Bardo Rodeo

It is interesting to me what sparks creativity, and where those sparks may lead, almost as interesting as the finished song itself; one always comes away with much more than a song or poem or whatever the final product may be.  I was learning to play Skyway by the Replacements, a bittersweet song about a missed romantic connection on the Minneapolis Skyway and a few days later I'm writing a blog.  

As I was learning Skyway, I kept thinking about my own missed and lost connections over the years.  Sadly, there have been way too many and of all kinds, not just romantic ones I might add.  As far as I know, we don't get any do-overs, not in this life anyways and if we did, what would I go back and do over?  I'm not sure how I got to where I am now, how I managed to get through it all in one piece and ended up with a such a great women and mother, someone who puts up with all my crap and antics.  My job could be more exciting, but all in all I'm in a pretty good place these days.  A beautiful wife and adorable kids, a nice house,  I wouldn't trade them for the world.  I think we all have those missed connections, "the one that got away" and wonder what things would be like if a choice here or a choice there were made differently.  The Butterfly effect.  Would a simple phone call and a second date have been just a ripple in my journey through this life or a life changing hurricane?  I don't know why I never called her, I guess that's what gnaws at me the most.  I'm sure I was just a blip on her radar, but it was an exciting time that summer, and the best first date I ever had.  Oh well, at least I can write my own bittersweet song and sing it to the babies as they fall asleep. To Amanda, my long hair and the adventure that was the bike trip of the summer of 95 and to learning new songs and following sparks. Now if I can just learn how to play it and sing it like Bruce Springsteen or Willie Nelson or Paul Westerburg for that matter...and figure out how to explain it to my wife.

With My Blue Eyes They’ll Be Wet

I grow these roses in my garden, 

sprinkle them with dust of dreams 
I strap them to my savior, 

and I roll from sea to sea

They say there’s a girl in San Francisco, 

with flowers in her hair and a heart of gold 

But she was sittin' in a bar in ole D.C., 

when I saw her lookin' up at me

 

She said her dad catches squirrels in Boston; 

she moves them by the light of the moon 

I said you know I’m leaving tomorrow, 

but I’ll be back around real soon

 

Fell in love at Bardo Rodeo, 
back in time where we can’t go
Fell in love at Bardo Rodeo, 
losin' faith but she don't know

Now I line this garden with my roses of regret

The agents of your good roots calling, 

with my blue eyes I'll be waiting

And my blue eyes they’ll be wet

Fell in love at Bardo Rodeo, 
back in time where we can’t go
Fell in love at Bardo Rodeo, 
she's losin' faith but I don't know

Now I line roses in my garden, 

sprinkled with the dust of my dreams 

Line them with rattles and bows, 

and watch her as she grows

Now she wears roses in my garden. 

With whispers and dust of humility,
I give her to my savior

 

And roll, roll, roll, roll

Roll, roll, roll, roll

Roll, roll, roll

 

To the sea

 

I have several versions of this one as well.  Originally, when I was writing it, it was kind of a slow country-rock type song, in the vein of  The Weight by The Band.  The more I worked on it though I kept hearing Willie Nelson or Patsy Cline singing it as a slow traditional country ballad, but not being able to work out the chording as to fit the melody in my head, I recorded a lighter sounding, faster tempo Country version with my best country twang which I think could work really well, (just not with me singing).  One evening I changed the chord progression around and the way I was picking/strumming it and stumbled on a a moodier, slower version that I really like that would sound great with the Boss singing in his I'm On Fire voice or someone soulful like Michael McDonald .  One can always dream right?