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Commentary on the CD
Before giving you the scoop on the play list song by song, we wanted to provide a bit of insight into what the CD, as a whole, is all about. Besides being a showcase of the artistic talents and skills of our mainline crew and our community family, its more involved than that alone. The DaddyO’s Band evolved out of our desire to play the music that made us smile, laugh, dance, and jump and to do that together, and the record was just a natural extension of that driving force, a force that captured our attention and creative spirits as children and stayed there waiting to be released and shared. To paraphrase the immortal words of John Lee Hooker, it was in us, and it got to come out! It is honestly and accurately representative of everyone involved, our collective listening and performing experiences and influences, as broad or broader than the variety included in this collection of tunes.
The play list includes an original instrumental bluesy jazz jump tune that Mark woke up one morning playing; a bayou Cajun style ditty, with a dash of country on the side, that was arranged, adapted, and adopted, by the band but was written by an unknown, by name, singer / songwriter known to us only as “Orange Man”; and 14 lyrics written by Jim or cowritten, either in the distant past and revived or recently. Those songs span 40 plus years of song writing. The accompanying music on the 14 was the product of our bands collaborative creative M.O. and ability to say “ hum a few bars of what you hear in your head” and take it from there and / or pure composition creations of individual band members noted in the credits for the CD as co-written tunes. As a finished product, the melodies and harmonies, rhythms and leads came to us and through us as we birthed these babies one by one.
Our record is not, by any stretch, a showcase of a single songwriter’s work. Instead, it’s a display of the talent of everyone who sang a line, played a lick, wrote a verse, edited words in process, engineered a session, lent an ear and followed it up with feedback, or provided support along the way, together. It is however, Jim’s realizing of a dream, and he wants it known how much the contributions of all involved in bringing to life the music he can hear and imagine but not produce with his hands is appreciated. Beyond that, and we sure learned that there is almost always a beyond involved, someone in the band or participating friends would bring in new brushes, colors and hues and make it go that extra step back into new, surprising, and fuller than anything heard or imagined before the fact. That was a source of thankfulness and wonderment all the way through. It’s clear that the lyrics alone are of value as one part of the package, but without the music, these songs are not fully alive. They may teach or cause you to remember and smile, but they won’t make you jump up and dance or sing along.
The real gift of learning that was delivered in the process of pulling this thing off is that it purely is not about owning and possessing the music. Obviously, it wouldn’t be worth doing if we were not going to share it, get it out there, and give it back to the folks it’s for and about. In doing that we came to understand that each and every note and line came as a gift for us to work on, to get ourselves into, to make better, to put together in the best way we know how, to wrap it up real pretty, and, when it’s done, to send it on its way from us back to you. Check your natural in-box… There’s something in it you should hear.
Band History…
The DaddyO’s Band is the “late in life / damn!, I did NOT see that coming!” child of a partnership between Mark ( The Original DaddyO) Agababian and Jim ( Dr. DaddyO) Boyd in a music shop called DaddyO’s Gold City Guitar and Repair in Villa Rica, Georgia, just west of Atlanta, on the old road to Birmingham. The “business”, as if anything Mark and Jim did together or apart could be conceived of as even coming close to what the word business implies, was started as an outlet for Jim’s serious case of “Guitar Acquisition Syndrome” (GAS) and Mark’s talent and training as a stringed instrument mechanic and builder.
Its primary purpose in life was to get abandoned and kindly used tools of the trade into the hands of practicing and aspiring players at a decent price and in good enough shape not to send ‘em screaming with bleeding fingers and broken spirits. The venture survived for six years doing just that, and if you define success as meeting your purpose and not making money, it was a success for that window in time. It finally folded when the rent went up and then came due, but not before that child that became The DaddyO’s Band was delivered and raised up part way.
