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Kenn Amdahl Live at the Atrium

by Kenn Amdahl

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1.
Ship's Comin' In 03:51
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Ship’s Comin’ In Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) Em G D Ship’s comin’ in and the ship’s in trouble Em G D Everybody running to the water on the double Em G D Foghorn wailing and the old men mumble Em D Em Everybody running to the levee Well she couldn’t see the city when the fog closed in Couldn’t see the moon shinin’ on a sand bar Fourteen men, every one of them a friend and No one’s sure where they are You can stare all night but your eyes can’t see When the fog coats the river like cotton Thinkin’ of a friend, you remember once again Some good times you thought you’d forgotten Sound your whistle won’t you send up a flare Just so we know she’s still floating But the river just run, the ladies one by one Start to cry and you know they stopped hoping. It’s a witch’s brew, a nightmare come true When the river slips her cold hands round you Praying for the sight of a searcher’s light Are you dying, or have they found you?
2.
Must Have Been the Rain 02:56
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Must have been the rain Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) It’s drizzling tonight in the desert Softens a world of hard extremes Not enough moisture for the weatherman to measure It evaporates like any other dream CHORUS It must have been the rain on my window Must have been the wind at my door Must have been the rain tapping at my windowpane The pain is gone there’s nothing left anymore I met you hitch hiking from London I saw your face at my door Thought I heard your voice call my name out and say I love you Thought I heard your voice, I could have sworn. Late night TV talk show lights the bedroom Curtain drawn I’m sitting here all alone I thought I heard you ringing on my doorbell Thought I heard you ringing on my phone Late at night I start to feeling restless Nothing sounds as lonely as the rain Easy to invent love stories in my mind Listening to sounds I can’t explain chorus chords: G, Am7, Bm7, Am7 verse chords: C, G, C, G, C, G, Em C, Bm7, Am7, D
3.
I Was Not Told 03:45
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I Was Not Told Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) My mama told me life was my plum Everything I dreamed I could become Then a little time passed, then a little bit more Opportunity stopped knocking and started slamming doors Nobody mentioned that I might get old No one explained how it could unfold That my body’d ache and break and take too long To do what it needs to do I was not told I might get old Those pretty ladies wouldn’t let me be They’d find excuses to spend time with me Now I go shuffling down the cold concrete They see me coming they cross the street I’m creaking and not completing my thoughts And repeating myself all the time Oh yes I’m creaking and not completing my thoughts Wait—did I already sing that line? Used to run through meadows, used to race up stairs Used to climb on rooftops and stand on chairs Now that old couch looks pretty good to me Who turned the dial up on gravity.
4.
Trombone Charlie 04:08
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Trombone Charlie Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) C G Am I never understood the way he'd play G C His trombone in the park every day F G C Am People passing by would look annoyed or smile C G Am I remember Trombone Charlie was his name F G C And sometimes they'd stop and toss him a dollar Dm G C Half the time a kid would steal it from his hat F G C Am He'd just keep on playing or smile and say C G Am You're welcome son, I know you needed that C G Am You're welcome son, I know you needed that C G Am It doesn't really matter what they pay you F G C You got to do the thing you love Dm Am Til in that cold ground they lay you G Am With all your music left above 2 On a lazy Sunday afternoon I'd go Down to the park and watch old Trombone Charlie blow The Dark Town Strutters Ball or them Saint Louis Blues I play the old ones a little better than the new I had an inside job but I didn't like it It kept me from the things I really need So I left it flat and I won't go back I laid this Trombone across my back And I sort of let myself go to seed I guess I sort of let myself go to seed. 3 Now I sung the blues when I was cold and lonely I slept with secrets that I never told I tipped a few with strangers who were heartbroke And I sung along the only song they know They sing the man'll take the pennies from your pocket The ladies take your heart and then leave town But this old slide-bone plays so sad it makes me mellow And this park's a fine old place to settle down I believe this park's a fine old place to settle down.
