Composer: Brian Chartrand (ASCAP 2010)

Type: home recording 12/3/10

Instrumentation/Band: me on vocals and guitar

This tune started in April 2010.  Again, I was playing around with opening tuning (DADGAD) and stumbled upon this progression which is essentially hammering on the G string and then on the low A string.

One day I was ruminating about the terms “never” and “always” (yes, I ruminate, on occasion).  I basically decided, in my quest for complete moderation, that these terms are too black and white.  They don’t allow for “sometimes” or “rarely” or “on occasion” or “only on Saturday afternoons.”  Basically, they don’t allow for error.  Other than that, these lyrics don’t draw on anything autobiographical necessarily.  I had the chorus, but I wasn’t sure what the rest of the song was going to talk about.  This song started as many of my songs do…complete jibberish.  I sing some mumbo jumbo over the progression until the right combination of words, melody, theme, and rhythm come together.  Its not very scientific…in fact, its amateurish, but thats how I roll sometimes.

I like this tune because its fairly different than my other tunes.  Its got a marching beat that makes you want to stomp your foot.  I envision a marching band bass drum wailing out the cadence.

Enjoy.

Lyrics:

The best of my life.  That’s what I gave you.  Never enough.  Thats what you gave me.

But I’ll be OK.  That’s what she told me.  She’s walking away. Mistake of the century.

If I lose my way, I should remember today, never and always.

I spent my life waiting for you.  I let you go.  Same old story.

If I lose my way, I will remember today, never and always.

Memories they burn me from the inside out, but it doesn’t keep me warm.  So I just continue to fight, never and always.

I met my soul looking at you. I should let go.  What’s a fool to do?

If I lose my way, I will remember today, never and always.

Never And Always

Tune: “When We Were Young” by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Type: home demo

Instrumentation/Band: me on acoustic guitar and vocals

For the longest time, I was a standard guitar tuning type of guy (EADGBE).  If you hang out with Rich Price long enough, you start to realize that there are some really cool tunings out there that really open up the possibility of chord voicings and melodic structures…this particular tuning (DGDGBD) Rich mentioned to me a while ago and I started writing tunes with it right away.

This song was inspired by a couple things.  I wrote this tune as I was beginning to reconnect with old friends and girlfriends on Facebook and I was once again confronted with some of the juvenile, immature decisions of my youth. In short, you remember what an asshole you were to some people in High School and you wonder why.  And I started to wonder in what ways old friends had changed, if they had at all, and how and if I had changed since then.

And then I began to wonder if other people have similar experiences as they resurrect old relations and consider their past.  I would assume most people have some actions that they regret and chalk up to the ignorance of youth.  I began to wonder if, say, George W. Bush would agree.  This was around the time my own personal dissatisfaction with his administration was at an all time high and I imagined him reconnecting with friends on Facebook or at a high school reunion and saying something like “Hey!  I’m George.  Do you remember me?  We dated.  Anyway, did you know I just started a war? So, how are you?”  I envisioned his classmate looking through an old yearbook, stumbling on George’s awkward school picture and laughing about the time he stole George’s lunch money…you know, stupid kid’s stuff.  Then you realize, nobody’s perfect.  I was far from a bully in school, but I still did all the dumb stuff immature kids do.  I made mistakes, was dishonest, destructive, and was sometimes a real asshole.  George might ask for forgiveness of his peers just as I do in this song.  That might be the only similarity between he and I, but it would still be something we share.

This tune is about being young and stupid, regret, the healing of time, and acceptance and forgiveness.

When We Were Young

Lyrics:

Hey, Do you remember me?  I’m the one who broke your heart way back when we were young, but we’re older now.

Do you remember me? Where have the years gone, you look the same.

Hey, would you be proud of me if I said I’d start a war against all other wars being fought both near and far?

Hey would you be proud of me?  Would you tell your friends ‘Oh, I knew him well, when we were young.”

Time passes slow and people grow apart.  But I want you to know that you were always a part of me, yes, you were always there.

Hey would you forgive me for all the bad things that i’ve done?  For all the horrible, terrible lies I told when we were young.

Oh could you forgive me?  The things I said I didn’t mean.  I was just young.

Time passes slow and people grow apart.  But I want you to know that you were always a part of me, yes, you were always there.

Said you were always a part of me, yes, you were always there.

Tune: “Don’t Change” by INXS

Type: home recording

Band/Instrumentation: Me on guitars & vocals. Margaret Thatcher: English Horns. Yo Yo Ma: Violin (yes, violin). Jethro Tull: Flute.

