The jingle jangle of her tambourine Keeping time to the images up on the screen It’s a sunny day, it’s a sunny day The tick tock of the broken clock is real The second hand is spinning like a backwards wheel It’s a sunny day, it’s a sunny day Who cares what’s happening Just as long as the sun’s shining And who cares about time or space Just as long as the sun’s on my face The ballerina poses on the cherry tree Distracts my poor attention span but that’s just me It’s s sunny day, it’s a sunny day And who cares what’s happening Just as long as the sun’s shining And who cares about time or space Just as long as the sun’s on my face I don’t care just as long as i’ve got you Then the skies are always saturated blue It’s s sunny day, what a sunny day And who cares what’s happening Just as long as the sun’s shining Who cares about time or space Just as long as the sun’s on my face Who cares what’s happening Just as long as the sun’s shining And who cares about time or space Just as long as there’s sun Notes on song: All of these offbeat, chaotic images of ballerina’s posing on cherry trees and wheels spinning backwards and broken clocks came to me when I first got the melody for the song. Then I thought, none of that matters—just as long as the “sun’s shining”. That’s kind of my philosophy of life— that even in the midst of the everyday, omnipresent chaos of our lives, the sun still shines —and if you can stop and feel it on your face, even for just for a few seconds, it’s a reminder that life is so good.

I don’t wanna lose you No, I don’t wanna lose you It won’t take too long To tell you I was wrong I know I hurt you very bad And wrecked the best love that I ever had Just give me one more chance girl That’s all I ask Can’t you see? Can’t you see? That I don’t wanna lose you No, I don’t wanna lose you Baby, there’s no doubt That we can work this out I don’t wanna lose you No I don’t want to lose you Hopefully somehow Forever can start now I knew you were the one from The moment that we met You blew in like the wind I never could forget We’ve had our ups and downs girl But don’t quit us yet. Ok? And I gotta say, hey baby I don’t wanna lose you No I don’t want to lose you My love for you’s so strong I wanted you to have this song Notes on song: Pretty self-explanatory

She wears cashmere sweaters Of orange and yellow and green I remember when I met her In a watercolor dream She likes picking flowers Then putting one in her hair While we listen to Tchaikovsky Drinking coffee on her stairs And everybody knows She’s not wearing make up And everybody sees What they want to see And why did she have to go? And why did I have to be the last to know? I want her every day But sometimes things don’t work out that way That’s ok. Rainbows stream through my window As I wake up finally And I see her in the mirror and it’s clear as day that She wears cashmere sweaters. Notes on song: I just had the first two lines of the song for awhile. I couldn’t seem to finish it and relegated it to the scrap bin of unfinished songs. One day, I challenged myself to finish it. Once I unlocked the main idea for the song— that it occurs in a dream— I was able to complete it.

Whatever happened to the girl on Rose Avenue Last time I saw her was leaving town on a bus Yes, she’s gone away — where did she go? If I knew I’d say — but, i gotta know Maybe she will come back someday . Whatever happened with the girl we all used to dig She was so cool and free in school and on tv Heard she got fed up — making the scene Moved to Manitoba — that’s too cold for me Now she’s teaching yoga for free. And why did she go? When will the girl be off my mind? Tears fall like raindrops on my pillow How could she leave our love behind? Yes, it seems so strange — she might agree That the winds of change could — take her from me Time to turn the page and just be Whatever happened to her? Notes on song: Wrote this on my green couch on an acoustic guitar. I always wanted to make a song that had a big Spanky and Our Gang chorus at the end. All happy and filled with “Ba ba ba’s!” The girl in the song leaves for Manitoba. I thought about changing that to Arizona, because more people would know where that is, but stuck with the original because I had never heard it mentioned in a song.

