Howdy friends of Joe Eddie!
It is with a tinge of disappointment I offer
the news that Joe Eddie was not named a finalist
in the Half Brothers Brewing Company 2018 Songwriter
Challenge. 🙁
The competition ran June through August, with four
song finalists chosen each month by a single judge.
The nine performers (some had multiple songs nominated)
will compete at Half Brothers Brewery tonight for a
panel of judges, the winner earning a prime performance
spot at the upcoming Greenway Takeover Festival.
For my submissions to the songwriter challenge,
I submitted a new song written fresh each week,
which taken together intend to tell a continuous story,
called “As The River Turns: The Red River Adventures Of
Captain Joe Eddie”.
You can listen to all 12 songs in order as a playlist, here:
https://joeeddie.com/as-the-river-turns-the-red-river-adventures-of-captain-joe-eddie/
Although I was not named a finalist for the competition,
I am happy to have the songs, and the story, and the
experience. The song collection was even featured by
columnist Brad Dokken in the Grand Forks Herald
“Outdoors” section!
BRAD DOKKEN COLUMN: August ends with catfish songs and a prized ‘Hen’
http://grandforksherald.com/sports/outdoors/4493121-brad-dokken-column-august-ends-catfish-songs-and-prized-hen
In the future, I am hoping to play the songs from
“As The River Turns: The Red River Adventures Of
Captain Joe Eddie” in a series of live shows around
the region, and perhaps record them in a studio, with
some talented musicians, for a full release. I think
the songs will perform well each on their own, and
together they tell a fun and interesting mythological
story.
Congratulations and best of luck in the finals
to the other songwriters, and thanks to Half Brothers
Brewing Company, and coordinator Anthony Diaz and
judge Max Wolpert, and the contest sponsors for
working and contributing to put on the challenge.
Finally, a SPECIAL THANKS to my friends Kevin Grinde
and Dennis Riedhammer, for filming and helping produce
many of the videos in the collection, and for supporting
my efforts in the songwriting challenge, and moreso in the
creation of this artwork, in which I could not have done
so well without them. Thanks guys!
Also, thanks to you, dear readers and fans, for listening!!!
The collection is here, anytime —
https://joeeddie.com/as-the-river-turns-the-red-river-adventures-of-captain-joe-eddie/
Peace and love,
Joe Eddie
Tag: Half Brothers 2018 songwriter challenge
As The River Turns: Joe Eddie’s New Song Collection
Howdy fans of Joe Eddie!
I’m so excited to tell everybody the news —
I’ve completed a collection of 12 new folk songs, called
“As The River Turns: The Red River Adventures Of Captain Joe Eddie”.
You can WATCH THE VIDEOS of the ENTIRE COLLECTION, in this YouTube playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoDV6tjAHOTTkrYSc9mYcdDUrfxn_v7Ni
The songs were written as part of the summer-long songwriting contest
sponsored by our local brewery, Half Brothers, in downtown Grand Forks.
Contestants are asked to submit a new song, recorded live, each week through the months of June, July, and August.
For my song entries, I decided to write each one as part of a larger
collective story. I’m angling for a sort of river fishing adventure
story.
I never even knew there were mermaid brides out there, until I wrote
these songs. I mean I have heard of mermaids, heard of sightings, but I
didn’t know if they were really real, let alone that they could become a
sailor’s bride.
That’s when I really learned what it meant to be a sailor, what it meant
to sail, and all the many ways we all can go a-sailing in our lives, in
this world. We create worlds when we sail, it should be obvious, it’s
of the greatest legends of our founding times, how the explorers left
England and Spain, to Discover the New World, and they did, they sure
did, we’re living it today, with all our politics and policies, our
nations and our heroes, it all started with sailing
projects. It’s amazing, we’re literally living in a world created by
sailors going out to sea, and so it is now becoming apparent to me how
worlds can be created by just setting sail.
It’s a story of discovery and rebirth; and in the end, you’re left to
find your own way again. A little bit lost, but knowing a little bit
more, maybe a lot more, than you did before. It’s very symmetrical,
there’s a complete duality to the entire story, and I’m really excited
and inspired by the powerful possibilities it represents and promises
for future work and adventures.
I hope you’ll listen to the songs as if reading a book, listening to the
stories and thinking about them for yourself, a little bit selfishly,
as you would a good book:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoDV6tjAHOTTkrYSc9mYcdDUrfxn_v7Ni
And I hope you enjoy the songs, and the story. I realize they’re a little long, and the cuts are a little rough …
Hopefully, in the near future, plans will be made to record and perform all of these songs with more musicians,
with more rehearsal and strength, cooked long like a good catfish stew, and we end up with a nice little folk story.
If you’re following along, I sure thank you, and please feel free to let me know what you think of
“As The River Turns: The Red River Adventures Of Captain Joe Eddie”!
