52 Songs Project

In the beginning of 2009, I decided to write 52 songs in a year. It wasn't always easy, but in the end I finished (with a full day to spare!). In 2010, I'm writing 52 songs again. This page has a list of the songs, and once recorded, MP3s you can download, listen to and share with your friends (or enemies). Please send criticism, praise, complaints, ideas, stories, co-writing requests, fan mail, threats, rants and other communications to james at jamesmusic.net. If you are having trouble playing songs using Firefox, try upgrading to the latest version or using Safari or Internet Explorer.

This year, two other hearty, self-desdtructive souls have decided they also want to write 52 songs.

52 Songs Project: 2010

Podcast

37.	Simple Little Life	Play	Download
38.	Could Go	Play	Download
39.	Not Free to Fall in Love with You	Play	Download
40.	Porter's Waltz	Play	Download
41.	Goodbye	Play	Download	Goodbye Goodbye I woke up to find Tender peace of mind Lying by my side In warm sunday sunshine But I don't know how many more times This will happen to me And I could lead you Where you will go But I don't want to say goodbye Goodbye eye eye eye eye Every single photograph Gives me pause to ask Which one will be the last When will it all be past And it's coming soon by the signs Didn't time go by so fast? And I would lead you Where you will go And I could lead you Where you will go But I don't want to say goodbye Goodbye Oh what would a friend say If the friend could talk anyway Maybe today is my last day And that would be OK Why must it all be so unkind? Can I ask you to suffer and stay? And I would lead you Where you will go I could lead you Where you will go But I don't want to say goodbye Goodbye The pain isn't all yours I'm sharing it with you of course How long should I wait How many good and bad days I'm just looking for a sign Didn't they say I would know? And I could lead you Where you will go I could lead you Where you will go But I don't want to say goodbye Goodbye Lyrics	Goodbye Notes This one isn't finished the way I wanted it to be, but I don't have the heart to finish it. Info
42.	Kristtalnacht			Kristtalnacht Kristallnacht In the year of 38 On the night of November 9 Men with guns came to town Killed the rabbi, burned the temple down For days I hid and went hungry Until I fled the broken town one night I stole some eggs, a loaf of bread Then kept running for my life I had a ring from my mother owned A golden band that I liked to hold It bribed a guard at the border A tiny trinket for my soul The days stretched out into a life I'm haunted by those who died Why do I still breathe tonight Why do I still breathe tonight I'm a grown man and then some I watched sixty years fall away My thoughts turned every day that passed Of the night of the broken glass I never married I just could not Bring myself to buy a ring Like the one my mother let me hold The tiny ring made of gold The days stretched out into a life But all I saw was those who died Why do I still breathe tonight Why do I still breathe tonight Lyrics
43.	Tell Me to Shut Up	Play	Download
44.	She Said to Me	Play	Download
45.	Arms Length	Play	Download
