Here are my tunes! The best way to hear them is using headphones.
I play on all of these tunes, some are covers but many of them are my own copyright songs that I’ve written and some are just some messy song writing ideas that I recorded. I even tried my hand at playing the harmonica along with a few tunes.
I also play keys on many tunes that were done with a cheap Casio MIDI keyboard. I even have recorded a few percussion tracks using drum software along with a few songs. Sad to say, most of these tunes I recorded many years ago, I really need to redo many of them, add new ones, and create more videos of me playing. I also have included some classical guitar Christmas tunes that you’ll know, maybe ‘Silent Night’ will put you to sleep?
I’ll try my best to describe how and what I used to record each tune at the top of each song link. Remember, some of this is just scattered song ideas I had in the past, please forgive me.
Allan’s Cover of Chet Atkins arrangement of: Snowbird
The following is a recorded cover of Snowbird and then a video of me playing Snowbird that I uploaded to YouTube. The recordings are slightly different from each other, I think the recorded audio version below is a little better than when I recorded myself playing it using my cellphone to create the video. I recorded these 9 years ago and I would need a week of practice and the tab if I wanted to play it again.
YouTube Video of Allan playing ‘Snowbird’
Serenade to Summertime
This next tune (link below) is called ‘Serenade to Summertime’. It was originally written by Sergio Palito. I first heard this from Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed playing it together on their album called, ‘Me and Chet’. I learned this arrangement from Craig Dobbins, I believe that one of his publications contained the sheet music for it.
I tried my best to add all the instruments that Chet and Jerry played. I recorded two tracks using my classical guitar, one doing the lead and the other doing rhythm. Then I added two tracks of keys using a cheap Casio MIDI keyboard. I also added a little percussion by way of computer drums. I consider this my best instrumental cover. I really think there’s something spiritual about this tune that makes you just continually want to hear it, not because of me playing it of course but mainly because of the arrangement of notes…just a beautiful tune.
Heart of Gold
This is me doing a cover of Neil Young’s Heart of Gold. I did this all in one take with a harmonica strapped around my neck, playing and singing. After people hear this they say, “I didn’t know you play harmonica.” Well, I don’t, I just tried to figure it all out by watching a couple Neil Young videos and played my harmonica along with the videos (it’s a guessing game).
JB Weld Blues
Ok, this is JB Weld Blues and it has a story behind it. I laid down two electric guitar tracks quickly off the top of my head on this. Story goes like this: My old friend Ron Alt had a broken guitar with the case, I believe it was a Fender Jaguar model, I’m not sure. This guitar was totally broken right off at the top, right at the neck. He said I could have it if I could fix it. Well, I’m a JB Weld freak and have used JB Weld for years on all things in life. So Ron gave me the guitar and I basically plopped it with JB Weld, stuck it together, laid it upside down for a couple of days and then hoped for the best. After the bonding was totally dried I re-strung the guitar hoping that it wouldn’t collapse at the neck. Well, it went together no problem. So I thought I’d pick it up and test it out, I recorded two takes and put them together for the test. By the way, the guitar played so good that I ended up giving it back to Ron.
Daughters Dreams
Here’s a song I wrote about my daughter. I used to play guitar for here a lot, especially when she’d go to bed at night. One night she couldn’t get to sleep and it had been a long time since I’d played the guitar to her. She was almost 18 at this time and I kind of thought that it would possibly be the last time I’d play her to sleep, it was. I’d like to list the lyrics here for you (and me):
She woke up from a bad dream, couldn’t get back to sleep. She said ‘turn down the TV, dim the lights, don’t make a peep.’ Then I knew that this would be a time of opportune, to sing my little girl to sleep inside her little room. I asked her if she wanted me to softly sing a song, so I grabbed my son’s guitar, and said I wouldn’t be long. I fumbled through the dark, finally found a chair – and as I sang and played, I said this silent prayer: Lord thankyou for this time with her, in her silent room, help me sing soft but strong, and help me stay in tune. She’s going to leave for college soon, time goes so fast it seems. This could be the last time – I help her with her dreams. First song that I played was fast, kind of out of place – so I slowed down the melody and sang of love and grace. A song is good when it can put a child soft to sleep. But this child here laying right here – I won’t be able to keep. Let’s go back to a place in time, 10 years ago today. Where she would hear me every night, I’d sit near her and play. But now she is a woman – driv’in in her car. Dad’s songs will never leave her, Dad’s love never far. They’ll come a day years from now when her calls may be few, she’ll have a busy life style, maybe a child or two. I wonder if she’ll call me late some night over the phone, and say ‘Dad can ya sing a song – tonight I feel alone.’ Lord thank you for this time right now, in this woman’s room. Help me sing soft but strong and help me stay in tune. She’ll be leav’in home real soon. Time goes too fast it seems. This could be the last time, this could be the last time, this may be the last time, I help her with her dreams.