The idea to do a an all 80′s record has been in my head for a while.  Now that I have the necessary recording gear at my house, I am going to finally get started.

I heard this tune at the end of “500 days of Summer” and thought it essential to add an INXS tune to the record.  I don’t remember this album at all really, but one cannot deny the affect INXS had on popular music.

This particular tune really intrigued me because its not one of their later super hits and its a melancholy pop tune.  So much so, that it almost passes for a Smiths tune…another band I hope to cover on the record.

There are a couple hooks in this tune as I see it:  the opening guitar lick and the chorus.  I made sure to include them, relatively unaltered, in my version.  I did the recording with just guitar and vocals though, and was unsatisfied.  If I was going to release it into the world, I had to make an attempt to make it more my own.  As a result, I added these weird melodies I was hearing in my head in the form of english horns, string section, and flute.  I love that part of the process.  That’s when you can really do anything you are hearing.  Once the canvas is laid out, you get to add colors and textures beyond the palate of guitars and vocals.  There is no denying the fact that these extra sounds are midi…I don’t even know an english horn player.  If I had the money, I would have hired an orchestra… but I don’t, so I won’t.  This little midi-keyboard works just fine.  I embrace today’s technologies.

I decided to leave the beginning of the third verse just acoustic and vocals to bring the listener back to zero, so to speak.  Hope you dig it.

Don’t Change by INXS

Tune: “On My Own” by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Type: home recording

Band/instruments: me on acoustic guitars, vocals, glockenspiel, flute.

This is a fairly autobiographical tune (except the whole “demons” part….thats what i call poetic license) written a year or so ago.  Unlike most tunes, I can’t find its entry in my writing journal, which makes me think this tune came out hot and quick.  Scratched onto a napkin or on a loose leaf of paper somewhere.  It was debuted during my 2009 European tour.  There is only one live recording of it, the soon to be released “Brian Chartrand & Clint Bierman: Live in Hamburg 2009.”  Very exciting.

The subject matter is fairly clear…Boy meets girl.  Girl wants more than boy can give.  Boy wants out.  What can I say, it happens sometimes.  And its usually not pretty.

Lyrics:

She thinks she sees something in me.  She thinks that I might be the one.  But I got some demons in me.  I got whiskey, gin, and rum.  I got whiskey, gin, and rum.

Sometimes the truth is pretty plain.  Sometimes the truth is pretty plain.  Maybe I’m the one to blame.  Can’t help but feel ashamed.

Now I’m on my own.  Yes, I’m on my own.  Maybe I’m the one to blame, but now I’m on my own.  On my own.

‘Cuz where there’s smoke there is fire.  You can see this for miles.

Someday she will understand.  Someday she should understand.  This stone cold hearted man.  Got a punching bag soul filled with sand.

Now I’m on my own.  Yes, I’m on my own.  Someday she should understand, but now I’m on my own.  On my own.

On My Own

Title: “The Drummer” or “Gone Cold” or “Our Loves Gone Cold” or “Myself to Blame” by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Band: Vocals and guitars by Brian Chartrand

Recorded: Home studio DEMO

I started writing this tune on November 1st while I was back in Massachusetts for some shows.  The guitar lick in the verse was the first thing to come.  The melody quickly followed.  The tune was 95% done by November 3rd.  In fact, I think I played it the night of the 2nd.

I love being in MA during Autumn.  It is my favorite time of year; no humidity or mosquitos, and no snow yet.  Plus the colors.  I think it was just being back in that environment that inspired the first line….”The waning days of Autumn.  The leaves have turned gold.  And we watch the pumpkins catch the frost and mold.”  That set the mood of the song for sure.  The choruses came quickly after a couple passes.

The last bit of development happened at a house concert in New Jersey with The Sweet Remains.  Rich, who cherishes an opportunity to play a new song even if its half baked (or worse), said “You should put that hook right up front.  You never do that…”

I am still not sure what the title of the song is going to be.  The line that mentioned a “drummer” is no longer in the song, so it doesn’t really make sense to call it The Drummer anymore, but I am still kind of into it.  That night in Jersey we asked the crowd to decide…currently “Gone Cold” is winning.  I think I am more partial to “Our Love’s Gone Cold” but whatever.

This recording is my first recording using my new home recording gear.  Very excited to record lots more demos and post them here.

