Here's a little insight to each of the songs on my first album, "Wild In The Backyard".

1. No Such Love
[Lyrics]
Carol Ann Etheridge and I wrote this song around 1985. It came about around a riff I had on the mandolin. As far as I remember, words just came out 'til we found some sort of direction…something we could hang our hats on. I don't think we actually set out to write a song about the "Cinderella Syndrome". But that's what's great about writing songs...sometimes they just take you where they want to go.
B.James Lowry played one of Ray Kennedy's old National guitars for the slide riffs.
As Rockpile-ish as I could get at that time!

2. Into A Mall
[Lyrics]
We were at the admission window to the Monterey Bay Aquarium when I realized that I'd forgotten the cash in the car. I ran back to the parking garage, dodging tourists with their bermuda shorts, white legs, black socks and camera's around their necks. The effect was like a quick-edit film. Then I happened to glance into a shop window and caught a glimpse of myself with my shorts, white legs and camera bouncin' around my neck! The whole song came to me in that instant. When I got to the car I wrote the title down and a sketch or "skeleton" of what would happen from beginning to the end. I smiled the rest of the day because I knew I had a whole song just waiting back in the car for me to write! Ah! Finally an idea to marry to that little riff I'd been playin' around the house for so long!
Jim Hoke played the cool saxophone intro. I'd just seen the movie "Cannery Row" with Nick Nolte and Debra Winger. I loved the "Seer" playing the trumpet every morning at the break of dawn. I wanted Jim to play a jazzy morning lick to start the song off. He also played the big bass harmonica on the chorus. I played Ray's old National as the main finger-picking guitar on this track to get that Cannery Row era feeling. Billy Simon provided some very Beatlesque background vocals and synth cello lines. John Jarvis played the saloon "tack" piano influenced by the Beatles song "Rocky Racoon".

3. Mr. God
[Lyrics]
I saw and heard a lot in my days as the tape copy guy at Tree Publishing. Someone in the tape room was yelling "Hey!" across the hall to songwriter Ron Hellard. Ron didn't even look up. He just kept walking and said "That's 'Mr. Hey' to you". A very funny, dry moment! It started to swirl in my head for a while and worked it's way up to "That's Mr. God to you". All I had to do was put myself in the character's place and follow his role 'til the song just started coming together. Hat's obviously off to Randy Newman and his brilliant "Mr. Sheep" on his album "Born Again".
The wacky electric guitar riffs by B.James Lowry were first take. I was literally on the floor in laughter during that take. He said he'd do it better and not as stupid on the next take… I said "That's our take buddy!" It still makes me laugh when I hear it!
Rockpile meets Randy Newman.

4. The Same Boat
[Lyrics]
Also written with Carol Ann Etheridge. I remember writing the bulk of this at her apartment. I don't exactly remember the inspiration but I know we wanted to write something romantic…something like Dave Loggins' "One Way Ticket To Paradise" or "Please Come To Boston." We conjured up as much imagery as we could…neither of us having much experience with life on the gulf shores. Jimmy Buffet heard this one through the grapevine and asked for permission to rewrite it with a bit more boating knowledge. I called Carol Ann and she said that'd be cool with her…it certainly was with me. I got to hang with Jimmy and he came up with a beautiful rewrite. He also played it nightly on tour that year in his acoustic set. Thanks Carol Ann and Jimmy. Here's Jimmy's version:

The Same Boat
Don Henry / Carol Ann Etheridge / Jimmy Buffet
She was hurt by her only man
So she split for the Yucatan
Once upon a long time ago
Oh how the winds of fate can blow
On the ocean reelin' lines
Dodgin' that old five to nine
Early mornin' at the pier
I found her there all in tears
What is your story lonely one
Runnin' away you're not the only one

CHORUS:
Cause I've known love to cause some pain
We're in the same boat, the same boat
I'll lend an ear if you'll lend a name
'Cause it seems to me we're in the same boat
Oh, oh the same boat

Gentle words convinced the girl
To take a ride in this sailors world
Chasin' stars like the old Magi
Endless ocean lullabye
Anchored off of Big Whale Cay
She told her tale in the passageway
She had me down to a tee
Scary similarities
Standing breathless face to face
The inevitable was taking place

CHORUS:
I've known love but not like this
We're in the same boat, the same boat
I feel forever in your kiss
And it seems to me we're in the same boat
Oh, oh the same boat

BRIDGE:
Navigating us back home
We'll never have to steer alone again!

