Songwriter | BeddyBalboa.com

Songwriter is my latest album that features12 new songs, sung by 5 phenomenal vocalists and me.I love songwriting. It's an adventure. Sometimes the lyrics have a cadence that suggests the kind of music/rhythm/groove that would best support them. Sometimes the music sings itself to me and the lyrics find their way in at a later point. Sometimes lyrics and music arrive at the same time which is always a lovely bit of magic. This album started as a recording session for an song I'd wanted to write since, well, since the 60's (i.e. my 60's). After that was "in the can", I looked at other songs I had written but never recorded. And all the while, the Muse was staying in my spare bedroom and all sorts of new songs came along. The songs were all so different in style, and some of them deserved a different voice than my own to be fully realized. So this album is a fun compilation of the various styles I had written and was writing. I have to thank Sam Wagner for his vision and talents. He is not only a great engineer, he's a masterful musician and arranger. He found the right musicians; he played innumerable guitar and drum tracks until he was happy. And most importantly, he made it a fun adventure every step of the way.

Can't Get You Outta My Head

I had awakened from a dream of someone from the past and it was so real, it shook me to my core. If you've ever had that experience, it can rock your world for the rest of the day and sometimes days to come. That morning, I went right to the piano and sang about it. I had originally thought of a groove like the Young Rascals' "Groovin'" but it morphed into a kind of California easy rock feel, especially in Sam's guitar solo. Pure Pacific Coast Highway! Have a nice drive!

Vocals, piano: Beddy Balboa

Guitars, bass drums: Sammy Wags

It’s 9:00

Don’t know where you are

But I can’t get you outta my head

Last night that dream

How real it seemed

Now I can’t get you outta my head

Oh, it went so wrong

And it’s been so long

A feeling so strong came on

The day’s just begun

And I’m kinda numb

‘Cause I can’t getyou outta my head

I’m somewhere else

Inside myself

‘Cause I can’t get you out of my head

Drifting through time

Here in my mind

And I can’t get you outta my head

You were here

I could feel your arms

Hear your voice

See your eyes

You were here

And I realize

That our love never dies

Oh, down and deep

Those feelings sleep

But they keep living on and on

When that love wakes

My poor heart aches

And I can’t get you outta my head

When that love wakes

My poor heart aches

And I can’t get you outta my head

can’t get you outta my head…

HAPPY DINOSAUR

Some people have asked if this is a children's song. I guess it could be even though (spoiler alert!) the dinosaur doesn't survive the asteroid. It was originally intended as social commentary about people who have no social or environmental conscience. They just want to stomp on things and "roar real loud." Special thanks to Marc Von Em for his vocals and his joy.

Vocals: Marc Von Em

Piano, backing vocals, organ: Beddy Balboa

Trombone: Nat Ranson

Guitars, drums, bass: Sammy Wags

HAPPY DINOSAUR © Beddy Balboa

I’m a happy dinosaur, Chewing on some ferns

I’m a happy dinosaur, I got no concerns

A steamy day, In the late Jurassic sun

And I graze, Until I’m done

I’m a happy dinosaur, Chewing on some ferns

I’m a happy dinosaur, I got no concerns

I shake the ground, And I crush things when I run

Hangin’ with my herd, They’re tons of fun

I’ve got nothing to do as the time goes by

I’m a happy dinosaur, I’m a happy guy.

I’m a happy dinosaur, Top of the food chain

I’m a happy dinosaur, Got a tiny brain

Look at me, I stand out in a crowd

Bigger than the trees, And I roar real loud

I’ve got nothing to prove as the time goes by

I don’t have to think, I don’t have to try

Not a care in the world, never gonna die

I’m a happy dinosaur, I’m a happy guy (Dinosaur)…

Marc Von Em and Sammy Wags at the KOOP Studios

UNTIL I SEE YOU

Oh, I was so young and so in love - I lived for those moments when I could see him and sleepwalked through the rest of my days. It was written about 40 years ago so when I played it for Sam, and he pointed out the Coldplay feel, I had to laugh. Chris Martin was 4 years old when I wrote this.