The Drummer

Lyrics:

Cuz our loves gone cold.  I wish it weren’t so.  Cuz I’ve got myself to blame.

The waning days of Autumn.  The leaves have turned gold.  And we watch the pumpkins catch the frost and mold.

Cuz our loves gone cold.  I wish it weren’t so.  Cuz I’ve got myself to blame.

You say I neglect you.  You say I never tried.  So you packed your things in the car and you put the car in drive.

Cuz our loves gone cold.  I wish it weren’t so.  Cuz I’ve got myself to blame.

Have you made up your mind?  Can we try this all again in the Spring time or Summer?  You might change your mind some by then.

Cuz our loves gone cold.  I wish it weren’t so.  Cuz I’ve got myself to blame.

Tune: “Souls” written by Tak Yamashita and Brian Chartrand, performed by my old band, Flying Lessons

Type: Recorded live at Theodores’ in Springfield, MA in April 2003

Band: Me (vocals and acoustic guitar), Tak Yamashita (electric guitar), Rob Chateauneuf (drums), John Tomaszewski (bass), Keith Karlson (keys)

“Dude!  We’re getting the band back together!!”

"Its all ball bearings now a days..."

While back on the East Coast in November, I reassembled Tak Yamashita and Rob Chateauneuf of my old band, Flying Lessons, for an acoustic gig at Theodores’ in Springfield.  Theodores’ is a great blues and bbq joint were we used to play.  It was a lot of fun to dust off some of our old tunes and play music again together.  The last gig Flying Lessons performed was in 2003, so maybe there was less “dusting” and more “sandblasting.”  Some tunes came back rather quickly actually.  I had forgotten how many Flying Lessons songs I brought with me AZ back in October 2003.  Tunes like “Three Lessons” “Another Lover” “Genuine Leather” “Heartbreak in 6,” which have become staples of my current band, Ten Dollar Outfit, originated with Flying Lessons.  Flying Lessons was around for 3 or 4 years.  We played mainly around New England, with frequent trips down to NYC.  We were a “groove rock” band, whatever that means.  I think we might have been voted Best Groove Rock band by the Valley Advocate back in the day.  I was also voted Best Male Vocalist…so I got that going for me….which is nice.  Flying Lessons was fun for me because I had a chance to rock out a little bit.  It was during a time when my song writing was developing from rambling jams to actual songs.  ”Souls” is a good example of that development.  At this point, I forget what inspired the lyrics.  At THAT point, I was more concerned with the overall vibe of the tune (and length of guitar solo) than strong lyrical content.  It appeared on an EP we put out in 2002, I think.

I remember someone reviewed the EP that “Souls” was on.  And while the review wasn’t bad, per se, it was…uninspiring.  I remember the last line being something like “overall the EP is good.  I just don’t like that style of music.”  Well, thanks for your insight and objective opinion.

This particular performance was special because we had our good friend Keith Karlson (of Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers fame) on keys.

The latin inspired outro was a later development to the song…it kind of came to me in a dream.

Anyway, every once in a while, a walk down memory lane is in order.  Hope you enjoy this tune.

Souls

Tune: “Barrelman” written by Brian Chartrand, performed by The Sweet Remains (Rich Price and Greg Naughton) and Peter Day on bass, by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Type: Recorded in Clint Bierman’s studio outside of Burlington, Vermont.

Band: Me, Rich Price, Greg Naughton, Peter Day.

This version of Barrel Man was recorded with Rich Price and Greg Naughton of The Sweet Remains in Clint Bierman’s (www.thegrift.com) home studio outside of Burlington, Vermont.  I really dig this version of this tune; its super chilled out and vibey.  On bass is Mr. Peter Day and I played the drum groove and played guitar and sang (not all at the same time).  It’s just a demo version of the tune; not too polished, but still the cleanest version I have.

This tune presented a turning point in my writing.  As we sometimes talk about in our shows, this tune (like “Printemps A Paris”) presented me with a unique challenge as a songwriter; the music dictated the lyrics.  I wrote the chord progression and immediately realized that this song was going to have a nautical theme.  And while I fully accepted the challenge that writing this song presented, it still didn’t prepare me for ACTUALLY writing a song with a nautical theme.  I had never done such a thing, nor did I/do I feel qualified to write such a song.  For one, I am not big into sailing, boats, etc.  While I enjoy activities associated with such things, I literally didn’t have the vocabulary to articulate such an experience.  My nautical vocabulary hit its peak in 3rd grade when, in gym class, we would play games where the gym teacher would use “starboard” “port” “bow” to direct us kids where to run…I know, its no foundation for a song.

