How Are You Still in Love with Me?

Backgrounder: “After listing two songs in a row that were pretty darn sad (see below and pass the tissues), I thought I’d better dust off an old love song from my ‘singing around the campfire’ days. I hope you feel better now.” gaharrison

How Are You Still in Love with Me?

Verse 1. I know some about the rivers, how they flow out to the sea.
Because I’ve seen them rushing by in the morning.
I kinda get to wondering, what I’d see from way out there.
There’s mysteries that are deeper than the sea, than the sea.

I wonder, yes I wonder,
About some mysteries of life,
But I wonder more how you’re still in love with me.


2. I know some about the prairies, how they stretch out to the sky.
Because I’ve seen them reaching out in the morning.
I kinda get to wondering, what I’d see from way out there.
There’s mysteries that are wider than a mile, than a mile.

I wonder, yes I wonder,
About some mysteries of life,
But I wonder more how you’re still in love with me.

3. I know some about the eagle, how they fly up in the sky.
Because I’ve seen them circling round in the morning.
I kinda get to wondering, what I’d see from way up there.
There’s mysteries that are higher than the sky.

I wonder, yes I wonder,
About some mysteries of life,
But I wonder more how you’re still in love with me.

4. I know some about the mountains, how they’re too bright for my eye.
When I seen them flashing white in the morning.
I kinda get to wondering, could I see from way up there?
There’s mysteries that will blind you for awhile.

I wonder, yes I wonder,
About some sweet mysteries of life,
But I wonder more how you’re still in love with me.

gah

***

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Prose: she and me

Backgrounder: “Two weeks ago my wife and I drove to Fenelon Falls together - a four-hour drive - to help take care of new twin grand-daughters. Shortly after arriving my wife of nearly 40 years was elbow-deep in diapers, bottles, formula, and lovely chatter with our son, daughter-in-law and Anna and Ella. I couldn’t help but think of our life together.” gaharrison

she and me

the whine of the bandsaw
the smell of fresh-cut cedar
and fine sawdust in his hair,
I notice them all
when I step into my
old husband’s workshop.
check under your hood, lady?
he says after he looks my way.


he always says that
he always says that
he always says that and
means the same thing
as when he first said it
forty years ago.
he smiles and trips
a familiar switch
inside my chest -
he and me.

***

she always knocks
on the screen door of my shop
before she steps inside.
she always knocks and
sometimes I jump - startled -
lost in thought.


check under your hood
seems the right thing to say
before she smiles and asks
if I’d like to stop for tea.
my throat is dusty,
tea would be fine,
I nod.

***

later, we spend time together.
we sit in comfortable chairs
inside my workshop,
we talk almost a perfect shorthand
and with rhyming tones.
we almost breathe as one
we almost breathe as one
she and me.

gah

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Yet Another Hit Single: Fetch the Wild Turkey

Backgrounder: “My oldest son and his wife are expecting twins at any minute. Thinking about the changes that they’ll face reminded me of a song I wrote years ago for times when guitars and camping whisky were present at a campfire.” g.a.harrison

Fetch the Wild Turkey

1. I lived in the city, I owned my own house,
The only thing missing was a wonderful spouse.
You lived in the country, we met at a dance,
After the hoe-down, we both took a chance.
I'll fetch the Wild Turkey, I'll pour you a drink,
It's out in the kitchen, it's under the sink.
Since I first met you my plans are all new,
No one in the country is prettier than you.

2. I sold my possessions, and moved to your farm,
Bought cows for your field, a horse for your barn.
We'd pick the wild lilies and drink from the creek,
We'd talk about babies, stay in bed for a week.
Let's fetch the Wild Turkey, let's pour us a drink,
It's out in the kitchen, it's under the sink.
Since I first met you, been changes in me,
But you're certainly pretty in your red negligee.


3. Got three kids in diapers, twins on the way,
We’ve had one each year, it’s tradition you say.
To have lots of children to inherit the farm,
Extra hands at the harvest to fill up the barn.
You fetch the Wild Turkey, you pour me a drink,
It's out in the kitchen, it's under the sink.
Since I first met you my money's gone down,
But you still look real pretty in your purple nightgown.

4. Now we got four dogs and a house full of cats,
My allergies have come back, the corn's full of rats.
The house needs a new roof, porch leans to the ri-eee-ght,
The crickets are so loud I can't sleep at night.
Go fetch the Wild Turkey, I'll have us a shot,
Having too many is better than not.
Since I first met you my fortunes are down, down, down,
But you look kind of 'purdy' in that ratty nightgown.

5. The kids are all dirty in hand-me-down clothes,
We only get water 'fit rains or it snows.
The well it run dried, the crops blowed away,
The cows are all scrawny, the dogs ran away.
Fetch the Wild Turkey, I need me a shot,
Having too many is better than not.
Since I first met you my bankin’s a wreck,
But in that old night gown you're prettier 'an heck.

6. My spellin' is bad, my grammar am rotten,
Please don't complain, from you it's been gotten.
My troubles are all big, my money is small,
Please stop complainin' 'cause you spent it all.
*Fetch the Wild Turkey, I need one more shot,
Having too many is better than not.
Since I first met you my life has gone black,
Now the front of your nightgown looks the same as the back.

GAH

***

Life don’t git that bad, do it?

