Heart Banter/Music Covers & Acoustic Guitar

Is Marc Cohn a one-hit wonder? The answer, in a word, is “yes.” That being said, Walking in Memphis is a noteworthy accomplishment for a man who has spent most of his career steadfastly under the radar. To his credit, Marc won a Golden Globe Award in 1991 for Best New Artist. Now, well into his fifties, Cohn is still touring with an ambitious schedule ahead in 2023. Working on this song made me wo...

My cover of Jackson Browne's song which is about his search for love and the wisdom of an older woman.

In her brief lifetime cut short by Leukemia, Kate Wolf managed to become a major influence on the folk scene with songs like “ Give Yourself to Love ,” “ Across the Great Divide ,” “ Green Eyes ,” “ September Song ,” and many more. Here's my cover of "Green Eyes."

Here’s another Gordon Lightfoot tune that may not be as recognizable as many of his other songs that I’ve covered here. Somehow, “I’ll be Alright” crept into my consciousness, and I’m happy to offer my cover of the song in this post. To me, the song is as lovely and memorable as many of Lightfoot’s hits, including:  “If You Could Read My Mind,”   “Early Morning Rain,”  and  “Song For A Winter’s Ni...

"Girl From The North Country" is another one of those songs that popped into my head from out of nowhere. I can't decide if it's a message from the Beyond or just a little piece of my subconscious rising like a sunspot from the deep layers of my skin with aging. Whatever the case, "Girl From The North Country" is one of Dylan's earliest recorded songs, written in 1962 and released in 1962. Listeni...

Born to Jewish Hungarian parents in Brooklyn in 1941, Paul Simon grew up to be one of the foremost musicians of our time. He is best known for his albums with childhood friend Art Garfunkle, but I believe Simon’s solo work is where he really shines. “American Tune” is a fine example. With its melody, guitar picking, lyrics, and overall artistry, the song comes together as a masterpiece. “American...

I’m watching an interesting film titled “If You Could Read My Mind.” The Canadian documentary is about the life and career of Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot arrived in downtown Toronto as a young man after growing up in Oridella, a small rural Canadian town. Since there were no clubs to play in at the time, Gordon landed a job in a bank to earn a living. Lightfoot was about to earn a promotion when h...

Nanci Griffith introduced her third album with its title song, " Once in a Very Blue Moon, " on the Austin City Limits TV show in 1984. She sang to a live audience with her typical, bold, and beautiful voice, which continues to endear this singer/songwriter to millions of people around the world after her passing. This poignant song could easily sound sad, but not the way Nanci performs it. With h...

The Incredible String Band burst onto the folk music scene in 1966 with the release of their first album, aptly named “The Incredible String Band.” As an avid lover and consumer of folk, I had never heard anything like their songs. The band started out as a trio composed of Clive Palmer, Robin Williamson, and Mike Heron. Williamson and Heron composed most of ISB’s music. Palmer eventually dropped...

“Against the Wind” is regarded as one of Bob Seeger’s best songs. The lyrics are replete with the songwriter’s reflections on his youth, past relationships, and music career. The metaphor of running against the wind came from Seeger’s high school days, where he ran on the track team. Seeger created his eleventh album, “Against the Wind,” intending to record hit songs. In other words, the artist wa...

John Fogerty wrote this song, in part, for his son, Josh. Josh was three years old at the time, and John could barely wait for his son to hear him sing the song on the radio, especially the part that goes: "Doot doot doo lookin' out my back door." The song's chorus references a passing parade. Fogerty says the lyric is inspired by a Dr. Seuss book he read as a child, "To Think I Saw It On Mulberry...

Cat Stevens ( Yusuf Islam) has never publicly said what this song is about, so we are left to offer our own interpretations. When I read the lyrics, I get a picture of a farmer of indiscriminate age waking up at the crack of dawn and looking out through a window at his fields. At the very instant when the sun rises, there is barely sound. Our farmer reflects back on his youth and how it felt every...

