Operation 365 2… Blog 112

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers – 112 “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

“Sixteen Tons” is an awesome old school tune. I think it’s a song kids like, (or liked, I have no idea if kids ever hear this song now) because of the neat deep voice Tennessee Ernie Ford brings to his rendition. My lovely wife, Leanne, plays drums for my Jefferson Jay Band, but she also plays guitar and sings. Sometimes she even graces the stage of my Open Mic, Wednesdays from 6 to 9 at Winston’s Beach Club, here in Ocean Beach, San Diego. One of the tunes she plays from time to time is “Sixteen Tons” and I think that’s how I got into playing it. What fun. I love life.

I don’t love that the Yankees have blown their lead since I started this 365 here today, but even the Bronx Bombers can’t win ‘em all.  I just learned “Sixteen Tons” was originally written by Merle Travis in 1946 and was a number one hit for ol’ Tennessee Ernie in 1955. That’s one for all you fact hounds. I love me a fact hound. They’re fewer and further between these here days. It’s not 1955 anymore. Someone tell Marty McFly, please.

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 112 “To the Old Days” by Jefferson Jay

You’ll find few more nostalgic people than me. I love the thought of a kinder, simpler time where folks took care of each other like our fates are interrelated. News flash! They are. They are, folks, and the only way back to the old days is through today, through caring about our fellow man and woman and about making that care a priority in our daily lives.

It fires me up and it warms my heart. I am an optimist. I believe. I believe positive things can happen and singing about it, makes it happen to some degree. I love it. I love being a part of it and I love feeling the good vibes that course through my veins as they course through this glamorous, incredible universe we call home.

“To the Old Days” is one of the last remaining tunes I haven’t shared from the first time I ever wrote 24 tunes at once (well, really over a few days, but like, at once). This song makes me feel that simpler time that he song is about, so I guess in that sense “To the Old Days” is a transportive song and if you don’t believe me, look at the smile on my face when I sing it here.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words– 112 “Love Is Our Destiny”

Well, I was little weary when I amped myself up to record these videos a little bit ago. Boy, was it worth it. I had a blast playing these tunes today and by the time I was done, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm. It’s for this reason I’m glad we’ve added a ranting area to this here 365 2. It’s good for me to share my passion and my emotion with you, because I believe this stuff is contagious. I don’t believe I’m the only completely love-fire-up goof. No, not at all. Some of you latent lovers are gonna come flying out of the closet when you see what it does for me, how high I am on this stuff. Love me some love. There is no substitute! Long way, easy way, either way. Love is coming. Step aboard or step aside, but even if you step aside, you’re still coming for the ride. You’re just taking the long way. Love is our destiny.

Operation 365 2… Blog 111

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers – 111 “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

Welcome to 4-11-16, Day 111 of this here Operation 365 2.

Seems fitting that I do “White Rabbit.” When your name is Jefferson, some people call you Jefferson airplane or Jefferson Starship. It happens, so frequently, in fact, that I don’t mind. Not only that but Jefferson Airplane singer Grace Slick lives in La Jolla, I believe, and she is my friend on Facebook. So “Hi Grace, Hope all’s well!”

It was fun playing “White Rabbit.” I gave her the ol’ Jefferson-Jay-Operation-365-2-speed-her-up treatment, which I quite enjoy giving tunes, I must say. Dig it, my friends. Hail!  

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 111 “The Someday Song” by Jefferson Jay

“The Someday Song” blends into the big chunk of time between the 2 Operation 365s. All the tunes I wrote in that period of time from 2012-2015 reside in the big No Man’s Land of my tunes. My most recent CD, “Hallelujah Expressway,” available on iTunes, is full of tunes written in 2010-11. So all these other tunes aren’t on any CDs. The current CD I’m working on, my 7^th, is all tunes I wrote for the first 365 in 2011, so those tunes aren’t even being worked on now either. Who knows if they ever will be? I’d hoped for my CDs to be a chronicle of my musical growth but I struggle to keep up with myself. It doesn’t help that there is roughly zero demand for these CDs…

Well, I guess that’s another reason we are here. So I can share these tunes and they can have a point in existing, even if the only point is 15 people watching them over the next few years. At least I did it and shared it. I can’t control the whole reception part, so I don’t focus on that too much. I don’t really remember writing this tune so much. It just kind of popped out, I remember. That’s kind of how it goes when I don’t have any 365 to write songs for. I just kind of write them when inspiration hits.

