EVERYDAY

This song was the “B” side of “Peggy Sue,” the 1957 hit by Buddy Holly. As a kid I bought the single 45 RPM record. Both sides were great but I’ve always liked “Everyday” with it’s lilting melody and one-of-a-kind bridge. I was tickled when I found I could play it as an instrumental.

FALLING SLOWLY

From the 2007 Irish film “Once,” this song won the Oscar for “Best Original Song in a Movie.” I couldn’t get it out of my head so I had to learn to play it. I hope Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (the composers) would like this version.

MR. GIBSON

A swing excursion inspired by the J-45. Mark Turnbull (a great jazz guitarist and life long friend) once heard it at a gig and asked me who had written it. I took it as a compliment that he didn’t know it was my composition.

LA LLORONA

When I was in High School (1960-62) and going to every coffeehouse/folk club I could find, I used to hear this song a lot, sung in Spanish. Some years later another good friend, Tom Newbill, who could speak fluid Spanish, wrote out the lyrics phonetically for me. Although I didn’t have a clue what the lyrics meant, I enjoyed singing its classic, soulful melody. In 2002 it landed in the movie ”Frida,” the biography of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter. The title means “The Weeping Woman.”

SLOOP JOHN B

Another traditional song, covered by many musicians including: Joseph Spence, Dick Dale, Me First & the Gimme-Gimme’s, the Kingston Trio and the Beach Boys. I aimed at a tropical feel with a bit of ocean breeze in it.

BILOXI

A lovely melody with an equally lovely lyric written by Jesse Winchester. His first album (1970) was so killer I learned to sing all the songs on it. “Biloxi” always stayed in the back of my mind. I had to play it one more time.

WORRIED MAN

“I’m worried now, but I won’t be worried long.” This song has been recorded by everybody from the Carter Family to Devo. It’s been a part of my personal soundtrack, forever. It worked out nicely in drop-D tuning (actually drop-C for me).

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

From the 1991 Disney movie, this has become my wife and my theme song (I can’t imagine why). A very romantic melody…for Sarah.

PLAID

A bit of mixolydian blues, a vehicle for pushing those 12 bars around, one more time.

THE STREETS OF LAREDO

Another great traditional song, covered by Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Marty Robbins and many others. I’ll often play the V chord with its b7 for the bass note. This kinda stretches the harmony to my liking and it’s easy to play.

POOR WAYFARING STRANGER

This stuck to my brain the first time I heard it. A very strong and soulful melody sung by everybody from Bill Monroe to Jack White. I think I learned it from the progressive folky Bob Gibson. Drop-D provided a nice drone with the minor key changes on top.

NAIMA

John Coltrane wrote this in 1959, while I was busy singing doo-wop songs.This seemingly simple song has very sophisticated changes under a hauntingly wonderful melody. There is nothing like it. Tuning the fifth string up a whole tone gave me the pedal bass note for the bridge. I believe Naima was Coltranes’ wifes’ name.

SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME

The Drifters…what can I say? I have sung many of their songs over the years. This 1960 melody worked out nicely as an instrumental. Also I got to use some of those tiny little frets up towards the soundhole.

SURFER GIRL

My wife and I played this as a request at a friends’ wedding and, again, I couldn’t sleep until I had worked it up as an instrumental. 1963…Brian Wilson…what a romantic composer.

Any questions about tunings and such, please e-mail me. Also “reviews” of SOLO GUITAR (or any of the CDs available) are invited.