song Archives - ANNE MCCLARD

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022

Looking for Jimmy B

Jimmy Buffett never asked me to marry him. I never met him, but he and his music evoke a South Florida beachy vibe, which is exactly what I thought of when I heard the random three words given to me as a prompt for this song–“crocodile,” “any time” (given as one word), and “shallow.” These words landed my imagination in Key West, a place I have never been, but now would love to go. I would relish a visit to the La Te Da! Who knows what might happen?

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Anne Page McClard · Looking For Jimmy B

Lyrics

I’ve been Askin’ friends I know
Lookin’ high and lookin’ low
For a man by the name of Jimmy B
We were friends, you see
Forty years ago, on a white sand beach,
He sang a little song, asked to marry me.

He sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?

I was thinkin’ t’was a joke
Comin’, from a shallow bloke
Wasted away in Margaritaville
With nothin’ but time to kill
Lost his mason jar, no shaker nor salt
Bet you money now, he’s lookin for it still

So I sang…
See you later alligator
After a while crocodile
Any place, any time,
Maybe I’ll see you down at the La Te Da

Long ago when I was young
Seemed like life was full of fun
For a man by the name of Jimmy B
He loved life, you see.
After all these years, I missed the Florida sun
I missed that silly man that asked to marry me

He’d sung…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?

I was Wandrin’ on the strand
Fallin’ down into the sand
Checkin’ out old dives, went to the La Te Da
La Te Dah, da-da
Forty years gone by, hope it’s not too late
It’s been a long wait, at the La Te Da

And, he sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
Won’t you marry me?

And I sang…
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La te-da, la-la-la, la te-da, la-la-la
La, la-la, la-la-la , La, la-la, la-la-la
I will marry you …Down at the La Te Da

March 4, 2022

Warning Signs

This song emerged from a convergence of two events: Valentine’s Day was coming and we were assigned the task of writing a love-related song for our songwriting workshop, and my 94 year-old mother recounted a dream in which she was looking for her lost love. In her dream, after looking everywhere, someone says they have her love’s phone number. She stares at the number, and realizes that it spells “train wreck.” I hope you like it.

Anne Page McClard · Warning Signs

Lyrics

The day we met, you wrote your number
In the palm of my hand with a Sharpie
You drew a heart with an arrow through
You said it was a permanent tattoo

That black bleeding heart and number
Are etched into the derma of my mind
The warning signs were written clear
Should have felt a little fear
Should have seen what was coming down the line

Ohhhhh…. I’ve got you under my skin,
I’ve got you under my skin,
but you won’t let me in
No you won’t let me in

The other day, I gave you my heart
I painted it by hand in water color
Red, pink, & sky a cerulean hue
It said “Don’t be blue, cause I love you.”

I dreamed I called you on the telephone
I saw your number on the palm of my hand
Eight-seven-two, four-six-nine, seven-three-two-five
It spelled “train wreck,” it was a train wreck

February 26, 2022February 27, 2022

Winter’s Love Calls

This song was inspired by a YouTube video that I saw last year in which a raven seems to be making overatures to a snowy owl. They are thought to be enemies, although in Inuit mythology they were friends in the past. They definitely are something.

Anne Page McClard · Winter’s Love Calls

Lyrics

On cold winter nights
Snow gently falls
Lonesome breezes blow
And winter’s love calls
And winter’s love calls

The Owl and the Raven sit high in a tree
Raven says to owl, won’t you marry me?
Owl tells Raven, its never to be
For I love another, let’s wait and see

On cold winter nights
Snow gently falls
Lonesome breezes blow
And winter’s love calls
And winter’s love calls

Owl turns her head, pretends he’s not there
Raven whispers in her ear “You’re the fairest of fair!”
Owl spreads her wings, Posed to fly away
Raven coos and sings, “Won’t you please stay?”

On cold winter nights
Snow gently falls
Lonesome breezes blow
And winter’s love calls
And winter’s love calls

Owl says to Raven, playing it cool,
“We can be friends, tho’ I think you’re a fool”
Owl never married, or \ so they say,
but Raven and Owl were joined on that day

November 21, 2020

Bristlecone Pine

Those of you who know me, know that I am caring for my 93 year-old mother. She long ago expressed her interest in having her ashes released in the Bristlecone Pine forest on Mount Evans, Colorado when her soul has departed to wherever souls go. In this song I equate her with a Bristlecone Pine. Against all odds from the moment of her birth, she has survived the changes of time. The song is written as a waltz about the lasting dance that she will have among her sister pines.

Anne Page McClard · Bristlecone Pine

Lyrics

In her first act of defiance
She extended a crooked limb
Small soft fist, her hand
A show of self reliance
Her mother gently lay her down
on carpet of alpine moss
Seed sown in tundra
A prayer she’d soon be found

She dreams at night
of her lasting dance
High at timberline
You’ll find her spinning with the stars
Among the bristlecone pines

A seedling’s tendrils drilled deep
In breach of limestone and ground
Gave her strength to endure
Assaults of wind, ice, and sleet
Another year of casting seeds
As winter yields to spring
Her trunk twists and turns
in time with earth’s lead.

She dreams at night
of her lasting dance
High at timberline
You’ll find her spinning with the stars
Among the bristlecone pines

She survived changes of time
Became a graceful old soul,
Tree beyond compare, a
Beautiful bristlecone pine
She’ll waltz there with her sister pines
Her soul will whisper in the wind
Caress pink asters
And kiss blue columbines

She dreams at night
of her lasting dance
High at timberline
You’ll find her spinning with the stars
Among the bristlecone pines

You’ll find her spinning with the stars
Among the bristlecone pines