Song and a Chat
Be entertained with a song and an extended chat, ranging from off the cuff banter/ humour to life observations and song analysis.
Episodes
September 20, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #181: Gone Too Soon (Song starts at 4:12)
Here’s one from 2014: song # 620, 'Gone Too Soon'
It was inspired by a neighbour who lived across the street from us. She always had just the right amount of time to chat. She wasn’t one of those you’d have to duck and run from, (through the fear of losing 15mins). Nope. She was positive & interested in what you were up to, bright in the eye and in voice and spirits.
Consequently, ...
Mark as Played
September 16, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #180: Crossroads (Song starts at 4:04)
I wrote crossroads, Song #119, in 1989. When I saw the title of the song in my old green songbook, I remembered it was based on an old memory.
Reading through the first verse, a vivid scene sort of played out in my mind, like recalling a dream:
I was I about 3 or 4. My mother and I had gone to visit an old lady. We sat in her lounge, and cups of tea were served (not for me).
My eyes w...
Mark as Played
September 5, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #179: Can’t Sing You A Song (Song starts at 3:38)
I had a bit of fun with the demo on this episode. Earlier today, I was supposed to be recording some piano for a song. The session got cancelled at the last minute.
Turns out I was really in the mood to record, so what started out as a piano/vocal take ended up having the kitchen sink thrown in ( strings, guitars, bass, Rhodes - all done on the keyboards. Good fun.
Can’t...
Mark as Played
August 30, 2023 • 33 mins
Episode #178: Inside (Song starts at 4:21)
This episode’s song is #630, written in August, 2015. It was one of those ‘words first, music second’ sort of songs.
It’s interesting this song should float to the surface for this episode…this week I had a bit of a wobbly moment, we all have them: I was wondering how much would it really have changed things, had I stayed in NZ (at 30 I moved to Melbourne and started again).
Self doubt...
Mark as Played
August 22, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #177: Evening Hours (Song starts at 3:34 &16:22)
'Evening hours' starts out with a slightly unsettling discordant bell (sounds like the end something) set against a quiet piano riff.
This particular introduction has always brought to mind a potential rough story and an opening scene in a play or possibly a movie or stage show, for me.
The bell represents ‘the end’ (also the start) and the arpeggio is like a child music ...
Mark as Played
August 15, 2023 • 32 mins
Episode #176: Just Can't Keep It Inside (Song at 4.06)
Just can’t keep it inside sounds like it was written by another song writer.
It didn’t surprise me when it came through though. Every now and then a song in this sort of ‘soft ballad with a swung rhythm style’ comes through for me.
I haven’t thought of this song for a long time. It’s from my first book, song number 62, written in 1987, in New Zealand.
After writing it, I play...
Mark as Played
August 8, 2023 • 32 mins
Episode #175: All Comes Back (Song starts at 4:09)
Isn’t it great to receive an unexpected present. You know that feeling. That’s what it feels like to write a song. So for that to happen, it does feel like it comes from somewhere else. It’s a gift then, to pass on, a gift that you had a hand in bringing into being.
It sure feels like a joint effort.
This episode features yet another song I’d forgotten I’d written. For me, tha...
Mark as Played
July 31, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #174: Falter (Song starts at 3.35)
I had a conversation yesterday with Paul Dredge, my co songwriter, long time buddy and sounding board (always good to have one or a few of these that you can trust just to listen or offer sound measured advice).
We had a laugh together about how a lot of my first 50 or 100 songs were pretty much ‘ baby I love you’. Baby I’ll miss you, or howling at the moon …yep. Love songs. Nothing wron...
Mark as Played
July 25, 2023 • 32 mins
Episode #173: Can’t Wait That Long (Song starts at 3:55)
Now and then a peaceful sort of feeling will - I was going to say descend on me - but that’s not quite right. A peaceful feeling will arrive quietly and I’ll find my mood has gently been lifted.
When this happens, I’ll see if there’s some lyrics waiting on the piano, or perhaps in my folder of new words…
I’ll look through a few and generally there’ll be a feeling of ‘ Aha...
Mark as Played
July 18, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #172: Cry Your Eyes Out (Song starts at
Song #88 was written in New Zealand in 1988. I was up a mountain. I had a ski gig.. playing and singing in the evenings. In the daytime I was skiing. When it rained I either went trout fishing or wrote songs. I also drew 50 cartoon strips about my dog. Pretty much a blissful time. However…
I was lonely, for sure. This song is about missing someone. How crying your eyes out can some...
