The Great American Songbook

i'm in los angeles
i missed the snowstorm back home
i stayed behind for a couple days
the CAL west coast pepper show
still ringing in my ears

i felt bad for the rest of the band
cancelled flights and long layovers
this is the price of what we do
there's always a risk
we beat on
i will forever buy them drinks

i've written about my love of california before
the lifestyle
the opportunity
the weather
but this time
my trip was a trip
and i walked the long pacific shoreline day after day
soaking up anything that radiated

and i thought about
the great american songbook
and how my version of the great american songbook
is different from the one
that the crooners have been making the rounds with
my great american songbook
starts with 'la woman'
get in the car and discover
i argue that perhaps the doors
are the greatest american band

the genesis of rock n' roll started in the south
but los angeles introduced it to the world

a great story about steely dan
they left new york
came to la
and they immediately started writing songs about new york
'do it again'
that's a perfect song for the great american songbook

dylan's a shoe in
he's a bicoastal dude
still on the road
'like a rolling stone'
that could be anywhere

tom petty's bicoastal too
he and bob were even bicoastal together
'american girl' confirms a nations love for american girls

'scarecrow' by john cougar mellencamp
is a history lesson
the band is tight
and john sounds pissed off
seek this song out
and revisit it
play it for your kids

again to the west coast
csny's
'suite judy blue eyes'
this song is smart
it's a math test
very forward thinking
the harmonies are american
and a canadian brings the zen

'tuesday's gone'
by lynyrd skynryd
this song is the new song of the south
lament and remember
there's an honesty to the sound
the vocal is heartfelt

and 'purple rain'
it's beautiful
and it's endured
tight musicianship and esoteric poetry
make sure to reference the album version
with the dreamlike vocal and string line ending the song

east cost now
with 'born in the usa'
the obvious choice
because sometimes
there's nothing subtle about america
president's have mistakenly referenced this song
it's a song for people that pay attention

west coast again
the beach boys!
'sloop john b' sounds like a movie
but 'good vibrations' is the document
the proper orchestration would be an undertaking
one day i hope CAL takes on pet sounds

the great american songbook ends  with the 'the last resort'
by the eagles
"we have got to make it here
there is no more new frontier"
being here
that line really hits you

i spend the days walking the beaches
this is the best america can do
and there's a spirit here
that is different from toronto
and new york
you feel welcome here
you look back and reflect
having the ocean roaring up against you
makes you smart
it puts things in perspective

america has been the most gracious host
i hope people post their songs for
the great american songbook
and the reasons why

stand by for the great canadian songbook
but for now america goes first
she's bigger

craig
feb 15, 2015
michelob ultra