So sad you left Can’t get out of bed You’re gone and I feel Dead I hurt, can’t stop the bleed Call it ego or call it need I wish I could remember what It’s like to breathe What do I gotta do What do I gotta do to be free? What do I gotta do What do I gotta do To bring you back to me? The pain is so deep I forgot what it’s like to eat You don’t want me, it’s so clear Since you made me disappear What do I gotta do What do I gotta do to be free? What do I gotta do What do I gotta do To bring you back to me? I obsess and I complain All my friends have nothing left to say I just want to turn off my brain and melt away Melt away What do I gotta do What do I gotta do to be free? What do I gotta do What do I gotta do To bring you back? Notes on song: This is my paean to what you go through during a difficult breakup that seemingly has no end.

Every time I try and leave my room and go Into the world I always run back It’s so much easier inside Here alone at the end of my green couch I feel so peaceful and serene No one asking anything of me At times when I feel scared I know that I can take care of myself I put my headphones on and it’s not long Before I’m somewhere else And the summer’s almost over And it’s time to say goodbye And I know I’m gonna miss her And you know the reason why And it’s getting darker sooner Don’t you hate it, so do I Every time I try and leave my room and go Into the world I always run back Notes on song: The words to this song really describe my truest self.

Becky I love you I just had to tell you But you probably knew And hopefully you feel The way that I do Oh, Becky I love you And everything happens for reason We don’t always know why But I don’t care as long as You’re here by my side And Becky I need you To always talk to And sing my songs to At 3:27 I’m gonna text you ‘Becky I love you’ We can’t predict the future But we can always dream I hope we are together through eternity Ah, Ah And Becky I love you I just had to tell you.

Caught in a moment of time Like an old picture in black and white You and me are so perfect now Like two children at play Living just for today We’re making it up as we go along Not knowing where the road will turn Letting our feelings flow like wine And we’re taking it all just a dream at a time Lost in a daydream in your eyes Floating away I’m hypnotized Deep in your love no worries now For as long as it lasts We will never look back We’re making it up as we go along Not knowing where the road will turn Letting our feelings flow like wine And we’re taking it all Just a dream at a time Nobody knows where tomorrow Is gonna lead so let’s live Now while we still have the time And we’re taking it all just a dream at a time Dream at a time, yeah Making it up as we go along Not knowing where the road will turn Letting our feelings flow like wine And we’re taking it all just a dream at a time Notes on song: I’m a huge pop music fan, The Bee Gees being amongst my very favorites. This one is clearly influenced by Barry and The Boys.

I’m in a you kind of mood Whenever you say that you love me And when you say that you love me I’m in a you kind of mood I’m in the mood for romance So kick off your shoes and let’s slow dance I’m just like putty in your hands I’m in you kind of mood Lucky for me that I found you I am so happy when I’m around you Darling, I want to surround you With tulips everyday Now I know what true love really is From the moment we kissed And it’s true when you hold me You take me all the way, yeah I’m in a you kind of mood Whenever you say that you love me Cause when you say that you love me I’m kicking off my shoes I forget all my blues I’m in you kind of mood Notes on song: This song comes from my love for Cole Porter-type Broadway show tunes, which I heard a lot of growing up.

Walking down Rose Avenue Seven blocks from Venice Beach The ocean waves come into view The sand is hot beneath my feet Ah, ah 27 hours ago on a plane from St. Tropez Made a stop in Montreal Picked her up along the way. Ah, ah And I can hear the sound of love Yeah, I can hear the sound of love Driving in the middle lane Looking for the 405 Missed the exit once again Lucky just to be alive Ah, ah And I can hear the sound of love Yeah, I can hear the sound of love I thought that we would last forever But nothing’s ever meant to last Now I’m sitting on my suitcase And waiting for the time to pass Yeah, I can hear the sound of love Love. Love. I can hear the sound of, I can hear the sound of I can hear the sound of, I can hear the sound of I can hear the sound of, I can hear the sound of I can Notes on song: Written on a Saturday night on my piano at home and recorded two days later. I had a lot of enjoyable times in the 2010’s on Rose Avenue in Venice, California. I didn’t mean to write about it but that first line just came out when the main melody first appeared.