With the shop in “learn as you go” operation, it didn’t take long for the idea to jump up and take hold. Any of you who have hung out in a music store know how it happened. Two things were equally important in getting the ball rolling on the birth of the band. The first was hearing Mark play when he finished a repair or demoed an instrument for a customer, watching the reaction of any who were around to hear him, and the realization of just how magic he can be with a guitar in his hands. Jim says that it was an immediate thing, that he knew that he wanted to play music with this man, the “Last of the Great Armenian Blues Men!” and to be able to sing some of old early influence songs that he carried around in his head. Second came the parade of fine musicians that showed up in the shop asking; “Wanna jam ?” They ranged from Milt, an early days R&B and now days gospel performer, to the kid (at least in our seasoned eyes) Merritt who came in from time to time and amazed us with whatever he found interesting hanging on the wall, to a list of others way too numerous and diverse in talent to do justice to here.
It’s not clearly remembered when things started to gel. Friends from pre shop jams and music parties joined in, and before we knew it there were regular practices in the evenings at the shop. The first DaddyO’s incarnation came together as “Dual DaddyO’s Rhythm and Blues Review” and started playing out for benefits and an occasional paying gig. The original players were John ‘Lebo” Lebowitz on drums, John “Beatle Bass” Barry on Bass and vocals, Mark, of course, on guitar and vocals, Merritt “Jughead” Smith on the other guitar and vocals, Jim “Sweet Slice” Hunnicutt blowing harp, Milton “Milt” Howard on keyboards and vocals, and up front with vocals, Jim “The Boy’s Still Learning to Sing” Boyd. It was typically rough at first, but we worked at playing and played at working, and it got better as time went on.. More importantly, though, it was almost always fun, and if we could “get ‘em up and dancing”, that was all the payback it took to keep us keeping on. From the start, the enjoyment that the music seemed to bring to our audiences is what fed us.
Changes, shifts, and turns in the path to getting tight and to becoming cohesive as a performing unit are inevitable it seems, and the DaddyO’s were no exception to that rule. Most came as the result of those unavoidable circumstances and changes in the lives of our members, but we were not immune to occasional disagreements and differences of opinion. Jim and Mark used to talk about how building a band was like a marriage or family. The real trick was keeping it functional and growing, and somehow we navigated the rapids of those early years and came out better for it in the long run. Occasionally the rifts were resolved by parting of the ways, but almost without exception, we parted as friends.
The best thing was, with every exit, someone emerged, stepped up, and stepped in to fill the void. Some stayed around, some just dropped by, some returned and some are still around. Through these formative times we had the pleasure of playing with drummer David Phillips, sax man Donnie Toussaint Turner, guitarists Richard Hurt and Reed McGowan , and Amelia Boyd, Rosanna Boyd, and Carol Boyd (the “C Town Pale Raylets”), on vocals, and we thank them for the parts they all played.
Up until 2003/2004,The DaddyO’s Band remained an R&B and Classic Blues cover group, playing songs from the archives and the likes of Muddy Waters, The Clovers, Jimmy Reed, Robert Cray, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Rosco Gordon, B. B. King, Bobby Bland and others in the same camp. We also took pride in reviving some of the more obscure work of artists like Wild Child Butler, Oscar Brown Jr., The Beat Daddys, the Subdudes, Nappy Brown and others. We had, over this time, established a consistent and stable unit of players, that is…if stable is a word that those who know us will let by as a description of our crew. That crew consisted of Mark, Jim, John,and Merritt from the original group and Phil Mengle (drums) and Howard Williams (harp/guitar). Familiar with our music and the boys in the band, Phil stepped right in when the demands of a job change put “Lebo” on stand by, and we didn’t skip a beat. Howard (aka Blind Hogleg Willy) Williams brought a full menu of talents to the band including harmonica, vocals, and anything with a string on it abilities.
If one singular event is looked to as a “up swing” turning point, it would be this. In 2002, Jim got the call to bring the band to perform at a gathering of musicians, a yearly reunion, for the nuclear and extended family of people who come together annually to celebrate and enjoy the feast. The invitation came from an old friend, a primary organizer of the event, Danny Gaddis. It was at this “Big Dance”, while playing for and with this amazing assembly of the most accepting, supportive and welcoming family of folks in the universe, that the band really learned what it had to offer and, from our brother and sister players who encouraged and provided the measuring stick, we also learned how much better we could be and came to believe that we would. Again, our deepest thanks go out to all. You know who you are.
