I'm Goin' Home
Ted Unseth
& the West Bank Tractors
Special Guests
Troy Klontz & Jimmy Stewart
of Country Music Award-winning
Brooks & Dunn
==Full Studio Mix Album==
--Liner Notes &Lyrics--
01. I’m Goin’ Home
There’s a certain amount of Significance here:
This is the last tune I ever performed in public
as a Singer/Songwriter (after this, all my
attention would be on my fledgling Wolverines
Classic Jazz Orchestra).
As a matter of fact, this gig was a Double-Bill:
Ted Unseth, Singer/Songwriter; and
The Wolverines Classic Jazz Orchestra…
That’s correct, I was the Front Act for the
Band! And "I’m Goin’ Home" was the last
tune of the set and I felt like I nailed it real
good!
Originally, a Solo Live! recording, I’ve now
augmented it with the Virtual Band.
01. Babe, and it's no lie
This life will pass you by
If you don't--but you will-- be my baby.
02. Take the chance: hold my hand.
Three cheers! Strike up the band!
Yahoo! Bobbydoo! You're my baby.
03. Man alive, what a day!
Have a cigar. Whaddya say?
Wazoo! How do ya do? That's my baby.
04. Help me up. Yeah, I'm O.K.
Pardon me, but outta my way
I'm goin' home, straight home, to my baby.
02. Fallin’ Down In Rainy Weather
I’d forgotten completely about this composition/session
for 32+ years. I’d intended to follow up with a sketch of
‘real’ lyrics—the lyrics here are glossolalia (‘nonsense’;
made up on the spot). Those in bold type are ‘keepers’;
parenthetics are anybody’s guess. Complete lyrics will
be available soon.
01. Honey, we’re runnin’ out of money.
You tell me it ain’t funny, aw
It’s OK. Of course, (we’re just havin’ a day)
Fallin’ Down in Rainy Weather.
02. Well Baby, (can’tcha say "Maybe"?)
Can’t getcha (to say it), haw
Say "It’s all right". (Let’s give it a rest for tonight)
(We’re just) Fallin’ Down In Rainy Weather.
03. Honey, runnin’ out of money.
You tell me it ain’t funny, aw
Don’tcha see? Of course you do, it must be me
Fallin’ Down In Rainy Weather.
(Instrumental)
03. The Polishing Rag
Instrumental.
This composition is one of several Recent Discoveries:
In the latter part of 2005 I decided to finally plunge
into boxes of reel-to-reel tapes from long ago. And
I came upon a recording session that I don’t
remember doing and 4 tunes I don’t remember
composing/putting together!
How is it possible that I don’t remember these?
The nice thing about it is this, though:
The recordings and performances are very
good quality.
04. Me and Old Eddie
This, also, is one of the 4 Forgotten Tunes. I do remember
scribbling Lyrics down and found my original copy of that;
but the rest of it? Nada. Glad I found it, though.
I’ve augmented this with my Virtual Band.
Talking Intro:
"It's about Old Eddie. There aren't too many songs that I
write about personal people or friends that I know; but it
was a very special thing: I mean he got trouble with his
lungs that he didn't bring upon himself. And, to top it off,
a good friend really let him down, real bad. Well,
"Me And Old Eddie".
01. Sad as sad can be
Me and Old Eddie--
Tales he tells to me
Of his personal tragedy.
02. Eddie's lungs aren't
good--
emphysema, bronchitis and asthma, too.
Each day he coughs up blood.
The doc says nothin' that he can do.
03. Cigarettes, no, he never
smoked,
Just breathed the poisoned airs
In the foundries where he worked
And in the army fixin' aeroplanes.
04. Ed, he always laughed
Even if it made him cough.
But today he hangs his head
And tells me how he wishes that he were dead.
05. All because a drinkin'
pal
Got drunk and couldn't hold his own.
Crazy drunk and fightin' mad
He beat his woman whilst Eddie's at the grocery store.
