The Music of Sister Sunshine

"A Busted Thumb" is about learning and experience. Yes, I did bust my thumb to achieve the inspiration for this piece. (No, it was not deliberate)

"Addiction" is not about a person - it's about music, without which I shrivel into a mere caricature of myself.

"An Opinion" is, precisely that, an opinion.

"Another Silly Song" was something that I was just fooling around with - until my children memorized it within 24 hours of it's writing, suggesting the possibility that I should take a closer look at it.

"Baby Blue" was written for my oldest son, Frankie, when he was about a year old. His eyes are no longer blue, now they are green. (He loves to hear the words anyway!) My other boys' eyes are blue...and when I perform publicly, this is one of my most popular and commonly requested songs.

"The Backwards Song" was written primarily for the entertainment of my children.

"Betrayal" is one of many titles inspired by a girl with whom I hung out and whose family I have known since 1985. I don’t get to see them often enough any more now that they’ve moved out of town, but we still keep in touch.

"The Boys in Blue": Cops can be good or bad, just like any other segment of the population. When they are good, though, they seldom get any recognition from the public at large. Maybe a pat on the back from fellow officers or superiors, but it’s just not the same thing.
One night, my friends and I were confronted with a situation involving a woman who had been raped. We called the police, and found their level of compassion to be astounding. “The Boys in Blue” was inspired by that experience, and in 1999, when I saw how the police reacted to remove the children from a dangerous situation in Oakland, when there was a gunman loose and they kept the kids calm by telling them to all hold hands and come along, because they were going to play a game…well that was nothing short of brilliant. So to all those “Boys in Blue” who have gone unrewarded for their faithful service, this song is my personal salute. May you always be there for us!

"Bye Bye" was just a silly notion that came to mind. It’s not inspired by anyone specific.

"Can’t Stand to be Alone" was written on a lonely night in the early years of my marriage. My husband worked all different shifts, so, unfortunately, I was alone and lonely a lot of the time.

"Chop it Down" was begun with a whimsical attitude, but I think the song began to have a lot more meaning when they began coming around to cut everyone's citrus trees down...

"Cinderella’s Shoe" began as a list I made of things about myself I was frustrated with. After completing the list, I rewrote it in verse. Oila!

"Comin’ Clean" was written about someone I was infatuated with. He never heard it, and I lost touch with him. Fortunately, I never really got involved with him, as he turned out to be a rather unsavory character.

"Common Ground": I believe “Common Ground” is self – explanatory, but the emotion behind it stems from the grief – filled period following the death of one of my dearest friends. Also the unwillingness of a young friend to put his “life” on hold in order to help his mother when she was gravely ill.

"Creature of Habit": On December 1, 1998, I passed through a portal I would rather not have been destined for. My best friend, a best friend to many, Mr. Lenny Kurtz passed away, and I was the one to find his lifeless body. “Creature of Habit” is my tribute to him and to who and what he was. R.I.P. old friend… may the afterlife be kinder to you than the rigors of this world were.

"Cryin’ on the Floor" was written about my husband, during the early years of our marriage.

"Cut from the Word" was taken, obviously, from the Bible. It is still in the process of being refined… but I’ve included it here anyway, in its latest version, because the messages it embodies are so important.

"Doin’ it on the Porch" was written when two young lovers I knew reminded me of younger days…

"Don’t Wanna be Cold" was inspired by the shivering of a friend as we waited for another friend to unlock the car door so we could get in. It is not specifically about or to him, he just inspired the first line.
The voice I heard* singing this piece as I was writing it, was that of the lead singer from a band called “Saigon Kick.”
*in my head…he wasn’t actually there. As a matter of fact he’s probably never heard the song.