There is a sadness and a gratefulness associated with another major change in the path and progression of the band. In 2003 Danny Gaddis went on to the “Big Dance” in the sky, and at that years reunion we were among those who provided him with a musical send off. In the following few months, the call went out for original tunes to be included on a tribute / in memory of CD. Jim, a veteran songwriter of 40 + years, had plenty of songs, but the band wasn’t playing any, and most were out of the range of our musical territory, or so we thought. With contributing to that project as out primary push, the band took a turn toward writing and performing our own material. As with every other shift in direction, the guys put themselves to the task, and in less than a year we had eight tunes ready to be heard and began doing them when we played out. The response of our friends who turned out to hear was encouraging to say the least.
The idea to take our material into the studio grew out of the burst of activity and energy we put into the writing and refining the tunes, and it coincided with our getting to know Michael Butler, a home studio engineer and accomplished musician who we had played with at a local benefits. At Butler Sound Studio in Carrollton, Georgia, Michael used his patient and generous nature and well honed skills to guide us through what was for some of us a first recording experience. As we began to fine tune those songs and to get the sound we were after, our intent was to produce an 8 song demo CD for use in getting gigs, as a sample of what we did live. For this reason, our guiding principle was not to exceed what we could produce live in the studio. We pretty much stuck to our original guns on the first batch of tunes we recorded.
If it has not been implied in what has already been written here, you should know that most of us in the DaddyO’s have a fair number of years and miles on ourselves. We certainly don’t always feel or act our ages, but throughout that first year of recording when we could get the crew together, we were also experiencing those changes that life deals up in the guise of life issues and health related stuff. This is not intended to complain. It was just how it is, how it went down, and we know better than to seriously complain when we are still up and kicking and doing what we love to do. It does, though, actually set the stage for our next phase of recording. Jim, as is widely known by those who know him well, is not known for knowing how or when to quit. Toward the end of the first recording race, a race that went something like rush…rest…wait…recover…race…pace…rush, he wrote 3 more tunes, and it was decided that they should be on the CD too.
Coinciding in time, our Brother DaddyO, Phil, went down temporarily with a heart thing that took his full attention for a spell, and our original drummer, John returned to hold down his end of the rhythm section in the studio and playing out. Also in this time frame, life changes and opportunities took Merritt out of the picture and off to chase his dream. That was the point at which Howard took on an expanded role both on stage, playing harp, guitar and singing, and in the studio as a co-primary in making production decisions and playing dobro, mandolin, guitar, Banjo (on one country blues ditty), harmonica, and doing both back up and lead vocals. His generosity throughout this 2nd recording push knew no bounds. He helped drive the bus across those bumps and around the curves, and, just as Merritt had done before him, he steered it straight and true.
With all the richness of the main unit band, and the depth of that richness shows through in the first 8 songs; it might, to some, seem strange that there was room for more, but there was. It was not like there was anything missing. The band alone, with Mark being magic on leads and rhythms, John B. doing his super solid bass thing, with John L. or Phil on the kit or percussion holding the beat steady, and with Howard doing everything he does so well, how could we ask for more? As it happened, that was not how it happened at all. It was more like we began to hear others in the mix in our minds. When we heard them, like Ronda or on vocals, Guy on conga drums, or Richard on leads and fills, we knew that they belonged there and sent out the call. Without fail, they answered that invitation in a big time way. Seeing and hearing how well that worked, we also dipped back into the first eight tunes, asking Milt to sing the Gospel / Blues song “For So Long’ and our good friend Debra Martin, a super singer songwriter and performer in her own right, to blend her flute in on “When It Comes Down To Your Deal.
It needs saying here that the lessons we learned at “The Big Dance”, the generosity, support, and example of our brothers and sisters while making music together, taught us and freed us from the limiting conviction that we started with. All of you need to take credit where it is due but particularly Danny, Sarah, “Ludi” Bill, Fred, Ralph, Heidi, Howard, Caroline, and that other Bill need to know that it’s all your fault! Thank you!!