06. So when Eddie and another
pal
Returned to Eddie's company
They too were beaten down
By this pal for whom Eddie’d bought the groceries.
07. So the one thing that
Eddie could not see
Was how he still could believe in Humanity.
And as for me I tell no lie
What I could not see
Was what it's worth to him to live or die.
05. The Dodge
This one’s a bit of a stretch:
Imagine The Band in a large, empty hall after a gig. Ted’s up
on stage, noodling at the piano—he’s working on an
Idea for piano and voice. The bass player has picked
up on it and is playing along. The fiddle and pedal steel
players are off-stage, closer to the ‘mic’ and they join in,
too—a bit of a Late Night Jam Session.
Lyrics—none to speak of; pure glossolalia.
06 & 07. Hey There, Dog
Two versions.
The 1st was Solo in a studio.
The 2nd was a Live! performance at the
New Riverside Café in Mpls., MN; originally
a Duo gig (2nd guitar—Ed Beaty), I augmented
this with the Virtual Band.
Speaking intro to 1st Version:
" 'Hey There, Dog'. Dedicated to all animals who
die at the hands of cruel people."
Hey there, dog--they didn't have to do it.
Why can't they leave us alone?
And I can't think what terrible pain did hurt them
That hardened their hearts into stone.
Late last night you strayed away from home.
I tried to find you but they had already strychnined you.
Now you're gone; and all that I remember
Is you and your doggone eyes.
08. Norwegian Shoulderturn
Instrumental.
I once saw a Music/Dance Troupe from Norway. The
‘headliner’ was the #1 champion Hardangar Fiddle player
(and he was great!). The dancers had a very Subtle
way of changing directions—the Shoulderturn. This
piece reminds me of that.
09. Babe, Not That It’s The First Time
Live! at the New Riverside Café.
Ed Beaty—2nd guitar; Virtual—bass.
01. Babe, not that it's the first time,
But it is the worst time
Not to know that you decide to go
And time goes by so slow--I love you so.
02. Babe, not that it's the wrong time
But it is such a long time
Not to hear a word from you in years
And always with the fears: You're gone for good.
03. Babe, not that it's the best time,
But maybe next time
You could see the things you do to me,
Well, I could do to you. Please don't be gone.
10. Concertino For A Couple
Of Pretty Good Hands
Instrumental.
One of the Forgotten Four/Glad I Found It.
11. Tonight’s The Night
Live! at the New Riverside Café.
Ed Beaty—2nd guitar; Virtual Band.
01. I don't want to burden you, but
Help me just for tonight.
02. Wish you may and I wish
you might
Help me get through the night.
03. All my teeth came out
today
So help me fight through the night.
04. Hold me tight; don't
let me go.
Just help me get through the night.
12. Your Lady On The River
Dedicated to My Best Friend of 37 years, Deanna Krantz.
01. When your Lady wishes to be alone
Well, you'll find her on the river skippin' stones.
And you'll be watching with all of the tears you have.
You won't even have your knees.
You listen to the love she feeds the Wood.
Don'tcha know that she's alive?
02. Here's your Lady finishing
last night's dream.
Well, you know it's a feelin' so clean
You've got the birches bowed for overjoy.
She's your life, hey boy.
You listen to them cry; and you nearby.
Don'tcha know that she's alive?
03. She'll not see you--you
will just happen by.
She'll be running and talkin' to the sky.
And she will ask you, "Why do your eyes be full?"
You tell her, "It's just the breeze."
You listen to her eyes--they've brought you home.
Yes, you know that she's alive.
13. Cabin On The Hill
Traditional.
Ted Unseth, baritone; Joe Demko, lead tenor;
Becky Riemer (Thompson), alto.
Live! at the New Riverside Cafe, 1973.
01. There’s a happy
childhood home
And the my memory I can see
Standing out upon a hill
In the shadow of a tree.
If I only had my wish
It would give my heart a thrill
Just to simply wander back
To the Cabin On The Hill.