Thanks —
Peace, love,
Joe Eddie
MUSIC VIDEO: The Earring Song
The Earring Song
Twists and turns, acidic burns
In the dark will we find the spark for home
No signs to be seen, just lost in a dream
By 9 Train, I return with the ring
Erin calls for Oisin’s footfalls
Where three hundred years have gone past
Quoth the frog, from a hollow log
Brekekex, brekekex, coax
High upon the sea, and who shall I see?
Craxy Chester and Sweet Ann Marie
Catfish Stew, Catfish Mermaid too
The faces and places I’ve found
‘Round the Horn, where New Hope is borne
Together we weather the storm
Old Coulston’s wall, the fish hook and all
The memory of a lifetime ago
Earring hangs, as Lady Foot dangles
The joy that innocently surrounds
Crashing rocks, we rush for the docks
We find that it’s now stranger than known
Through the light, a new blinding sight
Too radiant, too shining to know
MUSIC VIDEO: Changes Upon Changes
Changes Upon Changes
As the days grow long and hotter, and the summer sun grows old
And the mourning doves are calling through the shadows that are stretching on the riverbank
The muddy banks, o’er which the water once flowed, but now has run below
Leaving only driftwood behind like memories to dry
As the wind blows dry and higher, and the fires rage uncontrolled
And the sky is filled with dark clouds, and the feeling of trouble ’round every corner just waiting for you
Trouble, oh trouble, won’t leave well enough alone, like the coming of the cold
And the promise of death, dormancy and winter
As the wind blows dry and higher, and the fires rage uncontrolled
As seasons change, as rivers freeze and summer ends
As what remains, as winter dies and spring begins
After changes upon changes we are closer to the same
And changes upon changes, and more changes again
As a man forgets his blessings, takes for granted, throws a curse
As his lashing out his anger, his thoughtlessness and selfishness, in the others that he hurts
Those he hurts, though he would not have hurt them if he had not been hurt first
Though he loves them, he forgets and throws his curse
And what was bad, had only just been gotten that much worse
As the years are passing by, ever picking up speed
We are older than we once were, and younger than we’ll be, it is explained
No it isn’t strange, after changes upon changes we are more or less the same
After changes we are still just the same
After changes we are closer to the same
As seasons change, as rivers freeze and summer ends
As what remains, as winter dies and spring begins
After changes upon changes we are closer to the same
And changes upon changes, and more changes again
And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free
And the lady foot dangle, and the spitting in the mud, and you will see again
To sea again, as a sailor sets his ship upon the wind
You will know the truth and see again
And with the raising of the dead have you not seen again?
In the early mists of morning, as the fisher plies his trade
And the thoughts fade slowly ‘cross his brow and he calls out for another net to catch him
And his actions, his muscles and his hands, they are my hands
He knows he cannot be elsewhere, but where he firmly stands
And all that’s ending, and all that’s beginning for him once again
As seasons change, as rivers freeze and summer ends
As what remains, as winter dies and spring begins
After changes upon changes we are closer to the same
And changes upon changes, and more changes again
MUSIC VIDEO: Happier And Richer (Catchin’ Fish)
Happier And Richer (Catchin’ Fish)
Once upon a time, had no reason, had no rhyme
All I knew was to beg, steal and borrow
And if I ever had one last wish, I would ask for just one more fish
But then I’d just wake up hungry again tomorrow
Learning to fish, with a hook and line
Learning to catch the fishes that are mine
With a reel and rod, the catfish and the cod
I’ve grown happier and richer all my life
With empty guts inside, I’d already swallowed my pride
Only thing left for me to chew on was my sorrow
And if I ever had one more wish, I would ask for one last fish
But then I’d just wake up hungry again tomorrow
Learning to fish, learning to eat
Separating bones and fat from the meat
With a reel and rod, and gifts given by god
I’ve grown happier and richer all my days
When I was a child, I thought and understood as a child
Now I am a man, I put a fishing rod in my hand
I was crying all night long, ’til you sang to me your song
Taught me how to fish, set me on my way
When you came along, you righted all my wrongs
Now I’ve grown happier and richer all my days
Learning to laugh, learning to live
Learning to love, learning to give
With a reel and rod, and but for the grace of god
I’ve grown happier and richer all my life
Now I won’t mention his name, but they say he stole a flame
Of eternal fire, and bestowed it to mankind
So they tied him to a rock, set an eagle on his liver
And he suffered that way until the end of time
Learning the sea, learning the sky
Learning to feel, learning to fly
With a reel and rod, and a tricking of the gods
I’ve grown happier and richer all my days
When I was newborn, I couldn’t have no concern
Now that I’ve grown old, I carry my fishin’ pole
Tell you what you do, take this line and loop it through
And you bait the hook with color all in a tangle
Dress it with a spoon to make them old men catfish swoon
As the water floats that lady foot dangle
Learning to fish, learning to fight
Learning by day, learning by night
With a reel and rod, and a challenge to the gods
I’m grown happier and richer all my days
Well I’m catchin’ fish all day long, just as easy as a song
And I’m grown happier and richer all my days
Well I’m catchin’ fish all day long, Lord nobody can do me wrong
And I’m grown happier and richer all my days
And I’m grown happier and richer all my days