"Dream Woman" was originally written when I was very young, maybe fifteen years old or so. It’s been modified, somewhat, from its original immature version, but it’s still an odd piece. (It is fictitious…)

"Each and Every Day": When I was a teenager, and had just begun to write songs, I tried to write something similar to J.T.’s “Fire and Rain.” This piece evolved from that attempt to it’s present form in early 1999 after my best girlfriend and I, miles apart, were the ones chosen to find people dear to us dead, within three months of each other. I was seeking to customize the song to fit how we both felt. This final version will also most likely be used in my upcoming play… TBA

"Ego Blues": This is just a tongue – in – cheek piece. I probably wrote it when I was a bit hormonal…

"Family": A friend, Ken Brevett, asked me to write a song about brotherhood. Family was the result of that effort, and I’d like to dedicate it to folk clubs everywhere.

"Fantasy Romance" was written when I was fifteen years old and in drug rehab. I wanted to leave, but didn’t have the courage to do it alone.
There was a cute boy there, with blue eyes and long blonde hair. He was also somewhat of a musician, as I recall, and I found him adorable. We even got caught kissing and were punished with “bench time” or some such…
So I wrote this song to persuade him to leave with me, which he did.
I then went on without him…(he went back)

"Farewell": The first of three songs I wrote directly after Lenny’s passing, this is, perhaps, the most raw and personal one.

"Flashback to Insanity" is the result of a moment of extreme anger in which I was ready to strike my son Joey. It is reminiscent of a much darker time in my life…

"Forgiving" was written, somewhat, to the tune of another song, but I modified it and gave it it’s own character. However, I really do not recall any specific inspiration.

"Frankly" is intensely painful and emotional. It is about a friend who committed suicide, about whom I have written other material.

"Frank’s Song/The Love that we hold" was taken from a song originally written by my friend from back home, Frank Abrams. I have added to it significantly, however, so I consider this version to be entirely mine.

"The "F" Word (Forever)": Inspired by my best friend and artist... (as well as the father of my latest child...) Martin

"Good Question" was inspired by the same subject as “Betrayal” as well as several other titles.

"Heartbreak Every Night" is something I wrote as a teenager. I think it was about one specific guy, but I’m not sure. (I don’t remember)

"Heaven" was written about the subject of certain other titles…

"Hollywood Beach": I joined the Broward Folk Club in 1998, and began to learn a bit about folk music, which is, essentially, songs about people and places. I write about people all the time, so I decided to write something about my favorite place.

"Home isn’t Home": This piece represents the first true collaboration I ever had with a fellow artist. The sentiment behind the song was derived from an in – depth dicscussion Jimmy and I were having about the merits of going back home.

"I Have a Life of my Own": Self – explanatory…however, one of those who inspired this song was the boy who wouldn’t go help his ailing mother.

"I Know Nothing about Music": In 1998 there was a Denny’s commercial featuring Fabian. There is a line at the end, which says “...you know nothing about music.” I thought it would make a great song…

"I love you, but you’re Crazy": This is one of my personal favorites. I meant every word, when I wrote it about someone whom I still care about a great deal, to this day. He and I endured such a tempestuous relationship, even getting back together after having broken up the first time…but it was just not meant to be.
Sometimes I think genius leaves no room for sanity.

"I Need Someone": This is an expression of lonely anguish that came from my teenage years.

"Isn't it Time" is self - explanatory

"It Isn’t Fair" was written for a girlfriend in eighth grade whose boyfriend had dumped her. It is one of the first songs I ever wrote. (Actually, I think it is the second one.)
I briefly entertained the notion, that year, of entering the school talent show to perform my song, but I chickened out.
Written on/for piano, it is more difficult to play on guitar.

"I Try": I was just sitting on the purple sectional couch in my living room one day, when this little ditty popped out…

"It’s up to you": This piece is an inspirational one. I’m not really sure what was going on in my life when it was written.

"I’ve gotta go": This is a recurrent theme/urge in my life. I’m never satisfied being in one place for a long time.

"I want to go where it snows for Christmas": Once again, this is pretty much self – explanatory. I grew up in Ohio, near Cincinnati…we rarely had snow for Christmas. From 1984 to the present I have resided in Hollywood, Florida. It’s nice to wear shorts and a tank top, barefoot, in December, but Christmas makes me want snow!