The big book seems to indicate I wrote this tune on 1-14-14. I wrote a few other tunes right in that same week or so. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember. Maybe it’s cause it doesn’t really matter when I wrote “The Someday Song.” I wrote it some day.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words– 111 “The Word for Today Is… Part 2”

This video features what appears to be my favorite word in this here “Words” section of our Operation 365 2. Short and sweet. Thanks, folks. Today’s word is…

Operation 365 2… Blog 110

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 110 “24 Hours” by Jefferson Jay

Numbers can be fun, especially big juice ones like 24 and 365. Numbers that mean something to people, I like. So let’s look at this one for a sec. “24 Hours” is the final number of first 24-at-a-time batch of tunes I wrote. It was about a month ago now. I’ve been slowly working my way through them and sharing them lately. This makes most of them now, I think there’s a only a couple I haven’t done here yet for you.

Many, I recorded on a gorgeous sun-drenched weekend day about ten days ago. I like these videos. I was relaxed when I played them and it relaxes me to see the sun halo above my head. I post three videos every 24 hours these days. When I write 12 tunes, it’s 1 for each key. With 24, that’s doubled.

I am also the guy who founded produced, promoted, hosted and played “Jefferson Jay’s 24 Hours of Free Music” 4 times (’03, ’05, ’08, ’09) and I hope to do it again some day. So I guess the number 24 has some significance to me. There is one more thing I think of when I watch this video. It sounds like some Don Truesdail (my late great departed amigo) song. I’m not sure exactly which one it sounds like, but one of ‘em. It’s not exactly like it, but close enough to make me think of my friend and feel good thoughts.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers – 110 “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s

Many moons ago I lived in a lovely little apartment complex/subculture at the end of Santa Cruz Ave. In fact, I recorded almost the entire 365 from that locale. I had a lovely set of neighbors back then, one of who was a gal from South Africa named Bianca. I’d go chill with her in apartment sometimes and she liked to watch the MTV Countdown on the weekends. Those are probably the only times I watched the MTV Countdown since the 80’s.

I remember Rihanna. I think it was an “Umbrella” tune, but the main one I remember is “Hey There Delilah” and here we are. It’s a catchy little number. Enjoy it.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words– 110 “The Power of a Plan”

Gotta love a person with a plan. Where’d we be without folks like that? Now, there’s all kinds of people and plans. Sometimes, people even make plans for other people and that can be a good thing too. So, today, I was blessed to have one of my special needs friends laying out a little setlist for me. And it was good.

Operation 365 2… Blog 109

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 109 “I’m Me” by Jefferson Jay

Busy day off today. If you can call sleeping late ‘cause you need to catch up on rest, busy. I do. Acupuncture. Busy. Lunch with Dan? Busy. Recording Paul on the CD? Busy. Band practice next. Videos in between. Blessed, in this life we are, quirks and all. Hypotheticals, actuality, a fine line divides these two bits of scratchy.

Friendship. The beyond. It’s all gravey, excuse me, gravy. Each instant. We are blessed to be. Me.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words – 109 “An Important Announcement”

We interrupt this Jefferson Jay Band Practice to bring you this important announcement.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers– 109 “Suicide Is Painless” by

“Suicide Is Painless” is the most depressing song ever. That’s why I wasn’t going to post it. I recorded this version years ago when I was feeling blue. It’s the theme from “M*A*S*H*” so it hits me in my nostalgia bone too. It’s a beautiful song too. Here it is though. I’ve had too much to do today and need some time away from the hubbub of 365ing. It’s practice time. I can’t do it to you. It’s too sad. I’ll figure something else out later.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers– 109 “Forever In Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond

I honestly thought this tune was called “Reverend Blue Jeans” until like 40 seconds ago. Whoa.

Uhh… it’s a capella. And short…

Operation 365 2… Blog 108

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 108 “More Fun” by Jefferson Jay

Want “More Fun” on a Sunday? Well, you got it. Here is another blast from the not-so-distant past. One of those days about a month or so ago when I wrote 24 tunes at once, “More Fun” was born. I think I am concluding that 12 may be the maximum optimum number of songs to write at once. I mean, you CAN write 24 tunes at once, but it takes weeks after to even process what you’ve done and weeks more to figure out what you’ve actually said. It’s an enriching and informative process, but it is lengthy and full of twists and turns. I guess it’s fun in that way, an odyssey indeed.

