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 right down to the songs on Side 3.)

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 (with two exceptions), 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…

BTW: This is my 500th post on sixstr stories!

Track 11: “I Hate To Mow”

My wife and I bought a house in 1980. It was on a half-acre lot, a good part of which was lawn. The job of mowing that lawn was mine. Having this song to sing as I mowed – who knows what the neighbors thought! – did serve to make the job a bit more tolerable. I revisited the song in 2022, giving it a new arrangement, a better second verse and this recording.

I Hate To Mow

I hate to mow the lawn
I hate my lawn mower
All that walking back and forth
In the hot summer sun
Swatting flies and mosquitos
Raking up all the trimmings
I hate to mow the lawn
No, it isn’t any fun

Now, when I was a kid
Used to make a little money
Going ‘round the neighborhood
Raking leaves and cutting grass
But now, the kids on my street
They don’t want to lift a finger
For a couple bucks an hour
They just look at me and laugh.

I hate to mow the lawn…

In the Fall, it’s the leaves
Then the snow in the Winter
Every time you turn around
Something always comes along
But at least in the Summer
Instead of belly aching
When I gotta mow the lawn
I can sing this song.

I hate to mow the lawn…

I hate to mow the lawn
No, it isn’t any fun
I hate to mow the lawn
But I love the way it looks
When the works all done.


1990/2022

Track 12: “It All Adds Up”

For a number of years back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I participated in an annual community event in my town called the “Candlelight Vigil for the Homeless.” It was held on a (usually) very cold evening in January and involved a march through downtown with people carrying real candles. The march culminated with a gathering in the auditorium of the Town Hall. There, people spoke and songs were sung. (That’s where I came in). The goal was to raise awareness of the seriousness of the issue of homelessness in our community. This is a song that I performed several times at that event.

It All Adds Up

Well, every time you smile at someone on the street
Lend a hand to a friend in need
Give a little more than you receive
It may not seem like much
But after a while, it all adds up

Every time you take the time to get involved
Write a letter or make a call
Raise your voice and march along
It may not seem like much
But after a while, it all adds up

It all adds up
Can’t you see?
If everybody did their part
It all adds up
You gotta believe
A little bit now, a little more tomorrow
And one of these days
This old world’s gonna turn around.

Every time you light a candle or say a prayer
Try to make everyone more aware
Keep a watch on the world out there
It may not seem like much
But after a while, it all adds up

It all adds up…

Well, every time you smile at someone on the street
Lend a hand to a friend in need
Give a little more than you receive
It may not seem like much
But after a while, it all adds up

After a while, it all adds up
It may not seem like much
Oh, but after a while, it all adds up


1991

Track 13: “Underneath It All”

In memory of one of my earlier guitar students, James Gareth “Jamie” Morgan, 1970-1991.

Underneath It All

Just the other day, ‘bout a month ago
Hadn’t seen him in quite a while
Couldn’t get over how he’d gotten so
Underneath it all, still the same old smile

No more little kid, that was plain to see
He told me stories of the work he’d done
He even mentioned a long time ago
I said “C’mon, Jamie, you were just being young.”

I couldn’t stay long, I wished him all the best
And when we said goodbye
We shook hands, I hoped he’d keep in touch
I walked away thinking, “What a lucky guy.”

That was then, not so long ago
Now they’re telling me that he’s gone
“I can’t believe it,” I said, “No, it can’t be so.
He was right here. How can he be gone?”

I can’t remember everything he said
Was there something that I didn’t see?
Who can say? No one will ever know
All we can do is hope that he’s finally free.

Just the other day, ‘bout a month ago
Hadn’t seen him in quite a while
Couldn’t get over how he’d gotten so
Underneath it all, still the same old smile

Underneath it all, still the same old smile


1991

For: James Gareth “Jamie” Morgan, 1970-1991

Track 14: “Days Like These”

When I wrote this song, I was in a band, a Beatles band, called “Merseyside.” Verse 2 is about the time in July, 1991, when the four of us drove into Boston one night to hear another Beatles band and then the next night, did a show of our own back home, in New Hampshire. The rest of the song is about my family and my life during that miraculous and magical summer.

Days Like These

Thursday morning, Fourth of July,
Heading in to work and the road’s all mine
Someone’s got to make a little money in this family
Me and the kids are going out tonight
Me and missus made some fireworks of our own
By the dawn’s early light
Days like these make the winter worthwhile.

Hello, summer, sunshining
Hot summer, unwinding
Living is easy and somewhere
The cotton is starting to get high
Hello, summer, sweet summertime.

Bright lights, big city
Me and the boys are sitting pretty
Here’s to hoping that it’s always this much fun
Grab some dinner, then catch a show
Tomorrow evening we’ll be rocking some fans of our own
Down by the riverside
Days like these money sure can’t buy.

Hello, summer…

Summertime used to be all fun and games
I know my neighbors think I still got it made
Isn’t that the way things always looks from a distance?
But, hey, I’d be the first to admit
I’m pretty darn lucky to be living my life like this
The way things are going
Days like these could very well be
Among the best I ever will know.

Hello, summer…


1991

Track 15: “What Would I Do?”

This is one of the exceptions to the “captured in my home studio…” part of the introductory section of these posts. This performance of “What Would I Do” was recorded live and in-concert on May 23, 1992. As a special bonus, it features the absolutely gorgeous viola playing of Laura Jackson. At the time, Laura was a friend and teaching colleague. She is now a world-renowned orchestral conductor and serves as the Music Director and Conductor of the Reno, Nevada, Philharmonic. I love this recording.

What Would I Do?

Just before Christmas you came down with the flu
A hundred and three degrees worth
Barely surviving the family yule
You went to bed for the rest of the week
Lots of soup and lots of sleep
Everything was fine, until it crossed my mind

What would I do 
Without you,
What would I do
If something ever happened to you?
What would I do, 
All on my own,
How would I make it through
Without you?
What would I do,
What would I do?

Well, my imagination doesn’t need an excuse
To imagine the worst
Any indication of impending doom
And it swerves out of control
So, when you mentioned that rare syndrome
I wasn’t too alarmed,
But the New Year found me wondering

What would I do…

Now that you’re better and back on the track
I can make this confession
I didn’t mind taking up the slack
After all, I did take a vow
I meant it then and I mean it now
Whatever comes along, 
Today, tomorrow and far beyond 

What would I do…
 

1992

There you go! As always, I hope you enjoyed the songs on this side. Stay tuned for Side 2!