many people have asked questions about the songs and lyrics of the new cd. There was no lyric-sheet with the album but if you want one just send an email and we will mail you all the words.
Here is some background info the songs:
My 911 is a song about my 1966 Porsche 911S that I bought years ago as a wreck and lovingly restored over a number of years. it is one of the first 911S build and yes, it is the car that is pictured on the cover.
Going go San Antone is a song I saw Doug Sahm play at the Lone Star Cafe early 1979 with Dr John guesting on piano.
Jump Sturdy is on the first Dr John album Gris Gris and me and my friends just loved the album. The doctor visited Holland soon after the album came out, playing VPRO's Picnic and causing a riot when one the background singers came on stage topless. Incidentally, the piano-player on our version of the song is Jacob Klaase who played with the doctor frequently as a menber of the Paradiso Houseband in the late 60s/early 70s.
The postman doesn't always ring twice is a tribute to The Byrds of the Sweetheart-era. Steelplayer Hans de Jong adds a very nice touch to this song. I looked up to the sky while singing this song and I swear I saw Gram giving a thumbs up.
Promise land is a John Coinman tune. John played me the song and I said to him I thought it would be great doing it Byrds-style with 12 strings and harmonies. I got my rick out, we went through the song and were both surprised how well the song lend itself to the jingle-jangle treatment. The version here features no less than 6 tracks of Rickenbcker 12 string plus Gretsch and Wurlitzer piano to get the sound I loved back in the 60s.
Two-tone blue is a song that got it's title from me being a classic-car lover. They used to spray cars two-tone green or two-twone blue or whatever color you wanted. And when a classic-car lover is left by his girl he is not feeling blue, he is feeling tw-tone blue.
8:05 is a song by Moby Grape. I know the Grape loved the Byrds and this song is dedicated to the Grape, giving it the full Rick-treatment.
Mr Spaceman is a song we have been doing live for years, playing it more country than the original tune and with an acoustic guitar instead of rickenbackers.
Pray for rain deals with the first generation foreign labourers that came to western europe in the 70s and 80s. It is a universal theme: they contributed so much to our economy (where would the USA have been without the mexicans?), were always looked down upon and are now taking the blame because their offspring is often adjusting poorly. The rain in the song is a metaphor for mutual understanding and respect.
Going cowboy is a song that wrote itself while being on the Bahama-island of Eleuthera. Searching the net to find out if there were any nude-beaches there I discovered the Bahama-people call relaxing nude "going cowboy". The song lists all items a cowboy can do without when on the great pink-sandy beaches of Eleuthera. Lenny Kravitz owns a house there and that inspired the arrangement.
Isolation is a song I wrote after I found out my former neighbour who used to be a football coach for young players was unmasked as a child molester and even murderer. He committed his crimes while living next to us. He was headmaster of a primary school, a very popular coach and noone ever suspected anything until he was arrested in 2005 after sending dubious emails to some young players of Utrecht-club Elinkwijk. After he was released three days later to await his trial he committed suicide to much surprise. A cold case team discovered weeks later through DNA-tests he was the murderer of 11-year old Arthur Ghurahoo. He must have known his secret would be revealed. I used to wonder why Joop always drove in old cars where he could afford a new car and why he changed cars so often.....
Shopping mall was inspired by walking around Aventura Mall in North Miami. I was surprised to see seniors sort of spend the day there and felt like they perceived the foodcourt as there social hotspot.
My 911 car version features the sounds of my 911 much the way the Beach Boys song 409 did feature the sound of Gary Usher's 409 speeding past the Wilson house in Hawthorne. Brian, this one is for you!