If you haven’t visited sixstr stories in a while, this is what’s been going on. 

(If you have, you can skip this and scroll straight to the songs on Side 5.)

There Are (These Songs, Too) is a collection of 45 songs.

Covering the years 1976 – 2026, I wrote these songs before, during and after putting together my three “officially” released albums: There Are (Songs To Be Sung), Anytime and Five Songs.

These acoustic-guitar-and-vocals (with the occasional harmonica) performances were captured in my home studio, direct-to-two-track, with no overdubs, splicing, editing or other electronic shenanigans.

I’ve chosen to present this collection in nine, five song “Sides.” (I guess you could call this my “box set.”) The song sequence is chronological, by year of initial composition. Any songs that were subject to a re-write and/or re-recorded at a later date are so noted.

Several of these recordings, it will also be noted, have been previously released here on sixstr stories.

Most are available here for the first time.

So, here we go…

Track 21: “The Road To Our Vacation”

The road: New Hampshire Route 11. The family vacation spot: Geneva Point Center, on Lake Winnipesaukee, in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

The Road To Our Vacation

Oh, the road to our vacation looks quite different in July
Maybe it’s the morning light that I don’t recognize.
But I’d sooner blame the vacancy of traveling alone
As I head north to bring my week of camping daughter home.

Driving through these small towns, back roads in the rain
You could fall down trying to explain
What a sweet sound all those raindrops make
Falling on the back roads of a small town.

Now, the first time I came up here, it was Winter ‘69
I had a friend whose family had a camp up in the pines.
I remember singing “Sugar Mountain” ‘round a blazing fire
Banging, twanging six-strings and a howling midnight choir.

We were in a small town, bundled up in snow
We were spellbound by all we didn’t know
Going round and round, fortississimo
Waking up the neighbors in small town.

Now, in August, every summer, we make our getaway
And leave behind the details for a few days by the lake.
We eat and swim and sleep and read and share this precious time
Tucked between the bookends of a long familiar drive.

Through these small towns, there’s changes being made
But like a circus clown, it takes more than a coat of paint
To hide a frown, if that’s what’s on the face
Behind the curtains of a small town.

Heading south, my laughing daughter tells her tales of camp
It’s great to see the spirit smiling in her eyes again
But amidst all her adventures, I begin to realize
Just how deep the difference is between August and July.

Driving through these small towns, on a Sunday afternoon,
You can look around, but there’s not a lot to do
In between the browns, the greens and the blue
And all the other colors of a small town.

Oh, these small towns, back roads in the rain
You could fall down trying to explain
What a sweet sound all those raindrops make
Falling on the back roads of a small town.


1995

Track 22: “Sing To The World”

I consider this to be my hymn. The only one I’ve ever written. It was inspired by and lightly borrows from the words of Lech Walesa, Rev. David Slater, Sir Issac Watts and Woody Guthrie.

Sing To The World

Sing to the world a new song
Sing with a joyful heart,
Sing to the world 
A song that welcomes all with open arms,
Sing to the world
With countless voices joined in harmony,
Sing to the world a new song
That all the world can sing.

Sing to the world far and wide
Sing with sparkling eyes,
Sing to the world
A song that keeps the flame of hope alive,
Sing to the world 
That we may find a path to common ground,
Sing to the world
A song that calls us all to gather ‘round.

Sing to the world hand in hand
Sing with love revealed,
Sing to the world
A song that knows how songs should make us feel,
Sing to the world
A song that shares its smile with every face
Sing to the world
A song that holds the world in a warm embrace.

Sing to the world loud and long
Sing with sounding joy,
Sing to the world 
A song that fills the air with wonderous noise,
Sing to the world
A song of peace to ring through every land,
Sing to the world 
A song for every woman, child and man.

Sing to the world.


1996

“Sing To The World” was previously released here on sixstr stories on December 12, 2013, in the post: “A Hymn For The Holiday And The New Year” and on January 1, 2021, in the post: “A Hymn For The New Year.”

Track 23: “San Diego”

My wife and I had the very good fortune to be able to take a week’s vacation in San Diego a couple of times back in the 1990’s. This was written not long after the first one of those. It’s got one of my most favorite-to-play guitar parts. Almost a Blues.

San Diego

Well…

Me and my baby went to San Diego town,
Had us a good time, oh, we really got around.
Me and my baby, hopped a flight to San Diego town, yeah,
Back home in the country, well, still got my head up in the clouds.

