20 Birds - Tony & Beth Cain - Thunder Bay

	"These are the things I need to sing about..."

by Tony

After a musical drought of several years, I picked up my guitar again in September 2004, moved by a poem I read by Beth. Sitting there I wrote the first part to Keeper of Me. I remember my fingers being sore as I had not played for such a long time, but it was a new beginning.

I've since been writing a lot of music... and so as not to forget my little creations, I record many of them straight to my computer, using a cheap computer mic. Most of these recordings are raw... some done while I was in the act of composing... others I have edited a little using a shareware program.

I'm glad to be able to share some of these with you. I have others recorded... so I hope to add some every now and then.

Instrumentals: "like a song that's looking for its words..."
Dreamer's Lullaby	3:35	Dec 2004	For you, baby... may your dreams be sweet. I love to play for you.
French Meadow Awakening	2:27	Jan 2005	I wrote this New Year's Day... feeling the warmth of a new beginning. Listening to the recording, I was reminded of a solo drive I once made across France... hence the title.
Violent Teardrop	3:47	Feb 2005	How I felt after hearing details of a nightmare that was real.
Superbowl Sunday Strumming	5:00	Feb 2005	Beth and I had arranged a TV date (to watch Paul McCartney together during the half-time show). While waiting for the game to begin I picked up my guitar and began to strum.
Waiting in a Chord	2:49	Nov 2004	Sometimes we find ourselves in a place of waiting... as though stuck in a chord... until the proper bass note sounds... and there is movement.

Songs:
Keeper of Me	4:43	Sept 2004	Beth wrote this poem in 2003 during a difficult period in her life. When I read the poem, I picked up my guitar (which I had hardly played in two years) and began to play. Before I knew it the song was written.
I Don't Want to Cry	5:07	Nov 2004	The first love song I wrote for Beth... "I love you and I always will..."
Wild Harmony / I Love to Think of You	6:09	2005	Wedding Songs for Beth

We love the Beatles. (Name two better songwriters than Lennon and McCartney.) The following song by Paul captures some of the amazement I have felt with Beth... from the telephone line... to today.

Paul McCartney (1970)
(Listen/Download)

Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Love Me All The Time
Maybe I'm Afraid Of The Way I Love You

Maybe I'm Amazed At The The Way You Pulled Me Out Of Time
And Hung Me On A Line
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way I Really Need You

Maybe I'm A Man, Maybe I'm A Lonely Man
Who's In The Middle Of Something
That He Doesn't Really Understand

Maybe I'm A Man And Maybe You're The Only Woman
Who Could Ever Help Me
Baby Won't You Help Me Understand

Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You're With Me All The Time
Maybe I'm Afraid Of The Way I Leave You

Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way You Help Me Sing My Song
Right Me When I'm Wrong
Maybe I'm Amazed At The Way I Really Need You

(Listen/Download)

A few people have asked how we came to chose the domain name 20 birds. The following song explains that... and more...

Kevin Prosch (1997)
(Listen/Download)

I can feel the strength of the melancholy
Whether wild or strange, there's really got to be
some kind of change around here
I have climbed to the top of the tallest houses
Just to stare and watch you girl
And the stars go sailing by

But long after the days of seasons and people
Would I still be in your devotion
I could say to myself it has been worth it all
If I only knew that I was still the king in your heart

Like a song that's looking for its words
Like a shadow that's begging for a soul
Like 20 birds searching for God
These are the things
I need to sing about

Life goes on and the path gets harder to find
But these are the hours and the steps
That lead us to a brand new place
Like the known that returns once more
To be known again
It seems you sow yourself way into love
But you never see a harvest

But that boy in me wants to chance that girl in you
Change my anguish into something I could bear
And every day with you would be a thing of wonder
Like when you're out to sea
The solid ground it looks so good

Like the weight of a whole year's thunder
Like the weariness that loves the ground
Or the friendship and the acceptance

These are the things
These are the things
I need to sing about

(Listen/Download)

Like 20 birds searching for God...