Meet the next CD...cover

Only two days left, I will not make the May CD deadline, but have no fear... I DID THE COVER today! Whoopee!

Here it is...

Hope you like it. I am also (with help from Kids Music Planet hostess Lisa Harper) editing the lyrics for "Good Place".

Other titles you will most likely see added to the May CD (recorded in June...) are:

1. Person of Character w/Dave Kinnion
2. It Could Have Been Me  w/Dave Kinnion
3. A Good Place w/Lisa Harper
4. Jacques Cousteau w/Marla Lewis
5. Respect Me - just me
6. Citizenship - just me
7. Martin Luther King Jr. - just me

Still looking for 5 more GREAT songs about character...anyone have an idea out there???

I would like to try something about Mt. Rushmore as a place...any people or other places that would work? Let me know!

How many days do I have?

Ok, got the April CD done, checked the calendar at WHAT??? Three days left in May? How did that happen?

Mmmm.... I don't know, I don't think I'll make the deadline again, at least not the monthly deadline. I will get the last CD out before the end of the year, I promise.

Well today I decided to stay in bed to get ideas for the new songs I need for May, it worked! I just wrote this... What do you think?

Good Place
(c) William Charles Grisack III 2012

If you working hard to be
Someone who is trustworthy
That's a good place
If you always try to act
When no ones there to pat your back
That's a good place

But when you feel that there's no hope
you don't even cast a vote
There's no point to join the human race
That's a bad place

Do you remember any time
Something almost changed your mind
To that good place?
Forgive yourself and let it go
Respect your self and you will know
A good place

A bully here, a pothole there
The world is filled with those who stare
One by one we can save a face
From a bad place

If you want to heal your heart
Good Character's a place to start
One tiny grain of sand for every case
Will make a good place

Comments, ideas, what have you got...SHARE! Thanks.

Up to my ears in insanity or business as usual

Wondering why you haven't heard from me for a while?

To put it simply, I've been busy.

But, good news...I have finally finished CD #4 "Moving Day" and I have been working on CD #5 (the one due in May). The new CD is about character and is called "Pillars, Places and People of Character", like it?

I have several songs in the works including some with Dave Kinnion and other folks I've worked with in the past. I am looking for more songs and ideas and any of my musician friends that want to add some talent to this project are (as always) quite welcome!

I will hopefully start updating and posting on a more regular basis as soon as I finish everything on my to do list.

DONE!

Click here to buy now

This song is 15 songs long?

OK, I did it. April is done...a little late, but still DONE!

Here is the track called, "The Move it Medley" fro the CD Moving Day, available soon.

You can post your comments and share it on Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest, Google + and more...please?

Recording with Penn and Teller

Today I am recording my last song for the new CD witch is actually about 15 songs in one.

The entire time I have ben recording my daughter has been BLASTING a TV show called "Penn & Tellers Tell a Lie" great show, totally addicting, I can't turn it off, so like Elvis and John Lennon I am writing and recording with the TV on.

Anyway back to the song, it;s called "The Move It Medley" and it features parts of pop/rock songs that have to do with moving. There are snippets from Van Halen, Aerosmith, Black Eyed Peas, the Rolling Stones and more.

Once I get this song done I'm going to take a few days off, mix and master back in Wisconsin and release it by the end of next week. I am also going to start writing and finding songs for the May CD.

Got any ideas? Looking for songs about Character.

Body Parts in 4 Languages

Al lot of really interesting things have happened to me since I started this project. One thing that I didn't see coming was an interest in recording songs and stories in different languages.

On "Electric Bananas" I did a English/Spanish version of the Beatles "Yellow Submarine"

For the new CD, I have been writing and finding songs that have or are about moving. One classic song I wanted to do right from the get go was "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes". But like usual, I didn't want to do it in a standard way.

I really like the idea of recording in different languages, so I put out a call to all the international friends I have made on the internet and Peter Cox from the Netherlands, who played AWESOME guitar on "Five Rock and Roll Guitars" offered to do Dutch vocals. Great, that was one!

