Cover Of "Take It Where You Can Get It" Words and Music By Miranda Sound

If you were to ask me who the best songwriters are that I've ever personally met, well I'm going to tell you that it's Dan Gerken, Billy Peake, Sean Sefcik, and Dan Bell. The music they wrote as Miranda Sound and performed all over the country, but mostly here in the Midwest and Central Ohio, defined what was happening inside the guts and gizzards of so many of us in our 20s and 30s. And in retrospect, they produced an alternative soundtrack of George W. Bush's America, which seems awfully sane and muted now, but back then it felt like the world was on fire, and I guess it's always felt that way.

But Miranda Sound had sweet moments as well and this is my sloppy but well-intentioned cover of their incredible song "Take It Where You Can Get It," a beautiful acoustic lullaby on their "Western Reserve" masterpiece album. I wanted to see how it would work as more of an anthem, but the song kept drawing me back to its quiet places, and perhaps that says more about me in my mid-40s than it does about the song.

Even nearly a decade and a half later, this ballad delivers such sweetness that I was loathed to even dare to try recreating it at all. But my love for the band and how this song cooks up my insides kept me progressing. This is meant as a compliment and a thank you to a band that defined much of my early 30s, a fist bump to the young men who became old men through their art. Dan, Billy, Sean and Dan - this one's for you! I hope you feel the love coming through even though it's my voice and guitar on the other end.

I am including the lyrics as I have heard them in my head for these many years. They may be wrong, but I have written mythologies about them in my brain and so this is my interpretation. Apologies for any errors. I'll do better next time.

Please go buy all of the Miranda Sound's records and downloads you can find. Let them bleed into your soul like they have mine.

"Careless Fires" Words & Music by JB Minton

Careless Fires

Careless fires start in a flash
Burn out the rim and move in to crash
The opening blast burned off your face
And now you could be anyplace

Carless fires never burn very long
But they'll burn to the end of the song

Careful fires wait to ignite.
They bend into darkness and bring out the light.
The end of the flame brings out the dawn
Scatter the ash and prepare to move on.

A BEER, A BITE, AND A BONG Words and Lyrics by JB Minton

A Beer, A Bite, and A Bong

Bong...stoned without your love,
Boned around you.

Opened up and shuffled up, we dealt out nine.
Every one who saw us had to stand in a line. 
Every single jack was dealt into my hand, 
when the drummer started playing in that three piece band. 

You understand about that man?

He walked on up and set his cup up on the bar,
 and reached into his pocket for a big cigar. 
He tapped out all his ashes right into my cup,
then looked at me with fire until I drank it up.

That man had a big plan. 

And ever since that moment, I’ve been fucking weird; I can’t keep a sunny morning in my rear view mirror. Broken up and opened up and scattered around, I’m feeling like I’m stealing while I crawl on the ground.

The man came back around. 

That awful wind was the only sound. Something big was slithering down / into the pit where my spirit was bound; and then the ground started to pound.

“And here we go. For your soul.”

Where will your spirit breathe? The question was asked, followed by a cool breeze. I dropped down to my knees because I had a disease. I could have choked on all of my pleas.

The sun is shining on my face.
I can’t believe I get to live in this place. 
It’s the same pain but now luminous. 

T.D.O.D Words and Lyrics by JB Minton

T.D.O.D

You will find the lyrics to this song in the Poetry section of my book POETRYSEXLIFE, which can be purchased super cheap (or free if you are an Amazon Kindle Prime customer) HERE.

AN UNHAPPY STORM Words and Lyrics by JB Minton

AN UNHAPPY STORM

don't you know me?
don't you show me?
something more than true.

and if I ever change the weather
it'll go from gray to blue.

broken down and messed around
and opened up to you.
every time I slip inside
i get further from your room.

don't you know me?
don't you owe me?
something less that what I gave you.

And if we ever get together,
set fire to the rules.

broken down and tossed around,
i stumbled into you.
every time I slip inside,
i feel a little more less blue.