"Jerry’s Song/The Phoenix/Deadhead’s Lullabye": In February of 1999 I was still recovering from the death of my dear friend Lenny. I found music by the Grateful Dead to be oddly soothing during this time in my life, so I decided to read “Dark Star, an Oral Biography of Jerry Garcia.” Upon finishing the book, I was compelled to write this song.

"Jesus" is, of course, inspirational. Songs like this come to me frequently, in between other, longer pieces.

"Jimmy Crack Corn (with a twist)": I used the tune of “Jimmy Crack Corn,”
And a few of the lyrics, but primarily wrote a whole new song: an inspirational tune. I hope the result is as pleasing to you as it is to me.

"Joy" came to me one day as I sat in the sun at the beach. It was written in May or June of 1984, and exemplifies my feelings, then and now, when I sit on a bench by the Broadwalk on Hollywood Beach. On this particular day, I was sitting near Howard Johnson’s, a favorite hangout of mine at the time.

"Just a dream": This is my interpretation of the lives my husband and I lead.

"Just One of Those Days": I don’t often indulge myself in this fashion when it comes to anger…but writing pieces like "Just One of Those Days" is very cathartic.

"Just to tell you": When I was fifteen years old, after I ran away from rehab, I landed (for a while) in Norwood, Ohio. This song, Just to tell you is a product of that time period.

"Keep hangin’ on": This was originally inspired by the subject of Betrayal and Good Question, among others.

"Kindness" was written to be a round.

"The Landlord Blues" was just something that popped out when a girl named Michele and I were goofing around in 1996.

"A Lie they all call Freedom" is a poem I wrote somewhere around the age of seventeen.

"The Life, the Truth, the Way" is a tribute to two dear friends who took their own lives: one on New Year’s Eve, and one in August, both in 1991.

"Little Girl" is about my daughter, Sarah.

"Live" was written in 1991. As I have already mentioned, I lost two beloved friends that year.

"Lost Soul" is about drug abuse, most specifically: crack cocaine.
My friend Johnny asked me to write a song that might reach his son, who was missing and believed to be on crack.
The song is written from the point of view of the drug speaking to the boy.

"Love": This was written at the same time as Comin’ Clean, and was inspired by the same subject.

"Love is the Bottom Line": In the fall of 1998, two of my dear friends were getting married. They had already been planning to do so, but had to hurry up because of a problem with the immigration department.
Cold feet appeared, almost on the eve of the wedding, and they began to question their reasons for getting married.
I said “Do you love each other?” and they said “yes!” So I told them: Love is the bottom line.

"Love one Another" is a song that came to mind while I was driving home one day. I was headed west on Tyler/Polk Street. For some (unknown) reason, this particular stretch of road is particularly conducive to flashes of inspiration. I have come up with more than one idea when travelling this route.

"Married but Alone": What can I say? This is just a sad song from the early years of my marriage.

"Martin's Song (The Right Thing)": was written when I began to realize how deeply he and I were connected.

"The Men in my Life (several versions)": A whimsical number, this one brings strong reactions from both those who love it – and those who hate it. Because of this song I have been accused of being a lesbian and a male – basher, neither of which was my intent to convey when I wrote it. For that reason, I wrote an ‘antidote’ for this song later. ("Some of Them")

"Mike’s Song (You can’t always tell)": One morning I woke up and could not stop thinking about this guy I’d met. He was in a band, at the time, with some people who are still friends of his and mine.
At the time, things went bad between all the people in the group, and Mike left town. Infected by the haunting quality of the harmonies they sang together, I could not clear my head of their sound for a long time.
I’m pleased to report that, the last time I heard as of this writing, (December 1999) Mike appears to be alive, well, and working in a successful band.

