Dan Berggren, The Songwriter Laureate of the Adirondacks

 

Dan Berggren is "The Songwriter Laureate of the Adirondacks.”  He writes timeless folk and Americana songs rooted in community, family, environmental stewardship, working lives, and the stories that bind generations together.

Based in a rural community near Albany, NY, his music is authentic Americana and folk storytelling rooted in community, family, working-class wisdom, history, nature, and social consciousness. Dan Berggren's rich baritone, acoustic-driven arrangements, and timeless narratives offer emotionally grounded songs for documentaries, public television, independent film, family dramas, historical storytelling, and socially relevant projects.

As a legacy song, "Big Beams" honors the strength and wisdom passed from one generation to the next. Through vivid imagery of barns, timber, and the natural cycle of life, the song explores how children eventually carry forward the work of their parents. The imagery of parents building barns, losing strength, and the next generation carrying the beam is cinematic before you even hear the song.   Big Beams | Dan Berggren








Never Take Love For Granted celebrates the Christmas season with a timeless message about on connection rather than consumption. The core lyric: "You'll never take love for granted if you always give love in return."  




Road to Bethlehem is a thoughtful retelling of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem that brings humanity and everyday reality to a familiar story.  




Free to Read champions intellectual freedom and the power of literature. It’s a list of books that have faced challenges or bans with a marching tempo.  Free to Read | Dan Berggren






"Immigrant Blues" This song is about folks that have traveled through challenges to get to America to seek opportunity. "There's been struggle for many a year, and the sweating of blood, sweat, and tears." This includes our ancestors.  Immigrant Blues | Dan Berggren  








 Power from Above blends folk traditions with gospel-inspired spirit, "Power from Above" celebrates renewable energy and environmental responsibility through the language of faith, hope, and stewardship. This song is rich in the craft of songwriting and performance--traditional in feel but contemporary in message, the song offers a unique perspective on caring for the Earth while embracing innovation. “There’s salvation in the power from above.”  People fighting for some forms of power. In the song, Dan, also, refers to “power from below.” 




Don't Spin Here Anymore   A nostalgic folk journey through the evolution of recorded music, from 78s and vinyl to digital formats, ultimately affirming that music lives beyond the medium. “We can lift our voices in Song.” Featuring banjo, deep male vocals, and a warmly reflective spirit, the song evokes changing times while celebrating music's enduring power to connect people. "Don't Spin Here Anymore" is a natural fit for documentaries about music history, radio, cultural change, record collecting, community traditions, and stories about preserving what matters.  Don't Spin Here Anymore | Dan Berggren

Holiday Music in July

  Alone at Xmas – Heartracer

Slow‑tempo but rhythmically busy synth‑pop with tenor vocals. A bittersweet holiday track blending loneliness, longing, and magical electro‑pop shimmer. Themes of a naïve boy, a poor person, and mutual need (“You need me but I need you more”) 

 C’mon C’mon Rudolf – Tom Ciurczak

Rock‑driven Christmas track with male vocals. A humorous intervention with Rudolf, who’s been spending too much time at the watering hole. Encouraging him to step aside for a younger buck — then a shift toward empowerment (“Rudolf dig down deep inside… turn on that red light”).

Reiner the Rhinestone Reindeer -- Phoebe Legere

bling bling bling, Reiner was bullied. He loved to dress up. And one year Santa had him and his bling lead the reindeer! EDM. Female vocal.

 My Mother’s Menorah – Judy Kaye

Theatrical piano and soprano vocal in a minor key. A deeply emotional piece about lighting the menorah with her children and retelling the story of her mother bringing her menorah to the new world at age 12 — the only thing she carried with her. Strong generational resonance, emotional Hanukkah storytelling, mother‑child moments. 

 Season of Light – John Roy Zat

Country‑folk with guitar picking. A joyful reflection on the year, celebrating togetherness, giving, remembering those in need, and holiday traditions (candy, presents, gatherings, tree decoration). Warm Americana holiday energy. 