I found lots of help with translations, but I wanted native speakers. I did find folks that are willing to do Spanish (but I wanted to hold off since I did Spanish two times already), Portuguese, French, Hebrew and more, but time didn't allow to get those recorded ...THIS TIME...I will use these at a later date.

While eating at our favorite Chinese restaurant I asked our server if she could do Chinese...and she did! Right there on my iPod at our table!

The last language came from an unlikely source, one of my best friends, Brent Ashpole lived in Hawaii for many years. So Brent and his wife Bobbie put together a Hawaiian translation and recorded it in my kitchen after I babysat their kids on a Saturday after noon.


Finally I took all the parts that were emailed, Dropboxed, recorded on location on iPad on the road and imported it into my MacBook.

I mixed it added some ethnic sounds and loops and TA-DA! Here it is. Hope you like it and pass it on.

Comments?

Avengers assemble!

Ok, I know I'm a week behind on recording the new CD...alright, 2 weeks, but The Avengers movie starts today and Taelor and I are going...period.

When we get home I PROMISE to get back to work. Right now I am finishing up a multi language version of "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" and a wild medley of MOVING songs (you're gonna love it).

But you have to get your priorities strait, Avengers first, then work.

Twist and Shout recorded in my motel

Today I recorded Twist and Shout in my motel (see groovy photos in the last post). Here is the track.

I did the whole thing in about 3 hours. Hope you like it. If you like the Beatles post it on your FB or send it to another Beatle fan, OK?

Sorry about the silence at the beginning (not used to how Apple does stuff yet).

Getting twisted in the kitchen

Today I'm recording The Beatles "Twist and Shout", pretty standard with a few of my modern tweaks.

I'll post the track later. Taelor took these shots of me rocking out...which one is your favortie?

 

Does this song "wipe out" the drummer?

My next recording was inspired by song and something I saw done at a local festival.

1. The song is the classic 1960's hit "Wipe Out".  One of the biggest crowd pleaser songs we do at family events. My son Wil (the drummer) has been doing this tune for 2 years or so, but has NEVER heard the original!

2. At a local festival I saw a family entertainer do a hula hoop contest, it was wild and the crowd love it.

I thought these two ideas went well with the "moving" theme of the new CD. The lyrics are a little history lesson about this toy...that seems to date back to 500 BC or so...wow.

Wil really out did himself. We recorded his drum parts at a school between shows last week. I did the rhythm tracks in my kitchen and the vocals and guitars in a motel room in Chattanooga.

Here is the file and the lyrics are below, please let me know what you think, comment and share.

Moving Day

(c) 2012 William Charles Grisack III

Moving day, moving day

Every day should be moving day!

Grooving, hey!

Doing, hey!

Every day should be moving day!

You say I get out gotta get out, get out now

You say stretch my muscles, jump up and down

You say If i don't move I'll loose my mind

You say get off couch potato time

It's true, but what about you?

You tell me I need 60 minutes a day

You tell me I need time to play, play, play

You tell me I need to break a sweat

You tell me I need to not forget

It's true, but what about you?

Everybody needs to exercise

Everybody needs to open their eyes

Everybody needs to, young and old

Everybody needs to go for the gold!

If you want me to get healthy and fit

If you want me to get fresh air a bit

If you want me to grown up big and strong

If you want me to do it, join along!

It's true, but what about you?

Mission Not Accomplished

OK, I knew this day would come, but I thought it would happen in the summer when I have no days off.


It's May 1 and my April CD is NOT DONE! Darn it.


Here is where I stand so far...


I have five songs ready to go...


In a Circle
Walking the Dog
Locomotivation
Pop Up sit Down
Hula Hoopla


...and two songs in the works...


Moving Day
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

I was planning on redoing two classic Mr. Billy songs and a Beatles cover...


Twist and Shout
What I Say
Clap Your Hands

...and a wild medley of rock and pop songs...

Move it Move it Medley Medley


I have two other songs not finished writing as well.


My excuse? Well...there should be no excuses, but there has been illness, gigs, traveling and stuff (always getting in the way!).


I wil finish the CD this week in my motel, but then  will need to start on the next CD (#5, People of Character) next week.