Ch. Oh I wanna wander back
To the Cabin On The Hill
In the shadow of a tree
I would like to linger still
Just to be with those I love
Join our hearts and over-fill
And I wanna wander back
To the Cabin On The Hill.
02. I remember well today
In this precious memory
Watchin’ birdies buildin’ nests
In the branches of the tree.
And my mind sees a spot—
Hear the ripplin’ of the rill.
And I wanna wander back
To the Cabin On The Hill.
Ch.
[Ted speak: "We ain't done yet."
Laughter.]
03. But the saddest of it all
I can never more return
To this happy childhood home
That is not how much you earn.
But I have a better home
Where they’re never comin’ ill
There’s a mansion in the sky
And it’s standin’ on a hill.
Ch.
14. I’m Always Chasing Rainbows
Music & Words, Harry Carroll & Joseph McCarthy 1918
Ted, guitar; Becky Riemer (Thompson), vocal. From a
cassette recorded in Becky’s living room @ 1972.
Becky sent me a cassette of several things we'd experimented
with at her house in the early '70's. I was pleased to discover
this little gem.
This is real Musicianly Singing. Thank you, Becky.
I’m always chasing rainbows
Watching clouds drifting by.
My dreams are just like all my schemes—
Ending in the sky.
Some fellas look and find the sunshine,
I always look and find the rain.
Some fellas make a winnin' sometime,
I never even make a game.
Believe me
I’m always chasing rainbows,
Waiting to find a little Bluebird in vain.
15. You Don’t Hear Right
Another case of glossolalia—lyrics made up on
the spot. Bold = keep; parenthetics = you tell me.
01. Hold that line now (even now)
Heaven and Nation
(?
? ?)
You don't know--you don't have it.
Oh, you don't have it.
02. I don't
sound like I would know
You don't look like you could (throw)
Oh no, you don't hear right.
No you don't even hear right.
03. Hmm...
16. Four Hearts Away
One of 5 special tracks on a reel-to-reel almost
forgotten, but saved.
01. When
I was young my thoughts ran wild
With notions of the truckin’ man’s dream:
Out on the road was freedom of style and
Breakfast by cold mountain streams.
But the older I get, the smaller my dreams
That’s why I
I Well I’m
Ch. One
step away from the lottery
Two steps away from your door
Three cards away from the table
Four hearts away from the floor.
02. The
airplanes and railroads got bigger
But the truckers was holdin’ their own:
We ran ‘em by day and we ran ‘em by night
But the family still needed that loan.
What’s a guy gonna do with his friends down
there,
too?
That’s why I
I I’m
Ch. One
step away from the mafia
Two steps away from your door
Three cards away from the table
Four hearts away from the floor.
03. How
long must I wait
For my train to be late?
I’ll do what I will if I can.
17. The One O’clock Leap
Dedicated to friend D.R. in Minneapolis, MN.
He's the only person I know of who successfully jumped off of the Washington Avenue Bridge
(connecting the East and West Bank campuses of the University of MN, Mp1s.)and lived to tell about it. In the early 70's,
Poet John Berryman (who was teaching at the U of MN) jumped off of this bridge, but made sure that he didn't land in the water
(the Mississippi River), rather on the asphalt of the parking lot below--he was determined to End It All (which he did successfully
do). Witnesses who saw him jump say he was waving and saying "Goodbye" on his descent.
Well, friend D.R. made his jump not long after that, but fully intended to land in the
River (which he did successfully do). The authorities got wind of this little escapade and were ready to arrest D. after he
jumped (which is Against The Law)--there were Police on either bank and a Coast Guard boat in the water, but D. swam to shore
and eluded them all...
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The tune "One O'clock Leap":
Based on two sources: 1) A piano solo in the middle of a Glenn Miller recording of "One
O'clock Jump"; and 2) A bass solo by 'Slam' Stewart.
Performed Live! at the Firehouse, Minneapolis MN, Summer 1973.
Ted Unseth, piano/Joe Demko, bass: Duet.
Copyright 2006 © Ted Unseth
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