February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

John Crossman (@johncrossman)

progress: 20

winner!
joined: January 26 2008
location: Wisconsin, USA
influences: The Housemartins, David Wilcox, Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Trip Shakespeare, Lyle Lovett, Kurt Vonnegut, BNL, Wes Anderson, M.Ward, Mickey Best, Jackson Browne, Rev. Al Green, Shawn Kirchner, Smithereens, Plat, Martin Sexton, XTC, Nancy Rost, Jonatha Brooke, Lorrie Moore, Greg Brown, Kurt Elling, Paul Otteson, George Eliot, Julia Brown, Don Chaffer, SWG, Iron & Wine, Binky, Bob Schneider, Elmore Leonard, Bill Roberts, Wilco, Paul Turrell, punctuation, my dad, and you, you handsome son-of-a-gun.

Bio

Twenny-twelve.

I plan to tell inane stories to any of you who will listen this February. The trick is that I will set them to music. Then behind your back, I will tell other people about how I fooled you while I laugh so hard my teeth come loose. My guitar seems to full of bees. I will move the mic up real close and give each drone his say. Fortunately, my epiglottis will take on the task of sorting out the words as they bubble up from my belly. It is a harsh judge and hard to fool, but it can be bribed. I'm always looking for that special something in a song, which I suspect is a paste of ground up pixie wings in troll drool. If you have some to spare, please send it to my PO Box at your earliest convenience. Perhaps you've noticed, I'm feeding the Nonsense Machine with dry ice as fast as I can. More to the point, my heart is literally exploding with joy to be back and, even more so, to see you here. No wait, that's blood.

Feel free to critique me. And by me, I mean my songs. It will only make me stronger. If I can get enough of it, I will be the strong-est.

I am also available to give a more thorough critique to your songs, children's parties, weddings and family reunions. Lemme know.

On the other hand, I feel blessed with abundant comments, so if you're torn between spending time here and going to listen to something new, get outta here! Better yet, go write another song!

I'm going to give in and tag a few "favorites" based on how I feel about these songs at the moment. It may change.

2012 Songs

1	Over Me	50 comments // 3 months ago
2	Somebody's Someone	35 comments // 3 months ago
3	Strange Skies	32 comments // 3 months ago
4	(My Heart Is) Closed to New Investors (with autoclamp)	28 comments // 3 months ago
5	Cemetery Road	16 comments // 3 months ago
6	A Trifling Abbe, Why Murmur Not? (hint; it's an anagram) (with toms)	7 comments // 3 months ago
7	Shadow Puppets	15 comments // 3 months ago
8	When the King Comes Home	13 comments // 3 months ago
9	Squishy Grapes (with sarahk)	15 comments // 3 months ago
10	Blame It On Me	17 comments // 2 months ago
11	Unlikely Grace	5 comments // 2 months ago
12	FEAR (with dreamscuba)	11 comments // 2 months ago
13	I Am Your Weakness (See 29011) (with kristian*)	zong // 2 months ago
14	Half of the Whole	8 comments // 2 months ago
15	Above All, Your Love	4 comments // 2 months ago
16	Oh, Sandy	6 comments // 2 months ago
17	Battle Puppets (with devin)	10 comments // 2 months ago
18	The Cat With 3 Owners (with remi)	4 comments // 2 months ago
19	Olive Oil and Worcestershire	6 comments // 2 months ago
20	An Old Familiar Song	11 comments // 2 months ago

Soundboard

Leave a message. Log in to FAWM or sign up first!

standup 1 month ago

I'm jealous you got to hear "So Good" live!
aaronaschweitzer 1 month ago

Great Stuff John! I am happily surprised that I stumbled my way onto your page. The imagery you paint with your lyrics is amazing. Guitar is great...vocals are great...songs are great. Hope you get my point. LOL
madisonfawm 2 months ago

We <3 you.
stevenwesleyguiles 2 months ago

John, LaVerne is 30 seconds away from where I live, so YES, we need to at least have a horrible Del Taco experience together or something.

Wanna send me digits via email or FB?
stephenwordsmith 2 months ago

By all means, I'd like that.
stephencope 2 months ago

Oh, how I do love to complain.
stephencope 2 months ago

True, but there is music from the past two years. Mostly recorded on a 15 dollar mandolin from in Cambodia: http://stephenandthemockingbird.tumblr.com/ More than 14 songs, too.
debs 2 months ago

Hey! Are you saying that my imagined locked songs are better than the real ones?
* Laughs * I can't stay mad at you.
sandman313 2 months ago

John you know my friend Harland Howard!
donna 2 months ago

I enjoyed your comment on my soundboard. Yep, I've often been 'called' on something I've tried to nudge past the reader.
stephenwordsmith 2 months ago

Thank you for your offer. Appropriately enough, I had all these dreams in my head about getting all my lyric sheets covered by various artists by the time 50/90 rolls around.

