Thursday, April 24, 2008

I'll Write For You

Hi,

It's that time again... Time to bring back the Hire-John-To-Write-You-A-Song program. Otherwise known as HJTWYASP... It's catchy, no?

Here's how it works:

1) You pick something - anything - that you'd like me to write a song about. Literally, any topic or feeling or thought or situation... no matter how vague or specific.

2) Send me an email (letters@johncommon.com) with your idea(s) to me. Along with a check... How much? I dunno. It's not about the money, but I did this for $50 a song last time and realized I might have sold myself a little short. I end up spending about 10 to 20 hours on these things. So pay me what you think is fair. I'm flexible.

3) I take in what you send me... as inspiration. And see what happens... This is the mysterious part of the process. The part where we both have to have a little faith in each other.

4) Hopefully, I write a song. Hopefully it's good. Maybe even great. Then I record it for you - usually an acoustic, intimate kind of recording. But who knows... maybe I'll record it with an orchestra. Then I send it to you as an MP3 along with the lyrics.

5) You do with it whatever you want. And I might too. I did this with my friend Katie and ended writing a song named "Don't Follow Virginia". It's likely going to be on my next record. You can hear a live demo of it on my myspace page right now if you'd like. Here's the story behind that song.

This whole process is really fun. And frankly, I enjoy having inspiration from something other than my own set of experiences. And... it gives folks a VERY DIRECT way to support me and my music.

Email me if you're interested! I'll just sit here and wait for you.



~John

Monday, April 21, 2008

Good Heart

Just finished a rough demo of a new song I've been working on for several months... You can hear it on my myspace page if you'd like: myspace.com/johncommon.

good heart

good heart
I'm nothing without…
good heart
but I've got my doubts

good heart inside
broken before
told many lies
pushed out the door

good heart
I've always known
you had
a mind of your own

find one who can love
simple and true
but clever and carved
enough to hold you

oh what is it? Why are you down?
baby I see you all over town
staring at people in love
and they can see…
your jealousy
oh… good heart

good heart
you're searching for one
good heart
that won't ever run

good heart inside
bashful and still
telling no lies
having the will
to stay
and find a way…

oh what is it? Why are you down?
baby I see you all over town
staring at people in love
and they can see…
your jealousy
oh…
oh…
good heart

Thursday, April 17, 2008

New song

Thinking 'Bout God

Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
I wonder what he's thinking of me?

Where do we go
Where do we go
Where do we go
Where do we go when we die?

I'm looking for comfort
Under the covers
Listen to the radio

Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
Thinking 'bout God
I wonder if he's really around?

I hear that he died
Hear that he died
Hear that he died
We killed him with the Internet.

Technology's leading
Jesus is bleeding
I saw it on TV

When I was a kid
I went to church, read the word, did the thing
I took it on faith
God was around but he just wasn't talking

Back in the day
Back in the day
Back in the day
He was always walking around.

But he disappeared
He disappeared
He disappeared
Why did he go underground?

Everyone claims him
Nobody blames him
I think we could use him
If we didn't abuse him
Listen to the radio

I'm… I'm hearing voices
I'm… I'm hearing voices
I'm… I'm hearing voices

If everything's one
Everything's one
Everything's one
Then why do I feel so alone?

All of the books
All of the books
All of the books
Maybe they all got it wrong.

If God is inside me
Why is he hiding?
I'm a technical marval
But I feel kinda larval

When I was a kid
I went to church, read the word, did the thing
I took it on faith
God was around but he just wasn't talking

When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)
When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)

When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)

When I was a kid
(thinking 'bout god)

Telly Savalas, you make me weep, ya big ole bald lug.

Nobody could do this Bread song better than Telly Savalas. Not even Shatner. Not even Nemoy.

It's like he connected a CAT-5 ethernet cable to all of our hearts and did a total download of it's sloppy, loving contents.

Monday, April 14, 2008

New song.

Shiny New Shell

Shiny new shell
What memory
Brought you to me
Suddenly still

Shiny new shell
The hurting and fear
All disappear
When you say you will

Lift me up
Hold me up
Again, again
I'll do the same
Call my name
Like a friend

Shiny new shell
What shall we do?
Lonely and blue
Is space we can fill

Shiny new shell
Finally here
Your voice in my ear
Saying you will

Lift me up
Hold me up
Again, again
I'll do the same
Call my name
Like a friend

Shiny new shell

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

We understand one another.



I have a television -- the very same Pensacola television that my parents bequeathed to me upon my departure from the family unit oh so many years ago. It is the only television I have ever owned. I'm 37 years old now. This television was old when I received it as a young man, eager to face the new world.

It is still bravely running. It is plastic brown. It delivers its messages in color. Its pitifully small speaker is a little blown. It performs barely adequately by receiving PBS, a little NBC, and sporadic episodes from The WB. It abandoned me during the last Super Bowl. It refused to get that channel… That was a difficult time in our relationship. But we moved through it.

Yes, I've grown to love it dearly. We are like an old couple who stuck it out in their arranged marriage and are finally entering the twilight years. We have learned to live together. She has helped me to remain relatively television-free. Like a loving but mostly sexless wife, she pushes me toward National Public Radio to get my news (delivered in my kitchen, via an even older AM radio about the size of a toaster oven with an upholstered speaker grill). And I admit to a daily foray into the dark forest of Internet news.

We maintain reasonable, mutual expectations. We understand one another.