CHORUS:
Riding with the old trade winds
In the same boat the same boat
Finally our ship's come in
And it seems to me we're in the same boat
Oh oh the same boat

I love the interplay of Jim Hoke's tin whistle and Mark O'Conners violin. John Jarvis' piano gorgeously glues this song together. Billy Simon is back with beautiful Beatlesque harmonies. Ray Kennedy came up with that cool percussion loop.

5. Harley
[Lyrics]
Some friends had friends who were Harley-Davidson enthusiasts, so they named their first born "Harley". Being the Looney-Toon fan that I am, I just did a Chuck Jones treatment to the characters and wrote a lifespan story. I was trying to paint an atmosphere in this recording. Like an old story song being sung by Pete Seeger around a campfire. I put that little boardwalk collage between songs to set the atmosphere. I always wanted to shoot a video on this song with friends on the beach at night around a bonfire with the lights of the boardwalk in the background. I do this song at nearly every show and I never get tired of playing it.

6. L.Alien
[Lyrics]
Almost everyone I've met in Nashville is from out of town. I remember arriving myself and stickin' it out in that old apartment while working odd jobs at places like Service Merchandise and KFC. I wrote this song as a reversed situation of mine and moved the guy from a small place around the Nashville area to Hollywood. I thought I'd made up the town "Pikeville" (kinda like "Townsville" in the Powerpuff Girls!) …turns out there is a Pikeville in Tennessee!
This is the first song we worked on for the album. I'm proud to say that we borrowed Willis Alan Ramsey's blonde jumbo Guild guitar to lay down the basic guitar vocal. We had to replace it 'cause we hadn't miked it that well…crap! I really like the "mariachi" band in the bridge. It sounded "California" to me. I'd heard it in there ever since I'd written the song. It was nice to hear Mark O'Connor make it come true.

7. Heart Cut In Half
[Lyrics]
This song made David Crosby call me! My old high school buddy, Mark Rusconi, services David's cars and passed on my record to the man. Unbelievably he called me to say "good work" and has since become a friend. I'm still in a daze.
I had originally heard a steel guitar on this until Bruce Bouton brought over his Wissenborn guitar. A complete "James Taylor" treatment.

8. Cadillac Avenue
[Lyrics]
I saw this street sign in Nashville and the words just came out. I inserted my old address number in and it all sang well together. I like writing this kind of song where one line just kind of snowballs into the next…kinda like falling dominoes.
Jim Hoke plays a rippin' harmonica on this one. Most of my home demos mapped out the arrangements for the songs on this album. But this one never came off right at home. Ray Kennedy is responsible for coming up with the groove and arrangement on this one. His hopped-up tube Neumman U87 microphone really throbs on this. The guitars and mandolin rock!

9. White House Keys
[Lyrics]
This was written after the Reagan years and the beginning of the Bush years. (Oh Shit! They're back again!) I thought it'd be funny seeing these homeless guys making themselves at home in the White House.
This album was an excuse to use all my musician heroes. I couldn't wait to get Jonell Mosser over to belt out a few lines! She was as much fun to watch as she was to hear! I used Ray's brand new (at the time) National solid body resonator guitar for the slide parts. Oh what fun! I also played snare and high hat…but not at the same time! NO WAY!

10. Beautiful Fool
[Lyrics]
I carried this title around for a while. I heard the line in an Eddie Murphy movie and jotted it down without any idea for it. Then my mind finally put it together with a subject I'd wanted to write about for a long time. When I was a kid I'd done book reports on Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King. They were my heroes. (not to mention the Apollo astronauts, Willie Mays and various motorcycle racers!) Anyway…I'd always wanted to write a song about Martin Luther King but couldn't find a way to approach it. Writing it from the point of view of the child I was at the time that the freedom marches took place, made it personal, and not just an historical list of events. This was the biggest song I ever attempted at the time, so I was frustrated on how to get started. Well, here's how I did it. Remember Don Mclean's song "Vincent"? Wow! What a perfect song! (If not my favorite song, certainly in my top five!) Well anyway, I used that song as kind of a map for "Beautiful Fool" You know, somebody going against the grain to attain greatness. Well, it's no "Vincent", but I'm very proud of it anyway.
This was recorded at the last minute (as well as "White House Keys") by the recommendation of Al Bunetta to Sony A & R man and executive producer Bob Montgomery. Ray Kennedy made a percussion loop and played synths, including a synth bass. I had just written this song and hadn't had time to live with it and really learn it. This recording sounds rushed to me now and dosen't ebb and flow like my live performances of it. I'm happy to report that I've re-recorded it on my "Live From The Bluebird Café" album with Bill Lloyd, Kim Richey and Byron House. I think we got it right on that one. Thanks to Al Bunetta for pushing this one through the system.

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