I think I will do what I did yesterday and briefly review these lyrics to see if I can get a firmer grasp on exactly what I’m saying. OK. I read a verse. I think it means to savor and enjoy living your dreams, ‘cause that’s more fun that the exciting things mentioned like “going to work” for example. OK. I follow me so far. The chorus, which is admittedly one of the stranger things I’ve written in a minute, I think is supposed to hearken back to the “more fun” days of childhood. When we were kids, we played a little game called “Red Light, Green Light, 1-2-3.” It involved a lot of running, starting, and stopping. I seem to have mixed that in with some creepy imagery, perhaps intended to juxtapose the darkness of life and history with the fun of youth and the mundane nature of some days.

Need I admit, I am speculating slightly in these interpretations. I don’t even know exactly what I was thinking. Life is like a puzzle and so are songs. Verse 2 seems to reference that unusual and often disturbing ways the world has changed since I was child. I get even mentions crying children specifically. Hey! Maybe my song makes sense after all! (If I didn’t consider this to be slightly serious writing, I would’ve thrown a smiley face in there.) All of sudden the point seems oddly obvious, as in, did I really need to re-read the words to get it. The point is, have more fun…. Unless the point is, we’re already having more fun, more fun that we can believe with our eyes and our mind. The last line of an old song I wrote called, “Ego,” says “It seems I’ll never know.” Unless I already do…

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words – 108 “What Is a Disability?”

Yesterday, I took my talented troupe of performers from St. Madeleine Sophie's Center to perform a handful to tunes at The El Cajon Public Library for a special even they held. It was lovely. There were parrots, Mexican traditional dancers, belly dancers even, and my gang played too. They played beautifully and were very well-received. I was proud to put it lightly. Honored, actually, I was. They handled themselves like professionals and sang and played their hearts out. People were impressed. 

After I dropped the crew back at their abodes, I thought to myself, What about them makes them "disabled?"  I realized that while they may have some challenges physically or intellectually in some ways, the huge majority of folks I work with are incredibly optimistic, positive people. I thought and continue to think about how many people who are thought to be "fully abled' can not make such a claim. I think they ability to maintain a positive attitude is a "super ability" and a "disability" that upsets me far more than the ones I am face to face with weekly, is being a curmudgeon. 

Folks, everybody has a million things to be happy about. My "special needs" adults get this. Even my colleagues who have difficult jobs caring for some of the more challenged special needs folks get it. How come so many other people still don't get it? To me the inability to find joy in the miracle that is life is the disability that concerns me most. Honestly.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers– 108 “Yellow Submarine” by The Beatles

Deep-ass version of "Yellow Submarine" with some lyrical interpretation offered as a bonus, post-credits. Did you know I love you? Yes, each and every one of you. All the people on the planet, or as The Beatles liked to call it, The "Yellow Submarine." Happy Sunday. Happy Every Day.

Operation 365 2… Blog 107

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 107 “You Can’t Wait” by Jefferson Jay

Here, we continue down the road of 24 tunes I wrote about a month ago. As I go through these jams, posting and listening and watching, this batch of jams appears to be a call to action for me to do something. What? I wish I knew. Keep pushing forward? Reach out more? Perhaps that will be the next domino to reveal itself in this here terrific mystery that is life.

Well, apparently, whatever there is that needs to be done, there is some sense of urgency. Gosh, I wish I knew what it was I needed to do. I hope that that’s the next domino to rip it’s clothes off and nakedly show me what I need to do. Until then, videos, good vibes, love, creativity, learn, repeat.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers– 107 “Wagon Wheel” by Bob Dylan & Ketch Secor

"Copyright music and lyrics reproduced by kind permission of Special Rider -- for original, exclusive performances by Bob Dylan, check-out the official channel at www.youtube.com/bobdylan."

