my life
Even when I had it rough
Thanks for the lessons
Thanks for my health
Thanks for my wife
And everything else…
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
Thanks for my kin
Thanks for opportunities
Thanks for my home
And all you’ve given me…
Thanks for my ears
Thanks for my sight
Thanks for my hands
and all you got right…
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you…
Spoken improvisation at end…
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
This week’s tune was inspired by Son House’s Grinnin’ In Your Face… Back this week is the throaty singing, but what’s new is the a capella piece… I’ve posted Son House doing Grinnin’ In Your Face at the end of the post…
Song: Own Way Blues
Lyrics:
We all gotta go our own way, yes we do
We all gotta go our own way, yes we do
To go any other way, is the path of a fool
We all gotta figure it out now, yes we do
We all gotta figure it out now, yes we do
We gotta figure it out, if it’s the last thing we do
We’re all going home, yeah, yes we do
We’re all going home, yeah, yes we do,
We’re all going home, but Lord please don’t take me too soon.
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
I almost didn’t make it this week. For one reason or another, I just had a lot of stuff going on and I just didn’t have anything, but a particularly irritating experience triggered this tune, and I don’t really know where it came from. For me, I was really trying to capture a Bonnie Prince Billy feeling, I’m working on that more and more with close, throaty microphone recording; if I can achieve 1/100th of what he’s able to do, I’ll be happy…
In hindsight, this tune, for me, is something that I visit in a lot of my songs. There’s a point of frustration, a need to move on, a need to make a break from what’s happening and this comes through a moment of clarity, an awakening of sorts that leaves one lamenting what was, but also eager to move on to what can be, the incredible openness of possibility… It’s like you’re outside of yourself, looking at yourself, and saying adios! I’m going on a trip with a purer, more peaceful, less effed up and cooler version of me… but alas there’s no separate self…
Song: Playing Make-Believe
Lyrics:
He knew he needed to let go.
The situation left him no peace.
He tried to relax his mind.
But the thoughts wouldn’t cease.
He gave himself a minute to break free.
He was tired of playing make-believe
I can’t live a fantasy or a dream;
Give me truth & being — Straight Reality
I can’t live a fantasy or a dream;
Give me truth & being — Straight Reality
He knew the beginning was near.
He knew that he had nothing to fear.
The moment, it changed him, that much, he knew
Where the road ahead would go, he didn’t have a clue
He looked back and yesterday was gone.
Nothing left but a song…
Improvised last few lines…
I can’t live a fantasy or a dream;
Give me truth & being — Straight Reality
I can’t live a fantasy or a dream;
Give me truth & being — Straight Reality
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
52 Songs – Song of the Week #9 – It’s HalloweenThis one’s a little bit early, but it’s appropriate for the day, Halloween. This new song marks a move towards my first attempt at writing seasonal songs. I’ve never really written a seasonal song before and I hope to write at least a few Christmas tunes and maybe a Thanksgiving tune, which I’m a bit stumped on for subject matter, at the moment… perhaps something about being bloated and sleepy will suffice… In any case, enjoy and please pass along. The feedback, so far has been great… Thank you.
Song: It’s Halloween
Lyrics:
Let’s wade through the leaves with our costumes & our candy.
The pumpkins light the way to the porches and front-doors.
Spent the whole year getting ready and, planning…
Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, its Halloween
We’ve been waiting all year, its Halloween, its Halloween.
With our costumes we’re ready for candy.
We’ve been waiting all year, its Halloween, its Halloween
Its Halloween, its Halloween, its Halloween
Let’s dump out our bags and look through our candy.
It was a cold fall night but now we’re home and warm.
Can’t wait for next year, already planning.
Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, It’s Halloween
We’ve been waiting all year, its Halloween, its Halloween.
With our costumes we’re ready for candy.
We’ve been waiting all year, its Halloween, its Halloween
Its Halloween, its Halloween, and it’s Halloween
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com
Song: Nothing to Complain About
Lyrics:
I’ve got nothing to complain about, nothing at all…
Sometimes my mind wanders and looks for what’s wrong…
I’ve got nothing to complain about, nothing at all…
I’ve got nothing to worry about, nothing at all…
Sometimes my mind wanders and looks for what’s wrong…
I’ve got nothing to worry about, nothing at all…
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This post and recording are part of the 52 Songs project, where I’m working to write, record and upload a new song every Wednesday – 52 Songs in 52 weeks or bust – Please feel free to share and enjoy, but kindly give credit to Matt Borghi and MattBorghi.com