The 2nd set of 3 songs also took some time to wrap up due to more of the same (we’re well into 2007 now), but, with every turn that slowed us down, something or someone countered to keep us on the track. Hearing them clearly on the new set of songs, Richard Hurt and Ronda Cheatham, of the “Swami Gone Bananas’ crew, agreed to lend their support on organ, guitar, and vocals. With the help of Michael and Carrie Robbins at Robbin’s Nest in Atlanta and The Border Collies celtic band (one of Howard’s other groups), we were able to take the project into Atlanta to make it easier for Richard and Ronda to do their parts, and our Michael at Butler Sound accommodated our weird scheduling needs, did his magic to make it possible to export and import the project, and patiently kept our material backed up and stored for what, at that time, was closing in on 1 + years. Those are just a few examples of how it came together for us when we needed it to. By this time we were not really sure who was driving the bus, weren’t worried in the least, and were sure learning a lot about lying back and enjoying the ride.
Finally in the spring of 2007, with another burst of lyrics and music coming unexpectedly out of the ozone, Jim wrote 5 new tunes, and it was on automatic pilot by that time. Of course, they needed to be included on our CD, so we cranked up again for the push toward the finish line. The plan was to keep to our primary playing unit on the new 5 using both John (Lebo) and Phil alternating on the kit and percussion support. These tunes do rely heavily on our main unit band and show case their skills, and we certainly could have left it at that except…Here we went again.
From the start, we could sense the empty spaces left in our minds’ ears from the days that we had the pleasure of playing with Donnie Turner on sax for much too brief a time and an occasional stand in on keys. Well guess what? Through an unrelated side door, Jim was put in contact with a young horn player named Montrell McClendon who had, as a kid, admired and followed Donnie around when he played. It was kind of like getting Donnie back. Montrell came into the studio and amazed us from the start. He played on two from the original eight, and won a part in all of the new 5 song set. He came highly recommended and brought much more than those recommendations suggested. As if that were not gift enough, our new friend and relatively recently transplanted “local boy”, stepped up and gave us those missing keyboard riffs, holding down solid rhythm and tinkling keys parts in four of the five new tunes. Like his sweet wife and partner, Debra Martin, Preston Scott brought seasoned performing and recording skills to the mix. As self produced recording artists, they are veterans of a vast collection of CDs. You can learn more about them and check out their work at www.martinandscott.com. Finally, our friend David Pippin sits in and struts his stuff on 2 of these songs. David is currently fronting (guitar and vocals) a newly formed band, “Mile Train”, who specialize in a style that David calls ‘Swamp Rock’. David wrote all of the tunes on their new CD. Check them out on My Space.
No look at our story and the way this deal unfolded would be complete without recognizing the roles and contributions of our families (brothers, sisters, wives, children) and our community of friends who encouraged, celebrated, participated, and understood what we were up to that was taking so long. Their verbal and “actions speak louder than…” feedback kept us between our widening lines and appreciating the importance of it all. They collectively boosted us over the low spots and lifted us up to the highs This collection of work would literally not have come or stayed together without them. We are also, of course, a part of that circle and as such, as individuals and as a band, are deserving of that tip of the cap. All said and done, like Danny G. used to say, “it’s a people thang”, and our circle helped it happen.
The band is, as this is being written (Spring, 2008), putting the finishing touches on a 16 song CD of all original music that will be released in this year. So what began as “doing a demo” has grown up, filled out, and become something that none of us dreamed of at the start. Don’cha love it when it works that way?! What started inside the lines of doing what we could do as a stage unit has wandered way beyond into uncharted territories where we found a circle of friends who came out and played with us. The DaddyO’s Band crew, past and present, are at the heart of it, and the one guiding principle that we stuck to like glue and will always insist on is that “we do it for the fun of it and to get ‘em up and dancing.” The time has come to send out the invitation to jump up, listen and enjoy with us. You are in this band!!!
SOME WORDS ABOUT THE TUNES:
Note: These are some fattened up descriptions of the songs on the CD that include some songwriter glimpses into the lyrics and some additional info. about the players involved in the recording of each of the songs and the parts they played. The songwriter notes are not intended to restrict meaning for any of our listeners, but, instead are just windows to peek through to get a feel for what they mean to me (Jim) at the time they were written and/or today for that matter. They certainly change for me just as they may for you. Ideally, each who hears them will continue to look for and find their own interpretations and connections based on different experiences and understandings on a one on one level. Without a doubt, that is a given and is also how they are intended to be taken and enjoyed. That’s why they are being shared, and you should read them only if you have an interest or curiosity to feed. You can also just blow them off and figure it out without peeking at mine. I’d also love to hear yours if you’d like to share back. It’s an “I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours” kind’a deal. Read on at your own risk!