So, this version of “Wagon Wheel” is OK. There sure have been many versions of this tune popping out in recent years. It’s become one of the most covered tunes in the history of my Open Mic. I learned in researching this jam, that Bob Dylan wrote the chorus as a throwaway in 1972. It was a extra piece he didn’t use off the soundtrack to the movie we was doing then. In 1995, that Ketch Secor fellow, at age 17, later of Old Crow Medicine Show, write the rest of the tune. It became a huge hit. When you’re Bob Dylan, that happens.

I'm blessed to realize amazing things happen in my life too. Last night, I presided over one of the greatest shows I've ever been a part of. Raelee Nikole, Israel Maldonado, and Mark Goffeney all raised the roof in an unforgettable way last night at The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, in La Jolla, CA. It moved me in a way that isn't going to fade any time soon. Mark Goffeney has no arms and played this tune, and all the other ones he played, with his feet last night. It simply must be seen to be believe. Google that. In fact, I saw it, and still remain in disbelief at every incredible aspect of it. He told me when I interviewed him before the show that he felt, "lucky, blessed, and humble." Amen, my friend, amen. Color me rocked.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words – 107 “Thank You So Much”

This is just a little message of gratitude to Mark Goffeney, Israel Maldonado, Raelee Nikole, The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, CA, and everybody who came out last night on what was an unforgettable evening of music and good vibes. 

Operation 365 2… Blog 106

Operation 365 2– Jefferson Jay – Originals – 106 “It’s Not Too Late” by Jefferson Jay

So, I’ve gathered after a few weeks of inspection and introspection that this first batch of 234 tunes I wrote (at once) is me encouraging myself (and everyone else, presumably) to continue to aggressively pursue my dreams and the positive change I’d love to see in the world around me in my life. I would like to be part of that change, whatever it is. I know that I will do whatever the universe has in store for me. I embrace that truth am grateful to even have that opportunity. Very grateful.

I am down to do more and I think these songs are trying to keep me mentally prepared in the even that I am called to some sport of action at some point. Then again, maybe I already am. Likely, it’s both, though. It usually is. Usually, we are doing some important, even as we walk through our daily lives. We interact with and affect people in ways far beyond what we ever realize. In that sense, I guess I’m already doing exactly what I need to do but, I feel, conceive, and sense, more on the horizon.

I feel these songs are trying to alert and prepare me mentally for that eventuality. The world needs a lot of love and help and not so many folks are as down as I am to participate in that reawakening of consciousness and kindness that the world really needs. Many are, but many others will need to grow into this realization. Thankfully, and finally, it’s already happening. I am deeply humble grateful to have a seat at the table and a piece in the game. 

I think another way of summing up the point of this song is, “Have Hope,” because positive things can and will happen. “Have Hope,” ‘cause as the song says, “It’s Not Too Late.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Covers– 106 “Yer So Bad” by Tom Petty

Hello. Tom Petty’s “Full Moon Fever” might be the first album I got into that was legitimately cool. Yes, as an East Coast/Jersey kid I was well-versed on “The Stranger,” “Glass Houses,” “52^nd Street,” and all the other prime staples of the Billy Joel catalog, but when you’re an East Coast/Jersey kid, especially back then, it doesn’t really count. You don’t have much of a choice. You’re pretty much stuck with Billy Joel, whether you like it or not. There’s not much choice in the matter, so I can’t give myself any credit for that. Fortunately for me, I liked it.

“Full Moon Fever” was different. It was legitimately cool. Tom Petty is cool. While “Running Down A Dream,” “Free Fallin’,” and “ I Won’t Back Down,” were the big hits of the record ( I had the tape) I always had a special place for “Yer So Bad.” Still do. Thank Tom Petty, for not only “Full Moon Fever,” but “Wildflowers,” and “Into the Great Wide Open” too. They meant a lot to me and still do. Nice run there. Hope we can catch up more in person son. Peace.

Operation 365 2 – Jefferson Jay – Words – 106 “A World Without Arms”

Folks, I'm extremely excited for my show tonight at The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla. Years back, I brought our fine acoustic artists into the incredible place for art that is The Athenaeum and we've been going on and off there ever since. Tonight, one of my long-time goals, running tis Series becomes a reality as Mark Goffeney of Big Toe will play our event. Long story, short. he has no arms. Yet he plays guitar and sings like an MFer. I believe he has played all over the world and I can't wait to interview him before the show and learn all the details of his incredible story. How inspiring can ya get folks. No arms!

Peace