| Jim usually writes comments on each CD he puts out because lots of folks like to know what inspires his compositions. So, once again, here's the comments Jim wrote for this "Buskin' Around" CD.
Track 1.
Goetzinger Waltz
This is the accordion version of a waltz I wrote for a friend of mine, Tom Goetzinger and his family. Tom is a professional radio announcer, and hosts a program called “Treasure Chest of Old Tyme Music” that airs on KDHL, KOWZ, and KATE. Tom also plays my music on his radio programs. The original version of this song was a strings version that became very popular with professional ballroom dancers.
Track 2.
Dance with Me
This is a dance tune I wrote for The Polka Dotters Club. The dancers told me they like the "circling beat" this tune has which "makes it fun to dance to."
Track 3.
The County Fair Parade
One of our favorite things to do is to go to the county fairs. I've played music at some of these fairs, and we've had our dogs entered in the dog shows just for fun. We also like to watch the parades. This is my composition of a parade march.
Track 4.
Strom Waltz
This is the accordion version of a song I wrote for friends of our family, David & Marilee Strom. The other version of this song is harpsichord and strings version. David & Marilee own the beautiful Hallmark store in downtown Windom, Minnesota, and they also sell my CDs at their store. David is a very talented artist, too.
Track 5.
The Big Rig Polka
This is a polka I wrote for all my trucker friends, including myself, to try and show musically, what it feels like to be behind the wheel of a big rig, shifting gears, and flying down the hi-way. Even though I've been a musician all my life, I was also a trucker for many years as well.
Track 6.
Veronica's Victorian Waltz
This is the accordion version of a song I wrote years ago for my better half, Veronica. The original recording, was a strings version, at her request, and once again, it became very popular with professional ballroom dancers.
Track 7.
Cats & Mice
Some farmer neighbors of mine and I were watching some farm cats and mice running around playing their little game of cat and mouse. One of my friends commented, "Say, why don't you write a song about this little game they play?" So, I said, "You know, I think I will." This is my musical interpretation of what is was like watching these little animals prancing around trying to outsmart one another.
Track 8.
The Old Man's Shoes
This is a song I wrote about an old man that used to come and listen to me play accordion for years. He was a very sad, lonely man. He always told me stories about all the places that his old shoes had taken him in his life. He’s gone now, and it makes me sad that he never got to hear this song I wrote about him. I actually spent quite a bit of time with him when I was not playing accordion. I remember him telling me that he never married and never had any children. He simply spent his life working, drinking Jack Daniels whiskey, and smoking Camel cigarettes. I lost contact with him when our family moved to another state.
Track 9.
Jalisco
Pronounced "Hah-lease-co" Jalisco is a State in Mexico. It's a really beautiful area. Jalisco is also considered the birthplace of Mariachi music, and the birthplace of Tequila. I wrote this song for the State of Jalisco, and their wonderful residents.
Track 10.
Plowin' Fields
As I said, we live on a small farm, but I know absolutely nothing about farming. One day, a farmer friend of ours stopped by our house in his gigantic tractor. He asked me if I had ever ridden in a tractor. When I told him that I had not, he said, “Well, climb on up here son, and I’ll take you for a ride in the fields.” So, once again, this way my way musically of expressing what it was like to ride in one of the huge tractors going up and down the fields bouncing around in that tractor, over and over and over.
Track 11.
Men & Women
This is a song that's pretty popular in Heidelberg and Munich Germany beer halls. This lyrics to this song have changed over the years, or at least new verses keep popping up, which is fine with me because I know that those that sing it are having a good time. This song is usually played by two accordion, or two concertina players because the last verse, or verses require two different melodies to be played at the same time, but in harmony. The men and women usually divide themselves in the pub, and the men start off with lyrics like: "Why do women always ask, where you been so long? When we're just out havin' fun, it's a guy thing hon...." Then, the women will respond in an octave higher with: "Why do men always ask, where's my dinner hon? Why can't they just cook their own, it's a girl thing dear..." So, this usually goes on for a while back and forth until the last verse when both the men and women sing together in harmony agreeing that when it comes right down to it, with all our little quirks, "I guess we're all the same, you know?" Actually, it really is a fun song to sing because people can sure come up with some funny lyrics.
Track 12.
The Hartford Polka
The Hartford Polka is a song I wrote for the nice people in Hartford, Wisconsin. It's also a song that I was inspired to write for two of my DJ friends, Duane & the Nighthawk, from radio station WTKM in Hartford, Wisconsin.
Track 13.
Mexican Prairie Dogs
Prairie dogs are very social little creatures. They are closely related to
squirrels and chipmunks. The Mexican prairie dogs
are an endangered species. Prairie dogs are usually from 1 1/2 to 3
pounds, and they can run at speeds up to 35 miles an hour for short distances. This was my musical interpretation of watching these little guys running around gathering up their "little things" from burrow to burrow.
Track 14.
The Minnesotan Polka
Even though I’m not a native of Minnesota, my friends tell me that I’ve survived enough 40 below zero winters to call myself a ‘true Minnesotan” now. So, I wrote this polka for all Minnesotans.
Track 15.
A Woman's Work is Never Done
The best years of my life, as far as I'm concerned, were the years that I lived with my Grandmother Ruth, in San Bernardino, California. She was the best grandmother a kid could ever have. I just loved her so. She and her female neighbors would often make the comment that, "A woman's work is never done." So, again, this is just a song that I wrote to try and show musically what it was like to watch her doing the endless chores of cooking, cleaning, gardening, sewing and so forth, over and over again, day after day. When this "Buskin' Around" CD was released, I've had quite a few women email me and say that it's true, "A woman's work is never done." So, ladies, this song is for you...
Track 16.
It's Time to Say Good Night
I was asked if I had anything that could be used as sign-off music. This is what I came up with. Also, when some folks heard this melody, and how the music matches the title, "It's Time to Say Goodnight," they told me they like to play this tune before bedtime. Besides, I wrote this song at 3 a.m. in the morning, and was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open, so I thought it was time to say good night to my accordion, and go to bed...
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