Feb 2022 folk acoustic conversational americana signsandwonders
“Also there were people going round in such clumsy ways, stopping and starting…” --Alice Munro from the short story, "Dolly" in the collection "Dear Life."
Considered not gumming this up with harmonies, more like a live version, but then left them in. Lemme know what you think and thanks for listening. You're the cat's meow.
Stripped down guitar/vocal just in case: https://files.fawmers.org/FAWM_2022/johncrossman/Clumsy%20Ways%20stripped%20down.mp3
People go ‘round in such
Clumsy ways, with their
Arms held out
Takin’ up space
Hold to each other
Hold on tight
Keep from falling
Or taking flight
After all, what does it mean
That we can’t believe…
in the unseen
Deserts we wandered
In search of a stream
To drink, endlessly
People go 'round in such a
Sleepy haze
‘Fraid to look up from the
Hand in their face
Wouldn’t want to miss some
Insignificance
Hurry back now to our
Conditional tense
After all, what does it mean
That we can’t believe…
in the unseen
What do we gain
What’s the rate of return
For the whole world
Bridge:
Can’t set our clocks by
Thanks and please
Can’t spend nearly enough to buy
Love… and peace
People go ‘round in
Circles and squares
Missin’ signs and wonders
We’re missin’ what’s there
@bootsylavox Mar 2022
So beautiful. I wouldn't want you to leave off the harmonies. Thanks for sharing the inspiration...I haven't read an Alice Monroe story in many years. Now her name is on my library list. I appreciate the skill in your writing...I want to write about how people perplex me and it tends to come off pretty and preachy. Thanks for showing this newbie one way to get it said with grace and economy and sweetness.
@crisp1 Feb 2022
Perfect combination of a delightful melody and words of wisdom. I enjoyed the harmonies myself. Very nice song!
@redhauer Feb 2022
Lovely song! I like the vocals. The gentle voice, with the harmony, works nicely with the soft guitar.
@tafkavince Feb 2022
Nice song. I like the busy chorus melody and the bridge
@hbusse Feb 2022
Some really significant lyrical nuggets in here, delivered in your honest and gentle voice.
"People go 'round in such a
Sleepy haze
‘Fraid to look up from the
Hand in their face
Wouldn’t want to miss some
Insignificance"
And
"People go ‘round in
Circles and squares
Missin’ signs and wonders
We’re missin’ what’s there"
@danvaillancourt Feb 2022
Nice listen! Great playing, singing and enjoy the harmonies in there. Has a great David Wilcox vibe to it.
@ddd Feb 2022
Lovely vocal performance here. Inventive lyrics. A nice discovery.
@mikedebenham Feb 2022
Lovely stuff. Finds that place where the everyday meets wisdom, tossing a line into deep waters while humming casually. The gumming up works for me. Good to hear you again, John.
@bradbrubaker Feb 2022
Enjoyed this! More of the "classic" @johncrossman than "Here Comes Number One" and the @dasbinky collab. :)
Favorite lyric:
Can’t set our clocks by
Thanks and please
...and the final two lines.
@jacobeverettwallace Feb 2022
Gorgeous song. Love the lyric. I personally adore the harmonies. Excellent delivery and performance. Well done!
@colgoo Feb 2022
Love those harmonies! Nice production on this song. It’s a keeper.
@isaacq Feb 2022
"hurry back now to our conditional tense" is one of those perfect lines i will forever admire and be jealous of. this is lovely all around, super economical use of harmonies right where they're needed. i'm excited to be listening to you!
@bandybum Feb 2022
Hauntingly beautiful chorus, yet more fabulous vocals, sweet arrangement and just love the change up of that bridge. Classy work, brother.
@valeriecox Feb 2022
Sometimes I feel like the whole world is in a deep, deep slumber and few are only beginning to wake up. This is a slow gentle ease into waking. Warm and gentle guitar and vocal. I rather like this "live' version. Sometimes songs lose something in all the production.
@jonmeta Feb 2022
Keep the harmonies. Love your high tenor especially. I’ve listened four times now. The way you combine the groove with a relaxed, soulful vocal delvery draws me in. “Warm flow” indeed. The same for how you combine detailed observations of mannerisms (in some great terse phrases) with a deeper spiritual reflection on ultimate values: one draws me into the other.
@kadmad202 Feb 2022
Oh, nice! There’s such a warm flow going on here. And so many really pertinent lines, like wouldn’t want to miss some insignificance, and can’t set our clocks by thanks and please. Sums up the current state of affairs quite well. I actually think you can have your cake and eat it too - the surprising harmonies are pure John Crossman as always, but it would sound just as lovely stripped down at a live venue, too.
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
Gorgeous insightful poetic social commentary delivered so beautifully. I love the harmonies you bring in creating magical moments. Your delivery is so warm. Such a lovely and thought provoking song.
@davidtaro Feb 2022
I really enjoyed this. Has a pleasing Jackson Browne, laid back Americana-ness to it. Glad you kept those harmonies, they add a lot. The words are DEEP. I love 'Hurry back now to our conditional tense'. Nice work!
@wylddandelyon Feb 2022
I enjoyed this. Pretty and pretty laid back, even with the drum track. "What does it mean that we can't believe in the unseen" and "People go 'round in circles and squares, missing signs and wonders, we're missing what's there" Nice imagery.
@blainev83 Feb 2022
Great harmonies here. Love the tambourine hitting on the second verse. This is such a great late night song to sit and think with. Loved it.
@blindkiwi Feb 2022
I love the tune, and would love to hear it 'live' without the harmonies and possibly even without the drums. The guitar sounds lovely but I really want to hear it more out front. Back to the lyrics, the theme is great and the bridge especially makes a lot of sense to me.
@stephenwordsmith Feb 2022
Much as I love your harmonies, I don't think this needs them. It's a charming tale of signs and portents, habits and habitats, manners and misdirections. The music video / live stage show choreographed itself in my head in real-time.
@nancyrost Feb 2022
What a strong song. Focused and touching. And nothing wrong with a little harmony singing about love and peace. I could do a quiet one in a live context.