Vocals: Lindsay Parnell

Piano: Beddy Balboa

Drums, guitars, bass: Sammy Wags

UNTIL I SEE YOU © Beddy Balboa

Awake through the sleeping hours

Asleep through the waking day

Aware of every single second

Slipping away until I see you

Until I see you

I watch life go on around me

I walk down the crowded streets

I talk, I go through the motions

So incomplete until I see you

Until I see you

Monday I spiral down

Tuesday go round and round

Wednesday nothing much to do

Thursday one day away from you

I want to be where it all comes true

I want to be alone with you

To feel the way we feel

Nothing is real until I see you

Until I see you

MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON

I wrote the piano groove first while thinking about the idea of my other favorite person. I love the idea of having more than one favorite person...more than one favorite anything! Sam had the brilliant idea of having two saxophones, a tenor and an alto, have a musical conversation in the solo section. I had the brilliant idea of having Marya Lawrence, my (other) favorite vocalist, sing it. I am honored to have her on this song.

Vocals: Marya Lawrence

Piano: Beddy Balboa

Tenor Sax: Drew Vanderwinckel

Alto Sax: Dan Glaude

Drums, bass, guitars: Sammy Wags

MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON © Beddy Balboa

In the middle of the night

When it’s quiet

And it’s just my heart I hear

In the middle of the night

It’s clear, so clear

In the middle of my life

Like a light that I keep very near

In the middle of my life

You’re here, you’re here

It doesn’t matter what we’re doin’

When we’re in the groove of you and me

YOU’RE MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON

MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON

In the middle of a dream

A happy dream

That I call reality

In the middle of the loving scene

Around me

In the middle of the day

Any day

This good thing never ends

In the middle of my time

I find you, my friend

It doesn’t matter where we’re goin’

‘Cause together is the place to be

It doesn’t matter what we’re doin’

When we’re in the groove of you and me

YOU’RE MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON

THE ONE WHO RHYMES WITH EVERYTHING I AM

I’M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN

MY OTHER FAVORITE PERSON

Marya Lawrence

LOVE COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT

A bouncy pop tune. I wrote it in reaction to influencers and others I saw on social media who were trying so hard to be noticed, to be followed, to be liked. Popularity is fine but if you don't have love flowing through it from the inside out, it's empty and it will never be enough.

Vocals and synthesizer: Beddy Balboa

Alto sax (a la Duran Duran): Dan Glaude

Drums, guitars, bass: Sammy Wags

LOVE COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT © Beddy Balboa

You buy the latest greatest Mercedes

You try to always look the part

You pay to get your name in front of people

You say they’re gonna follow your star

OO-OO-OO

It doesn’t make you happy

You wear the clothes that always get you noticed

You share too much in too many ways

You make your made-up drama so important

You take any attention any day

OO-OO-OO

It doesn’t make you happy

OO-OO-OO

And here’s why:

LOVE COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT

THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT

IT’S GOTTA START

DEEP IN YOUR HEART

LOVE COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Dan Glaude

NO MAN'S LAND

I like to say that I wrote this song when I was in my 20's, in the 15 minutes despair between boyfriends. Many thanks to Sammy Wags for his wonderful guitar solo and to Chris Conte for his bass playing.

Vocals, piano: Beddy Balboa

Bass: Chris Conte

Drums, guitars: Sammy Wags

NO MAN'S LAND © Beddy Balboa

Here I am again on the other side of love

Making one more last stand

From out of his arms I flew high above

And landed here in No Man’s Land

Monday morning, Sunday afternoon

All my days unplanned

But I spend my nights howling at the moon

Over No Man’s Land

No road signs, nowhere to turn

No need to hurry, got hours to burn

No late to worry, too late to learn

Same old story I always forget

Like it’s written in sand

Time after time it’s time to regret

Back in No Man’s Land

Chris Conte

ON THE WINGS OF A LIE

I thought we were in it for the long run. But he wasn't following the same story line. It crashed and burned and left me devastated. I thought the Icarus story paralleled my experience perfectly. My hopeful wings melted (I didn't know they were made of lies) and I fell hard.

I began my lyrics with conjunctions: That I could be so fast to trust/that I could be so slow/that I could be the fool who asked" because it felt Shakespearean in its expression. Meri Squire has the kind of powerful voice I am hoping to have in my next life. She expressed the lyrics so incredibly well. Sammy Wags' production on this song is brilliant.