"Mistake (Blame it on Cupid)" was just a silly piece I wrote when I was about fourteen years old. (Long before it could have ever been true!) It was, (and still is, as far as I know) fictitious.
Although the original version was frequently requested by friends and rehab – mates, back in those early days when I barely knew how to play, it was tedious and immature.
With that in mind, I brought it with me as I attended a NSAI (Nashville Songwriter’s Association, International) meeting. I put it up for critique, took their comments and suggestions home, and ripped this song apart.
When I put it back together, the result included a new subtitle: Blame it on Cupid.
It still is fictitious… I have never made a practice of seeing known married men… except my own husband…

"Misunderstanding" was inspired by a young couple I am friends with. The story of the song is not about them, it’s fictitious. They just inspired the first line, much like the subject of Don’t Wanna be Cold.

"The Morning Song" was written when I stayed out all night, playing guitar,
Strolling up and down the broadwalk (not boardwalk) on Hollywood Beach, in Florida.
As the sun rose over the ocean, this song came to me, and when I had finished composing it mentally, I had to beg paper and a pen from a stranger in order to write it down!

"Music Maker" is another song about crack cocaine. One of the greatest musicians I have ever known succumbed to its evil embrace while I was pregnant with and nursing my first child. It broke my heart that I could do absolutely nothing about it, so I wrote a song. Fortunately, he eventually escaped its evil wiles, and went on to a successful career in music."

"My Best Friend": This piece was written about Cynthia Nicol. An unusual item: I wrote the song twice, in slightly differing variations, which were later combined to create this version.

"My Little Child" is another one of my inspirational pieces.

"My Lord (Forever)": Currently another inspirational song, My Lord began, believe it or not, as a sappy teenage love song. A few revisions down the road, this is what I came up with.

"My Lord’s Gonna Come": By this time, most of you probably think this is the inspirational section of my site…but not so. Since they are all in alphabetical order, naturally all the songs with my and My Lord are grouped together. However: the next song is more of a warning than a gospel tune. Wake up!

"My Soulmate and Friend": I do not make a practice, in general, of writing love songs. Perhaps it is because I am seldom sufficiently inspired to do so. (This is not to say that I have never experienced lust : but so many confuse this with love…)
At any rate, this particular piece was written for two dear friends of mine, Martin and Carly (Carlita), when they informed me of their engagement. It epitomizes the attitude I believe only the truest of lovers can have. I added a final verse when Martin and I got together, after he and Carly were divorced. (Something TOTALLY unexpected...)

"911": Believe it or not, the date was the primary inspiration for this song:
9/11/98. The rest of it’s just the truth.
911!

"Not too Young": Sometimes, in an attempt to be versatile, I write a little rock - n - roll. This song contains an intricate arrangement of layered vocal parts…probably the most intricate arrangement I’ve done, to date.

"No Way" is another inspirational number. It’s a song that came to me as I fell asleep on the bottom bunk of the old red metal bunk bed we had, back when what is now the master bedroom was the boys’ bedroom.*
I was too tired to get up and write it down at the time, so I prayed God would help me remember it in the morning. He did.
*The rooms have been switched again, and the boys also have a red metal bunk bed once again!

"Now I Know" is another song I wrote on my first trip to Peru.

"Ode to Celine and Rene": was originally "Wall Between Us": This duet was first inspired by the father of my daughter, Janis. I finished it long after he and I had broken up... and dedicate it to the most loving public relationship I can think of. Those two are so beautiful together... I’m hoping to find a male voice similar to Bryan Adams’ or Michael Boulton’s for this one.

"Ode to Elian": I wrote this song on the day Elian Gonzalez returned to Cuba with his father.

"Once Upon a Time": Originally written when I was a teenager, Once Upon a Time has gone through several generations of revisions.

"One Disappointment Too Many" was written in about ten minutes flat, when my Ross 15 – speed beach cruiser was stolen from my driveway. I was fairly certain that the thief was someone close to me, whom I had chosen to trust against the advice of others. I have written other songs inspired by him as well.

"One Good Woman": I wrote this when I was a teenager. As it appears to grow more relevant every year, here it is!

