These songs are protected by registered copyright, © and ℗ Richard Bowdon, all rights reserved. This is the chronological list, newer to older. Enjoy!
HEADS THEY WIN AND TAILS I LOSE
2018 – MP3 (demo)
NEVER WON’T
2018 – recording in progress …
IF ONLY YOU’D CHANGE
Video is solo, MP3 is with the Bradley Trio, produced at Grovetastic Productions in Hoboken.
BACKWARDS UPSIDE DOWN
Recorded live by No Worries at Pickdrop Studio
COURAGE
An anthem, written the day after the 2016 election. The chorus is suitable for thousands to sing at political rallies. The MP3 is live with No Worries, the video is a solo studio demo.
DOWNSTREAM
Recorded live by No Worries at Pickdrop Studio
THE GOOD BOOK OF PRINE
My sequel to John Prine’s “Donald and Lydia” from his classic first album. What if Donald and Lydia hooked up after all these years? Demo recorded solo.
INVISIBLE MAN, THE
2014 – – lyrics
recording in progress, stay tuned….
HOLE IN MY HEART
2013 – –
recording in progress, stay tuned….
WHAT’S THE NEWS
2013 – MP3 – YouTube (live) – lyrics
You can learn a lot on the lnternet. But not everything. Video is recorded live with No Worries at Johnnie’s Gone Fishing. MP3 is by No Worries at Pickdrop Studio.
THANK YOU DOC
2012 – MP3 – YouTube (live) – lyrics
My tribute to the late, great Doc Watson, written shortly after his passing. MP3 is from the CD “Hitching’ Doc’s Highway” by No Worries, recorded at Pickdrop Studio. Video is a live performance from the Caberet Stage at the Fall 2017 Grassroots Festival at Shakori Hills.
MUST BE DYIN’
One of my bluegrassier songs. Recorded by No Worries at Pickdrop Studio, featuring Ken Faircloth on lead guitar.
TRUE LOVE
2010 – – lyrics
A nice little story song. Recording in progress, stay tuned….
HOW THINGS WILL BE
2009 – MP3 – YouTube (live) – lyrics
A treatise on the futility of making predictions, especially about the future. Video recorded live at Open Eye Café in Carrboro. MP3 recorded at Pickdrop Studios, from the CD “Hitching’ Doc’s Highway” by No Worries.
I’M BLUE
My attempt to write the absolute bluesiest blues song ever. Recorded at Pickdrop Studios, from the CD “Hitching’ Doc’s Highway” by No Worries.
MR PAWN MAN
2009 – MP3 – YouTube (live) – lyrics
Inspired by a chance encounter years earlier in a Calgary pawn shop. Both of these are live recording; the MP3 is from Chatham Hill Winery, the video from Imurj in Raleigh. Jim Amsden on mandolin.
SHAKORI HILLS
2009 – – lyrics
Yes indeed, I wrote this song in the campground at Shakori Hills.
PAVIN’ THE ROAD
Written in Nicaragua and while driving the California coast. Performed live by No Worries.
POUR & PRAY
A sad country song. “I’m proud of all my scars.” Yes I am.
COMIN’ HOME TO ROOST
2007 – –
recording in progress, stay tuned….
FOUR JULY PARADE
A “mature love song” recorded at Pickdrop Studios, from the CD “Hitching’ Doc’s Highway” by No Worries.
I SHOULD’VE KNOWN IT AT THE TIME
2006 – – YouTube (live) – lyrics
Demo version, recorded live by No Worries.
IS IT A GIRL OR A BOY?
A song for pregnant couples everywhere. Written for and first performed at our first child’s baby shower in 1997.
YOU SHARE THAT WITH ME
1997 – MP3 –
My attempt at a universal human theme. I failed if space travel is not regarded as a goal by all cultures. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
HERE I AM IN SINGAPORE
1996 – – YouTube –
The first line and title came to me while waiting at a crosswalk in Singapore, the last verse during my short career as a substitute high school teacher. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios with the Bradley Trio.
HYDROGEN GAS
1996 – –
There wasn’t a song about everything that ever existed and will ever exist, aka “the universe.” In order to fill that vacuum, I wrote one. Needs to be recorded.
PULLING ME IN
My friend Linden moved to Ann Arbor and told me “as a poet, I seem to attract people like a magnet.” Bob Bowdon on piano. Recorded at Seven Gates Productions. Originally titled “Three Ways to Fall in Love (the Poet Magnet)”. So I guess it has three titles now.
GOOD GOOD
1995 – –
Written in the car on the way to the Kerrville Folk Festival. My tribute to responsible hedonism. I should record this.
OAKVILLE GRADE
1994 – – YouTube –
Once a decade or so I write an instrumental. This one is named for a steep road connecting the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Recording in progress, stay tuned….
OUR HEARTS DO THE TALKING
1994 – MP3 – –
Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
HER PURE HEART
1993 – MP3 – –
A true love song. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
LIKE IT’S GOING OUT OF STYLE
A personal anthem. A rough demo recording for now….