I've had a bit of a think, and I have narrowed it down to the three remaining sets I believe are strongest, although each has a qualifier. Here they are in merit order, with caveat:

*30164 English Electric Ballad #1 - If you can identify the artist I accidentally ripped off, it may be difficult to think of an alternate approach
*21445 All the Way to Six - This has already been earmarked for collaboration with another FAWMer, but they've not been forthcoming over the weeks
*21925 The Day it Rained Cats and Dogs (Literally) - Might be a bit frivolous for your liking. The first two have some semblance of real feeling which would make better use of your talents
stephenwordsmith 2 months ago

I had to look up 'bashed neeps', too. The Scots Wikipaedia page was most englightening, not least of all because of the language.

W.T. McGonagall's poetry is well worth reading, but it is to be appreciated on the same level as Vogon poetry.
jodiarlyn 2 months ago

You're so sweet JCross. Thanks for your nice comments! I have lots of listening to do now!!
devin 2 months ago

Wow...you're quick! I think you listened to the original mix with the waaaay-tooo-hot-vox.
I just fixed that.

No matter...same song, just less loud in one spot and more loud in others.

*tilts lamp*
devin 2 months ago

Sorry I didn't give you enough time to preview/critique/alter/harmonize/sanction our latest tune. Considering it's eventual placement in the cannon* of significant works, I'm sure I can secure your forgiveness with a cold beer when next we meet

*As in, the type you get to light.
leslie 2 months ago

You are oh so welcome. >:)
dasbinky 2 months ago

You are, as we have always suspected, a winner.
valeriecox 2 months ago

Thank you, John, for that kind comment on my ballad. I think I'll take that hug.
leslie 2 months ago

I beat you to the punch this time, sir. You cannot possibly criticize me more than I've already done in this one: *30605 Although, you're welcome to try. She needs to be brought down a few notches.
cowex 2 months ago

Huh. I like you. As well as your facts.
shadywilbury 2 months ago

Hi,

Thanks for your comment and interest in *29844 - if you're still interested, feel free to have at it. Really appreciate the way that you've thought about the song...I wasn't thinking of any particular scripture when I wrote it, more a 'what if this happened?' type setup.

Best wishes,

Shady
caterwauler 2 months ago

Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated, as always
leslie 2 months ago

Damn proud, thank you. Of course, one storyteller is always welcome to critique another. I promise to not hold it against you, but reserve the right to write my disdain into a future song.. NOT.. about you.. specifically.
dreamscuba 2 months ago

Thanks again John for your collab on FEAR...You really brought the music to light...I have a couple of other tunes that could do with some magic on them...
leslie 2 months ago

Yes, but splinters that are bound together!
toms 2 months ago

So, does that mean you consent to having your name attached to it?
cowex 2 months ago

Shaving violation? Man. I had to look that one up. I get the communicable-disease thing, kind of, I think. Yes, I'm stalking you for fun facts.
leslie 2 months ago

Ok, this one I'm super proud of: *29870
leslie 2 months ago

Aha! Caught up on you, finally. (Except the morph.. I can't bring myself to listen to those. I've had.. bad experiences in the past. Although yours is undoubtedly splendid. )
brandoncook 2 months ago

I would LOVE to do a last minute collaboration with you John... in whichever manor you would like... but i think i would prefer a face to face... i would learn alot more that way..
here is my email:

Brandon.cook20@gmail.com
bradbrubaker 2 months ago

Ha! You won't find any zombie songs actually. The pictures were for a zombie-themed creative writing class for kids. Maybe I should adapt one of their stories into a song...
airbagtester 2 months ago

*29231 Do FAWMbots Dream of Electric Sheep
mschizzle 2 months ago

thanks for your lovely comment! I'll definitely be listening to more of your songs
darcistrutt 2 months ago

The 'catcore' genre sounds like it's for cat-artists...not songs about them Kind of funny to hear though! Glad you enjoyed my song for Karma. She does knead me...and I need her back.
nancyrost 2 months ago

Thanks, John.
devin 2 months ago

Oh snap! I'm not giving "Shadow Puppets II" away now...your suggested projections are too tempting. Besides, I need the song count more than He!

* sorry about the downgrade*
downburst 3 months ago

I'm not really... duanceclancy marked me as a collab on lyrics for a bunch of 5090 songs, so I'm a little farther away than it looks. But I have two exquisite corpses in process and a ton of stuff in the hopper, so I'll get there. Thanks.

