I’ve still got a cheesy love song or two in me. It’s true, though. I’m finding it hard to wind down after all of the activity of the last month. But I suppose that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I have one show this month (so far) and three with my other project Scrap Iron Saints who, by the way, have their first cassette / download / CD (available shortly) available here. Enough for shameless self-promotion. Here’s another song.

i like to travel with you
driving or flying or riding the train
i like to wander with you
looking in bookshops, trying new lunch spots

there’s nowhere i wouldn’t go
as long as you wanted to go too

i like to be at home with you
talking or eating or watching movies
i like to do nothing with you
some people keep so busy
they miss all the beautiful things

Carrie and I just got back from a fantastic journey that took us all the way from Rhode Island to North Carolina. Planes, trains, and automobiles, in that order. We saw my brother, his fiancee, and our awesome nephew, as well as a great old friend of mine. We had dinner in a house that is over 200 years old; our food was all from the farm, except for the carrots, and it was all very good. We road the Amtrak which, in addition to seeing many monuments and statues, partly inspired this song. We stayed in a hotel including gardens that, according to local lore, inspired the enchanted garden in Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “To Helen”.

We went to Troika, a music festival in Durham, NC, and saw some amazing bands; Chatham County Line (old timey bluegrass with a modern songwriting style) and Futurebirds (psychedelic alt-country) were the highlights, although the others were great as well.

Also, Carrie sent me a link to a listing of Nevada state government salaries and I could not believe it. I try not to be political, but I suppose sometimes it just comes out, and when your song is late there’s not much you can do. (I don’t believe everyone who works for the government is overpaid and lazy. I know a couple hard workers.)

Tour blog is coming, I promise!

i was waiting for you as the train came rolling by
and people were strolling by, like they had nothing else to do
i was waiting for you, the express train was screaming by
and people might scream and cry, but they still have to work for their food

should we have to say we’re sorry or write apologies in our rhetoric
should we say winners lose and losers win and let that be the end of it

i’ve been traveling lately, wondering where i’d like to be
somewhere that’s really green, and the seasons come and go in fours
i’ve been traveling lately, looking for something new to see
a home for you and me, a place we can call ours

should i get a government job and live out my days overpaid and lazy
would you say we all get what we’re worth and laissez faire is crazy

i would write you, mr. or mrs. senator, but that would justify your intentions and false virtue
i’ll pay your salary till you’re in your grave and even then i’ll buy your magnificent statue

oh these trains tracks were built to go straight to your house, into your pocket
and it’s nice to ride the rails but i shouldn’t have to pay so much for it, twice

I was listening to Another Side of Bob Dylan (surprise) and thinking about what a great song “All I Really Want To Do” is. Although it’s the worst thing in the world to someone who wants to be romantically involved, there’s something to be said for being friends. And it’s too late now, but I really wanted to say “sexting” instead of “texting”. There’s a topical folk song for you. Be ready for the live version.

well we would make really good friends
but that’s all we’d ever be, and that’s ok with me
i can always use a friend
we would make really good friends
and that’s fine, that’s what i’d like to be
you can always use a friend

and i can’t be romantically here for you
but if you want some pizza i’ll pick it up and deliver, too
and i can’t let you stand this close to me
but if you’d like we can go out and i’ll buy you some coffee

well we could be really good pals
we’d go uptown and pal around, if that’s ok with you
i can always use a pal
we could make really good pals
and that’s fine, as long as it’s fine with you, too
you can always use a pal

and i can’t be romantically here for you
but if you need me to babysit, that’s something i might do
and i can’t let you stay up all night texting me
but if you’d like we can go out and i will be your dd

well we would make really good friends
but that’s all we’d ever be, if that’s ok with you
i can always use a friend
we would make really good friends
and that’s fine, if that’s what you’d like to do
you can always use a friend

and i can be a really good friend to you
but if you call me crying, i can only bring the tissue
and you can be a really good friend of mine
you just have to understand that i have to draw the line