The Kitchen Musician ~ April 2023
Hello friends,
I just discovered a song I wrote five years ago, but never shared in “The Kitchen Musician.” I sang it with my friend Rob Siegel at last week’s Javawocky Coffeehouse show, and gratefully a friend made a phone video so I can share it with you – plus a bonus song video!
Index
NEWS:
THIS MONTH’S MUSIC: “My Pennsylvania Heart”
BONUS MUSIC: “We Have Been Here Before”
UPCOMING SHOWS
FEATURED NON-PROFIT: Everytown for Gun Safety
Parish Center for the Arts, Westford, MA.
Photo © 2023 Dan Tappan
News:
I had a wonderful month with three live shows on consecutive Saturdays. On March 18th I shared a songwriters’ night at the venerable Linden Tree Coffeehouse (Wakefield, MA) with good friends Chris Lavancher and Kim Moberg. Then on March 25th, another songwriters’ show at The Javawocky Coffeehouse (Brockton, MA) with my talented friend Rob Siegel. Finally, on April 1st I did a short opening set for the Pine Hill Boys at the Academy Coffeehouse (Francestown, NH).
April is a bit slow for shows, so I am thrilled to join a small group for a songwriting workshop with twice grammy-nominated singer-songwriter superstar Eliza Gilkyson. Hoping I can re-fill my creativity bucket.
Currently, my next scheduled show is an open mic feature set at the Parish Center for the Arts, Westford, MA on May 28th.
As always, all show details can be found at upcoming shows.
This Month’s Music:
“My Pennsylvania Heart”
“My Pennsylvania Heart”
© 2018 Tom Smith (ASCAP)
Video: Joanne Corsano
Lyrics in comment below.
My friend Rob Siegel and I got together the week before our Javawocky Coffeehouse show to figure out if there were some songs we could play together. We have been friends for a long time, but never have we accompanied each other. One of the songs I chose was “My Pennsylvania Heart”, a song I don’t often perform at my shows. We thought it went well enough, so I told Rob that he could refresh his memory of the song by visiting my website Jukebox, where I index all of the songs I share in The Kitchen Musician. The day before the show I received a text from Rob saying that song was not on my web site, as I had said. Sure enough, Rob was right. Although I wrote that song five years ago, I never included it in any Kitchen Musician. So I did a quick phone audio recording and sent it off to him.
As chance would have it, one of my loyal fans (Joanne Corsano) did a phone recording of it at our show, and she kindly allowed me to share it with you.
Bonus Music:
“We Have Been Here Before”
“We Have Been Here Before”
By Tom Smith, © 2017, 2020 Peabody Hill Publishing (ASCAP)
Video: Steven Brooks
Lyrics in comment below.
Here is another video from Javawocky Coffeehouse – this one from my first appearance there on May 13th, 2017 when I opened for the great duo Kim & Reggie Harris. (These days, Reggie is mostly performing solo.) Imagine my surprise when they returned to the stage for an encore, they invited me to reprise a song I had debuted in my opening set, with them assisting me by singing backup. I had only recently written that song, so you will see me sneak occasional looks at my lyric sheet.
You can find the studio version of this song on my “Planting in a Drought” album (2020) at my Bandcamp Store.
As always, thank you for listening.
Steady on!
Tom
(If so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment by scrolling to the end of this page.)
Featured Non-profit: Everytown for Gun Safety
From their web site: “Gun violence touches every town in America. For too long, life-saving laws have been thwarted by the gun lobby and by leaders who refuse to take common-sense steps that will save lives. But something is changing. Nearly 10 million mayors, moms, teachers, survivors, gun owners, students, and everyday Americans have come together to make their own communities safer. Everytown starts with you, and it starts in your neighborhood. By introducing evidence-based solutions in every town, we can end gun violence.”
Please join me in supporting the work of Everytown for Gun Safety.
Other good organizations that focus more on gun safety and schools are Newtown Action alliance and Sandyhook Promise. Thank you!
Tom
April 3, 2023My Pennsylvania Heart
© 2018 Tom Smith (ASCAP)
How did I wind up here in New York City?
Pounding on the concrete with my feet
I guess I thought that this was what I wanted
The fast life and the busy city streets (but)
CHORUS:
My Pennsylvania heart beats like a coal train
The Susquehanna surging in my veins
Allegheny memories/harmonies
Blowing through the chestnut trees
If only I could hold them in my hands
Take me back to those rolling hills again
Now my only friend is my computer
We’re trading stocks all day inside four walls
But I will trade this life and fancy suit for
A worn and grass stained pair of overalls (because)
(Chorus)
We all eat the fruit of our own labor
In many ways it winds up on our plates
I’ve learned money does not have the kind of flavor
That could match the sweet corn of my younger days
(Chorus)
(Final Chorus)
My Pennsylvania heart beats like a coal train
The Susquehanna surging in my veins
Allegheny memories
Blowing through the chestnut trees
I know that I could hold them in my hands
I’m going back to those rolling hills again
Sally Pian
April 3, 2023Tom,
I like this song very much. It’s catchy and the lyrics remind of John Denver’s “Country Road, Take Me Home”.
By the way, I was fortunate to work with you when we both volunteered at the Tufts Children Hospital. You had your guitar & some songs. I introduced you to the patient and stayed nearby.
Sally
Tom
April 3, 2023Hello Sally. Great to hear from you. Yes I have fond memories of us sharing songs with the kids at the hospital. Was sad to hear that Tufts Children’s Hospital shut down.
Thanks for the kind comment. Be well!
Tom
April 3, 2023We Have Been Here Before
By Tom Smith, © 2017, 2020 Peabody Hill Publishing (ASCAP)
We have been here before
We have been here before
We can see the warnings they want us to ignore
We have been here before
We’ve heard that sound before
We’ve heard that sound before
The rattle of the sabres. The sharp’ning of swords
We’ve heard that sound before
We wrote this check before
We wrote this check before
Rich man plays with weapons paid for by the poor
We wrote this check before
We’ve sung this song before
We’ve sung this song before
We will not stop singin’. We’ll strike every chord
We’ve sung this song before
We have been here before
We have been here before
We can see the warnings they want us to ignore
We have been here before
We have been here before (2x)