Now I'm actually ahead of schedule. This one just fell out of the trees. I could wait until tomorrow, but I'm a big fan of instant gratification! Plus this weekend is going to be a busy one.....as will the next.....and so on...and so on.....and so on....
Anyway, this week's entry is called "When Are You Coming Home". It's a short but sweet little number. It's for anyone who's ever been in love and missed their loved one. Either they left, like "see you later" or they're gone, like "see you in a couple of days".
Here's the funny thing. I spent seven or eight years (can't remember) being alone. I wasn't stranded on a deserted island. I wasn't locked away...just not "with anyone". I got used to sleeping alone. I enjoyed going out to eat by myself. I could spend hours without speaking to anyone and be very happy with that. Of course, I was a bartender/drunk/drug addict/party whore/ but if I wasn't doing that....I was pretty much by myself. My roommates worked during the day and I liked being alone. You really get used to it after a while.
But, then a relationship appears. All of a sudden you're doing things with some one else....and really enjoying it. The bed gets more crowded, but you don't care. You welcome it. No longer can you sit right in the middle of the couch, but you're happy to sit to the side. Meals are no longer a choice, they're a discussion. But you enjoy the time before the meal and the "what do you want" discussion (OK..sometimes that can be tedious...but I could eat at the same five places for the rest of time) as much as the eating and the conversation during the meal.
You're life is no longer yours, it's your and some one else's. It's a very cool thing. After a while, it becomes your life. You can no longer separate the two lives. Then, one day and some days you're back on your own again. Hopefully, for you, it's temporary. The bed got too big. The couch feels weird without some one else on it. Dinner alone gets boring. The house seems bigger and quieter. And you begin to miss the life you've been living. A life made for two.
Well, that's where this songs was born. Oddly enough, my house is never quiet. The kids see to that.
But...enough of my yackin'....let's boogie!
LINKS:
Jon Roniger Blog – Songs in the RawJon Roniger – Songs in the Raw – MySpace PageJon Roniger’ other MySpace PageJon Roniger Website
VIDEOS:
Jon Roniger - Only Human
Song of the week - SONGS IN THE RAW - "My Favorite Bridge""
If you're just in the mood to listen...go here;
Jon Roniger – Songs in the Raw – MySpace Page
It's been a couple of weeks since I've written in this blog. But, I've posted songs this week and last week. Funny thing is that when I wrote my last entry, I was in the middle of kind of a writer's block. I was writing all the time, but nothing was making sense. Nothing was coming together in the form of a song.
I was very happy to hear from several people who are lyricists offering their services. I am still considering working with other writers and have in the past. It's always been a rewarding experience. I've found that it's a great way to gain new perspective on the craft of song writing. But for now, I am sticking to my own writing. I've been really busy the last couple of weeks with various ideas and working on letting them grow.
Now.....I'm not Paul McCartney.....I just write songs. No one is going to remember these songs in 50 years. But, I write them cause I feel strongly about things and need to write about them. Sometimes I just write because it's "what I do". I'm too far along in this thing to go another way. Sometimes I wish I could.
Anyway, enough of my yackin', let's boogie.
Last week's song is called "Box of Pictures". I was lying in bed watching, but not listening to a show on the band Death Cab for Cutie. The show was of them on tour. They were stopping in all the towns that I have been stopping in during the last couple years of touring. I felt like I was watching my own tours over again. The song "Box of Pictures" came out of me while i was watching this show.
Obviously, it's about looking through a box full of pictures. When I do this, it always freaks me out. How young I was, the hair styles, the cars we drove, all that crap. Sometimes it's not so good to relive the past. It sort of depends on how you lived it the first time. Maybe that's reason enough to live a good wholesome life. So, when you look at the pictures of it, you don't get sick to your stomach thinking about what an ass you were.
So, there it is....."Box of Pictures".