Vocals: Meri Squire

Piano: Beddy Balboa

Guitars, drum, bass: Sammy Wags

ON THE WINGS OF A LIE © Beddy Balboa

That I could be so fast to trust

That I could be so slow

That I could be the fool who asked

To be the last to know

SUNSHINE IN MY EYES

I FLY HIGH INTO THE SKY

ON THE WINGS OF A LIE

THAT MELT AWAY WITH TIME

I never saw the mask you wore

Behind the face you showed

I never heard the words were false

Behind the truth you told

SUNSHINE IN MY EYES

I FLY HIGH INTO THE SKY

ON THE WINGS OF A LIE

THAT MELT AWAY WITH TIME

And when I hit the ground so hard

And you don’t blink an eye

I knew that it was time to wave

The fairy tale goodbye

SUNSHINE IN MY EYES

I FLY HIGH INTO THE SKY

ON THE WINGS OF A LIE

THAT MELT AWAY WITH TIME

I was dreaming it would be me

Who would set you free

(Who would set you free)

INSIDE THE TROJAN HORSE

Sometimes something I wrote long ago becomes pertinent at a later time. I wrote this song when I was working in a large corporation, feeling directionless, and noticing others just mailing it in, like I was. Wasn't I sitting in the dark inside the Trojan Horse as it rolled along? I was letting myself be led mindlessly, thinking I was playing it "safe." When I heard Ryan Nava singing with The Brighton Beat, I knew he was my vocalist for this song. Drew Vanderwinckel on tenor and Nat Ranson on trombone was Sammy Wags genius idea.

Vocals: Ryan Nava

Piano, backing vocals: Beddy Balboa

Tenor Sax: Drew Vanderwinckel

Trombone: Nat Ranson

Bass, drums, organ: Sammy Wags

INSIDE THE TROJAN HORSE © Beddy Balboa

Sitting here minding my business

Waiting as a matter of course

Sitting here suited up and listless

Inside the Trojan Horse

Pulled into a world of strangers

By an irresistible force

Everyone is blind to the dangers

Inside the Trojan Horse

I can’t find a light

What’s the difference, night or day

Whether or not, I’m in the dark

We’re gonna get there anyway

Meanwhile I wait…

ROLLING ALONG, FOR THE RIDE

ROLLING ALONG IN LIMBO

ROLLING ALONG, SAFE INSIDE

ROLLING ALONG IN LIMBO

Dozing off while rumors are flying

They’re spreading unfounded reports

I just assume everyone is lying

Inside the Trojan Horse

Listen to the gears as they grind

Moving ever on in our course

Glad I brought along a little black wine

Inside the Trojan Horse

I can’t see ahead

When it ends is when I’ll know

Sooner or later, it stops dead

Whichever way we go

Meanwhile I wait…

ROLLING ALONG, FOR THE RIDE

ROLLING ALONG IN LIMBO

ROLLING ALONG, SAFE INSIDE

ROLLING ALONG IN LIMBO

Inside the Trojan Horse…

Drew Vanderwinckel recording his Inside the Trojan Horse solo at the KOOP Studios

ON THAT TRAIN

Yes, I was walking by the river when Amtrak rolled by. And yes, there had been a bad fight and a good cry. The song came from that momentary wish to be on that train to somewhere else. Last year, I went to a concert at Grace Farms and saw Rick Snell performing with a great group of musicians. He floored me. I knew I had to finish the "On That Train" song and have Rick play guitar and mandolin on it. He's an ace musician and a genuine person.

Vocals: Lindsay Parnell

Guitar, mandolin: Rick Snell

Piano: Beddy Balboa

Bass: Chris Conte

Drums, guitar: Sammy Wags

ON THAT TRAIN © Beddy Balboa

Walkin’ by the river

Amtrak rolls by

I wish I was on that train

One more bad fight

One more good cry

I wish I was on that train

I WISH I WAS ON THAT TRAIN

GOIN’ WHERE I’VE NOT BEEN

‘CAUSE I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

AND I’LL BE HERE AGAIN

AND I WISH I WAS ON THAT TRAIN

Sick of the struggle

Sick of the pain

I wish I was on that train

Hard to think

That it’s that easy

I wish I was on that train

I WISH I WAS ON THAT TRAIN

GOIN’ WHERE I’VE NOT BEEN

‘CAUSE I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE

AND I’LL BE HERE AGAIN

AND I WISH I WAS ON THAT TRAIN

Rick Snell

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHNNIE WALKER

Another "oldie" - written after a Tom Waits concert. He sang "The Piano's Been Drinking" and I wanted to write my version of that. I had a particular Johnnie Walker in mind, and the song "went right to my head." Drew Vanderwinckel once again lent his soulful tenor sax sound to the song, and Chris Conte supplied the bass. Huge thanks.

