In 2007 I had made a decision to be a bit more intentional with my songwriting. Rather than wait on inspiration per se – writing when the mood struck me, I would pick some general themes or stories and write to them on a schedule. Still, “American Dream” sat for awhile longer while I wrote, “South To Mexico”, “Everyday Lies”, and a few other theme – as opposed to inspiration driven – tunes.

Then I picked up a file I keep with scraps of paper with lyric ideas and American Dream was the first scrap that came out.

The song is one of the most simple musically – largely 3 chords. But it is one of the favorites for the band and one that I get a lot of comments on when performing live. People love the middle-of-America, back to basics, universal lesson.

In this version of the recording, Bill Dutcher, an Arizona guitarist, songwriter, and performer added some slide dobro and electric guitar to “flavor” to the song.

LISTEN:
DOWNLOAD

AMERICAN DREAM
Copyright © 2009 – Matthew Moran (Sounds Like Life Music)

An old yellow note read government repo
Just a sign of the times since the factory left town
The windows are dark, lonely, broken, and boarded
I see a half dozen more just a half a block down
And I can recall the tears on mama’s face
When daddy handed her the key
Just three rooms and a garden out back
But it was called the American Dream

I’ve spent half my life chasing prey so elusive
My burning desire is this dream to be free
From East Coast to West, through the soul of the heartland
Though I’m in pursuit I know it’s chasing me
And I’ve seen the look in the older men’s eyes
They shake their heads in disbelief
”Son,” they say, “don’t miss the life that you’re living.”
”Cuz that’s the American Dream”

For 20 long years I’ve been seeking asylum
My dream just a prison, my ambition a chain
Through my sacrifice I leave you this lesson
To save you this sorrow, to save you this pain
It’s love that you need to live for a life that’s worth living
Don’t trade it for some vagabond dream
It’s a heart, not a purse, that you should be filling
Because that’s the American Dream

Many of you know I’ve been doing a lot of work with other performers and musicians teaching them how to use various technologies, websites, and online strategies to run and organize their music business.

I used to post that information here. However, to better organize that information, and keep it separate from my activity as a songwriter and performer, I’m moving that content

and activity to TheSongwriterOnline.com

There is, of course, some overlap and hopefully this site, just through the work I am doing, will be an example of how to use what is taught at TheSongwriterOnline.

At times I am a great example of the cobbler’s children having no shoes. Part of that is a time issue and part is simply creating a plan of action for the various social media outlets – like YouTube and ReverbNation, for instance. I do this for business clients and for others but often do not take the time to do it for myself.

Hopefully, this will help change that.

Check back and spread the word!

Thanks,
     Matthew Moran

The latest newsletter was emailed this morning. You can read it by clicking the image to the left.

Contains:

• Songwriter Showcase
• Recording news – including “Running”
• Band news
• The Songwriter Online info

Check it out!

That is where Decision Road came from.

I am unabashedly open these days about my failures. Particularly in those areas that I deemed most important to me: family, love, relationships. Not that I write a lot about them in a public forum, but with my children and close friends, I have had to eat some large helpings of humble pie.

Humble pie is a sour fare but also seems to feed the soul.

I wrote Decision Road very much top-down. The way it reads is the way it was written. I had the little 4 chord riff a couple days prior to writing the song. I was not, at the time, particularly moody or reflective but the riff seemed to drive a sort of melancholy.

The first verse is very much a feet in the sand, leave me to my own devices, I don’t need your help or criticism, perspective.

Verse two addresses doubt in the most critical area of life for most of us – our love. The relationship that seems to have the most promise and safety.

The bridge is a realization of our weakness; the inability to control much of our life.

And finally, the last verse is a call for forgiveness and help.

Enjoy!

