Invisible Man

Written, composed and performed by John Richter

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Oh God We’re Happy

Song Written and Performed by John Richter, 2015

Some days it’s just hard to get started.  That’s how I was feeling today when I tried to write this song.  I’d put a few lines on paper and turn to the keyboard to try and pound it out, and no matter what I did, what voice inflection I used, what chords I hit,  it sounded like crap….  So, I had to remember songs don’t come from the brain, they come from the heart.  And in the end that’s who we are – a bunch of hearts walking around.  Not minds.  Minds don’t really matter.  Except you got to learn, go to school, be competitive to make a fairly decent living.  But other than that – on that final day – when we all stand before God or Allah or whoever put us here, we’re gonna be just a bunch of hearts standing there – not a brain between us.  And our hearts are going to answer.

So I put away my pen and paper and just started pounding the keys randomly and just let these words fall out of my mouth.  Hearts don’t know English, French, or Spanish, or Italian, they can’t write and they can’t read.  But they can emote.  And that’s what this here is.  I didn’t edit it.  I didn’t practice it.  It is simply heart song.  And I hope you can get past my caterwauling enough to feel me. 

LYRICS

You know some days don’t seem to work out
Seems like they all fall to the ground
Right when you need them to stand up
Don’t you know you need to stand up
Sometimes your day just sucks
That’s right, you can’t stop it man
It’s gonna suck really bad

God put us here on this Earth
For what reason I do not know
I don’t think anybody does
But we’re just stumbling around here
like we’re in the dark
We don’t know what we’re doing
no, no, no
We think we do.
We think we’re all that
You know we think we do

We pile into that stadium on Sunday afternoon
We pay all that money to watch a man play ball
Pay their advertisers
To make us drink that beer
and whatever else seems important at the moment

But if you open your eyes and take a look around
While you’re in your car going to town
for that ball game
I think what you’ll see
Is a man on the corner
Hasn’t eaten all day
A family living in the car
Daddy got nothing to say
Standing in bread lines
to feed his family

But that’s OK, you see
‘Cause our guy hit the home run today
And I’m happy
I’m gonna drink that beer and those chips
Gonna make that website on Go Daddy
That’s right
Watch that little sweetie in the commercial
Oh, What is she doing this year?
Oh yeah, Oh my my

I can’t see that man in the car
with his family starving out there
I don’t need to
My man hit a home run today
Yes he did
That’s all I need to be happy
Yes I am
Oh, yes I am

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Sunday Funnies

Song Written and performed by John Richter, 2015

I remember mama down in the kitchen
Cooking those eggs
I Heard her pop ’em on the griddle
I can still smell the coffee brewing in the kettle

And daddy sittin’ in his easy chair
just over there
Reading the Sunday morning paper
Funnies were all over the floor
I don’t read them no more
I don’t read the funnies no more.

There’s so many times in my life
I want to go back
I want to shake daddy’s hand
And say you know I love you
I want to kiss momma’s cheek
and say thank you, from me

And I don’t know what I’m gonna do
I think I’ll just sit here with you
and read the Sunday funnies……

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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It’s All Your Fault

It’s All Your Fault
Song Written and Performed by John Richter, 2015

I like the way you look tonight
Dressed up baby, so nice and tight…
And got me thinking when was
the first time I saw you in
that moonlight….

You know I was like Frankenstein baby
just bouncing off those walls
I needed that lightning
to start my heart
And that’s what you did
You started my heart
So it’s all your fault

And now I’m just left here wondering
why you’re dressed up so fine tonight
You’re stepping out with that other guy
Tell me what happened Darling
‘Cause my heart’s still going, yeah
Yes it is
It’s all your fault.

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Tennessee Sparrow (2)

A tribute to Loretta Lynn
Song Written and performed by John Richter, 2012

A Tennessee Sparrow in the trees
Singing her sweet melodies
Loving life’s memories
Little things like these

A coal miner’s daughter
Cold nights, laying next to Mama,
Papa’s drillin’ holes
in the deep belows
Only the Moon knows – her drama

And on she grew
while life circled her feet
The Moon came too
Made her love complete

Now a child rests her head
Listens to the sparrow sing
A song of Life, she said,
“My Mama’s everything…”

Heavens Gates: Open!
Release the doves!
Life’s not about her
It’s about who she loves

So when you hear the sparrows’ song
and you feel like singing along
and your heart feels like it belongs
To a Tennessee so strong…

Love her.
For that is what she is.