This week's song is called "My Favorite Bridge". It all started with a phrase that I couldn't get out of my head, "Never been the one to....". I kept coming back to things that I am not inclined to to like throw in the towel, be careful, run scared, all that type of stuff. I'm always going to follow my dream. I'm always going to double down or split a pair of Aces. It's just the way that I am built.
When I was at summer camp one year. We were out on a trip to canoe a river that was extremely cold. I guess the water ran cold all year long, since it was July and the water was 42 degrees...or something like that. I actually don't have the stats on me at this time.
Each person was asked to come to this bridge a little ways upstream from where we were going to put in. The councilor would take your paddle and toss it off of the bridge then tell you to jump in after it. Some of the kids froze on the bridge. It wasn't very high. But the water was really cold. Plus it was moving very quickly. If you waited a couple of seconds, your paddle would be way down river and you'd be swimming for quite a while before you got to it. The point of all of this was to desensitize you to the coldness of the water. When your canoe tipped during the trip, you wouldn't be freaking out about the temperature of the water, you'd be focussed on the task of saving yourself and the boat.
The point of telling you this story is that I was thinking about this story as I wrote this song. When the councilor took my paddle and tossed it in the water, I was in mid air before he could tell me to go. I like jumping from bridges.
I use this memory as "My Favorite Bridge". No fear! You're not going to achieve anything if you don't take any chances. What's your bridge....go ahead and jump!
OK....I've talked long enough.
Here's the usual stuff.....video, SNOCAP, links
Jon Roniger - Only Human
If you're just in the mood to listen...go here;
Jon Roniger – Songs in the Raw – MySpace Page
It's been a couple of weeks since I've written in this blog. But, I've posted songs this week and last week. Funny thing is that when I wrote my last entry, I was in the middle of kind of a writer's block. I was writing all the time, but nothing was making sense. Nothing was coming together in the form of a song.
I was very happy to hear from several people who are lyricists offering their services. I am still considering working with other writers and have in the past. It's always been a rewarding experience. I've found that it's a great way to gain new perspective on the craft of song writing. But for now, I am sticking to my own writing. I've been really busy the last couple of weeks with various ideas and working on letting them grow.
Now.....I'm not Paul McCartney.....I just write songs. No one is going to remember these songs in 50 years. But, I write them cause I feel strongly about things and need to write about them. Sometimes I just write because it's "what I do". I'm too far along in this thing to go another way. Sometimes I wish I could.
Anyway, enough of my yackin', let's boogie.
Last week's song is called "Box of Pictures". I was lying in bed watching, but not listening to a show on the band Death Cab for Cutie. The show was of them on tour. They were stopping in all the towns that I have been stopping in during the last couple years of touring. I felt like I was watching my own tours over again. The song "Box of Pictures" came out of me while i was watching this show.
Obviously, it's about looking through a box full of pictures. When I do this, it always freaks me out. How young I was, the hair styles, the cars we drove, all that crap. Sometimes it's not so good to relive the past. It sort of depends on how you lived it the first time. Maybe that's reason enough to live a good wholesome life. So, when you look at the pictures of it, you don't get sick to your stomach thinking about what an ass you were.
So, there it is....."Box of Pictures".
This week's song is called "My Favorite Bridge". It all started with a phrase that I couldn't get out of my head, "Never been the one to....". I kept coming back to things that I am not inclined to to like throw in the towel, be careful, run scared, all that type of stuff. I'm always going to follow my dream. I'm always going to double down or split a pair of Aces. It's just the way that I am built.
When I was at summer camp one year. We were out on a trip to canoe a river that was extremely cold. I guess the water ran cold all year long, since it was July and the water was 42 degrees...or something like that. I actually don't have the stats on me at this time.