Mark as Played
July 12, 2023 • 30 mins
Episode #171: Rainy Night (Song starts at 2:48)
This song was written by myself & Paul Dredge (It appears on our recent folkrock album, 'The Untrodden Track' - streaming now).
Rainy Night was inspired by a night spent in a house bus, at a beach, as a youngster. A storm was hitting the bus all night. It was really being rocked around. It felt like the full force of nature was doing its thing. It was an emotional time for me, at 5...
Mark as Played
July 4, 2023 • 33 mins
Episode #170: You’re Mine (Song starts at 2:25)
Song #112, You’re Mine, was written 1988. That sounds like a long time ago.
I remember a time when 1988 was the future. When I was an exchange student in the USA in 1984, Michael J Fox was starring in Back To The Future, the first of those brilliant movies.
Now it seems I’ve had a quick trip in a DeLorean to find myself in 2023 - the years have whizzed by.
I’ve just found an old ...
Mark as Played
June 26, 2023 • 32 mins
Episode #169: Just About Enough (Song starts at 3:47)
Today was a wintery day. I went outside and there wasn’t even a ‘hint of a breeze’. That phrase appears in verse one of this episodes featured song. Then I heard a ‘muted bird call’. Those words are also in lyrics , so I thought hey, that’ll do for this week’s episode.
I wrote ‘Just ‘About Enough’ for my wife, as an anniversary present. This is song #585, which was written in 20...
Mark as Played
June 20, 2023 • 32 mins
Episode #168: Life In One Day (Song starts at: 3:20)
I did a gig this week. On the spur of the moment, for my last song, I decided to play 'Life In One Day'.
The gig was part of the Mornington Winter Music Festival, here on the Mornington Peninsula. I was playing on the street (It went really well. Met some nice people, enjoyed seeing the way music brings people together).
My gig was rescheduled at the last moment. I did let my em...
Mark as Played
June 13, 2023 • 33 mins
Episode #167: The Same Game (Song starts at: 3:50)
After focusing on the lyrics for the majority of last week’s episode, as it turns out, here, we are mostly looking at the music composition of song # 672, 'The Same Game'.
The lyrics are about that moment when you finally arrive home after a long day out and about. Maybe a candle is lit, some relaxing music is put on, then you sit back and think about everything that happened in ...
Mark as Played
June 4, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #166: Between You and Me (Song starts at 6:25)
I’m going to take you back to 1994 on this episode, literally.
This week my wife said to me ‘maybe we should have gone on to England ( we’d moved here - Melbourne - in 1997, originally we are from New Zealand. I think we just might get to the UK sometime…).
This made think of the song 'Between You and Me'. So I thought aha! That’ll do for this week's podcast episode.
The...
Mark as Played
May 30, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #165: Bigger (Song starts at 4:52)
The lyrics for 'Bigger' (song #689) were written in 2015. I remember having them squirrelled away, waiting for the mood to hit me to sit down and write the music - which I did in 2016.
This song has a strong rhythmical element, but it’s absolutely folkrock.
The lyrics all stemmed from the brain wave. ‘It’s bigger than you . . . .and it’s bigger than me’. The pause was always there wheneve...
Mark as Played
May 15, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #164: Destiny (Song starts at 4:31)
Today has been a beautiful, pristine autumn day. The sort of day where you breathe the air in and think ‘Yes, it’s good to be alive’.
On that note, that’s what I was thinking back in 1991, when I wrote song #198.
But I was also considering the big picture…some things were coming through on the news about conflicts between people and between countries.
I’m pretty much a pacifist, I think....
Mark as Played
May 9, 2023 • 31 mins
Episode #163: Living In The Movies (Song starts at 3:28)
Ever feel like you’re living in a movie? - you know, when things just seem to go weird and you think “You couldn’t write this stuff...”.
That’s how I felt back in 1992, when I composed 'Living In The Movies'. At the time I was playing 5 nights a week in a piano bar, with Paul Dredge, my longtime friend and co composer.
It’s funny, earlier tonight, my wife and I visited our...
Mark as Played
May 1, 2023 • 30 mins
Episode #162: Ready (Song starts at 4.55)
On these episodes, I’ve often talked about the peace you can find in the outdoors, preferably near water for me.
I’ve found by getting outdoors, I manage to still my mind and quickly get into the creative state, the zone required to write a song.
This episode pretty much shatters that peace, in a good way (I think).
Looking back, the song 'Ready' was probably the result of a build up of ...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.
NFL.com's "Around the NFL" crew (Gregg Rosenthal, Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler) break down the latest football news, with a dash of mirth.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.