 Today and All the New Year – Dan Berggren

Today and All the New Year | Dan Berggren

Acoustic folk with tambourine, inspired by “Greensleeves.” Updated lyrics for the New Year focusing on harmony, diversity, and good deeds. A tenor vocal with supporting harmonies. hopeful, reflective, traditional, warm.

One more from Dan. "Never Take Love for Granted" is about realizing the real meaning of Christmas despite all the commercialism that makes a bigger splash. 

Ave Maria — Aeone / Stephen Melillo  (We have this available, also, as an instrumental)

A timeless sacred piece — depending on the version you’re including, it typically carries classical vocals, orchestral or piano accompaniment, and deep emotional resonance. Ideal for solemn, spiritual, or transcendent holiday scenes. 

A soft, ethereal alto vocal reminiscent of Clannad or Eva Cassidy, supported by classical orchestra. New‑age serenity meets sacred tradition. 

  

 

Christmas in July

Santa's Got a Brand New Bag Tom Ciurczak  male vocals, similar timbre as Bruce Springsteen, rock band with horns. This song is about Santa getting a new bag. The first few notes sound like James Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," but the song swings into theatrical rock. It mentions the children all over the world, way up in the sky.'' 

Christmastime in Hollywood Tom Ciurczak  upbeat rock with sleighbells, male vocals, looking for the soul of Christmas, thinking of "It's a Wonderful Life." trying to imagine life with snow in Hollywood, "None of this is real in tinsel town." "I just want my Christmas to be with you" jingle bells interludes. 

A Million Matzoh Balls Dean Friedman acoustic guitar with male singer and children, humorous folk-show tune, tall story about his mama making a million matzoh balls, and everywhere they were at his home! "There were so many matzoh balls I didn't know what to do!"

A Million Matzoh Balls | Dean Friedman

 Ave Maria (Instrumental)  Stephen Melillo instrumental, slow, strings of classical piece, “Ave Maria.” 

Glogg Emily Hurd  Clever lyrics like “Let’s go shovel the sidewalk in a relative sense.” There is an underpinning lyric “Because there’s wine” throughout the song. bells and electric guitar.    

 I Ruined Christmas  Refestramus  Contemporary art-rock band, female fronted-vocals like Miley Cyrus, bells, "I ruined Christmas this year...It's like I told you before, it won't happen again, my dear."  This is a list of things she's done to reindeer, family members, and the eggnog! 

Never Take Love For Granted Dan Berggren Shopping in the malls for Christmas. “You’ll never take love for granted if you always give love in return.”  Male bass/baritone and acoustic guitar.  Folk styled. 

 

2025 Summer Missive of New Music from Anne Leighton's Superhero Songwriters

The Most Beautiful Thing in the World (Praxilla) Keira Naughton (on Robin Batteau's "Banned In Sparta," a collaborative album with classic Greek poets, one Roman one, and contemporary Folk Singer-songwriters)  acoustic guitar, gentle female vocals, nature and eloquent lyrics, remembrance of "the most beautiful thing in the world.    Only the thing you leave behind"  "I was your harvest, you were mine." "You were my adonis-you astonish-- me."  Note: This tracks will be embedded mid July after this album's release.

Sleep Alone  Izzy Meth  I believe this could be a great "Song of the Winter." Acoustic, light instruments, gentle tenor with reverb, descriptive lyrical setting in winter and contrast one how he's a young man in love with trouble sleeping 'cause his yearning and morning are still here. "I don't want to sleep alone anymore." 

Top of the Rainbow Tom Ciurczak  horns, vocal, tenor-clear distinctive male vocals, like "Toby Beau," a break up song, "I was on top of the rainbow with you, I don't understand when you said you were leaving," self doubt  yacht rock/nu-coast.  

2 Pianos Phoebe Legere piano, female singing voice, coaxing piano w/ ice melting, French and English, slow ballad, oceans, memory flashback piano on the tongue of the world to give it a voice. This song is finding its way in soundtracks for Phoebe's collaborations like her new multi-award winning short "The Gender Symphony."    

 

Immigrant Blues  Dan Berggren  folk, banjo, male baritone, simple story song of how immigrants have struggled here and in coming to our country, and those before us are immigrants.  Here's a live performance of Dan's song. Dan was awarded a Lifetime Achievement honor from the Albany NY-region's Eddie Music Awards.