46.	Fake Velvet	Play	Download	Fake Velvet Fake Velvet Have you ever seen fake velvet? It might be the softest thing You'd remember if you held it Smooth as when Sinatra sings Have you ever seen fake velvet Soft as a sunny day in May I'm obsessed, I can't deny it I need fake velvet next to me Somebody had the notion To make it into clothing And I salute them by holding You in your fake velvet jacket standing next to me Have you ever seen fake velvet It's truly too good for the king God bless anyone who sells it Soft as a brand-new baby's skin Have you ever seen fake velvet It looks and feels like nothing else A man who wears a coat of fake velvet Really knows how to treat himself Somebody had the notion To make it into clothing And I salute them by holding You in your fake velvet jacket standing next to me Lyrics
47.	Know Better	Play	Download
48.	Blood	Play	Download
49.	Standing Next to You	Play	Download	Standing Next to You Standing Next to You Isn't this all just the same I'm hungry for something new But we're right back here again Like we're stuck in a groove I can't believe I'm standing next to you If I thought you'd had a change If your feelings grew It would cut against your grain And what would it proove I can't believe I'm standing next to you The aching builds and wanes Like a bad case of the flu And I'm moaning like I'm in pain From a love I can't undo I can't believe I'm standing next to you And I don't need to say a word You know everything I want to say Everything I need to say About all the ways I'm stuck on you I'll flutter round your flame The heat makes it true In your orbit I will remain Til for fire burns me through I can't believe I'm standing next to you My heart and my brain Run with their own crew And on a different plane My heads already on the move My heart is still standing next to you And I don't need to say a word You know everything I want to say Everything I need to say About all the ways I'm stuck on you Lyrics
50.	untitled
51.	Myself	Play	Download	Myself Myself Take it with a grain of salt But there was more involved Than a simple lie And I know, cuz I tried It was my mistake But my heart wasn't faked Please don't underrate How hard I tried Didn't know how to be myself Didn't wanna be anyone else Didn't wanna lie Alo o o o ne She took to the big and small Her back seat and the mall And I'm confused is all Why do I never know? Is it just a guessing game To see who I am Can it do any harm To just be me? Didn't know how to be myself Didn't wanna be anyone else Don't wanna live and die Alo o o o ne Didn't know how to be myself Didn't wanna be anyone else Don't wanna live and die Alo o o o ne Lyrics
52.	I've Got Fifty Two Songs to Write (for crying out loud)	Play	Download	I've Got Fifty Two Songs to Write (for crying out loud) I've Got Fifty Two Songs to Write (for crying out loud) Baby take the trash to the curb Baby do the dishes, too Baby take the shopping list with you On your way to the store Honey don't forget to TiVo Colbert Honey please check the mail Honey let's go out for dinner Come on, honey let's go! I've got fifty two songs to write For crying out loud I've got fifty two songs to write I need some time for this I've got fifty two songs to write Honey give me a kiss for Inspiration A thousand things in the back of my mind A thousand years to get it all done A dozen lives I'd need now But I've only got the one And I don't need to be reminded Of all the things I'm trying to ignore This whole thing is stressing me out That's not what songwriting's for I've got fifty two songs to write For crying out loud For crying out loud I need some time for this I've got fifty two songs to write Honey give me a kiss for Inspiration Lyrics	I've Got Fifty Two Songs to Write (for crying out loud) Credits Title suggested by James Taintor Info

