1. |
The Songwriter
03:39
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So now the notes were all napping in my Martin guitar.
But they were always ready to play.
The words yet unsaid, were still in my head
Waiting to have their say.
They were all rootin’ for the writer to write.
They hoped he wouldn’t take too long.
For what they were seeing, was their reason for being.
A chance to be in a song
Woo Hoo!!
Now the writer, he seeks inspiration
To appear in a magical way
To fall into place - with style and with grace
To say what he wants to say.
Sometimes It's just that easy.
With minimal effort applied.
But sometimes it's painful – It’ll drive you insane, you’ll
just have to put it aside.
Bridge
The making of a melody - involves a little bit of sorcery
When music, motion and mood combine ...
compellingly
Short break
Randomly sampling combos of chords
Till I hear what sounds good to my ear
I let my fingers do the walking
no thinking, no talking
I can usually tell when I've gotten there
Then I vocally noodle around
Tryin’ to latch onto that catchy sound
A memorable melody line
Designed to stick in your mind
You know it's going to stick in your mind
By now it's probably stuck in your mind
Short bridge
Now the words and notes were feeling their oats
They could feel things were moving along
For what I was writing,
to them was exciting
A song about writing a song
A song.
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2. |
Back to Baseball
04:23
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When I was a little kid, we lived in Brooklyn
I was a Dodger fan. They were my heroes.
They’d often win the pennant, then lose the world series to the Yankees.
I still get cranky – when I get around pin stripes.
But in ’55, they came alive – got the big win.
Kicked Yankee butts and we all went nuts – in Brooklyn.
But in two short years the cheers turned to tears as the news came down.
Dem Bums were leaving town.
We’d love to stay here – but we just can’t make it pay here. So I’m sorry to inform ya –
We’re goin’ to where it’s sunny – gonna make more money – in southern California
I’ll never love another team – said the broken hearted boy.
You’ll only gain big league pain – where there should be fun and joy.
Short instrumental bridge
Well, the years go by and somehow I become a grown up
Then a whole hunk of life happened – wound up in San Francisco.
There I met my wife – we built our life – no more wishin’
We had us a good old time – but something was missing.
Well the missing link, comes I think, from when we were small.
In the background, we’d often hear the sounds of baseball.
The crack of the bat – the roar of the crowd – the play by play
still resonates today.
We’re comin’ back – comin’ back to baseball
We’re back on track – getting’ on back to baseball
Yeah, we’re comin’ back – comin’ back to baseball
We’re friends again – that good old game of baseball
Now the Giants are the home team – made them our own team
They’re the ones we root for.
We go to games – call the umpire names – we holler and we hoot for.
And our biggest rivals are the Dodgers – so ironic yet so nice.
The burned me bad when I was a lad
But now I get to hate them twice.
Crowd chants – “Beat LA, Beat LA, Beat LA........ “
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3. |
To Hell with Spammers!
03:26
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There's a story people tell
of a special place in hell ...
A place so horrific, it's ....
just terrific for spammers
Where they can toil among their own
Reap what they have sown.
With slimeballs, slackers, scoundrels, hackers, and scammers.
Where they're forced to work
at the speed of berserk
While hearing the devils taunts.
To their colleagues in hell,
they're sentenced to sell
Crap ... that nobody wants.
Chorus
To hell with spammers
To hell with their buddies as well
Let's tell the spammers
No more talking - now It's time to yell
We should put up a clamor
throw 'em all in the slammer.
And after that ...
they can all go to hell
Verse 2
They'll steal your Passwords in a flash
Your contacts and your cash
Their selfish cheating has us all
deleting and deleting ... And deleting
And then some bastard sends
A virus to all your friends
It's a sad fact of living
The gift that keeps giving… And giving.
Aww, It all makes me curse,
but what's really the worst,
gets me snippy, snarky and snorting.
First my focus is blown
By the sound of the phone
Then I'm spammed by a damned recording.
Chorus
I say to hell with spammers
Don't let 'em poison the well
We gotta quell them spammers
We gotta ring their closing bell
We should put up a clamor
throw 'em all in the slammer.
And after that...
they can all rot in hell
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4. |
Moments of Decision
03:41
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Moments of Decision by Alan Babbitt
In the early 1900’s
My grandparents lived in Russia
There was strife - a dangerous life -
Under a badass czar
Then there finally came a moment
A moment of decision
They said "We’re goin’ to America
only 5,000 miles away.”
If not for that moment
I wouldn't be here today
Now those moments of decision
Come with lasting effects
As our lives unfold in a linear way
As one thing leads to the next
But If you change your perspective
To an historical view
remove one link from the chain of events
And whatever comes after is new
Without all those moments
You'd be a different you.
Chorus
Sometimes those moments
are subtle and small
They're of such a size - you don't realize
they've happened at all.
And they can come and go
without leaving a clue.
But when you look back
you can see the track
Leading to the current you.
(Bridge)
So if you're facing tough decisions
And they're driving you nuts
Could be you're thinkin' when 1 door opens
another one shuts.
But if you go through that new door
And you let yourself see.
There'll be door after door after door after door
Of possibility
Each a moment of decision
That could set you free.
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5. |
Let's Change the Game!
04:54
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Let's Change the Game by Alan Babbitt
I don't read the papers, I don't watch the news
It makes my blood just boil, or it brings on the blues.
It's the same old stories, again and again
And it's our prime time we spend.
They shout "breaking news!"
Ha ha - that's really a joke.
The news can't be breaking, because it's already broke.
Numbing pictures and sound
Dumbing us down.
Maybe it's time we awoke.
It seems we used to be much smarter
A little of that still remains.