Get My Thing Going  Art Edwards  famous for The Refreshments. This is from a 2024 album, "The Brightness of an Ordinary Star." forward motion,grunge vocals & band with British invasion rhythm, male vocals  "When I finally get my thing going, you're see the best in me." alludes to other worldly torments like the world ending. The Brightness of an Ordinary Star | Art Edwards

Count My Blessings   Elliott Murphy  acoustic guitar, harmonica, narrative voice kindred to Tom Waits.  a bluesy "comfort solution" for a guy that needs reality check for a breakup or his own life, using cowboy imagery and urban issues, "this town's a widow maker" "get out of dodge"

I Am Like a Mountain  Micaela Kingslight   Soft and meditational-inspired rock-pop, vocal percussion and finger-snaps, celestial, female vocals (harmonies)  "I am like a mountain breathing in, breathing in.... I know."  "water, ocean, strong."   

Just Enough   Rachael Sage  mid-tempo Hammond B3 and soulful instruments, gentle female vocal, fresh song about feeling love, every time you touch me, I feel love.  "It feels my cup, just enough shalalala"   

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Music, 2024

 

The Light  Elliott Murphy acoustic, Christmas sounds melding with chime-y guitars, male vocalist kindred to Tom Waits, "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel" living in hope, "break from the news" "this world is so transitional," "metaphysical." "cross over that mystical boundary." 

 

I Ruined Christmas  Refestramus  Contemporary art-rock band, female fronted-vocals like Miley Cyrus, bells, "I ruined Christmas this year...It's like I told you before, it won't happen again, my dear."  This is a list of things she's done to reindeer, family members, and the eggnog!  

Today and All The New Year Dan Berggren “Greensleeves,” acoustic guitar and tambourine, sung by a tenor and backup voices with updated lyrics for the New Year, “may we all of humanity live in harmony and find strength in diversity….”, aiming for good deeds Today and All the New Year | Dan Berggren

Joy to The World Rachael Sage  gentle soprano like a young Olivia Newton John’s delivery, music like Regina Spektor’s “Joy to the world” with pulse, cello is rhythm instrument and strings, guitar, light accordion “Joy!Joy!”    

Joy to the World I Guess  Rebecca Loebe and Findlay Napier  This song is about people’s arguments through during the holiday season, and the resolutions we make to fight less, “Joy to the world I guess….  There are friends we no longer will see in the holidays, because they’re shadows in the moonlight on the lawn.”   

loebenapier.bandcamp.com/track/joy-to-the-world-i-guess-2

Happy Merry Everything John Roy Zat  talking country folk w/ bells and guitar, conversational male vocals, "we're all a little different,we're all a lot alike" benediction for Happy Merry Everything, "I wish the best for you." joyful attitude w/ Christmas bells!  soundcloud.com/roy-zat/happy-merry-everything

Why Can’t Everyday Be Like Christmas? - Tang  female vocals.  Pop: Denny Colt sings in a sweet, girl-next door voice and range similar to Cassadee Pope’s or Emma Roberts.  (We have punk hard rock and pop versios of the song, too!)https://soundcloud.com/bad-pacrecords/why-cant-everyday-be-like-christmas_ballad?si=250657e72707477eaa94e926ed06ba38&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing  

Christmas in My Pocket  Lillias White, vocals theatrical pop, declarative female vocals (proclaiming and belting) that all the gems of Christmas in her pocket. "Fill your pockets"  "dig in dig in, what do you see? Santa wants what's in her pocket! "A Christmas wish for all mankind!"  

One Wish Michael Veitch w/ Kirsti Gholson male & female duet, midtempo, light pop, one wish for Christmas day is peace. 

 

Juneteenth Playlist

Inspired by Bandcamp, who are giving 100% of its sales’ revenue to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on Monday, June 19, here’s my first Juneteenth playlist.  These songs are on Bandcamp, and links are provided.   