"One Last Lunch with Lenny": This song, like Creature of Habit, was written about Lenny Kurtz. It’s a very emotional piece for me, and difficult to perform, because of that. I can only hope and pray that with time that will change.

"Party Girl": My husband and I have had more people stay with us than the number of years we’ve been together. Quite often these folks turn out to be the subjects of my songs.
Sometimes it’s the combination of roommates that brings a story to the fore, as in the case of Party Girl.

"Peace": Of all the inspirational songs I have been blessed with, this one is my favorite. Sung a cappella, it ascends and descends the scale, in somewhat the same manner as The Morning Song.

"Phone Call": When I was eighteen I went to Virginia Beach to catch up with a guy, only to decide he really wasn’t my "cup of tea" after all. When I gave him the "heave – ho", I left myself a little lonely. Most of this song was written then, except for the ending, which was written later to make the composition more complete.

"Play" is a song I wrote after watching a TV show one day about how monkeys and wolves are social creatures, like us, and that play is a very important part of their development. I don't like games, so I play music. Since not all of us CAN play music, I suppose it is a good thing that there ARE games to play! ; )~

"Pullin’ a Load": Another 20+ year old song…

"Quest": In the summer of 1982, I truly began to realize the depth of matters with which I was presented. Quest is a hint of the turmoil this produced within my psyche.

"Rebel": The melody for this one was inspired by that of the song Bad Company, although only loosely so. The lyric could be considered somewhat autobiographical.

"Refugee": As I’ve mentioned previously, roommates and their relationships are rife with fodder for fueling my creative fires! ‘Nuff said?

"Runnin’ Away": I was in Talbert House, a.k.a Residential Youth Treatment Program, or R.Y.T.P., at the time when Runnin’ Away was written. This rehab was my home for about half of 1980. (From May until October…I spent my 15th birthday there.)
I did, eventually, run away. Twice, actually, but the first time was only overnight. The second time I never went back.
It was court – ordered, not my poor mother’s decision. She paid for a lawyer to get me out of trouble when I returned home, in February of 1981.

"Ruthie’s Song (Look into My World)": A friend of mine had an adopted sister who was suffering the agony of being a teenager, as well as the loss, through suicide, of someone she loved.
Because I had a similar experience, coping with both death and adolescence simultaneously, the girl’s plight struck a familiar chord within me.
Ruthie’s Song was written because I remember how it felt.

"Sacrifice" is self - explanatory

"Sara Lee" was born in the Monroe Street apartment belonging to some friends of mine, Jim and Joe Fox. They had an acquaintance at the time who called me “Sara Lee” for some reason unknown to me…
This song is not about him or the guys whose apartment it was, however. It’s just part of a glimpse into my life at the time: a somewhat eerie period for me…

"Shelter from the Storm (The seven – year song)": Until recently, when I wrote Jerry’s Song/The Phoenix/Deadhead’s Lullabye, this song, Shelter from the Storm, was what I considered to be my masterpiece. Maybe it still is, I guess it’s really just a matter of perspective.
I began writing this song in 1991, inspired initially by the plight of a homeless fan of mine, Bob Daniels. He had a broken arm and lived out of a backpack, at the time.
I was nowhere near being done with it when Hurricane Andrew blew through, giving me the inspiration for the verses that say wet and weary and hot and thirsty and then I thought it was done…
But lo and behold…wounded and bloody was the final, sealing line, adding taste to the lyric. This last portion was given to me like a bolt of lightning, while watching coverage of the Oklahoma City Bombing.
Now the message is complete. I hope one day this song may be used to help solicit donations for charities such as Habitat for Humanity, Daily Bread Food Banks, Feed the Children, and others…perhaps through the United Way.
Although there are several (quite pleasing) prior versions of this song, this, the final revision, is dated 3/21/99.

"She Won’t Love You When Your Money’s Gone": The subjects of’ Comin’ Clean and Love, as well as Stacey’s Song (Nothin’ Left) were the inspiration for She Won’t Love You…

"Should Have Known": I think this one is pretty much self - explanatory...