1) Pawn Shop Diamond Ring
This was the 1st that came with that push to get something together for the tribute CD for Danny Gaddis. It’s a medium beat shuffle in the tradition of the classic tunes of the 50’s and 60’s boogie blues that we’ve been covering from the get go. We’ve been playing it out the longest, and it’s gotten to be the trademark DaddyO’s song for those who come out to hear us having fun. It is on target true for who we are as a band and provides the backdrop for the talents of our group. I wrote it for my “Sweetie” (wife, partner, best friend, #1 groupie…) of 36 + years, and there’s a true story at the core of this number involving the wheelings and dealings around a guitar negotiation, a pawn shop, and a diamond ring. Bottom line is she liked the ring and she loves the song. That’s about as good as it gets!
2) Holy Moly
This seriously upbeat jump number sprouted out of a song fragment that I’ve been storing in a dusty corner of my head for years. I finally filled in the blanks early this past spring (2007). We are joined on this one by David Pippin on guitar and Montrell McClendon on sax. The song is tailor made for doing what we love to do, for getting ‘em up and dancing; and we’ve had a great response when we perform it live. The subject matter and imagery of the lyric appear regularly in my songs, namely food and a woman (you know who you are, Baby), both prime choices on my list of favorite dishes that the “Life Café” serves up on a regular basis. Oops!! I’m doing it again. I just can’t he’p myself!
3) Low Down Dirty Shame
Ok, I confess! This one’s my stab at creating a facsimile of a down and out, slow blues lament that has no basis in reality in my life, but it captures the feelings that I am sure some have felt under the conditions described. There’s nothing personal or autographical about it I’m glad to say. It’s a made up story song and a cover on a theme. The music and arrangement are the work of my friend Merritt (Jughead) Smith who shares credit for the song’s creation. It actually was a music first deal. Merritt did the basic riffs one night at practice while warming up, and the lyrics came quick on the heels of his playing it, completed in part that same night. It’s another tune that gives our blues guitarists and harp man a chance to shine.
4) Another Crossfire
There’s a lot of history bound up with this tune. I wrote it in the early 60’s for my friend and brother singer from Carrollton, GA. This song was revived pretty much like it was conceived then to include on our record. To understand the lyric you have to know a little about Johnny Ralph Kendricks, the man who inspired the song and influenced my work of that era as well. Johnny Ralph loved women and always kept a few handy, too many as it turned out in the long run. He died at the hand of a jealous somebody in the 70’s, cutting short a career that might have really taken off if he had wanted it to work that way. The truth is though, Johnny Ralph prided himself in maintaining a flight pattern well under the radar. All he wanted was to be close to home. He had many chances to go on the road with major artists of his time, but chose to venture no further than clubs in Atlanta where he always brought the house down with his power and soulful performances. It was in those same clubs that the lyric came to me by watching him notice that two or more of his current girlfriends were in the club , seeing him give me the nod to follow him out the door, and hearing him say with a grin, “I’m in another crossfire Jim, we got to go!” This one is for you Johnny Ralph. The song is the pure stuff R&B that I grew up with, and my thanks go out to Merritt who arranged, took it beyond what I could hear, and played lead on the song, to Mark for tasteful rhythm, to John and Phil for the foundation, and to Howard and Montrell for giving it air and fullness at the same time. That’s not an easy thing to do!
5) A Real Good Thing
This is a light hearted love song, and it describes the unfolding of a relationship from both the guy and girl perspectives. It is based in personal experience and the shared good fortune that comes when a couple holds out through all the craziness that comes around and when they stick around for the grand prize. Again, I wrote this song for myself to remind me of just how lucky I am, for my little lady to let her know that I know, and for all the others who are making their way together, through thick and thin, to hold out the possibility that it can be done. Our friend and jam partner Richard Hurt does his thing on this country boogie blues tune, taking his SG and a bottle neck slide and making is sound like a Hawaiian lap steel and a pedal steel in the lead break. Richard is a regular with “Swami Gone Bananas”, and has been pleasing fans in Atlanta clubs for years. Listen for the boy when you play it. The female duet vocal is done by our good friend, Ronda Cheatham, also a singer and keyboardist with the rotating Swami crew. Since we met, I’ve always wanted to sing with Ronda, and I heard her all over this song when it started coming. We are honored to have her in the mix. Also listen out for Mr. Versatile, Howard (Blind Hogleg Willie)Williams on acoustic guitar, banjo, and dobro. The song also features John “Lebo” on drums, John Barry on stand up bass, and Mark with his signature fills. It’s a full, fat, fun song with something positive to say.
