So I took down the Chirstmas music, and I put up a little ditty I call "Last Days" Could be the end of a relationship, could be the end of the world. I'll let you decide. To me, it was about the end of summer when I wrote it but sometimes a song grows and changes over time. It means something a little different to me now but I don't feel like sharing. Hope you don't mind. Maybe someday when I'm older.

Anyways, check out the tune, maybe it will mean something different to you too. It seemed appropriate here for the end of the year and all.

So happy new year, let's hope it's a good one.

-Johnny Law

Well, so much for Christmas. I took down the Christmas song, I'll post something later today in it's place.  Did you like it? As I said, it's a bit of a departure for me but it serves the purpose, 'cause really, what's a song for anyways?

So yeah, hope yours was a merry one, mine was pretty good.  I'll do it again next year, maybe the same tune, maybe something different. I guess I  have 11 months to figure it out and write a new one if  I  must.

I hate Christmas music. Can I say that? Generally, I'm not a big fan of the whole Christmas season, really. Don't get me wrong, I love the time with family, the fabulous food, and of course presents (not to mention time off work, long snowy evenings by the fireplace, etc). What gets me is all the running around, the stress, the commercialism, all the added crap. Isn't this supposed to be a relaxing, quiet time of year?

Anyways, a few years ago I sat down with my acoustic guitar and thought about what this season is really about. I finally recorded it this year, and the result is posted above on my music player. It's a simple story, really. Yet remarkable at the same time. A pegnant girl, her faithful husband, and a cold night on a long road with no-where to stay.

Something special happened that night. Something wonderful and magic. On this cold night, in a stable behind the inn this young girl and her husband - cold, scared, alone except for the company of a few cows and their burro, lay down on a bed of straw and hay not knowing, not imagining what that night would bring.

I'll let the song tell the story form here. It's a bit of a departure for me, just me singing above a single guitar line. No drums, no bass, I guess it's fair to say that this one doesn't rock at all. But go ahead and listen all the same, it's a great story.

I've set it to download free, feel free to share it. I'll leave it up until sometime after Christmas.

One more note: this is a home recording, no fancy studio work happening here. Just me, my guitar, and a little reverb.

Anyways, Merry Christmas!

Just put a couple of new tunes up for your listening pleasure!

Something Here is form my 2006 release "Hanging By A Thread". It's a fun little up tempo alt-countyish rocker/love song. Also makes a good drinking song. Not alot of love songs can say that.

A Christmas Story is a bit of a departure for me. I'll post seperately about that.

Yeah, so I went shopping today. I needed some things. What's the big deal?

Lemmings, man, we're all lemmings. Lemmings to the mall.

There they were...streaming in from all corners of the city. They filled the parking lots, crowded the doors. The aisles were packed, lines were long.

On the third floor concourse, they lined up 100 wide. Moving forward. When they neared the edge they just kept going. Each one falling silently to the food court below. Behind each one, another stepped forward to take it's place.

And they just kept falling.

Yeah, we're lemmings.

Ok. So here's the deal. It's been a rough 6 months. Actually, 7 & 1/2, but who's counting?

Things were going well there for a while, but then it sort of all fell apart.  The record came out last summer, a month late but better for it with one more track and stronger production..

Then came the accident, and soon after that, the diagnosis. Then the band split up.Yeah, Christmas sucked.

And then Dianne. Ohh...Dianne. What she did to Jack just wasn't pretty. But some girls are like that.

Anyways, a lot has changed this spring. Shit, is it really July already? 

But I'm back at it now. I've got some new songs coming. Doing things a little differently now. It's just me this time.

Oh yeah, and Dianne? She's not real. I made it all up.Good thing for Jack.

Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth at the Minnesota State Fair 8/24/06

 

Mike and I got in the car at about 6, heading North  on 55 we could see the line of clouds just the other side of downtown.

 

Looks Like Rain..hope the shows still on he says.

