Original Compositions
After listening to, translating, and arranging songs for a couple of years, I thought I'd try writing some of my own.
Songs about family and friends
These are songs I wrote thinking about people—my grandpa and my children for starters.
Gideon
I wanted to share what the name Gideon means to me, and I hope it means something to him.
Love Songs
Unavoidable. No promises how good they are, but you can't not write love songs.
Where the Sky Opens over the Lake
From a poem for my wife.
Activism
Anger can be pretty annoying—but it can be catchy and cathartic, too.
Italian Emotion
My original translations of Italian music that I love. Here you will find my best translations that can be performed with the original music. You can find all of my translations on Lyrics Translate.
Ligabue
Luciano Ligabue is a singer/songwriter who got his break in music in 1990 at age 30, after having worked as a field hand and a factory worker and served as a city council member representing the Italian Communist Party. I love the maturity of his messages, even while they speak to very broad audiences. You can learn a little more about Ligabue on Wikipedia
Some Days Hurt
an original tranlation of Ligabue's song "Il giorno di dolore che uno ha". A song about moving on through life despite its pain.
Pierangelo Bertoli
Pierangelo Bertoli was disabled at age four by polio. It was several years before his working class family could afford a wheelchair for him. Of the Italian songwriters I have translated, Bertoli has the most songs with a strong plight of the common person vibe. Those aren't always my favorite of his songs, but he is the most overtly activist in his lyrics. I love it. Environmentalism, politics, religion, class—it's all fair game. He also was about 30 when he first got noticed, and many of his songs are beautiful to a middle aged man like me.
America the Favored
an original translation of Bertoli's song "Italia d'oro". A response to the political corruption of Italy around 1990. Updated for America around 2020.
Francesco Guccini
Religious Arrangements and Rewrites
Religious music was a huge part of my life for 40 years. I've kept some of it around, and written new words for other songs.
Arrangements and Favorites
Some songs that I like to sing and play. Sometimes I make my own simplified arrangements. Sometimes I record a performance. Sometimes I change the words to be more meaningful to me. I hope you can enjoy some of these, too. And if you ever want, maybe we can perform some together.
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