6) If Money Won’t Buy Your Dreams (I’m the Man for You)
A direct opposite to the number 3 tune, this one’s an invitation song, a not so cleverly disguised “come on,” I must admit. It speaks to me and may also resonate with anyone who has been on a search for that “good woman” who’s in it for the feast and not the trimmings. This song was magically transformed in process with the help of David Pippin on guitar and Montrell McClendon on sax. They are up front in this Latin beat arrangement, having come into the studio at different times, without the nudge of hearing the other’s take, and they heard and played their complimentary parts, taking it places we didn’t hear coming. I’ve taken to calling this number “David and Montrell go to the bullfights” in honor of the chips and salsa they brought to the party. Preston Scott is also in this mix, doing things with the keyboard that are a unquestionable match with the horn and guitar solos. With the backdrop of the entire band’s accompaniment , this song is a perfect example of the magic that can happen when you open it up to talented friends. It was a really nice surprise!
7) For So Long
This is another tune that sprung up out of Merritt Smith’s “variety house catalog” of renderings. We get a clear picture of his musical influences and background, with an original twist, that define his guitar style and delivery. The boy’s got soul! It’s also another that was spontaneously written, as a skeleton at least, at a practice session and fleshed out soon after. Lyrically, there’s an element of my missing my baby girl, Rosanna, who was at the time serving in the Peace Corps in Africa, my other baby, Amelia, who is presently living in California, or my boys Caleb and Jess who have strayed far from home over the years; but it could be missing anyone we love who is out sight and arms reach. The gospel blues flavor of the song let us hear our friend and brother musician, Milton Howard, whose veteran involvement in R&B and, most recently, in gospel music makes him a perfect match for this song. Milt, who we met in the guitar store that started it all, was an original member of the DaddyO’s first incarnation band and sings from his heart in a voice that belies his 70 + years performing in Atlanta clubs, churches and other venues, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and singing from his heart. Milt and I discovered that we had been in Atlanta at the same time, in the hay day of the Auburn Avenue days and that we had many common friends in that era even though our paths had never crossed back then. The play out unit DaddyO’s Band is featured on this song.
8) I Do A Lot Of Dreamin’ (DaddyO’s Dream Jam)
Mark Agababian, the last of the “Great Armenian Blues Men” and undisputed king of the electric guitar “noodle fest” chops, woke up one morning with this jazzy blues instrumental number living in his head and got up and played with his hands what he heard in his dreams. He says he’s not sure where it came from, but we are! In his position as an experienced musician and co-originator of the band, Mark has been amazing us with his improvisational riffs, fills, leads, tone and rhythms for the long haul. The tune was first recorded by the original core band at our first date in the studio, but recently, as a stroke of “good move!” afterthought, we invited Montrell McClendon into the mix with some layover background saxophone riffs and tasty lead fills that add to the tune in a big way! It’s another cool surprise that unfolded in process. Ain’t it nice when it works that way?
9) Gumbo
This is the only at least in part non-original song on our CD play list. Here’s the story on this one as best I can recall. In Atlanta in the late 60’s I teamed up with a singer / songwriter, Paul Hansen, my soon to be brother and lifelong friend. Together we explored life at its edges, some sweet and some not so, and for a few years we co-wrote songs about what we saw, learned and shared in those times. He taught me the song, and we tinkered with it a little in the process. I always assumed that Paul wrote it, so when we decided to put it on the list, I called him and asked his permission to do that. I thought I knew the answer ‘cause I know my friend who is generous and giving, but I had a thing or two to learn. He told me that it was not his song, that it was written by a guy known only as “Orange Man” who regularly showed up for open mic at clubs and era coffee houses to play his music and to distribute oranges to those in attendance. This tune was among those that he played and played well. I’ve been told it was a hit with the crowds.