Thinking ‘bout those…
 
Long, lazy breakfasts stretching into the afternoon,
Chocolates on the pillow, pina coladas by the pool.
Long, lazy breakfasts and those late lunch afternoons, yeah
Back home in the country, well, was that really me and you?

Out there…

Strolling on the beach, standing on those Sunset Cliffs
Going down to the Gaslamp, digging those smokey hoodoo riffs,
Out on Coronado, you said, “How much better can it get?”
Well, back home in the country, I said, “Hey, girl, ain’t seen nothing yet.”

All right.

So now…

Every time the snow flies, every time that cold wind blows,
Every time old Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose,
Every time the snow flies and the wind chill dips below zero,
Well, back home in the country, now, just think about San Diego.

Yeah. 


1996

Track 24: “The Garden Song (No More Beans)”

This was a very fun song to write. I got to draw upon my memories of the names of the many varieties of vegetables that my father used to plant in his expansive vegetable gardens way back in the day. In performance, it is one of my audience-participation “echo songs.” As you listen, at the end of every chorus, try singing back the last line, out loud and loudly! “NO MORE BEANS!”

The Garden Song (No More Beans)

Last summer, in our garden
We planted nothing but beans.
Green beans, wax beans, bush beans, pole beans
Row after row after row of beans.
We watered and weeded and fertilized,
Everything was growing great,
And it wasn’t ‘till the harvest started rolling in
That we realized our mistake.

We had beans, beans, beans
Beans like you wouldn’t believe.
Bags and boxes and bushel baskets
All filled right up with beans.
We ate beans three meals a day
For just about six weeks,
‘Till we woke up screaming in the middle of the night:
“No more beans!”

Ah, this summer, in our garden
We planted nothing but corn.
Yellow corn, sweet corn, butter-and-sugar corn,
Row after row after row of corn.
We watered and weeded and fertilized,
‘Till the ears got ready to pick
And by the second row, we were crying, 
“Oh, no! Here we go again!”

We’ve got corn, corn, corn
If only we’d been warned.
We’re running out of crates and cardboard cartons
But we ain’t running out of corn.
We’ve been eating corn three meals a day
For a month and a little bit more
‘Till late last night we woke up roaring:
“No more corn!”

Ah, next summer, in our garden
We’re gonna plant some squash.
Summer, zucchini, acorn and butternut,
Even those big blue hubbard squash.
We’ll water and weed and fertilize
And watch those squash plants grow,
And when we’re up to our chins in vegetables again,
Well, we can’t say we didn’t know.

We’ll have squash, squash, squash
We’ll be awash in squash.
Stacks and stacks of sacks and satchels
All chucker-block full of squash.
We’ll eat squash three meals a day
‘Till it drives us out of our gourds
And when you come calling, you’ll hear us hollering,
“No more squash!”

You want some corn?

“No more corn!”

How about some beans?

“No more beans!”

“No more song.”


1996

Track 25: “Hold On (Tight)”

Someone once described this as “an old married couple love song.” I liked that.

Hold On (Tight)

You and I will survive
These dark demanding days.
And I’ve no doubt that once this bout
Of hard times goes away,
You and I will see the sun
And feel it on our faces,
And all these tears will disappear
In laughter’s long embraces.

You and I live our lives
In blissful discontent.
Thankful for the wonderous store
Of blessings we’ve been sent.
But times elusive treasure
Is precious more than gold,
And life’s inclined to rob us blind
If once we dare let go.

So, hold on, hold on tight.
We’re pretty good at putting up a fight,
Whatever it takes to make it through the night,
Oh, hold on, hold on tight.

You and I compromise
Comfort and cajole.
Pillow talk and take our walks
Together down this road.
So, come trial and tribulation
And troubles ten feet tall,
We’ll stand our ground
With arms around each other
Through them all.

So, hold on, hold on tight
Can’t walk away and not do what’s right.
I swear that up ahead, I can see the light
Oh, hold on, hold on tight.
Yes, hold on, hold on tight.


1998

“Hold On (Tight)” was first released here on sixstr stories on October 27, 2013, in the post: “Here We Are.”

There you go, again! I hope you enjoyed this next quintet! Stay tuned for more sides from “There Are (These Songs, Too).”