But nowadays, in many ways, things are harder.
The daily bombarding of trash may be starting
to mess with our hearts and our brains.
Chorus
So let's change the game.
We don't need any more of that same old, lame old
We can change the game.
Now the members of Congress love to hear themselves talk.
They're hot air buffoons – they squabble and squawk.
They find lots to pee on, but little to agree on
They can talk the talk but they don't walk the walk.
And don't get me started on campaign finance
It's a deal with the devil, A hellish romance.
If we all said no more, it be hard to ignore
We really need to break up this dance.
So let's change the game.
We don't need any more of that same old, lame old
We can change the game.
Get the money out of politics – A damn good place to start.
Put people in office who come from their heart
Memo to the media and their yackety-yacks
Stick with the truth and don't mess with the facts
Do away with lobbyists, that arm twisting bunch
No more perks, no more gifts
Buy your own damn lunch
(Soaring voices and lead guitar)
So let's change the game.
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6. |
The Perception of Time
04:24
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The Perception of Time
Music and Lyrics by Alan Babbitt
Am7 – Bm7 (?)
I watch the time go by --- too fast.
I feel the future fly --- into the past.
Time goes slow – when you’re young – God knows.
But when you get older – the faster – time goes.
Whether you’re a woman or a man – it doesn’t matter.
You really ought to have a plan – to live life – while you can.
So don’t waste a day – no need to delay --– you’ve got - to find - a way
To take charge of your fate – don’t hesitate – before it’s too late.
Am7 D
So strange -` the perception of time
G Em
Seems it’s all in our mind.
Fmaj Cmaj7
Electro-chemically entwined
F E7 Asus ?
It’s a bit of an existential bind
Put priorities in play. How you spend your time – each day.
Pick what makes you whole – pick what feeds your soul.
Pick the best – kick the rest - away.
You’ve got to listen to yourself – those inner voices
They’ll help to lead you to your own best choices – and hold on
Hold on to those you love – the folks you’re fondest of
They’ll help - you find – your way
Their love will keep you high – no need to wonder why - Just let your spirit fly.
If we didn’t have linear time.
We’d be caught in a strange paradigm.
A multi reality crunch.
Where everything is happening at once.
So if your time goes by – too fast
If your days and weeks and months – don’t last
Time can be your friend - if it’s time you spend
In the now, not the future, not the past
The now, not the future, not the past
The now, not the future, not the past
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7. |
Lazy Sunday
04:26
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No lyrics - Instrumental
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8. |
Our House
03:06
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9. |
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Back to baseball Spring edition
Lyrics by Alan Babbitt
You begin to feel it in your bones
after new years
Soft little breezes
Whispers in your ears.
The sun moves higher in the sky
Glowing like an old, gold jewel
Brings familiar feelings
of rebirth and renewal.
And from deep inside, where dreams reside
A memory's kicks in
It's a yearly thing - in the early spring
And it's about to begin.
As the calendar turns, our spirit yearns
For that comforting call
When the words are heard "Play Ball!"
Chorus
We're comin' back, comin' back to baseball.
We're back on track, getting on back to baseball.
We're comin' back, comin' back to baseball.
We're friends again, with that good old game
of baseball.
Lead section
Our love for this game
Most often came
from our parents.
They pointed the way.
We became little fans.
And we learned how to play.
We imagined we won the World Series
We were the stars of our team
We'd close our eyes and fantasize
We were the heroes of our dreams.
It was a childhood friend
You could depend on
From spring until fall
In the background we often heard the sounds of baseball
The crack of the bat,
The roar of the crowd,
The play-by-play
Still resonates today.
Chorus
We're comin' back, comin' back to baseball.
We're back on track, getting on back to baseball.
We're comin' back, comin' back to baseball.
We're friends again, with that good old game
of baseball.
Whatever team you root for
holler and hoot for.
It's up-and-down all season
They win - There's highs
They lose – there's blues
With no good rhyme or reason
But we keep coming back,
coming back to baseball
We're comin' back
Gettin' on back to baseball,
(A cappella)
We're coming back, coming back to baseball.
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10. |
A Good Time to be Alive!
02:52
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A Good Time To Be Alive – lyrics and chords
Music and Lyrics by Alan Babbitt
Intro – Em C G D Em C D
Em C G D
This is a time of miracles. They happen every day
Em C G B7
Evidence empirical says It's meant to be that way.
Em B7 Em A
But we don’t need a miracle to appreciate this world.
G D C D C
Just keep your mind and eyes open wide
G D C D Em
It's a good time to be alive.
Em C G D
Computers and the Internet. Airplanes and cars.
Em C G B7
Life-saving medicines and Rovers on Mars.
Em B7 Em A
Dictators toppling and there’s cameras in our phones.
G D C D C G D C D Em G
What's next to arrive? It's a great time to be alive
G D Am7 Am7 ish
True all these good things are happening.
F C G
But it's clear that things could be better.
Em D C Em
There's way too much bloodshed, hunger and pain
Em7 B7
I know we could solve it - We just need to evolve a bit.
Em C G D Em C D
Verse 3
Em C G D
Hands on the steering wheel - Eyes on the road
Em C G D
I don't know what’s a-comin’ - It's a brand-new episode.
Em B7 Em A
I know we're on a journey and It doesn't matter where.
G D C G C Em D C D Em
Just enjoy the ride - It's a good time to be alive.
C G D Em C D Em
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Alan Babbitt Music California
"Alan Babbitt is a clever songsmith with some very original statements to make."
-- Ted Myers
- music biz veteran, songwriter, recording artist, producer and Broadjam pro reviewer
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