Piano, vocals: Beddy Balboa

Bass: Chris Conte

Tenor Sax: Drew Vanderwinckel

Drums, guitars: Sammy Wags

Side by side with an old friend

At a sentimental time like this

A friend who got me through the bad times

A friend to help me reminisce

IT’S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE BESIDE ME

AS WE BOTH TURN ANOTHER NEW PAGE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNIE WALKER

WE BOTH GET BETTER WITH AGE

A year ago tonight, we were dancin’

We did the whole town up bright red

Ooo, his words were smooth and I drank ‘em

That man went right to my head

He left me one morning in December

Guess it was time to clear my mind

So let’s drink up, it helps me remember

The taste of love he left behind

AND IT’S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE BESIDE ME

AS WE BOTH TURN ANOTHER NEW PAGE

HERE’S TO BIRTHDAYS, JOHNNIE WALKER

SOME THINGS GET BETTER WITH AGE.

LIFE IN THE 60'S

I realized one day that being in MY 60's had a lot of similarities to what life in THE 60's was like. There was a dreamlike quality to the self-discovery, the trippy-ness of being that age, the search for answers. So I combined the sounds of 60's psychedelic rock (Electric Prune's "Too Much to Dream Last Night") with a chorus like "Getting Better" by the Beatles. Sam and I had so much fun listening to psychedelic rock recordings and mimicking the sounds.

Vocals, synthesizer: Beddy Balboa

Drums, bass, guitars: Sammy Wags

Chasing a dream into the corners of my mind

Waking up a sleeping giant

Catching a shadow running past my inner eye

The ghost of love wandering silent

Miles and miles of my time

Going in circles in my mind

AH, LIFE IN THE 60’S

Floating through a haze inside and in between

Looking to expand my timeless mind

Living for today is everybody’s scene

Peace is what we’re finding hard to find

I think I’ve got a pill for that

Here under my yoga mat

AH, LIFE IN THE 60’S

AH, LIFE IN THE 60’S…

The past in close behind but fading fast away

Life is short but the line is long

Looking for a way to get myself back home

When both left and right are going wrong

Lazy days of summer past

And I am going nowhere fast

(No one else makes me happy

in the special way you do

I may try

But there’s no gettin’ over you)

We were faithful to love

But to nobody else

Out on the run

Having our fun

Til one day

A new guy came along

With a love so strong

He pulled me to him

And I want to begin

In a brand new way

I WANNA BE TRUE

I WANNA STOP LOVING YOU

I WANNA DO THE THINGS THAT FAITHFUL LOVERS DO

I WANNA BE TRUE

TURN MY BACK ON YOU

TRUE, TRUE BLUE

TRUE BLUE

Baby I was just hooked

From your very first look

A fever so hot

That I guess I forgot

There’s no cure

He’ll be better for me

Than I am for myself

I’m his and he’s mine

I’ll be faithful this time

Oh I’m sure

I’M GONNA BE TRUE

I’M GONNA STOP LOVING YOU

I’M GONNA DO THE THINGS THAT FAITHFUL LOVERS DO

I’M GONNA BE TRUE

TURN MY BACK ON YOU

TRUE, TRUE BLUE

TRUE BLUE

There’ll be no more cheatin’ and no more lies

He’ll turn my counterfeit heart to gold

He looks at me

With warm and trusting eyes

Don’t know what he’s sellin’ but I’m sold

I’M GONNA BE TRUE

GONNA STOP LOVING YOU

I’M GONNA ACT THE WAY THAT FAITHFUL LOVERS DO

(JUST WATCH ME, BABY)

I’M GONNA BE TRUE

TURN MY BACK ON YOU

TRUE, TRUE BLUE…TRUE BLUE

(No one else makes me happy

in the special way you do

I may try

But there’s no gettin’ over you)

Candace Lynn Matthews

Bianca Grooves