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Come On Over, I'm Over You

Backgrounder: “My wife and I have gone through hard times but never hard enough to end in divorce. Thirty-nines years later I still say, she’s a keeper. Her thoughts on the matter? I’m not exactly sure, but I bet it's half good. This song was written as a bit of fun about an unfunny topic.” gaharrison

Come On Over, I'm Over You

I get the pet dog, you get the cat,
I get the pet mouse, you get the rat.
I get the parakeet, you get the cage,
I get the parsley, you get the sage.
I get the whiskey I like to drink,
You get the Tupperware under the sink.
I packed all our stuff, divided by two.
So, come on over, I'm over you.

Chorus:

Come on over, I said we’re through.
Come on over, it’s sad but true.
I'm over you and your cold embrace,
I'm over you and your hard-luck face,
Come on over, see my new place.
And, pick up your boxes, I need the space.

I get the car, you get the truck,
I get the chicken, you get the duck.
I get the pots, you get the pans,
I get the blue box, you get the cans.
I get the couch with the pull-out bed,
You get the twelve-speed we kept in the shed.
I packed all our stuff, divided by two.
So, come on over, I'm over you.


[“Halfa this is yours too. Come on over”]

I get the coffee, you get the tea,
I get the radio, you get the TV.
I get the shoes, you get the clothes,
I get the garden, you get the hose.
I get the dress shirts and all of my pants,
You get the song, you get the dance.
I packed all our stuff, divided by two.
So, come on over, I'm over you.

I get some money back, you get your purse,
I get my freedom, you get the curse.
I get the roof tops you get the floor,
I get my leg room you get the door.
I get the high road, a bottle of wine,
You get the low road and half of what's mine.
I packed all our stuff, divided by two.
So, come on over, I'm over you.

Optional -

I get the helo pad, you get the yacht,
I get the gold bars, you get the stock.
I get the time-share in Boca Raton,
You get the mansion, the five acre lawn.
I get the Bentley, the cottage in France,
You get the beach house, the long picket fence.
Whatever we dreamed I divided by two.
Now, come on over, I'm over you.

GAH

***

Yeah, like the Bentley is ever going to happen.

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Are You a Rich Man?

Backgrounder: “This song was written about seven years ago but is definitely linked to experiences from the sixties. I read and wrote poetry then, listened to Bob Dylan, enjoyed single malt whisky (beer just wasn’t hip enough for me) and fell in love about every three days. After 39 years of marriage (Aug. 8 anniversary) the answer to the question is yes.” gaharrison

Are You a Rich Man?

1. We met at some party of an old friend of mine,
I was off in a corner just putting in time.
When the smell of perfume, the warm brush of skin,
Awakened my senses, I was glad she walked in.

Chorus:

She thought I was special, more than I was,
The first time we met she was feelin’ the buzz,
From a single malt whisky that I had supplied.
“Are you a rich man?” she asked.
“Yes I am,” I replied.


["Peace and love from the sixties": photo GAH]

2. We went to the kitchen, she was looking for ice.
She asked, “Would you like some?” I said, “You smell nice.”
She laughed at my answer, so I chuckled right back,
If she’d wanted refinement
I would have tried some of that.

3. We were soon tangled up on a warm pile of coats.
She asked, “Are you serious?” I was thinking wild oats.
But we made an excuse, took a cab to my place,
Though I felt my apartment
would be a disgrace.


["I like Dylan, do you?": photo GAH]

4. After seeing my bookcase she said, “You like poetry too.”
“Have you any good music? I like Dylan, do you?”
We spent the night on the couch with the stereo on.
Got married that summer
and the riches live on.

GAH

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Down To My Toes

Backgrounder: “This is the second or third song I sang in public, other than around a campfire. The melody came before the lyrics on this one. The nice easy tune took me back to the time I first met my wife, and 39 years later we still keep each other’s feet warm at night.” gaharrison

Down To My Toes


[August 8, 1970]

I don’t know how
the power of love grows,
I just know it went down
to my toes when I met you.
Oh, love went down to my toes.
I don’t know why
you caught my eye,
Was it something you said
when you walked on by?
I just know I turned
and you caught my eye.

Chorus:

I don’t pretend
to know it all, girl.
I think what I know
is really quite small.
I’m just glad you stopped to chat
I’m glad our love
started off like that,
And I know love went
down to my toes.

2. I don’t know what I said
when we laughed
I just know things happened
real fast when I met you.
Oh, things happened so fast.
I don’t know
what possessed me to say,
That we get together
the very next day. You said yes.
I’m glad you said yes.

3. I don’t know how you could
hit me like this
Or turn me around
with one little kiss
But you did, you hit me like this.
I don’t know where
we go from here,
I just know I want to be
near when I call you,
I want to be near.

GAH

My Life Without You

Backgrounder: “It sounds like I carry around a heavy load of regret. I don’t. I occasionally remember times (like most people, I'm sure) when I could have been a better person, and reflect on what the absolute worst consequences might have been. Also, I know several people who have gone through a divorce, and it ain't pretty.” gaharrison

1. I don’t know why
I’m all set to cry about you.
I don’t know how
I care ‘bout you now like I do.
I must confess
I never guessed that you’d walk out the door.
I failed to see
what my life would be without you.


I won’t get a chance
to have one last dance or hold you.
I won’t hear our song
and then sing along without you.
I didn’t believe
you’d ever leave and never return.
I failed to see
what my life would be without you.

Chorus:

Now I live all alone
in a old country home without you.
The phone doesn’t ring,
I can’t hear birds sing without you.
When I go for a walk
I miss how we talked like so many times before.
I failed to see
what my life would be without you.

2. Now that you’ve gone
not much gets done without you.
Life doesn’t seem fair
and I don’t really care what I do.
Night seems to come fast
and I dream it’s the last that I’ll sleep all alone.
I failed to see
what my life would be without you.

GAH

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