We decided to include the song, but to also send out the call to “Orange Man”, wherever he may be, that we give him the credit for its creation. If, by any stretch, we profit from his work, he has every right to his fair share; so if you’re out there Dude, come outta hiding and we’ll cut you a slice of the fruit of you creation. I did an extensive copyright and publication search but came up empty. So, we’re gonna borrow your tune Man. We ask his permission after the fact.
Since, I’ve taken some minimal poetic license with the lyrics, mainly because I spaced out the lines I was taught and fell into the habit of singing it that way. I believe we held onto the flavor of his song. That flavor is strangely like orange. Spooky, right?
Gumbo, with its spicy blend of country / Cajun influences, is thick with perceptive political inferences while sticking with the “down home” flavors in “Orange Man’s” special recipe. This is just my take on the tune, but I believe it targets the greedy and power hungry and reminds us of freedoms lost or eroded away by that same gang. Some seem to think that it’s all about drugs, but to me it’s much bigger than that. Your Gumbo is what you are into, value and enjoy that some in control may frown on. In that sense it could be our music, opinions, faith, beliefs, and our right to be different and to speak our minds. Phew!! Enough said! You know where I’m coming from. It’s also a fun song full of rich images and hints of endangered cultures, and that’s sure enough to keep us passing it around.
Musically, our version features the DaddyO’s main unit, and Mark is in there dishing up some spicy background vocals. Thanks to the guy missing in action we can say; “Hey! Have a taste of this Gumbo!”
10) When It Comes Down To Your Deal
Written in the early 70s, I (Jim) used to sing and play this one solo, almost the same lyrically but with different music. I wrote it as a statement of beliefs and as an observation report. To me its about perspectives and perceptions, and it suggests that we have some choice in how we view our worlds and experiences. I don’t want to come off like its heavy on philosophy, but to be true to my own, it would have to be pretty light and loose anyway. In 2006 Merritt and I sat down in
my living room and came up with the musical rendition that’s on the CD. Again, its his music and my words coming together to revive and old one and give it new life. Thanks, Jughead, for coming up with the parts to rebuild this ride! The core band is featured here, and we are joined by Debra Martin on flute in the final mix that you will hear. She riffed with us on this one on stage a time or two, and that’s all it took to know that she belonged in this song too.
11) A Thing Or Two
Okay, I know! You could go to a weird place with this one if you want to. Actually, this tune is an autographical cartoon…a blast from my past…that is, I admit, a slightly twisted but not hardcore weird teenage fantasy about a powerful crush I had on my teacher in junior high school in the 50s. Its not about or even close to that mess you see on the network news, so don’t go there y’all! Okay? Just let it be fun! We sure do. The DaddyO’s provide the country blues foundation, and it features guitar leads by Mark and Richard Hurt and Howard (Blind Hogleg Willie) Williams on dobro and harp. Howard also got the call to do the vocal, but he wants it known that its my words and he’s just singing ‘em.
12) Personally (“P” Word Song)
This was as fun a song to receive as it is to play and, I hope, to listen to. I was playing with the alphabet one day last spring (2007), and in it came. To me its about my relationship with my best girl and about life in general. I think it came to remind me how lucky I’ve been and continue to be. It also helps me focus on my need to take my living and loving “personally”. The music is a one sided by product of a vague tune I had running in my head and where Howard ran with it from there. It is one sided because its actually wholly his composition, and it works “perfectly”. This one features the band with special help from Montrell McClendon on sax. The background vocals were provided by Carol and Rosanna Boyd, Jane Evans, Susie Nagel, and Karen Sifton of the Clear Rivers Chorus / Women of the Watershed, and Blind Hogleg Willie Williams himself doubling up on the low part. Those vocal fills and frills conceived, written and arranged by Howard at his best, listening to and pulling out what he hears in his head. All together, its right on true to the R&B mold formed by the early music influences we share. Thanks “Hojo” for doin’ it wit’ me and mo’ thanks to the Women of the Watershed ( the “Daddettes” ) for singing it so sweet!
