bigant

Wasted Ones: Bicycle Eaters Style

bigant — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 20:09:03 +0000

It’s been a long time coming, but the Bicycle Eaters (band I’m in) is finishing up its first full album. Here’s the gorgeous treatment of Wasted Ones (or, Emaline) that I posted here as uke-only years ago when I first wrote it. Wasted Ones/House Made of Cake by Bicycle Eaters […]

Curse of Vienna

bigant — Thu, 28 May 2015 00:41:33 +0000

This is an old recording I just re-discovered of the first full song I wrote with the ukulele. It is so strange and wonderful to hear the night sounds in the background. That mixture is specific to the back patio of the old Holland House. It makes me feel like home in a way that is so special.

The song itself is about meeting special people in special places and then leaving them there. I think any regular traveler with a heart full for romance will get what I’m talking about.

http://www.antsinmyteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/curseofvienna.mp3

Curse of Vienna

LYRICS

You, you got

You, you got,

you got me tied between

Old inclinations and simple pride

I need 24, 24, 24, more hours with you

In the slow roasting hell of this

Building block city

I’ll pretend that it’s not dying

if I can keep sitting

In a yellow, yellow, yellow, white chariot with you

And I don’t wanna

Don’t wanna hold

Don’t wanna hold you

To it

But the pumping’s been off in my heart since you blew it

And next time or sometime is no time when time’s not with you

You, you got

And I don’t want to

[…]

Three Seconds

bigant — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 23:23:47 +0000

I gave myself about thirty minutes to write song about three seconds worth of thought yesterday as a challenge for back porch art night. This little guy probably needs to be arranged differently, but it was fun to write something on a deadline and without the usual style I like to write in.

This photo is unrelated to the song, but I’m pretty in love with it right now.

I think my mood is shifting back into silly songs mode, so some more ditties like this old gal might be what’s next. It’s spring!!

http://www.antsinmyteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/3-Seconds.m4a

LYRICS

Three Seconds

I’m hoping

A lot heart is good for prodigals

But this is not the time for tales to tell your children

Your weight feels as though it needs my comfort

I have none to give, I am among the comets

I’m hoping

Staring straight, I should be tiring quickly

I have to stay as though my heart is simple

A vine, it crawls between my toes and fingers

It keeps me warm and gives me an erasure

I’m hoping

What do I want? You don’t know what you’re doing

In my mind, the winds of rest and sailing

Have stopped all my crooked thoughts from thawing

I’m upside-down and I am hardly moving

I’m hoping

Don’t know what I did right

I hold my breath, and close my eyes

Keep real still

[…]

Bully of the Open Sea

bigant — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 02:38:05 +0000

I think dogs are super cool and have depth beyond our assumptions. Which, I guess, explains why this is not the first song I have written with a canine muse. Is that weird? Maaaybe.

Last November, a lovely friend of mine gave me the fantastic present of peaceful escapism. As a thank you for her kindness, I wrote her a song inspired by her doggie and sent her this little recording with the ukulele chords so she could play along at home (uke people attract uke people I think) for the pup.

This recording has a whistle solo that really shows off my total lack of talent in that particular area, so I’m really excited to share.

http://www.antsinmyteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/bullyoftheopensea.mp3

Bully of the Open Sea

Daringly she tests the water

Wondering if she outta seize the day

And sail free

Adventure’s name starts calling softly

And slowly swells to a cacophony

“Come to me”

Her paws lift slowly from the sand

She flies through dreams of other lands

Harriet

She tends the winds and waves ferociously

The wisened bully of the open sea

Conscript to none, captain of all

Harriet

Do not be caught fool by her peaceful pace

Her stocky stance belies a leopard’s grace

Of heart and soul, if not of paw

[…]

Backporch Camerata

bigant — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 07:01:27 +0000

Both big and little ants have been trying to step up their artsy game for the season of lent. Part of that includes forcing ourselves to get in the habit of not just consuming, but creating regularly. Little ant has a nice writing program going on, but I have been having a harder time figuring […]

I Needed The Whole of Nature to Unbosom Myself

bigant — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 20:57:39 +0000

My little pup turned 11 years old over the weekend! To celebrate the sweetest edition to my life since little ant (aww), I dug up an old song inspired by Rogue the dog.

A few years ago, I lived in a house where Rogue could be left outside in the backyard thanks to a huge fence and a low-traffic area. I left her out one beautiful day before walking down to my favorite watering hole, only to have the beautiful day overcome by thunderstorms while I was inside and unaware. After running home through the rain, the saddest ball of wet shivers ran up to me from under the patio table- ranking that night one of my top 5 Worst Pet Owner moments. I muddled up our stories and added a pinch of hyperbole to write this song.

http://www.antsinmyteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/I-Needed-the-Whole-of-Nature-to-Unbosom-Myself.mp3

After recording it today (with pup in lap as pictured above) I realized I had never named the song. I figured letting Rogue pick the title was only fair, so we took out Camille, opened to a random page, and she pointed to the phrase she wanted: “I Needed the Whole of Nature to Unbosom Myself.” Damn, girl. You sure got it right.

Rogue thinks deep, y’all.

[…]

Dark Parlour Song

bigant — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 04:53:55 +0000

This week I have escaped to a cold empty beach on the border of Alabama and Mississippi. I walked down to the beach this evening and not only did I fail to pass a single soul on the walk to the ocean, but I couldn’t see even a flashlight bobbing on the beach in either direction. The absolute quiet and remoteness of this place has a very serious presence that is almost a companion in itself. Creepy sounding? Maybe a bit.

Adieu False Heart is a traditional parlour song that was written in the late 1800’s with an assumed southern/creole influence. Adieu got a minor (as in key) remake in 2006 on the eponymous album by Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy. I have had it stuck in my head on and off for about a year now and it is the perfect music for a cold, dark night in the southern states. Here is a (cell phone) recording of me singing it this evening. With a little ocean thrown in at the end.

http://www.antsinmyteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/adieufalseheart.mp3

ADIEU FALSE HEART

Adieu false heart, since we must part
May the joys of the world go with you
I’ve loved you long with a faithful heart
but I never anymore can a-b’lieve you

I’ve seen the time I’d-a married you
And been your constant lover
But now I gladly give you up
For one whose heart’s more truer.

My mind is like the constant sun
From the east to the west it ranges
Yours is like unto the moon
It’s every month it changes

When I lay down to take my rest
No scornful one to wake me
I’ll go straight ways unto my grave
Just as fast as time can take me

[…]

Reset

bigant — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 22:23:25 +0000

I recorded “Reset” last April on a cruise I took to the Bahamas by myself. It was one of the stranger experiences of my life. I guess I’ve been out of the school game so long that I didn’t realize that April is not only spring break, but that Carnival cruise line is a popular […]

Way to Me

bigant — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 18:44:13 +0000

I took a vacation to the country last week and recorded a first version of this song outside during a thunderstorm. I can’t say exactly where this little guy came from. One of the verses has been siting around in a journal for a few years and the rest just seemed to fit in. […]

Emaline

bigant — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 23:21:24 +0000

A while back, a friend of mine wrote a play called Here Lies Emaline. It was good. Really, really good. This song doesn’t have anything to do with Here Lies Emaline‘s wonderful story, but I think the name Emaline got into my head that way. So there’s your intro. The icky issue I usually have with […]