John Dyhouse

The third of the current recordind session. A little unappy with this one but including it here as an impression of what it sounded like when written back in the sixties. I may decide to add some "sparkle" to the vocal, but for now it is what it is. "Not everyone is a winner everytime" and this is a little like a personal history for me.

The second of the sixties, acoustic tracks recorded yesterday, This one is a very simple song; about someone who has tried the "big city" but has decided to return home where he can live his lif as himself.

I have just completed recording a session of three more of my older songs. This time completely acoustic recording, no amp or pedals. A hint of reverb added post recording and mastered with the Sound Cloud app. This song written in the sixties, one of my early favourites, has some unexpected chord sequences which I really liked. e.g. the last line of each verse has chords F Bb G G7 C. the Bb used...

Another from my back catalogue, this one written in 1977. No idea what prompted this one or where the title may have come from. Sometimes a song would suface from a headline in a newspaper, etc.

Hey man, I feel the blues a-comin' on. Back to my back catalogue, this one written in 1975. I cannot remember what specifically moved me to write this but one of my favourite albums at the time was a Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee compilation. Hope it grabs ya!

The second of two songs chosen to be performed at my local uke club as a tribute to Richard Tandy of ELO (keyboard), who passed away recently. I very nearly did not post this track; for two reasons. It is not a style I sing well and secondly I could not properly get my tongue around that phrase, "wamalama bamalama". I could hardly stop myself from laughing as I mangled the syllables. This was the...

I recorded recorded this song as a small tribute to Richard Tandy who passed away recently, Richard played keyboards for ELO. This of course was one of their many successes.

Acoustic ukulel backed version of this early song, #1 in my back catalogue. Written in early sixties. But this is not the first song I wrote, just the first one I entered into the first of my lyric notebooks. Very simple chord progression, I must have just learned about adding a flattened seventh to move from I to a IV chord. (cf the first two lines of the verse). Just a couple more to come from t...

One of the very earliest of my original songs, presented here as a simple (and quick) ukulele demo. I think I was probably thinking of Bob Dylan when I wrote this, at least that's my excuse. For info, this was numbered #7 in my catalogue now numbering above 250.

Another in the series of early, original songs from my back catalogue. This is a "pop-py" song with a jazzy vibe; being written in the early sixties, unfortunately I have no dates in my note books for this period. Trying to feature a little lead playing on this short song.

Written in the late sixties (#71 in my catalogue). Many of these early songs were simply me trying to find a style in my early days of songwriting. A simple arrangement as a demo, for now.... Lots of delay on this guitar

Another of my songs from my early lyric notebooks, again this was written in the early sixties (1960s). It is as the title suggests a ukulele demo; as there are a number of issues I have with remembering the song fully, I was happy enough to use the uke on this track.

Another early original song from from the sixties. Originally played finger style and in the folk idiom. Maybe the tempo was a little slower. I am however trying to recreate the song as written even though with a different style of backing

Another early original song from from the sixties. Originally played on an acoustic guitar and in the folk idiom. Maybe the tempo was a little slower. I am however trying to recreate the song as written even though with a different style of backing

This is a "special" song for me as it was probably the first song I ever wrote after I had my first guitar. from memory it was written around 1959/1960 and shows it's age in the lyrics. Almost embarrassing now because of the lyircs and especially the rhymes, which I would never dare to use these days; but I was only 13/14 at the time. The song structure is also very much of it's time, with a very...

Aother of my older songs from the late seventies. A happier, more upbeat song than most of my output

Written 1978, another of my older songs I am trying to get off the pages of my notebooks. Here, especially in the bridge I am having trouble with the melody/chords but after a little more work on it, I expect to rewrite and re-record and then re-load the corrected track. I am choosing this way as there are many songs I hope to post here with more detail (melody/chords) than simply the lyrics from...

Another, blast from the past, written in 1979 (yep) trying to use a novel theme. I had remembered the melody to this one but still needed to put chords (harmony) to it. Recorded on an acoustic uke, as a demo for later cataloguing

This is the first of two more songs I wrote within a month of each other in 1979. Neither song became a song I sung often and would have sunk into obscurity except for the entry into my catalogues of lyrics. These songs were completed (but both quite short) but because of being seldom performed the melodies were mostly forgotten and I never even recorded the guitar chords to help me resuciate them...

This is the first of two more songs I wrote within a month of each other in 1979. Neither song became a song I sung often and would have sunk into obscurity except for the entry into my catalogues of lyrics. These songs were completed (but both quite short) but because of being seldom performed the melodies were mostly forgotten and I never even recorded the guitar chords to help me resuciate them...

A song I love by Ruth Nina Welsh from her album, "Somehow". (find Ruth on Facebook and Spotify and here on Soundcloud) A simple melody and wonderful lyrics. If you like this kind of music, I do recommend that you check her albums on Spotify. It is accompanied here on a ukulele played thru an amp and a pedal chain consisting of compressor/sustain, delay and chorus pedals. I learning to be a little...

In a few words... "having a little fun". In 1979, yes another old one, I was taxi-ing my son and two of his friends to their their first communion lessons, at the local church. On the way home, they were talking excitedly about the previous evenings TV. Specifically about a cartoon show with a wicked wizard. At home later. I began playing around on my guitar, very simple chord sequences and the wo...

A song which came out of the blue (in 1979). I have been recording some old (but loved) songs from my original lyric notebooks. Some need new tunes, but this one I must have sung quite often to have remembered the original music and guitar chords. Maybe I had been considering my options?

This arrangement of a well-loved christmas carol was inspired by a visit to the RSC to see a performance of The Box Of Delights. A simple carol, created with multi-layered instruments to create a real christmas treat. I am posting this video with the permission of the musician, a friend who does not have a SC account.

Another old (1977) song I am catching up with. A simple acoustic ukulele backing