 

Theyve never canceled a show yet, were still on. Did you grab the ponchos?

 

By the time we turned East onto Riverside the sky had turned black. At the corner of Riverside and Franklin I had to turn on the wipers. By University the wipers were slapping at full speed and we were slogging thru water up to the rims.

 

This section of University doesnt drain so well when it rains like this, he says.

 

No shit.

 

We picked up Jason and turn North on Snelling. Raining so hard we cant even make out the sign for our exit at Como.

 

Just follow the Caddy, Hes heading the same way

 

We fall in behind a pearl white Cadillac and follow him down the ramp onto Como. Confused drivers not sure how to navigate the rising water slow and pull to the sidethe more confident ones push on, leaving wakes behind them.

 

Further down Como we pass the traffic cops, barely visible in their blaze orange and safety yellow reflective vests.  Water soaked fair goers wade through the torrent towards the gates.  As we pass the bus drop off  lot, we look down the side street and see manhole covers blown off their settings, water geysers shooting 30 feet straight up out of the storm sewer.

 

Turn north up Cleveland, then right onto campus and the fair grounds. The parking attendants booth is an island in the quickly rising floodwaters. Some drunk fool is swimming in the exit lane. A thoroughly miserable looking vendor walks past us heading out.

 

Hand the man the money, pull onto the fair grounds. As we round the corner onto Dan Patch  we are greeted by white water rapids  in the middle of the street. A torrent runs down the sloping parking lot entrance into the boulevard.

 

The parking lot is slightly higher, high enough that most of the water has drained onto the nearby streets. We pull into a spot, right up front. Looks like everyone stayed home. Miraculously, as soon as we parked the rain slowed, then stopped altogether. The clouds thinned and we walked onto the fairgrounds.

 

-countinued

No, of course I dont think a song can stop the war

Theres war all around us (always has been, always will be)

Everyday were reminded

But in this room, on this night, 300 people had a good time

In this room, on this night 300 people came together and enjoyed themselves

Together

For 90 short minutes, 300 people felt good

Together

Sang along

Together

Stood

Together

 

and thats my little ray of fucking sunshine that I can bring into this world.

                                                                              - Author Unknown

Thee's one song that we just couldn't manage to make work on the CD, just one of those things. The song is still ringing in my head and I want to get it out here for you. I don;t have a recording of it at all, just some drum tracks and rough takes of the rythm guitar so I'm just going to give you the lyrics, but on this tune that's the important part.

 

The inspiration for this tune originally started with a bumper sticker. Yeah, I know.

 

Anyways, everyone's driving around with these bumper stickers saying "What Would Jesus Do". Then some smart ass printed up some saying "What would Elvis Do". Then came "What would Homer Do" and so on.

 

You know what? Who cares what any of them would do? What I want to know is what will YOU do?

 

Life is short man....I've tasted death once, I know I only have so much time here. I don't want to waste it like a bumper sticker.

 

So yeah, you've only got one go-round. Make it count. What will you do?

 

 

What Will You Do

© 2004 John Lawyer ASCAP

 

            Where were you the day the world changed

And what did it mean to you

Were you red, white, or blue that day

Was there anything you could do

 

            Where were you when the planes stopped flying

Did you get home that day

Where were you when we all stopped trying

Was there anything you could say

 

            Youre not the same girl

Youre not the same girl

Im not the same

It could never be the same again

 

            Hotel room in New York City

I tried to tell the truth to you

I laid it all out but you werent ready

I wonder now could you

 

            Be ready

Could you be ready

Be ready now

Could you be ready now

 

            Youre not the same girl

Youre not the same girl

Its  not the same

We could never be the same again

 

            What will you do

When they finally drop the other shoe

What will you do

When it all crumbles down around you

What will you do

When they finally turn and come for you

What will you do

When theres nothing left you can do 

             Do it now

             Do it now

             Do it now

             Do it now