Over time it’s easy to let the romance fade from a relationship, even if the love remains. “Listen to the Radio” is my original song on the subject. I think it’s a good reminder for us all (myself, included) that relationships take effort and should never be taken for granted.

Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and J. D. Souther wrote this and recorded it for the Eagles’ “On the Border” album in 1974. Frey didn’t want it released as a single because he wanted to move away from the country/acoustic sound, but it was released and then went on to become the Eagles’ first U.S. #1 song. And, of course, the group was never heard from again. No, wait….

I wrote “Louisiana Makes Me Smile” many years ago and it became the title song on one of my sister’s albums. It really needs a Cajun accordion or fiddle in the break, but, alas, I play neither. Not to worry, though–I’ve thrown some Louisiana flavoring into the video to spice it up. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (If you’re interested in hearing the fully-produced album-version video, you can find it here: https://petermarcantel.com/2014/10/14/louisiana-makes-me-smile/)

I posted this John Denver gem a while back, but I wasn’t happy with the quality of the recording, so I took another run at it. Whether you’re a JD fan or not, if you’ve ever reached for your guitar like an old friend to share your joys or sorrows with, you know what this song is about.

Here’s a simple little song with a special nod to our Canadian friends. Ian Tyson wrote “Four Strong Winds” in 20 minutes (or so he once claimed). He recorded it with his wife Sylvia (of Ian & Sylvia fame) and it quickly became a staple of the folk music scene of the 1960s. It was covered by fellow Canadians Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, and, well, just about everybody else who had a guitar and a recording contract. Twenty minutes well spent, I would say. As always, thanks for listening and commenting–hope you like it!

“Louisiana 1927” is a Randy Newman song from his Good Old Boys album released in 1974. It’s a concept album in which Newman takes on the persona of a “certain type” of Southern man and it paints a decidedly unflattering portrait of Southerners. Notwithstanding that, this song has been adopted in Louisiana as a sort of anthem. It speaks of the devastating floods that hit the state in 1927 and the federal government’s inadequate response to the disaster. The song had a resurgence of popularity after hurricane Katrina and, unfortunately, has become the theme song for too many similar events since then.

An original I call “The Journeyman’s Lament (Who Will Remember Me?).” Journeyman: a worker, performer, or athlete who is experienced and good but not excellent. We all want to make our mark in the world, right?

This Beatles tune is a bit misunderstood by most of us. It’s usually thought of as a sentimental look back at fond memories, which is what the first verse and bridge are about, but the second verse and bridge tell a different story. It’s actually a love song that says, “All those things are nice, but you are definitely better.” Anyway, it’s a lovely little song that’s deceptively complex in its structure, as most Beatles’ songs are.

How about a simple, no-frills, original love song this week? I wrote “Country Night” as a young man and it’s the sort of love a young man should believe in. I’d like to think that I’ve retained a little of that innocence, even though the reference in the song to “growing old” has caught up with me.

This cowboy lullaby in ¾ time was written by Kent Lewis and first recorded by John Denver on his Windsong album. It was covered later by Chris LeDoux, a real rodeo cowboy-turned-country singer and Wyoming native. As I was recording it, that other guy wandered in and pulled up a log by the campfire and was pretty insistent on joining in, so what can you do? Unsaddle your horse, lay out your bedroll, and stretch out next to the fire for “Song of Wyoming.” Sweet dreams!