Choose Your Weapon Kj Denhert  reggae, female voice, about war and how to prevent it, "If you don't choose a weapon, war will choose a weapon for your child." kjdenhert.bandcamp.com/track/choose-your-weapon

Help Kj Denhert  voice and guitar thoughtful ballad, bringing new life to the lyrics. Sony Music is contact for Beatles.  KJ owns her master, and has permission to record song.  motemamusic.bandcamp.com/track/help

Be A Pain  Alastair Moock  country, upbeat, tempo kindred to "Thank God, I"m a Country Boy" standing up to what's wrong, Rosa Parks, Harvey Milk, be a pain shout about it and complain, equal pay--Billy Jean King, Parkland, “Don't be polite, raise your alastair mock: be a pain: Be A Pain by Alastair Moock  country, upbeat, tempo kindred to "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy" standing up to what's wrong, Rosa Parks, Harvey Milk, be a pain shout about it and complain, equal pay--Billy Jean King, Parkland, “If you see something that’s wrong, raise your hand and say that’s wrong Point it out and name that thing by its name”   alastairmoock.bandcamp.com/track/be-a-pain

Slim in Atlanta Cornelius Eady/Rough Magic   male vocal- slang "accent" piano, early jazz, N word The poem “Slim in Atlanta” by Sterling Allen Brown is a satire that humorously looks at race relations. In the poem, the protagonist discovers that blacks are forbidden to laugh in public and are lining up to laugh in the security of a telephone booth. The poem is a commentary on the absurdity of segregation laws and how they were used to control black people’s behavior. roughmagic.bandcamp.com/track/slim-in-atlanta 

Sterling Allen Brown, Poet

If We Must Die Robin Lane  female vocals, acoustic guitar, blues, If we must die, let us noble-y die is the from the most acclaimed poem by Harlem Renaissance writer, Claude McKay  (1922).    The poem was created in response to mob attacks by white Americans upon African-American communities.  therobinlane.bandcamp.com/track/if-we-must-die

Claude McKay, Poet

Peace Begins in My Own Heart  Dan Berggren folk music male baritone, guitar, "I'm a poor wayfaring stranger traveling through this world of greed." "help my neighbor, do my part... peace begins in my own heart" danberggren.bandcamp.com/track/peace-begins-in-my-own-heart-2
 

Used to be White Ceili Rain   male vocals, rock, celtic instruments, "Strawberry Fields"-like, "It wasn't just my skin, it was the shape my mind was in--I used to be white." Writer Bob Halligan, Jr. was thinking of the American evolution regarding racial justice, and celebrating his own transformation, in a fairly sober way.  ceilirain.bandcamp.com/track/used-to-be-white

Peace on Earth  Steve Bonino  male vocals, slow, dreamlike, produced pop like Paul McCartney Beatles, Shins dream pop , wish for peace on earth.  it lists the bad times in the first verse and by the end of the second verse, it asks us all to dream.  stevebonino.bandcamp.com/track/peace-on-earth

Cognitive Dissonance   Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius  (two versions, studio and live)  male tenor vocals hard rock electric-violin & guitars People believing rumors, and losing friends due to politics and religions. “Hatred is taught.” 

Studio link: stratospheerius.bandcamp.com/track/cognitive-dissonance 

Live link: Cognitive Dissonance (Live at ProgStock) | Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius (bandcamp.com)

 

Fall 2022 Playlist for Covers, Syncs, Radio

I chose Look Around by the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, because it feels like the good people that gave up on public service years ago are looking around, and getting together to work on solutions that will make a difference. This folk rock band is fronted by Joziah Longo.  The band has an incredible time at Cropredy this past Summer, and came out as the Festival Favorite. 

Dan Berggren, who was my radio teacher at SUNY Fredonia, is celebrating 55 years on the radio. This veteran songwriter's "Free to Read" is midtempo folk with a marching beat, acoustic guitar, bass male vocals, "We need to be free to read." He sings a list of books that have been banned: To Kill a Mockingbird, Beloved, American Psycho, Harry Potter, Diary of Anne Frank..... 

danberggren.bandcamp.com/track/free-to-read

I Cry For You by Tony Moore is about Tony's emotional struggle as his mom went through dementia, Sounding a little like Yes' Jon Anderson, the symphonic pop-rock song shares his memories of her both during and before the diagnosis.  The former Cutting Crew keyboardist recently co-wrote "Love Never Dies" with Julian Lennon on Julian's new album, JUDE. Tony is currently working on his critically acclaimed one man show and album called AWAKE.  