Most of the lyrics in "Danny's Song" were inspired by a letter Kenny Loggins' brother, Dan, wrote to him in 1968 after Dan's son, Colin, was born. In the letter, Dan said he planned to marry the boy's mom, Sheila, and they planned to move to Berkley, California, even though they had no money. Kenny Loggins wrote the song in 1970 and released it as a single. It went nowhere. Later that year, Kenny...

Back in the days when recording artists released singles, "We Can Work It Out" made its debut in 1965. The Beatle's manager, Brian Epstein, felt that the other song on the record, "Day Tripper," was more commercial and so, should be the lead song. Typically, the lead song of a single is recorded on the top side (A side) and the other song (B side) goes beneath it. Since both songs became hits, the...

Cat Stevens’ song “The Boy With A Moon And Star On His Head” is a poetic and mystical tale that expresses themes of love, destiny, and the unknown and unexpected.  The song’s lyrics are replete with metaphors and symbolism, for example, the “holy magnolia” and “naked earth,” which elicit a sense of purity and connection to the universe. Cat Stevens, known for his introspective and spiritual songwr...

Presenting an engaging science fiction adventure for teens and adults. After unceremoniously losing his job, Special Investigator Derrick Faulk is summoned by his close friend, Adrien Mattias, a developer of best-in-class nearly human Androids, for a mission that holds the future of their world in the balance. “Time is of the Essence,” as Adrien likes to say, and the clock is ticking. Romantic spa...

“The time that’s left is yours to keep” is a phrase at the end of the chorus of Kate Wolf's song “See Here She Said.” The phrase impacts me powerfully because it is sweet advice to use our time wisely. This is especially true for children, but it is also important for people of all ages to keep in mind. In a truncated life of only forty-four years, Kate Wolf embodied the words of this song. She us...

I had never heard of Carrie Newcomer before a friend played one of her songs in an online gazing/meditation class. "The Gathering of Spirits" bounced around in my head until I finally had to learn it. I bought Newcomer's album of the same name, and I have to say the other songs on it are, for me, an acquired taste. However, I'm glad I was introduced to Carrie's music and this song in particular. S...

"Hard Headed Woman" celebrates an empowering and life-affirming love. The artist envisions an enriching and fulfilling relationship in which each partner contributes to the other's growth and happiness. The song reminds us of the importance of finding someone who complements and strengthens us rather than a companion who fits a pre-determined, superficial mold.

This John Prine song has been lauded as, "One of the best breakup songs ever written." Here's my cover of Prine's "All The Best."

"Day Is Done" is a simple song about a clandestine relationship. Since very little has been written about the song, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact subject matter. It could be about two married adults having an illicit affair. The lyrics and tone, however, indicate a relationship between two adolescents forbidden by parents or society. The drawings on the album cover of "Lost Dogs and Mixed...

John Prine began his professional career as a mailman in Illinois. He went on to become one of America's most beloved singers and songwriters. If you are a fan of Folk and Country Music, then you know John Prine. His music was a blend of humorous lyrics about love, life, current events, and songs recounting melancholy tales from his life. Prine was active as a composer, recording artist, live perf...

Bob Dylan wrote and recorded the original version of "Mr. Tambourine Man," but The Byrds' electrified folk-rock version shot it to #1 on both the US and UK charts. The song hadn't been released when The Byrds learned it from a demo Dylan gave to their manager, Jim Dickson. Dylan released Tambourine Man in March 1965 on his  Bringing It All Back Home  album. What is "Mr. Tambourine Man" about? On t...

“Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.” These lyrics and the refrain popped into my head a few mornings ago. This sort of thing has been happening to me frequently these days: Long-forgotten songs resurfacing. It may be a function of the aging process, or it might be the universe talking to me. I kind of hope it’s the latter. In the 1970s, a group called the Bryds covered a...

Cat Stevens wrote and recorded quite a few hits at the Zenith of his career in the 1960s and 1970s. Stevens is an exceptionally talented artist. His songs began to climb the charts in his native England when he was only eighteen. There is a recurring theme in Stevens' work about leaving home to go out into the world. In Stevens' words: "[Wild World has] to do with leaving, the sadness of leaving,...