13) What You Are
In a collaborative interchange much like those I’ve shared with Mark, Merritt and Howard more recently, I wrote this tune in the late 60s with my friend and brother Paul Hansen crafting the music and giving me a boost on the lyrics. In a way these words are as much his as mine and as much yours as ours. They sprang out of the things I learned with and from Paul during our time together in Atlanta, on the road, and in Vermont. It is fashioned after a theme of many of his solo songs, and those he’s written since with his wife Susan ( also an accomplished singer / songwriter ), that speak to living and learning, giving and getting, and about faith, We talked a lot about generosity, he called it “priming the pump”, and he lived with that generous and giving spirit the best he could every day and still does. This one’s for Paul and Susan who are following their music and faith up in New England today, lighting a path for others to see. I see what you’re up to, and I’m glad that you are! “ It’s a lot!!”
Mark steps up to the lead vocal mic on this old ditty from the distant past. His vocal style is a perfect fit for the tune, and he caps it off with some trademark Mark verbal improve noodles on the play out tail of the song, A DaddyO’s Band record that did not include his humor and heart would be, at best, incomplete. That could, of course, be said about all the boys of the band that are featured on this song.
14) She Want’ Cream In Her Coffee
The seeds for this song were cast out there one night at practice by Mark who was typically “just improvisin’” as we shook out the cobwebs with a warm up jam. The lyric is an expansion on his lines; “She want’ cream in her coffee / She want’ sugar in her tea.” Honest, I was just following his lead! The song is included on our CD with a disclaimer. “The character (She) portrayed in the tune is purely a figment of our collective overactive imagination and has no basis in factual experience. Any resemblance to persons you may know or have ever known is loosely coincidental.” As a work of fiction and cartoon caricature, its an attempt at humor; but if the shoe fits, if it “come’ from Italy’, and if it cost a week’s wages, then, this one’s for you.
The music is cut from the mold of the upbeat, traditional shuffle tunes that have influenced our material choice all along. Mark, John Barry, and Dr. Phil hold up the rhythm and provide the foundation for others to build on. The arrangement showcases Howard on guitar and Montrell’s solid sax. This one, from its roots to finish, is in character with what we’ve been up to all these years.
15) Could’a, Would’a, Should’a (I’m Learning)
This driving Latin beat tune pretty much speaks for itself. Its another of the recent songs, written in the Spring of ’07, that blew in quick and easy from the words stash in the sky. Its based in personal experience and the resulting “Oh yeah! That’s how that works” realizations, but I’d bet it’s a theme that many can connect to and share. It lays out the concept that our “screw ups” and questionable choices are all just a part of the ongoing learning process that we all go through in getting from here to there and there to here. With “Lebo” on the kit and new friend, Guy Dawson, on Congas, the core band holds this tune together like the big bean burrito that it is. It also features guitar leads by Richard Hurt, Mark, and Howard, and a tasty organ backdrop by Ronda Cheatham. As a package it conveys a simple “that’s nice to know” message. Sure made me feel good when I heard it coming in! Here’s hoping it does the same for you coming out!
16) Don’t Let The Fire (Directions for Life)
This one’s a down home gospel blues tune written for and about the kids of the crew, whoever and wherever you are. I’ve been watching you! Its subtitle (Directions for Life) sets the theme for the song, and it speaks to what we want life and living to be for our children and ourselves, for that matter. I toyed with the title, thinking first that “Don’t Do Dis, Don’t Do Dat” might capture the intent and keep it light, but that is not the message we got. To say it was written for the kids would be true but, at the same time, misleading. It came from them to us purely as much as it played out being a “teaching” thing. It came from our watching them stay after their dreams.
True to it’s likeness to a letter for our kids, it makes perfect sense their mother and my sweet wife joins me in the duet vocal that carries the vocal through with a two part harmony of her own crafting. It is also logical that “the son of a preacher man,” Montrell McClendon, with his life long background in gospel music, is featured on soulful sax. It was clear going in that he also owned this song. Our friend Preston Scott provides the keyboard backdrop that sets the stage and holds it all in place, and Mark signs off on the intro with his brief but bountiful sweet guitar riff. Thanks to the boys in the band for the glue that binds it all together! We chose this tune to be last on the CD because we love what it leaves us with.