The official blog of Portland's Songwriter of the Year

Archive for May, 2008

Big Hearts Make Mine Grow

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

The Big Hearts performance from Artichoke Music is now posted to YouTube for posterity. This song was written for some very close friends of mine that have amazing hearts- constantly helping mine grow. Though I could never thank them enough for their grace, let this song be my humble attempt. This is quietly one of my favorite songs so I hope you enjoy it too.

Watch the video then listen to the studio version:

BIG HEARTS

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Heaven knows I’d wait to feel another breeze.
To lay beneath another sun.
Germany here I come.

Big hearts are filling up the hemispheres.
Big hearts are warming up the coldest years.
They’ll lay beside me forever more
Cause big hearts make mine grow.

Growing everyday and softly resting miles away.
I swear Heaven was exploding there-
It’s filling up the air.

Big hearts are filling up the hemispheres.
Big hearts are warming up the coldest years.
They’ll lay beside me forever more
Cause big hearts make mine grow.
Big Hearts are Full Moons and Northern Lights
They come full circle to defy science.
Big Hearts are freight trains that push me along-
Shine out the clearer;
Shine on.
Big Hearts are factories of Godlight Beams
That just get brighter as the daylight recedes.

New Song: Wyoming

Monday, May 5th, 2008

A month ago, I made up my mind that I was going to write a song about Wyoming. The inspiration was there, the love of subject was there and my writing had finally returned after months of drought. I finished it (proudly) last week just in time for the Artichoke concert.

I wanted this song to be deep, heartfelt and human. I wanted it to really express the beauty within the state and the air that flows through it. With that said, it spoke for itself and I had written three of the four verses before finally hitting a wall. In search of some final inspiration, I went to Wikipedia to gain a little insight on Wyoming and her history.

Above is the song’s debut at Artichoke Music. The lyrics to Wyoming should reflect my love but above all, tell a story and pay tribute to the last good plot of land.

New Videos on YouTube

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

I picked up the Artichoke concert DVD from EMA Video on Tuesday afternoon. Between then and now, I’ve managed to cut up the film enough to post a couple songs on YouTube (including this version of Cellophane). I am no video editor but over the next couple weeks I will pretend to be one as I release the Artichoke footage bit by bit. Here is Cellophane from last Thursday’s performance… the rest will come with time.