MY FRIEND
The persona in many of my songs is a loser. Here’s another example, from Free Size Songs. He’s talking to a bartender who doesn’t care.
BALLAD OF A COFFIN SALESMAN
1991 – MP3 – –
Every now and then my inner John Prine writes a song with a strong social message. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
TOUCHSTONE
1991 – – YouTube –
A solo recording, dedicated to my children Andrea and Benjamin. May they take it to heart.
WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE
1991 – MP3 – –
Featuring my only keyboard solo ever. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
DEAR KARL
1990 – MP3 – –
An open letter to Dr. Karl Marx. Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
LEAVE ME ALONE
1990 – MP3 – –
A simple demo. This really needs the full rock band to do it justice.
YOU SHARE THAT WITH ME
1989 – MP3 –
Intended as a universal song, emphasizing what all humans have in common. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and included on the cassette album Free Size Songs.
DANCIN’ & DREAMIN’
1988 – MP3 – –
A nice romantic fantasy waltz, the title song from my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’. Recorded solo at Joe Danger in Houston after the rest of the Bradley Trio had left town. My Martin 12 – string sounded good.
SOMEONE TO SING ALONG
1988 – – – lyrics
An anthem for all the musicians playing more for love than money. Recording in progress, stay tuned….
BROKEN HEART
1987 – – –
There’s more than one kind. unrecorded so far….
GIVE ME YOUR HEART
1987 – MP3 –
My only acapella round, recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
BACK TO GRAND RAPIDS
1986 – MP3 – –
Written and recorded in Midland, Texas after the Great Oil Price Crash of 1986, it was the only song of mine that made the A side of a 45, and got radio play in both Midland and Austin.
TOGETHER FOR A LONG, LONG TIME
1986 – MP3 –
I rarely play lead guitar, but I’m proud of this effort, which I made up just before going to the studio. Percussion includes Al’s bones (so fine). Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
WE CAN
1986 – MP3 –
Different than anything else I’ve written. Fun to sing. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
MELODY’S SONG
1985 – – –
The song I proposed to her with, then sang at our wedding.
COVER YOUR HEAD
1985 – MP3 –
The chorus is some good advice from my mother. When this song was half written, I used it in a songwriting seminar for a Midland, Texas Mensa group monthly meeting, asking folks there to write a verse. Not much of their material made it into the final song though. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
DUAL COMPLETION
1985 – –
When I lived in Midland, Texas I used to often open gigs with this one. A “dual completion” is an oil well producing from two different formations simultaneously. It’s a very good thing.
NOOKS & CRANNIES
1984 – MP3 –
Life is not a road, life is a really big house. Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
LOVE IN DALLAS
1983 – MP3 –
Most of my songs are not as autobiographical as this one. Anne P knows the story. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
VERHALEN, TEXAS
Written in Ft. Davis, Texas after I escaped a nasty West Texas spring dust storm. Dedicated to the owner of the one nice house in that little godforsaken town I drove through on the way south from Midland. Solo demo recording.
WOMEN
1983 – – –
Another one of those true songs.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
1982 – –
This romance was over fast. Good thing I wrote the song early. Unrecorded to date.
COME WITH ME
1982 – MP3 –
Really fun to sing this because I get to belt it out. Recorded at Seven Gates Studios and self – produced for my 2nd album, Free Size Songs.
GRAMPA
1982 – MP3 –
My John Prine influence is showing. Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
SCHIZOPHRENIA
This country song is unique: a solo duet (get it?). Simple demo here.
CUT YOU FREE
I decided to write a song with the same feel as “Lungs” by Townes Van Zandt. I think I succeeded. This is the oldest song of mine I still regularly perform, including with No Worries. (It was started at least in 1979.) This recent version was recorded at Powow Fun Room in Los Angeles and my home studio. Original title: Existentialism.
WEAVINGS AND WINE
1981 – MP3 –
Another in the series of true love songs, it has held up well. The birds in the back yard seemed to like it, anyway.
TO DREAM
1980 – –
The other song (with The Wine Song) that got me into the New Folk finals at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1984. Looking for that old recording….
WINE SONG, THE
1980 – MP3 –
My hobbies of wine and music intersect. Chosen by Rod Kennedy in 1984 for the Kerrville New Folk Finals. You have to be of a certain age to remember that Blue Nun commercial. Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
HOPE
1979 – MP3 –
Written after Kenosha Blues, obviously, in a trailer on a lake in East Texas. Recorded at Joe Danger in Houston with the Bradley Trio for my 1st album, Dancin’ & Dreamin’. It was the B side of my single with Back to Grand Rapids.
KENOSHA BLUES
1979 – MP3 –
Kenosha is the town in Wisconsin where I cooled my heels while waiting for my suddenly, surprisingly ex-girlfriend to agree to see me one more time, in July of 1979. I didn’t actually murder her. From Dancin’ & Dreamin’.
POETRY’S FOR POETS
1979 – –
Not bad for my very first song. She cried when she heard it. That’s what you want.
