DIRTY DEEDS WE DONE TO SHEEP...

I should have known it’d take something like a job interview to generate a new song. I was asked how I was coping with the stress, and the answer I gave ‘em was I’d get another dead-animal song out of it. Of course, things don’t always turn out as expected: the animals (sheep) aren’t dead—only raped (though I never said so). I finished the song tonight (I think)—had to get it done before the stress went away--and I’ll get it vetted by the usual suspects, and see if I can get practiced enough at it to perform it for the drunks at the Wild Goose tomorrow night.

To give credit where due, the title was suggested by Bob Cushing up (over?) in Cincinnatti (I would not think up something like “Dirty Deeds Done to Sheep” on my own), and it’s rock ‘n’ roll of a sort. Think Kris Kristofferson meets Buck Owens meets Glen Campbell, and one of them has a saxophone. (Yes, those are all country writers. What makes it rock ‘n’ roll is the saxophone, and the Keith Richards-style riff I hear repeated throughout the song. Those guys didn’t do THAT.)

It was an interesting challenge because of the rules I imposed. I didn’t use any Bad Words in the song, and not even any risque images; the rape and mutilation (did I mention there was mutilation, too?) of the sheep is never overt, only suggested. And it’s quite sad—something else I hadn’t planned on. It’d actually be a good candidate for Goodnight Kiss Music’s “growing up songs” contest, but I don’t know if I could get it decently recorded in time for their deadline (if it’s not already past).

Upcoming week is going to be full of music, I think. Besides the open mike at the Wild Goose Sunday night and playing for the dance band Tuesday night, I have a gig next Saturday (a Lions Club variety show) and was asked tonight (Saturday) to open for a bigger-name act next Friday night at Johnny B.’s Tavern in Medford. At tonight’s Southern Oregon Songwriters’ “showcase,” I got a flute player to do lead on “The Frog Next Door,” and got to play “She Ain’t Starvin’ Herself” and “Eatin’ Cornflakes” with a band. And announced I needed a sax player for “Dirty Deeds Done to Sheep.”

Joe