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Under The Stars

Written by John Richter, 2015

There’s so many stars in life,
some maybe twinkle, some maybe bright
Tell me honey, where’s your star tonight
and will it ever find mine?

I know you’re out there lookin’ for me
and I’ve been right here, just waitin’ you see
But you can’t find me in all those stars
Maybe I don’t sparkle enough, maybe I’m too far

Baby open your eyes and find me
come down here where I be
under the stars in my little misery

Baby why don’t you see me?
Sitting here waiting for you honey
All this time……

Don’t you know you’re mine
got to get out of those stars baby
’cause I’m down here……..

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Woo Hoo, Baby 2

Last week i wrote the lyrics and  just now added a tune to this song.  I hope you’ll listen to it and tell me if it’s worth keeping…  Of course this is a rough draft – I think I only used two chords through out the whole thing… 

Ten years ago – or so
I saw a little boy at the grocery –
about 3 years old – with his momma –
Had his arms stretched straight out
– like he was a aer-o-plane
Leaning in towards his momma
and circlin’ her – and man,
I mean like Pearl Harbor baby…
And every go ’round he’d say
“woooooo hoooooooo” –
really loud –
like he was a siren or something….

So I looked at my honey and said
“Oh baby, I got’s to do that –
Why can’t I do that?”
And my honey said
“Johnny, you can’t do that…
Now you’ll scare that little boy.
You a grown man, you got to reserve, baby,
you got to reserve…”

“Ok baby, guess I can do that.
I’ll try it anyway…
I won’t stretch out my arms
like a aer-o-plane –
I won’t even circle that
little boy’s momma,
(much as I might want to…)
no, no….
I’z gonna be a good boy,
yeah that’s right.
But honey, you know
That “woo hoo” is deep inside, baby
and you know it got to come out…”

Woo hoo, baby got to hear me
woo hoo, need ya’ real near me
Woo hoo, woo hoo
baby, woo hoo…

Yeah, every little boy want to know
how he gon’ get that prety little girl
So listen boy, this my song
I gonna help you right along

Woo hoo, baby, woo hoo little girl
woo hoo, darlin, woo hoo
Now ev’body says you got to know –
and ev’body knows you got to say:
Woo hoo, little girl
woo hoo, baby doll
woo hoo, yeah, woo hoo

you the prettiest thing I ever seen
come over here and shake that thing
I think you know what I mean, sugar
so come over here and shake that thing.

Yeah woo hoo baby, woo hoo darling
You know you make me move, baby
so shake it up over here in my groove…….
That’s right, just like that,
woo hoo darlin’, woo hoo

Little boy – when you done with aer-o-planes,
give this here a whirl – become a man…
You just say woo hoo, little darlin’
woo hoo……

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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Stuck in the Middle With You

Written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan of the Stealers Band (1972)

My Version: (Cheated with a midi on my keyboard)

The Stealers Original Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DohRa9lsx0Q

Well I don’t know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain’t right,
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you

Yes I’m stuck in the middle with you,
And I’m wondering what it is I should do,
It’s so hard to keep this smile from my face,
Losing control, yeah, I’m all over the place,
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Well you started out with nothing,
And you’re proud that you’re a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please, please

Trying to make some sense of it all,
But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
‘Cause I don’t think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Well you started out with nothing,
And you’re proud that you’re a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please, please

Well I don’t know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain’t right,
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you,
Yes I’m stuck in the middle with you,
Stuck in the middle with you, here I am stuck in the middle with you

 

 

 

My Friend Joe

It was so many years ago
I once had a friend named Joe
Listen to the words of the king
who loves his mighty Queen
Talking about Joe
You know I’m talking about Joe

Come and smile and drink some wine
Laugh and talk and pass the time
These days are sure lovely too
But when they’re gone I’m gonna miss you
I’m talking about you, Mister Joe,
I’m talking about you.

‘Cause ten years from now I’ll say
There was a friend from yesterday
We always laughed and passed the time,
by talking and sharing that wine…
You and me, Mister Joe,
It was me and you.

Now when i see you on the road
I’ll smile and laugh and say “Hey there, Joe!”
But you won’t remember when
‘Cause we’ll be different men,
all those years ago,
Mister Joe,
It was all those years ago.
I had a friend named Joe,
Good ole’ boy,
Talkin’ about you Joe
You remember when
Talkin’ ’bout Joe…..

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© 2015 John Allen Richter
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