caterwauls echoes

caterwauls

echoes in a tin pan ear

a few strained notes from caterwauling songs and musical explorations

	home

All the great art has been painted ...
         and all the great dancing is done ...
              all the great books have been written ...
                    all the great songs have been sung ...
                           and all the great loves ........ but one.

Some brief excerpts from a few of my original songs ... intended as a demo quality only ... click to hear a a few lines - be patient while it loads - use your 'back' button to return - All music and lyrics here are protected by copyright and registered with SOCAN, Canada's performing rights organization.

Fifty's Long Enough To Live		Softtail Springer

Fifty's long enough to live when your heart is broke like mine a lifetime's just too much to give when you're long past forty-nine When the days are grey and the nights don't pay and the years keep draggin' on, fifty's long enough to live and you might as well be gone. Once I was a happy man, a few years old it's true. Nothin' could upset my plan, then I fell in love with you. The lovelight lasted in your eyes till a younger man came by, that isn't rainin' from the skies, it's fifty years of cry. *etc - - -*		Softtail Springer, trackin' the road, I got freedom in my saddlebags ain't no heavy load. Got no destination, I ride with no plan. See me passin' by, a Harley Davidson man. Softtail Springer, dreamin' along. A hard life singer with a tail pipe song, about a cheatin' woman who's hangin' on me. Now I'm movin' on through the land Of the free Feel that rumble, hear that roar, if it ain't makin' thunder tell me what is it for? fight the revolution goin' on in my head, pounding evolution painted sweet candy red. Hard knuckle fever, a right handed squeeze, my creakin' black leather got the highway disease Steel toed boots, steely hard stare, a steel hearted woman no she never did care. chorus, Softtail Springer, across the big sky, chrome plated winger, I'll ride till I die Dragon-fire demons, and deadly dark flights, I own the days, but she owns the nights. *etc - - -*
© RC Westerholm - SOCAN		© RC Westerholm - SOCAN0

Can't Help Myself

Bring in the Violins

I'll be seeing you again someday, maybe later in the fall,

I'll remember all the times that I heard you say,

You must love, your freedom most of all.

　CHORUS;

We almost made it one time, but now it's gone

You told me once that you must, keep moving on

I thought you'd change your mind but, you have to go

Can't help myself I love you so.

...etc

(1st song I ever wrote)

Bring in the violins, it's time to end the picture show

and let the roses fall, the people have to go.

Let's have the final kiss, and let them know how it will end

Now let the curtain down, turn up the lights again.

CHORUS;

And so it goes, the story someone wrote for me

A movie show, that's only make believe you see.

The story ends, because one lover never wins

the roses fall, bring in the violins.

...etc

Lead Me On

I Drive At Night

Love, can keep slipping away,

like the light of a summer star

disappears amid the dawn.

Love, did I see it in your eyes?

Did I know it was forbidden love?

Do you only plan to lead me on?

CHORUS;

Lead me on, yes I want you to lead me on,

and though I know that it's forbidden love

I still want you by my side.

Hold me near, you must promise you will hold me near,

and from the moment when your lips meet mine

I will trust you as my guide.

... etc

I drive at night, you'll find me on the highway,

the traffic's light, there's no one on the road.

I'm on my own, 'cause I can do it my way,

I'm all alone, it's easy on the load.

CHORUS;

And every night I take a side trip,

goes right by your door,

I hope I'm wrong, because I'm thinkin',

you're not home no more.

When I go by, I see your window,

but the shades are down.

Maybe you, are in there sleepin',

an' maybe you've left town.

... etc

Emergency Hospital (The Ballad of Andrei Sakharov)		High Country Cowboy

They got me in emergency hospital, how'd I ever get in here? What did I say? Is this the price that I pay? They said they'd let me out next year. They put me in emergency hospital, in here it happens in reverse, you come in then, you're never seen again the patients go from good to worse. The doctor comes to see me each morning-time, he says there's something wrong in my head, he gives me a shot and then I hurt a lot maybe I'd be better off dead. Hear the man a moanin' in the bed next door, he just got up and went insane, the morning line is he'll be dead by nine, 'cause all he ever feels is pain. CHORUS; A knock on my door about a quarter to four they came and then they took me away I dared to disagree and someone told on me they take down everything that you say. *etc - - -*		High country cowboy you've come into town, to find yourself a wife Someone old fashioned, a woman you've dreamed of, who's wanting to share in your life. Honest and loyal and willing to toil, to build as each year goes on Old cabin values but I've got to tell you, those kind of women are gone. chorus; He was a high country cowboy, came from the end of the sky. He was an old fashioned dreamer life was just passing him by. What can you give her but days full of lonely while you're out ridin' the range? What can you promise? You know that she'd only be waitin' for seasons to change. High country cowboy you've waited too long and she's someone you'll never find, might as well go home, the dream that you're seeking is only alive in your mind. *etc - - -*
© RC Westerholm - SOCAN		© RC Westerholm - SOCAN

You Can't Hurt Me Anymore

Naked City Sidewalks

You can't hurt me anymore Babe

you'd be foolish if you try

because I threw away my feelings,

up in the Oklahoma sky.

You couldn't even find the pieces

if you were searchin' for my heart,

scattered on the Texas wind, the ashes of my love

you can't hurt me anymore.