Extremist by Kathy Zimmer is an upbeat & layered indie pop, female vocal about finding balance within the love and hate of a close, person relationship. Her rich alto sings, "You make me happy and depressed"  kathyzimmer.bandcamp.com/track/extremist

Robin Lane's new album, "Dirt Road to Heaven" has Americana and Folk stylings.  She's been performing this music sincethe 1990s. "Woman Like That" combines Native American roots and British and New England folk stylings, and is about being stalked. Woman Like That | Robin Lane (bandcamp.com)

 

You Hold My Soul, by Nicole Bacher, explores themes of gratitude and dedication towards her partner for their journey together ... He helped her fight depression. "You made me whole let me be bold you hold my soul." One of my Toastmasters' buddies is a corporate headhunter and wrote, "Great energy and you can tell they are working together so well as a team" and "The song is great." 

“Take Your Medicine" by electric violinist/vocalist/prog rocker Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius deals with hypocrisy. The song confronts a liar and watches him run away "You can never win, take your medicine" A live version of this song is available for radio programmers as it appears on the group's upcoming double CD/DVD/Blu Ray "Behind the Curtain: Live At ProgStock."  

 

 

Fall 2022 Dedicated to Greta Thunberg & Pete Seeger Songs of Leadership

Free To Read Dan Berggren 

Dan Berggren’s “Free to Read” is a midtempo acoustic folk song with a marching beat.  It celebrates the freedom to read and the value of open access to information. In his comforting bass voice, Dan sings the titles of banned books. The chorus: “The books you choose are someone else’s walking shoes. We need to be free to read."    

Launched in 1982, banned books week is honoring its 40th Anniversary this Sept. 18-24 with the theme “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” Visit bannedbooksweek.org

danberggren.bandcamp.com/track/free-to-read

Dean Friedman’s upbeat “Ridin’ With Biden” uses traffic and car honks as part of the instrumental part adorning his cool jazz delivery of President Biden’s history, and why Dean-himself-- loves to be Ridin' with Biden" rhymes like "sleepy joe,” and “more decency in his toe than you know--Honk!!!”  Dean’s playing his first New York City show in FIVE years on October 8 at Chelsea Stage + Table.     

What’s a Place Like This Doing in a Girl Like Me?  *Val Kinzler’s “What’s a Place Like This  Doing in a Girl Like Me,” a finalist in the Open Space songwriting contest, is a “Rocky Horror”-esque women-in-the-workplace survival anthem.   

Save the Monarch John Hall & Dar Williams   Male & female duet on this hymn-like singer-songwriter song guitar/bass/drums, environment, Monarch, emperor, queen, king--animals with royal names that are endangered species."Save them from us"

What the Fuck is Going On  Elliott Murphy   Note: Live Recording Rock Troubadour Energetic and Angry hook, Pounding electric guitar, hand claps in time to the music, tempo like "one bourbon, one scotch, one beer": “What the fuck is going on.” song is about the economy. good for the greed factor. dream of a better world  There's one big ponzi scheme all over the world. They (politicians) must think we're stupid; well maybe we are" "Mother Earth" Vocals: Tom Waits Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen  But Jesus Christ, if he was here today, I think he’d be mad as hell.” 

Game of Chicken   Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius  Electric violin-driven hard rock. Dream Theater meets Rush meets Styx. "we're heating up as we run out of time."  People are deliberately daring one another to play with risk.  We're busy bickering while the planet is losing it.  

April Fools Michael Veitch  singer songwriter, male tenor, upbeat folk-rock with electric guitar, with pretty eagles-y harmonies  being fooled by leadership in a most rainy month “behind the curtain lies another strong man.  Pick a corrupt event when you have crazy leaders.  *Michael Veitch’s “April Fools” shows the foolishness a political troublemakers. 