She was so sweet like a sung melody I remember the days we would talk endlessly Listening to records with no thought of the time Susie Sunshine, Susie Sunshine On her front lawn I would sing her my songs In between cartwheels she’d sing along Even though she didn’t know the words half the time Susie Sunshine, Susie Sunshine Susie walked with a swinging step With a white wristband made of string Vividly she’s still easy to see in her faded jeans With the hole in the knee Just hanging around, nothing profound Just her and me and now I believe Every time I see a rainbow it’s a sign Of Susie Sunshine, Susie Sunshine. Deep in her eyes of cerulean skies I saw the reflection of butterflies Somewhere in the atmosphere she’s reading my mind Susie Sunshine, Susie Sunshine Susie Sunshine, Susie Sunshine, yeah Notes on song: My next door neighbor growing up, Susie, was the inspiration for this one.

I’m in love at least I thought I was Till I found it wasn’t really love After all it was close enough That’s all it had to be. I told her that we had grown apart Before I checked in with my heart Maybe that wasn’t very smart but that’s all history What was I thinking when I said goodbye Now I’m alone and I realize In my life you were the best thing What was I thinking? Memories of our days gone by Like a breeze blowing through my mind And I wish I could go back in time To how we used to be What was I thinking when I said goodbye Now I’m alone and I realize In my life you were the best thing What was I thinking? Now someone else gets to hear your laughter But that’s the price I gotta pay For letting you get away What was I thinking when I said goodbye Now I’m alone and I realize In my life you were the best thing What was I thinking? What was I thinking? Notes on song: Sometimes there’s a fine line between being with someone and not being with them. And there are always consequences to whichever way it ends up.

September Sunday We’ve been walking all day On the Upper West Side I need a new pair of jeans Hope there’s a cash machine Somewhere nearby And it’s one of those fall days You tie your sweater around your waist And your face is always in the sun While you try shoes on I’ll just be in the back Meet me there in twenty minutes Look what I found over here A medal from World War II Should I buy it? Yeah, I think I will September Sunday We’ve been walking all day Let’s head home and order Chinese And eat it in bed. Notes on song: Just a song about a breezy afternoon in New York City, where I wrote this one.

I want to start a new painting What it’s about I don’t care First I gotta get a canvas up my spiral stairs I’ve wanted to tune my old piano God, it’s been too long Then maybe I can finish Some of my old songs (Yes, maybe he could finish some of his old songs) Maybe I can finish some of my old songs (Yes, maybe he can finish some of his old songs) And I’m so easily distracted and then The time goes by never to be here again Yeah, yeah, yeah And I see the bare and leafless trees I better go inside before I freeze I need to find some old magazines for my new collage Well I think I may have some here in my garage (He thinks he may have some there in his garage) Yeah, I think I may have some here in my garage (Yeah he thinks he may have some there in his garage) I want to start a new painting What it’s about I don’t care Notes on song: I was banging out a few chords on the piano and thought I’d give a try to trying to describe my process when I begin a painting.

The play began with an upbeat song The audience just sang along The curtain rose to much applause After all it was a worthy cause As intermission came and went We talked about what the author meant It didn’t matter much to me It was hard to hear from the second row of the balcony And everyone cried At the very end when the heroine died It was raining outside I couldn’t find my car Though I swear I parked it right in front Of the American Bar And everyone cried At the very end when the heroine died It was raining outside I couldn’t find my car Though I swear I parked it right in front Of the American Bar The American Bar The play began with an upbeat song The audience just sang along I don’t wanna lose you I don’t wanna lose you Way up here in the balcony Nothing matters much to me At the end of my green couch Notes on song: I found the opening melody of this song on an old cassette tape. I liked the opening two lines, but that’s all it had. I hammered away at it and piece by piece it started to come. For awhile it was called the Mercury Bar, but when I sang it, it needed an extra syllable. As I was laying down the lead vocal I came up with American Bar and the song was complete. Or, so I thought. I was putting on a final acoustic guitar part and didn’t stop where the song is supposed to stop at the end ( “The audience just sang along”) and I liked it. So, I turned it into a little coda which concluded with the final line being, “At the end of my green couch”. That made the song and the concept of the album feel complete.