PS: I was kidding about the hymn tune, though it's tempting to take a whack at it myself.
autoclamp 3 months ago

Awesome! Let me know how the performance goes. Thanks for sending the chords!
downburst 3 months ago

Ha ha, excellent! That's a hymn tune, right?
sarahk 3 months ago

Okay, Crossman. I've got some lyrics posted if you feel amused to tackle them. Even for me, they're a little . . . unusual. Happy FAWM.
debs 3 months ago

I'm feeling great about the collab with Val But what I'm feeling on the FAWM front is that I haven't made enough quiet space to let things happen.
debs 3 months ago

* Laughs * You're doing far better than I am, John.
debs 3 months ago

Can we expect a Rhombus ad?
plainwhitetoast 3 months ago

Ha! old rules... kooky.
plainwhitetoast 3 months ago

I saw your post in the FS3 planning thread. How are you at FAWMstock already? Is that some uncanny xman power?
jaydaniels 3 months ago

John, thanks for your comment on Cosmonaut Blues! Yup, I think you're right, I need to add to the lyric, it definitely feels unfinished. I took you up on that suggestion and am workin' on it. Thanks!
dasbinky 3 months ago

So, yeah... what's up with your voice? I mean that in a good way. You've got a lot more of the folk version of Barry White going on than usual.

I approve.
tesla3090 3 months ago

Yeah, sorry about the delay, should be up by tonight.
sueawesome 3 months ago

Messy...NOT!
You did *awesome*.
thank you for digging it up...and doing it in the first place!
sueawesome 3 months ago

Mr. Crossman,
While it might not be too late for some, for me it is just too much (emotionally) this February. I did actually scratch down some rather incomplete and nonsensical babbling, but I have not the energy to form anything from it. It would be nice though, I admit, to have this creative energy as a distraction in my life, but alas - I might be rendered burnt little bits at the bottom of the pan if I attempted.
See...I make no sense!
And how are you?
And...can I ask you a question?
Did you sing my Conversation Confection song from a few years back? If so, it has yet to be located in my iTunes for listening purposes. Is there something you can do about that?
-sue
autoclamp 3 months ago

From the bottom of my heart, John, thank you for the sincere and beautiful treatment you gave our song. Love it thoroughly!
brandoncook 3 months ago

I thought that song might come across as confuzzling.. but you nailed it. it's a guy wrestling in his head.. wondering if his girl is cheating.. and its driving him crazy.

Thanks for all your wonderful comments john
marlenejs 3 months ago

Thanks for the encouragement for songs from Hawaii. I've done one, just haven't posted. Been a hard year.still difficult. However, my daughter and I did win 3rd locally for Hard Rock Rising contest and will get to play their Battle of the Bands on the 18th. But I've really got to get back to fawming...
eversomber 3 months ago

I have decided on the topic of your #reciprocal song challenge...

You are to write me a song about/pertaining to/"written by" somebody with multiple personalities

Enjoy
devin 3 months ago

In a rare move, I have wisely decided something.

I only listen to your songs before I compose/record metal instrumentals. Because your stuff makes me want to give up trying anything else...holy snap!
nadia 3 months ago

hey man! thanks for your sweet comment on my attempt at Strange Skies (*23664) as a dance track. i totally agree about the length and so i really want to go back (post-FAWM) and stretch it out. maybe learn more about sampling and do some crazy stuff with it. meanwhile, i'm glad you liked it!
aguiltengine 3 months ago

Either or sounds good to me, man.
shay 3 months ago

Thank you John, for your comment on "This quiet Dream" : )
hbusse 3 months ago

Ha ha! I loved your comment about dancing bears/raisins/frogs. Maybe I should make a music video.
susyblue 3 months ago

hey john thanks for your nice comments! N it's good to come across your tunes, i especially like strange skies
eversomber 3 months ago

nice to meet you too, John Crossman. I too will have a bit of a ponder and get back to you soon with my idea. I'll try not to be too mean!
autoclamp 3 months ago

I emailed the address in the bio above. Let me know if I should use a different one. Thanks!
leslie 3 months ago

You and me both, when it comes to "Listen To My Song." Which is really why I had to write it and make it sound as ludicrous as I could, to hide the total honesty.

Thanks for your storybook comments, John. I love to follow your inspirational stream-of-consciousness. It's such a smooth and evocative ride.
autoclamp 3 months ago

Dare! Dare! That would be great. Do you have something in mind? Otherwise, I have a new torch song lyric, if you're into that sort of thing. I don't know what I'd do with it.
gwynthesizer 3 months ago

Best Bio on FAWM! And great songs too - can you do no wrong?!
victoriavox 3 months ago

thanks John xo v.v.
errol 3 months ago

Oh dear.
errol 3 months ago

Good grief, I'm not SAD sad! Oh my goodness, everyone's all worried I'm sad!
toms 3 months ago

Thanks for the kind comments, again! And for the olddog link - that's some high end stuff...Geez, if I had Mitt Romney's money, I wouldn't have it any more...
pizzakickback 3 months ago