Decision Road
Copyright 2009 © Matthew Moran – Sounds Like Life

VERSE 1
One step forward, two steps back, it seems the way I go
Navigate life’s messy path the only way I know

I don’t seek forgiveness
I don’t pray for my mortal soul
I don’t make excuses
I just keep dragging my bones down Decision Road

VERSE 2
Is love just a warm caress that time turns dark and cold
Is sugar sweet just bitterness at the final curtain call

I just wanted your soft kiss
I just wanted a hand to hold
I just wanted devotion
Now I just want to carry my heart down Decision Road

BRIDGE
& every night I face my demons
Shame & regret I can’t let go
& with the light, life and the living
One more event I can’t control

VERSE 3
With each mistake a lesson learned, I’ve filled my textbook full
With each word I’ve had to eat, I’ve swallowed that crow whole

I’m asking forgiveness
Please pray for my mortal soul
Take my excuses
& help me find me way down Decision Road

Last month, the Good Hurt in Venice was shut down because 5 blocks in Venice had their electricity knocked out by the storms in Southern California. We drove down to the venue only to find a darkened and empty street.

We are rescheduled at The Good Hurt on February 25th, 9PM.

Last night – while preparing to perform in Ventura, the unnamed venue had the health department close them down. My understanding is that whatever the issue was has been corrected but not before the evening’s activities were cancelled.

Becky just lost her voice to a cold and I am crossing my fingers that I am not next because I am really looking forward to Tuesday evening at Genghis Cohen.

Performance – January 9, 2010 – Castaic, California

Workshop – January 18, 2010 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Performance – January 20, 2010 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Performance – January 21, 2010 – Venice, California

Performance – January 22, 2010 – Burbank, California

A Little Bit of Everything
Copyright © 2009 – Matthew Moran (Sounds  Like Life Music)

And a pure audio recording:

Lyrics below..

A Little Bit of Everything
Copyright © Matthew Moran (Sounds Like Life Music)

VERSE
She’s the midday sun, it burns me with its heat
She is midnight when the darkness calls to me
She’s the sunrise casting light across my eyes
She is sunset with the promises of the night
(Chorus)

CHORUS
She’s a little bit
She’s a little bit
She’s a little bit of everything
{repeat}

She’s an argument on a crowded city street
She’s making up and making love and oh so sweet
She’s her hair a mess on a rainy afternoon
She’s a fantasy when she walks into the room
(Chorus)

-acoustic bridge

She’s a martini in a little black evening dress
She’s tequila when she puts me to the test
She is fine red wine having dinner with some friends
She’s Sangria with her toes stuck in the sand
(Chorus)

She’s a book half read, you never reach the end
She’s a song I sing and I’ll sing it once again
She’s a villain full of danger and charm
She’s a lover, so inviting, soft, and warm
(Chorus)

~ view online ~

In it, I discussed some of the challenges I had with my current recording and a rush of creativity.
 
I’m writing a lot of new songs – and while I am happy with the output, it sort of seemed to be derailing me from recording the current CD.
 
The fact is, it really isn’t derailing me. I am making headway with the new CD. A friend and fellow songwriter (Jim Pipkin) said to me, “Don’t bemoan the muse, Matt. She can be a jealous bitch!”

I’ll take his word for it. He’s been writing songs a lot longer than I have.

As a side note: I mentioned that my muse looks like Raquel Welch in 1 Million Years BC. He replied that I was lucky – his looked like Ma Barker.

Also, in fairness to the recording schedule, I have been interviewing/meeting with potential band-members. They have all expressed a desire to be part of the recorded project – and that makes sense.

So rather than simply plow through the recording process, I wrote up chord charts, arrangement ideas, and made demos for them to listen to and work out their respective parts.

One of them is recording at his home studio – remotely collaborating. The other, a female vocalist, is hopefully going to come by this weekend to record.

Needless to say, I really am not bemoaning the muse. Whether she looks like mine or Jim’s, as long as she feeds the mind and pushes the fingers, I’ll welcome her in.

Either click the image to the right or read it here.

Updates have been a bit sparse of late – mostly due to the schedule of recording, consulting work, and other writing projects.

I did recently provide an update to the Facebook Group – Performing Songwriters (United Worldwide) – covering some tools and technology to help the songwriter on the business side of product/merchandise and promotion.

I’ll be sharing that information here and at:
TheSongwriterOnline.

Stay tuned!

 
~ the latest newsletter ~