5.
The Way You Let the Wind 03:38
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The Way you let the Wind Kenn Amdahl (capo 4) It’s often very simple-- the way love begins Almost coincidental-- little things you’re noticing Sunlight on the water and flowers in a yard The way you let the wind blow through your heart It isn’t complicated -- the way love grows Before it’s even stated--- your friends can see you glow You’re smiling in the morning and laughing at the dark Listening to the wind blow through your heart Bridge: The breeze touches the aspen leaves Like a young girl’s fingers on the piano keys You’re humming along before you realize it The song is fragile, soft, and sweet You’ll hear it echo in your sleep Before you wake completely Memorize it Feelings can confound you--- high upon your hill You build a wall around you--- to keep your windchimes still But logic has no power, your soul is far too smarat It knows the pleasure of the zephyr in your heart
6.
Gypsy Woman 02:04
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Gypsy Woman Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) Gypsy woman, she got a spell on me That good looking gypsy woman She got a spell on me Promise her anything if she set me free. Gypsy woman by the candle light That good looking gypsy woman by the candle light You know her lips are sweet as sin Her eyes are twice as bright Gypsy woman what do you need me for? That good looking gypsy woman, What do you need me for You know you got all my money You don’t need me any more Gypsy woman, she take me by the hand That good looking gypsy woman She take me by the hand Why I follow her I’ll never understand Now if I had a nickle, and if I had a dime Now if I had a nickle, and if I had a dime You know I’d put ‘em in that jukebox Try to play her off my mind
7.
Tequila 03:08
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Tequila Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) The night falls like a curtain on this hard coal mining town The local drunks look like puppets stumbling around And I’ve been on a month-long jag since I’ve been alone Yeah, I drove til my damn car broke down then I made this place my home Tequila—here’s another heart you broke Tequila – here’s another song you wrote Someday when my head is clear I’ll straighten out my life Right now I’ll drink one more for my sweet children One for my ex-wife. The saddest thing I’ve seen is a good man when he’s down This is one sad group of men so pass the bottle round I loved you long and I loved you hard, the best that I knew how None of that seemed to matter when tequila was around, I can’t make you happy, that’s too big a job for me I can’t make you feel protected while I’m making you feel free I can’t give you what you want and what you think I should But I swear, if I can’t, there ain’t been a man alive who could.
8.
Holy Water 04:31
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Holy Water Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) Down by the riverside with the fireflies a’flutter The moon bright on a stained glass night I met with the preacher’s daughter Down by the holy water Now she was lovely as a dream and sweet as the swamp tree flower When she spoke to me I swear I could feel the good Lord’s power It could have been the good Lord’s power CHORUS And the River flows from higher ground It spreads its blessings freely The water rolls from town to town It will quench your thirst completely Repent the darkness of your thoughts She said as the moonlight caught her You will be what you believe Said the preacher’s daughter Down by the holy water I was not looking for the truth, just some comfort in the moonlight But she was bound to save my soul, she’d been well taught to do right And love all sinners outright Your father’s preaching back in town, and your mother prays to Jesus If God is love and love is blind, who is left to see us? Our sins are not egregious. Down by the riverside with the fireflies a’flutter The moon bright on a stained glass night I was saved by the preacher’s daughter Down by the holy water
9.
Sing Out Loud 03:47