Yeah, there should be a demo up in a few weeks, I wanna video tape it and send it to Julia.
ritawitter 3 months ago

Hey John! Wouldn't miss it. Let there be RAWK!!!
lara 3 months ago

Hi John! good to see you back too! hoping to get some good listening in at work today & try to record *something* this evening, if the kids let me.
riwsky 3 months ago

Oh dude, don't worry about that comment. It was a great song, I just like receiving both positive and constructive comments and that's how I give 'em, too. Vitamins.
kermy 3 months ago

You guys @johncrossman, @scottmcb are so sweet! I will for sure be posting something...just not sure I can do 14!
antlion 3 months ago

Thanks for your kind comment on my song. I have a bad habit of underthought, dashed-off bridges in general...I really admire songwriters who can nail the bridge. Patty Griffin, off the top of my head, writes particularly incredible ones.
antlion 3 months ago

Yep, thanks!! I was originally put down as a collaborator but I asked @oneslowtyper to take me off until I got my part to him. Excited to work on it!
hbusse 3 months ago

Thanks for the comment on New Grooves! You're right, that downward walking piano movement... ha... well, I guess we all have our ruts.

Love your bio. It made me laugh.
shadywilbury 3 months ago

Hi, John.

Great to hear new stuff from you- I look forward to checking out what you do over the next few weeks.

Shady
dreamscuba 3 months ago

Thanks very much for your comments on "Something's Gotta Give" and "Don't Want To Say It's True". Much appreciated.
toms 3 months ago

No, the lyrics are not getting more far-out, I just never post them b/c then people will notice that they are just random lines. (since we need to crank these out, I sort of combine the methods of David Byrne and the Cocteau Twins. Byrne at least some of the time writes by collecting phrases on little bits of paper, and then organizing them until they make some sort of sense; an aleatoric element gets added that I like, because it's sort of like our tendency to see faces where there are none, we force meaning into the text. That pomo idea that the reader is as much author as writer. It's true! The CT because I remember reading that they made up their own language for lyrics so that the vowel-consonant pattern would fit the melody & rhythm. I may be misremembering, since I was still living in Madison at the time & that was the 1980s.
dftaylor 3 months ago

John I've probably been a douche and made a judgement based on his profile, which is all lyrics. Let me know though!
seantwright 3 months ago

John, thanks for the comments on the songs.
lazyafro 3 months ago

O.O that's such a good idea for a song... or 14.5 of them....
toms 3 months ago

Thank you, John!
whatsurdamage 3 months ago

Hey John, thanks for your comment about "One", I'm definitely back this year ad glad you're doing FAWM again too. I literally just finished my first song so now I can actually take a little breather and listen to some other people's stuff! Looking forward to see what you come up with this year
bitshred 3 months ago

hey john, re: my band, we are called Polydactyl (for now), and have a facebook, reverbnation, etc.. But not a substantial demo at the moment (or fanbase), just a few snippets. I did post "Polydactyl Man" during the 50/90, with a live video from our August show.
But we have a show at The Frequency this month. I'll post the event on the Madison fawm page in time.
dragondreams 3 months ago

Thanks for the heads-up, John.

My dreams have come true, but I think my collab partner will be a nervous wreck as soon as he reads the list!

Neat work with the randomisation too. I like technology some of the time...
musicsongwriter 3 months ago

Thank you John
tiedyehero 3 months ago

Thanks! Welcome back yourself. Excited to see the pairing, that thread was an awesome idea.
dschind 3 months ago

Glad you're FAWMING in 2012, John. Your recent performance at The Brink with Das Binky was stellar.
toms 3 months ago

John, that was excellent feedback. I appreciate it.
leslie 3 months ago

I haven't read it, no. @DasBinky suggested it, too. I keep meaning to read it, but never get around to it. One day. Hopefully you will hear some @iocanepower songs in the next couple of days!
seantwright 3 months ago

John, I'm back, and looking forward to your songs this year.
gslade 3 months ago

08 representin'.. ha
mattpierce 3 months ago

Thanks for your comment "stepping on your face" is an expression I sometimes
use to describe someone depressed; which doesn't help when you've done something wrong!
Yeah your right, ice cream can be replaced with cappuccino or something??
Ahem! I'm waiting.....
sandman313 3 months ago

Oh Yes JC... I'm FAWMing this year!
menbah 3 months ago

For a second I thought you said "pixie wangs," and I got all excited.
arthurrossi 3 months ago

Hi, and thanks a lot! I am looking very forward to it...
shoepixie 3 months ago

Am I coming back this year?

Is a bee attuned to magnetic fields?
sheilerk 3 months ago

Oh goodie, inane stories and laughter. What could be better... oh yeah, having them set to music!! Good to see you, John. Looking forward to the fun