52 Songs Project: 2009

Podcast

1.	Victory Lap	Play	Download
2.	The Glorious Days of Lighter than Air Travel	Play	Download
3.	Goodbye Beer	Play	Download
4.	Live Forever	Play	Download
5.	Murder of Crows	Play	Download
6.	Merry Christmas (If I Get What I Want)	Play	Download
7.	Something for Nothing	Play	Download
8.	Close	Play	Download
9.	Wanted Girl	Play	Download
10.	For Now	Play	Download
11.	Blue Song (for Jeremy)	Play	Download
12.	Will You Be Mine	Play	Download
13.	Not Your Girl Anymore	Play	Download
14.	Playing with the Boy Who Loves You	Play	Download		Playing with the Boy Who Loves You Notes Thanks to Leah Forrest for input and encouragement during the writing of this song. Info
15.	I Quit	Play	Download
16.	Speed of Man	Play	Download
17.	Kevin Crowley	Play	Download
18.	Wednesday Girl	Play	Download
19.	You Don't Come Out Anymore	Play	Download
20.	If You See Kay	Play	Download
21.	She'll Be Drunk (You'll Be Happy)	Play	Download
22.	Burning a Hole	Play	Download
23.	Sugar	Play	Download
24.	Believe	Play	Download
25.	Perfect Light	Play	Download
26.	Bigger	Play	Download
27.	Halfway There	Play	Download
28.	Solstice	Play	Download
29.	Idiot	Play	Download		Idiot Credits Melissa Misicka on backing vocals Info
30.	Weary	Play	Download
31.	I Had a Good Time at the Apocalypse	Play	Download
32.	Jesus of the Tall Grass	Play	Download
33.	I Guess This Is Hello	Play	Download		I Guess This Is Hello Credits Ooos and aaaas by Melissa Misicka Info
34.	Lock the Door, Roger	Play	Download		Lock the Door, Roger Credits Vocals by Kay McKinstry and lead guitar by Jeremy Parker Info
35.	I Don't Have to Tell You (but I will)	Play	Download
36.	Happy Birthday Old Man	Play	Download
37.	Sooner or Later	Play	Download	Sooner or Later You may feel pretty in the limelight Like a superstar on a highlight Keep that feeling locked up inside Keep it precious--it's sure to die If they tell you to act your age Don't they know everybody plays Some like cars or poker games I'll take any heart that comes my way It may be wonderful At least for a little while But I will let you down Either sooner or later I can be as giddy as the next guy Lay in the grass under blue sky But at dusk I will wonder why I let so many others pass by So I'll dream of someone new Even while I'm holding onto you I'll take a breath and break away And it'll be very, very easy to do It may be wonderful At least for a little while But I will let you down Either sooner or later Lyrics
38.	Sorry About the Mess (I made of me)	Play	Download
39.	No One's Watching	Play	Download	No One's Watching Don't worry No one's watching There'll all watching the TV Don't pull away now Just keep on kissing I'll keep my hands where they can't be seen We are alone now The crowd's just white noise Buzzing like a hive of bees Put your busy Mind on standby I'm right here and I am real There'll be no gossip There are no gadflies Just do what you feel No one's watching The games gone overtime And these shadows are deep It's a late night bar crowd Too drunk and too loud For any whispers to repeat I think I've found it That magic place where Your neck and my kisses meet Put your busy Mind on standby I'm right here and I am real There'll be no gossip There are no gadflies Just do what you feel No one's watching No one watching No one's watching you and me No one's watching No one's watching No one's watching you and me Put your busy Mind on standby I'm right here and I am real There'll be no gossip There are no gadflies Just do what you feel Lyrics
40.	Red Hair and Dark Liqour	Play	Download	Red Hair and Dark Liqour She put her finger on me gently On the side of my neck Pushed in and and tore my throat out And I awoke in a sweat Red is the color that I dream in Shades of rose and crimson hues Hers was the heart I believed in I was wrong about that too It was her red hair that caught me I was no better than a slave She fancied herself an angel And a soul to be saved She showed me she loved me She tried to teach me to love pain Hers was the heart I believed in I won't be wrong again She's fine when she is sober So many tales start that way But when she drinks dark liquor Heaven help those she hates And heaven help her lovers If they say the wrong thing The red hair took her over God help me if I believe again Lyrics
41.	I've Got Nothing in Common with My Common Law Wife	Play	Download		I've Got Nothing in Common with My Common Law Wife Credits Jamie O'Connell on lap steel guitar Info
42.	I Feel So Old (Lara's Song)	Play	Download	I Feel So Old (Lara's Song) I got no feel for time I know it keeps going But sometimes it seems It moves faster than the speed of my dreams It starts then stops whatever it deems To be over and done with I know that I the will of time Who are these babies in the bars Who are these children driving cars And why won't they do what they are told Why don't they do as they're told I feel so old I remember every line On my face and they are growing They show the places I've been All these kids faces are so clean They don't tell me anything Just out there having fun Just out there killing time Who are these babies in the bars Who are these children driving cars And why won't they do what they are told Do as you're told I feel so old Lyrics
43.	Understand (you don't)	Play	Download
44.	Not Just Any Heart	Play	Download
45.	Are You Listening (Austin)?	Play	Download
46.	Can't Get That Girl	Play	Download
47.	The Nicest Guy	Play	Download
48.	Why Should I Care	Play	Download
49.	The Girl Who Loved Me	Play	Download
50.	In the Hands of God	Play	Download
51.	Forget the Sun	Play	Download
52.	Short Stack	Play	Download

James Christensen

52 Songs Project