"Silent Secret World" was written on the piano. I was a teenager living at home with my mother, whom I desperately wanted to be close to, but I always seemed to come up against some sort of barrier…invisible, yet tangible.

"Someday Billy": I have a friend who is a master of songwriting, and a phenomenal musician as well. He is always making plans to go places and do things, but backs out at the last minute. The night Someday Billy was inspired, he was supposed to go with me to a local ASCAP – sponsored event, Songwriters in the Round, which I subsequently attended alone when he changed his mind.

"Some of Them": I am constantly accused of male bashing, etc. (among other things) because of my more heavily opinionated songs. I felt that it might ring true, at least to some degree, so I wrote Some of Them as an 'antidote' if you will, to songs such as "The Men in my Life" and "One Good Woman".

"Stacey’s Song (Nothin’ Left)" was written about a girl named Anastasia whose husband was abusive. She later left him and married the drummer from her father’s band.

"The Straight Dope" is a short song, but to the point, and self - explanatory.

"Take a Little Ginseng" was largely written in the Lee Street apartment of Jimmy Fox. It took all of about twenty minutes to write verses one and three. The middle verse was written later – a common practice of mine.

"Tell Me Why" is a very bleak song because I wrote it while on vacation in the mountains shortly after having been mugged.
I was mugged in Cincinnati on the eve of this vacation trip, and, to make matters worse, my father had recently died, so in my purse which was stolen and never recovered, I had every letter he had ever written me and every picture I had of him. That was a very hard time in my life…the mugging compounded the loss to the degree that it was like losing my father all over again!
Oh yeah…I had also wrecked my friend Frank’s car earlier that night. (The night I was mugged)

"They Need Us So Bad": When I have P.M.S. I can write some pretty grumpy songs – especially where men are concerned…(no wonder I end up with a reputation for male – bashing)

"Through" was originally written in response to a song Danny White wrote. His song was probably not about me, nor was mine about him. My song is simply an answer to the message that his song, "Through With You" contained.

"To Janis": Is an open song to my daughter, whose adoptive parents have decided that she should not be a part of the lives of my children or myself. This has made us very sad... but we accept their wishes.

"Two" was written in 1995 about a guy named Paul.

"Two Doves": In the summer of 1982, I went to Colorado, on my way, eventually, to California.
While I was gone, two friends of mine began to date. Instinct told me their union would be short – lived, and so it was.
Actually there were a lot more underlying currents running through this story than can be superficially explained. Read my autobiography if you want further details!

"Understanding" began one day (evening) at the home of my late friend, Lenny Kurtz. A guy named Dennis or “Dee” was with me and we (I) completed the song at his home.

"Used to Be": One of the many songs/poems/stories/essays I wrote as a teenager, Used to Be is fictitious, for the most part.
“ The Woods” is capitalized because it was the name of a local hangout where I grew up.

"Viewpoint": To be perfectly honest, I do not remember what, exactly, inspired me to write this one. I like it, though, or I would not have chosen to include it in
this collection.

"The Way I Am (The PMS Song)": Self explanatory

"What’s the Difference": The subject of abortion is a very serious one. While I am pro – life, I do not condemn anyone for their choices. That is not my job to do. I am here to love others and teach as best I can – no matter what they’ve done in life. Jesus told us to love God and one another first and all else would follow.
Once again, the tune of Bad Company helped to inspire a bit of the melody I’m using.

"What Will I Do" is another song that was written as a response.
My oldest son, Frankie, innocently asked me one day: “What will you do when you’re too old to sing?”
I said “What a horrifying thought!” and was inspired to write.
The truth of the matter is that he really just wanted to know if, when I’m too old to sing, he can have my guitar.

"When Will Mama Come Home": There was a little girl who became like part of our family. When we first met her, she called everybody “mommy.”
The rest of the song was inspired by a grown woman I know, Sandra, whose mother abandoned her father, leaving him to raise her sister and her on his own.