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Sing out loud by Kenn Amdahl (1979 AND 2017) capo usually on 4 G Bm 1 I have sailed the morning breeze Am D That whispers through your curtain G Bm I've believed in things I've seen Am D And things that aren't so certain G Bm Met the men who do not smile Am D I faced them down in my own while G D G Love is the song I sing CHORUS G C Sing out loud if you feel it G D G You might lose it if you hold it in G C How can speaking be a crime G D G How can loving be a sin? 2 I have wandered dusty roads In search of holy places I've seen prayer in hopeful eyes And prayer in grieving faces Taste the wafer sip the wine I hear the words and make them mine Love is the song I sing CHORUS then: BRIDGE C F Bb C Listen to the forest, listen to the sea C F C G Dance with children of the earth Enthusiastically C F Bb C Build your house of daydreams, sunrises and sunsets C F Bb G Don't give the key to jailers Who fear your happiness. D Your happiness 3 I've spoken verses in the night And seen their magic shimmer I've felt the pipes that shake the church And watched the harp strings quiver I've read the book you call the truth And learned one line that I salute Love is the song I sing.
10.
Jim Donelan 04:29
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Jim Donelan by Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) G C G D G 1Tuesday nights in the choir room in the autumn of the year Em D G C G D We learned our parts and filled our hearts with music of good cheer C G D G For friends who feel forgotten and some who lost their homes Em D G C G D For soldiers far with family near, feeling alone C G C D I never saw a church on Sunday morn, I guess that's fair Em D G C G D G Tuesday nights in the choir room-- I did my worship there BRIDGE: C G And some of the notes we sang were right D G Some had good intent Am Em But the final chord rang loud and true C D When the music was all spent C G Then the tenors joked, the sopranos all spoke D G The altos did beguile Em D G C But me and Jim in the bass back row G D G We're just watchin' Sally smile CHORUS: C G D Watchin' Sally smile, singing sweet and mild Em D G C Me and Jim in the bass back row G D G We're just watching Sally smile 2 Jim Donelan was a rambling lad, one day he had to go To the grand backstage where the music's made For the great celestial show The angels laid their harps down and picked up mandolins Let's celebrate by the pearly gates: a bass finally got in! But I know I'll see him smiling at Winfield by stage three Or walking round Swallow Hill, spreading harmony Or watchin Sally smile (etc) 3 Some folks are known by what they own and some by what they do Some complete the friends they keep and Jim kept quite a few But the ones you hold when the day grows old, you know by what they love Good songs are pearls for pretty girls and we'll never have enough So take a sip and toast Jim's trip and beauty where we find it Don't shed a tear your friend's not here: we follow close behind him And some of the notes (etc)
11.
If I'm Ever Young Again 02:41
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If I’m ever Young Again Kenn Amdahl (capo 2) C Am Cm7b5 Bm7b5 If I’m ever young again C Am Cm7b5 G There’ll be some changes in the time I spend C C7 F Fm Throw out the list of what I’m sposed to do D9 Cm7b5 Bm7b5 C I’m making memories with you If I go around one more time Priorities will be redefined Throw out the guidelines and throw out the rules I’m making memories with you CHORUS: E I can’t explain reincarnation Am And heaven seems like a lofty aspiration D7 Don’t know the future for me and you G7 Maybe science will advance and make us both brand new If I step into a time machine Destination set to age sixteen All those poor choices that I made back then I’ll make them over and over again CHORUS Repeat First verse

about

This is a set of original music recorded live in October, 2018 at "The Atrium" in downtown Eugene. A sampling of Kenn's songs from the last few decades that had never been recorded. We edited out the talking between songs and turned down the volume a bit when Kenn coughed in one song. Other than that, this is pretty much what it sounded like. Video of the gig (using only the camera microphone) is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-L-DE383fk

Kenn Amdahl is best known as the author of books like There Are No Electrons: Electronics for Earthlings, Algebra Unplugged, Calculus for Cats (both with math professorJim Loats, Ph.D.) Joy Writing, Revenge of the Pond Scum, Jumper and the Bones, Jumper and the Apple Crate, and The Land of Debris and the Home of Alfredo. But he's also been playing guitar and writing songs for over 50 years.

credits

released November 28, 2018

Beau Eastlund did the recording, Kenn Amdahl plays guitar and sings.

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Kenn Amdahl Eugene, Oregon

Poetic songs and fine finger-picking. Kenn Amdahl is best known as the author of "funny books on dull subjects." His book “There Are No Electrons” inspired all the books for Dummies. A reformed guitar teacher, he's also been playing finger-style guitar & writing songs for over 50 years. His songs are accessible and hummable, but usually not funny. ... more

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