I did what anyone would do when put in a situation of ignorance…I typed “nautical terms” into google and was directed to Wikipedia.  God bless the internet.  I was able to pick a couple terms and refresh my memory on the terms I already knew.  I stumbled on the term “Barrel Man” which is described as such…”Barrelman is in reference to a person who would be stationed in the barrel of the foremast or crow’s nest of an ocean going vessel as a navigational aid. In early ships the crow’s nest was simply a barrel or a basket lashed to the tallest mast. Later it became a specially designed platform with protective railing.”  That term stuck with me, and coupled with my short attention span, became the center point of the song.

Around the time of writing the song, The Sweet Remains was discussing the possibility of working with a manager.  We debated whether we were ready to hand over control of the ship, so to speak.  Sometimes you have to have to put your faith in something or someone and just believe that you will make it through “the rough seas” in life.  And sometimes its scary to give up control, but you need to just “put your back into it” and work through it, you know?  Maybe you can relate.

It all happened quickly…the verses, choruses, bridge.  It just poured out.  In that regard, once I had the visual and concept of the Barrelman in place, the song was really easy to write.  And the imagery is nice, I think.

So there it is.  Barrelman, performed by The Sweet Remains.  I hope you dig it.

Barrelman

Tune: “Your Rainy Day” by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Type: Live in the studio.

Band: Vocals and Guitar by me.

I awoke from a nap on a plane headed to Phoenix from Minneapolis on August 9th with this chorus’ melody in my head.  I sang the melody into my phone to remember it (similar to how my tune “Don Quixote” was written). By the time I landed, I had the words to the chorus … “I promise you, I promise you, I’ll be your rainy day.”  Sometimes, when writing a melody, you start to add words to the music almost at random.  And sometimes, if the rhythm of the word fits nicely, you keep that word, and build the other lyrics around it.  For some reason, that whole line fit really nicely in the chorus, so I kept it and started to write the verses around the chorus.

However, at some point a couple days later, it dawned on me that I had heard this chorus before.  Like, many, many years before.  Shortly thereafter, I realized that I subconsciously jacked the chorus of a Cure tune (see “Just Like Heaven”) which has a very similar chorus.  It was too close for comfort, so I altered the melody a little and changed the words in order to avoid a Cease and Desist letter.

For those of you who have tried to get to know someone over Facebook, you know the sometimes voyeuristic feeling of peering into someone’s life…

Your Rainy Day

Tune: “Boys of Summer” by Don Henley

Type: Live in a my friend David’s home studio.

Band: Vocals and Guitar, me.

I’ve wanted to do this song for a while, but it hit me again last night when I heard it on the radio on my way to my gig.  So today, I pulled up the video on YouTube and figured out the chords.  I had to trim a little bit of the instrumental parts of the song for the solo version, but basically its all there.  I guess I hadn’t heard the tune in a long time because back in the day, I had no idea what a “dead head sticker” was, or why it was remarkable that it was on a cadillac…and while I now know what a “dead head sticker” is, I am still not sure I better understand how that line fits in the context of the song.  Don, why can’t you look back?

I wasn’t sure about adding the harmonies, but I am a harmony buff (see The Sweet Remains) and so I did it anyway.

Boys of Summer

Tune: “Summertime Jam” by Brian Chartrand, copyright 2010 FLYING LESSONS MUSIC ASCAP

Type: Recorded live at Voce Lounge in Scottsdale, ARIZONA in March 2010

Band: Brian Chartrand and the Voce Project (Mike Florio, Mel Brown, Todd Chuba, Adam Armijo)

I thought this would be a fitting first entry…this was recorded with The Voce Project back in March, 2010.  The Voce Project is a collection of the best players in Phoenix’s music scene including Mike Florio on drums, Mel Brown on bass, Todd Chuba on percussion, and Adam Armijo on electric.  All I have to do is strum the guitar, sing, and dance around on stage…its great!

This tune is ALL ABOUT Summer.  Hanging by the pool, beach parties, partying in the woods, etc.  Features a KILLER guitar solo from Adam and one of the sickest grooves courtesy of Mike, Mel, and Todd.  Download this now, put it on your iPod, and blare it at your next party.

My hope is to one day release this whole live album as a physical disc.  In the meantime, enjoy this free download.  GET SOME.

Summertime Jam LIVE @ VOCE