Michael and his fellow songwriters from PBS’s “We Remember: Songs of Survivors” will share stories about writing songs with Holocaust survivors at New York City’s Cutting Room on September 18 and Saratoga’s Caffe Lena on the 22. 

The “Thank you, Greta Thunberg & Pete Seeger” Playlist

Songs about the Environment, Pandemic, Leadership, Relationships

   Dan Berggren & Dean Friedman have songs about dialogues with their daughters. Dean about war, and Dan focuses on the health of our planet.

   One Day (A Child’s Prayer) Hannah & Dean Friedman  Originally written for the 1991 Gulf War, the song is relevant now in the midst of one more, senseless, horrific war. Gentle strings and bells adorn a daughter and father duet.  She’s seeing children killed from missiles, The father sings that “One day there'll be no trace of war, disease, pollution.  If only presidents could see through children’s eyes, if only general could hear the babies’ cries.” Lots of comparisons and contrasts like kids fighting over toys with men fighting over land.   For charity info, please visit  deanfriedman.bandcamp.com/track/one-day-a-childs-prayer

    Looking for Answers Dan Berggren  Acoustic folk song with a hopeful, yet trepidatious.feeling about a daughter asking father what the environment will look like when she grows up. Long term / Short term materialism, greed, easy answers, ask questions, learn what's ahead.  The song is loaded with great advice on long-term thinking. 

Two songs about delusional leaders: one from folk singer-songwriter Michael Veitch and the other from wild prog rocker Joe Deninzon.

April Fools Michael Veitch  singer songwriter, male tenor, upbeat folk-rock with electric guitar, with pretty eagles-y harmonies  being fooled by leadership in a most rainy month “behind the curtain lies another strong man.  Pick a corrupt event when you have crazy leaders.  

The Prism Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius  (studio and live versions) dynamic and circular electric violin,  male vocals, rock band live recording, song about delusional leaders who lead with stupidity 

 

One more about crazy leaders-- what a woman thinks of crazy guys in the workforce....

        What’s a Place Like This Doing in a Girl Like Me?   Val Kinzler  uptempo & edgy, spoken word female voice like Kathryn Hepburn meets Tim Curry, spooky music. Pinpoints common pain many women go through in different work situations. The song is about a haunted woman inside of a manmade hell. Clever lyrics: graveyard full of rights gone wrong, weak from being strong. dr. jekyll, watch me hide.  dismember me. 

 

My artists offer solutions about improving the environment. Here's a new song from the Slambovian Circus of Dreams and a classic from John Hall.

Beez (I Know Where The Beez Have Gone) Slambovian Circus of Dreams Rock, slow tempo, environment, Americana, vocals like Tom Petty, “Stopped controlling the world,” lyrics offer ideas on how to increase the bees to visit plantlife. “the bees are in my yard, I know where the Beez Have Gone,” “Reteaching me the facts of life” “creatures great and small” chime-y, uses phrase ”yang dang doodle human race” 

   Power John Hall   male tenor, sax, yacht rock sound.  “Give me the warm power of the sun” includes wind and water power in lyrics. "take all your atomic poison power away" "everyone needs some power I'm told to shield them from the darkness and the cold, includes line about corruption” “Some may seek to take control when it’s bought and sold.”  This song was the theme song to the M.U.S.E. Concerts (Musicians United For Safe Energy) and a top 20 hit in 1979.  

A song about the end of the world:  

Armageddon Blues John Roy Zat  male vocals upbeat w/ swing energy & yodels, fiddle, "everybody's singing the armageddon blues.  anybody here know what to do?" keep the music going until... seeing that the world's gonna end, "facebook" and "brew" mentions  

Here are a few different ones that have goal setting thoughts or solutions:

Freedom Loving Heart Phoebe Legere gentle coffeehouse folk song, female voice, gentle guitar, "I got a freedom loving heart, because freedom's got a heart of it own." A gentle encounter with a lying guy, she sings, "I don't know where to start"  

Divided We Fall Bill Leverty  hard rock/classic rock, male vocals, bass, lead guitar,  divided we fall, show me the pain, let me inside. Show me the pain in your heart. And if we find common ground….United We Stand, Divided We Fall.  Song about mending fences in a way that the man wants to see inside his wounded partner’s soul..