Each person was asked to come to this bridge a little ways upstream from where we were going to put in. The councilor would take your paddle and toss it off of the bridge then tell you to jump in after it. Some of the kids froze on the bridge. It wasn't very high. But the water was really cold. Plus it was moving very quickly. If you waited a couple of seconds, your paddle would be way down river and you'd be swimming for quite a while before you got to it. The point of all of this was to desensitize you to the coldness of the water. When your canoe tipped during the trip, you wouldn't be freaking out about the temperature of the water, you'd be focussed on the task of saving yourself and the boat.
The point of telling you this story is that I was thinking about this story as I wrote this song. When the councilor took my paddle and tossed it in the water, I was in mid air before he could tell me to go. I like jumping from bridges.
I use this memory as "My Favorite Bridge". No fear! You're not going to achieve anything if you don't take any chances. What's your bridge....go ahead and jump!
OK....I've talked long enough.
Here's the usual stuff.....video, SNOCAP, links
Jon Roniger - Only Human
I've hit a wall! I've got like 3 songs that are just music, but my brain can't put together the lyrics. I've actually been writing a lot, but I'm just not happy with what's ending up on the page. So, I've pulled up one of my favorites that hasn't ended up on any records yet. It's a cool song that sounds really nice as a "Raw" tune.
The song is called "Man and Guitar". I was talking with my cousin who is a visual artist. We were at one of her shows and we were discussing where her inspiration came from. She told me, the for this particular piece, she was inspired by seeing a bunch of my solo shows. She was intrigued by the idea of a man (or woman) and a guitar. The old school traveling minstrel. She liked the idea that the artist was a self-contained unit. Let me just say that it's a great way to stay creative. I can write a song that day and play it that night.
My cousin also loved the idea of the simplicity of the arrangement. There's no hiding behind the drums beat or horn section. The song is exposed for it's strength or weakness. Her piece was very much about this last idea. It was simple, but strong and stood on it's own without pretense or extensive explanation. It's intent was clear and the viewer could clearly see where the artist had come from.
"Man and Guitar" is a song about what it feels like to be out on the road playing shows in strange places to strangers. It's lonely and invigorating. It's scary and educational. I've learned a lot about myself and my music. My confidence has grown and I'm slowly learning how to make my way through the world of the traveling troubadour.
Head over to Jon Roniger – Songs in the Raw – MySpace Page and give it a listen.
As always there is "Man and Guitar" and a bunch more songs to buy at my SNOCAP store;
Here are some more links for your JON RONIGER needs!
Jon Roniger’ other MySpace PageJon Roniger Website
Here's my video for "Only Human"......off my new CD "Charmed Life"
I hope that this finds everybody well!!!
Peace,
Jon
Song of the week - SONGS IN THE RAW - "Maybe the Night (Maybe the Fear)"
“Another year older and one day closer to death”. I’m pretty sure that was Pink Floyd. There have been many artists who have written similar lines, but that one always seems to hit home with me.
That has nothing to do with this week’s song. Actaully this week’s song is neither a Holiday song nor a New Years song. It’s just a song….a year round number. This week’s song is called “Maybe the Night (Maybe the Fear)”. You should take a trip over to Jon Roniger – Songs in the Raw – MySpace Page and give it a listen. I’ve also included a bonus track that I recorded last week called “Feel Good”. It’s a love song.
If you haven’t seen my new video…IT ROCKS…..check it out!
I keep more of my rock and roll material atJon Roniger MySpace Page. You can also find tracks from my new CD “Charmed Life” and tons of cool stuff there for you. Plus you can always drop by Jon Roniger Website. Dig a little deeper and you might really like what you find.
I’ve created an album of the first three month’s songs called “SONGS INT HE RAW VOL. 1” It’s got 14 tracks and only costs $7.99. Now that’s a bargain! As usual, the SNOCAP Store is always open for your purchasing pleasure. I am creating a “Songs in the Raw Vol 2” in a few weeks. The SNOCAP store will have it all for you.
You can listen to track from my new FULL BAND CD “Charmed Life” by cliking play on the A&R Select Player below;
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