CHORUS;

And now the days all run together

Is this a week or just a year?

And every moment lasts forever

How long have I been waitin' here?

And even now I know you're schemin'

but I'm no longer keepin' score,

this isn't California dreamin'

and you can't hurt me anymore.

You'd never come across my lovin'

If you were walkin' through my mind

You'd only tread upon the desert

There ain't no tenderness to find,

And like a Mississippi gambler

I'll never let my thinkin' show

Because my face is frozen old in the North Dakota cold

You can't hurt me anymore.

etc - - -

I'm another dreamer came to New York

with a star sign in my eyes

and the Naked City bought my soul

with it's promises and lies.

It was here I met those evil women

it was here I drank that devil booze

now I'm livin' down upon the sidewalks

and there ain't nothin' left to lose.

I'm a story of the Naked City

you can hear the sidewalks call my name

and the tale they'll tell you ain't so pretty

'cause they're lookin' for someone to blame.

And this is the town that never goes to sleep

because it's schemin' all night long,

it takes an iron man and then it makes him weep

and still pretends there's nothing wrong.

etc - - -

Street Musician

In a darkened doorway covered with graffiti

stands a haggard man who's aged before his time.

In a dusty black case open on the sidewalk

there's a quarter, seven nickels and a dime.

And with bandaged fingers he will strum a rusty old guitar

and nobody tells him that he's out of tune,

and a lady in a yellow hat is watching from afar

as he sings away the fading afternoon.

The Trocadero Cafe		Christmas Wish

I know a place on the other side of town, some people go there just to play opens at night about half past ten and never closes until dawn You can get what you want at the Trocadero Cafe. Midnight and gossip are the bill of fare, everyone dining with a view, wear what you want but you can't get in unless you got your bestes on 'cause you're part of the scene and there's someone watchin' you too. CHORUS; Lovers gamblers winners losers are meeting there plotters schemers dreamers makin' their way any kind of deal that you want to do, or any game you'd like to play you can get what you want at the Trocadero Cafe. *etc - - -*		Santa Claus, in case you're listening, I'd like to tell you what I want from you this year Santa Claus, there's something you can bring It's something each and every person wants to hear. In this world, there's people causing pain but maybe it's because they're feeling so alone, Could it be, that there'd be peace again? If you could give them Christmas feelings of their own. CHORUS; Load your sleigh with Care and Kindness wrap some Joy and Understanding fill your bag with Hope and Promise too. Tie it all with red green ribbon seal the dream that you have given just a simple gift of Love will do. When we wake on Christmas morning let us find a future dawning Happiness would make this world so right, Santa if you do have magic, it's the only thing I'm asking could you grant my Christmas wish tonight? etc - - -
© RC Westerholm - SOCAN		© RC Westerholm - SOCAN

If audio doesn't play try using Firefox or Chrome browser instead

Contact regarding these songs - email - fugacity@hotmail.ca

songs were recorded for demo of melody lines and lyrics only)

back to caterwauls meanderings page -

Let's Kill Aunie Lena

Let's kill auntie Lena, let's chop up her head,

and then uncle Harry, let's make them both dead.

Let's get a great big knife, to stick in her heart

we'll wait till she's sleeping, and cut her apart.

Let's shoot uncle Harry, when he doesn't know,

we'll dig him in the corn-patch, to see if he'll grow.

I love auntie Lena, and like Harry too.

But I won't go to bed now, there's nothing to do.

g to do.

read the song lyrics

Did you write a song? It is protected immediately by copyright even if you don't fill out any forms etc. You don't have to send it anywhere, just write your name and date with a © on your lead sheet. You CAN register it in Washington, DC but a good way of protecting your rights to it is simply to let lots of your friends hear it when you've written it. Witnesses stand up in court.

The only songs that are in public domain in North America are those written prior to 1922! All other music needs permission to publish, perform or record. If your song is likely to be played or recorded you should join SOCAN, Canada's performing rights organization - Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada - http://www.socan.ca/

In the US it is BMI as the performing rights organization - http://www.bmi.com/

Songs presently in public domain? Now you can perform Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie without paying anyone!

Modern song writing without taboos? Check out a great Madonna video here -

Or forcing taboos? Read these lyrics if you dare x

and you can write a song about anything - cinquecento.htm

Screams in the night you're having dreams in the night.

What are the things that you fight inside your head?

Darkness descends and you go on without end.

What castles do you defend inside your bed?

Of course, song writing is all about having something to say, whether it be about love or life. On my *Bloggies* page you can hear Ozzy Osbourne make an endearing plea about Earth and where we are going as a human population. Julian Lennon also has a superbly beautiful message video with his song, 'Saltwater'.	take a listen - - >

and an unexpectedly enchanting and beautiful song from Ozzy Osbourne here

The incredible volume of the 20th century's most modern lyricist, and Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Bob Dylan, can be appreciated here - http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs

and Tom Waits' imaginative lyrics can be found here - http://www.tomwaits.com/songs/

and musical theatre lyricist Dorothy Fields 50 years of Broadway songs - https://www.dorothyfields.org/songs.htm

Lots of helpful suggestions here - http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com/

Email

feedback - inbunk@gmail.com

Last

HOME

Next

website design - Masalla Galleries Graphics - Vancouver BC