   

 

Love & Valentines (plus one fun Birthday song)

I Know So The Kings   Upbeat with influence of 1960s power pop, rock & roll beat with horns and rock and roll guitar, Hammond b3. Male vocals. Tempo like J. Geils "I Do" and Syndicate of Sound “Little Girl” "She wants me, I want you.  I know so!"   

According to the Plan Dan Berggren  mid to up tempo folk music, baritone male, acoustic guitar w/ picking, you can't plan love, for better or for worse.  according to the plan, keep your eyes wide open, lifelong love with ups and downs.  

Beautiful Dream  Jann Klose  Midtempo, orchestral pop, male vocals, violin solo hook: I don't want to wake up this beautiful dream. feeling predestined for true love & how good it feels.  (Contact: Royalty Network) 

Long Lost Ghosts Emily Hurd  Similar to Dolly Parton, literate writer, piano, full band, Traveling song, linen sheets, ghosts, “I have come for you because.”  Her repeating herself about various things in her experiences intensify the stories actions.  For instance—she sings "I gave you a kiss that I hoped would save your life, and it did."  OR “I thought you were all there was… and you were.”  They also move the story along.  

 

FI  The Slambovian Circus of Dreams  male vocal band, horns, Tom Petty meets John Denver meets Oasis! Cosmic love song with tempo like "Sunshine on My Shoulders." If I were any more high.  “FI” is pronounced “If I.” 

 slambovia.bandcamp.com/track/fi

You Are the Best Gunhill Road mid to uptempo, male vocals chamber pop band piano and Nilsson-like tempo of "everybody's talking" a song praising you "you are the best" & "I'm in love" both repeated. 

   Halos Robert Schindler  Instrumental   acoustic piano solo, flowy, midtempo  some gorgeous synths for background,rich, epic.   

Carry Across Jessie Galante  female vocals, Anthemic, upbeat gospel-y, "Honey, you carried a cross... I'll carry you across" soulful song about compassion and strength, any sex can sing 

soundcloud.com/leightonmedia/carry-across  

Just Another Birthday Song Dean Friedman music hall pop, tenor, fun jabs at the birthday boy during isolation, "give thanks that your dad wasn't shooting blanks." "thank your mom for pushing you out."   

 

  

Christmas in July: Holiday Songs for 2021

Auld Lang Syne Tony Moore  Gentle thoughtful, elderly British-sound voice, tenor,"we'll take a cup of kindness"  piano is lead instrument.  It builds into dramatic orchestral key change.  

In the Bleak MidWinter (Instrumental) Hank Wedel & Ray Barron Jr instrumental midtempo, of the classic hymn with piano, Irish bazouki, soothing concertina, guitar. 

 Away In a Manger Cindy Hulette / Stephen Melillo Gentle and Orchestral, Cindy sounds a little like Kate Bush with an orchestra and sleigh bells. 

What Child Is This  Jann Klose / Stephen Mellilo orchestra with triangle and chorus  vocal: tenor, thoughtful interpretation, slow, mysterious, and wondering interpretation. bells, the whole story of Christ in the lyrics.

Road to Bethlehem  Dan Berggren   Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, discussing the politics of the day and the options she has for giving birth to baby Jesus. Gentle voice and acoustic guitar. 

Some Say Channukah  Dean Friedman Live Recording, a singalong with kids, that includes laughter Ha-Ha-Ha-Hannukah AND singing comments on how “Cha-NU-Kah” could be pronounced!  They sing about other seasonal customs in this fun song.

 https://soundcloud.com/deanfriedman/some-say-chanukah

Tchatchkes Latkes  Rachael Sage She sings the ingredients in this festive ditty which sounds good late night/early morning. Gypsy Oom PahPah Waltz with festive instruments.  “Onions Peppers Oy Gevalt!”  

Christmas Time Jon Mullane Upbeat! Baritone version of Adam Levine, song in the same tempo as USA for Africa’s “Do They Know it’s Christmastime” About the joys of Christmas, and getting ready for it.