Over 100 songs in alphabetical order, plus music notation and lyrics. Click on any title, then click the orange button to hear the track. Then just read-and-listen. Enter comments in the “Feedback” section.
A hundred per cent – I want 100% of your love, and what I want I usually get
A little bird told me – American duet, how two people happen to meet
A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do – a Western saga, +exercise video
Alabamie Mammy – Al Jolson gets the train to go and see his Mammy, +video
All of me, all of you – Love ballad for an Italian singer (see also Tutto di me)
All or nothing – smooth bluesy lament
An ordinary boy – happy song about the antics of a little boy with autism
Arkansas – Rhythmic country-blues. Ex-jailbird is returning to his girl in Arkansas
Beautiful Serenade – an old-fashioned love duet with interlocking lyrics. ‘Somewhat corny, yet the music and harmonies were superb’
Be-bop-a-lula hop – featuring Long Tall Sally, Bony Maronie, Roy Orbison etc. from the 1950’s
Bedtime Stories – spoof versions of 3 Bears, 3 Pigs and 3 Billy Goats Gruff
Blue corner – naughty goings-on in hospital. (Warning: this may offend)
Boogie Dance – 1970’s disco saga. A girl is asking one of the gormless men to get up and dance, but the DJ intervenes and she has to fend him off, by sticking a cherry-stick in his “erogenous zone”
Bubble and squeak – yummy yummy, feels good in my tummy. +video
Butterfly song – a fly on a buttercup is wooing a butterfly, but she is saying “I’m not a fly, but a butterfly” ‘a vivid evocation of nature’
Can’t stop the love – love ballad, (unfinished)
Chelsea Parade – Title song from a 60’s musical
Child of mine – the stresses of parenthood
City of Sin – Gangsters, crime. ‘Sten-gun Ben opens up his den for gamblers to spend their sorrows’
Clouds in my eyes – a bluesy song about lost love
Come tomorrow – a song anticipating one’s future success in one’s love life. One is happy!
Comme ci comme ca – I’m asking ‘Does she love me?’ Also, what kind of medicine should I choose? Will a placebo work even if I know it’s a placebo?
Continental Dragon (Rolling along) – Life as a long-distance lorry driver. A well-written song – SongDoor 2022
Cool lady – Folk/country song. This girl needs to warm up and start living again
Crazy cat – admiration for the king of the pack, who knows how to strut his stuff for the girls
Cry my beloved country – Nelson Mandela, the man in white, South Africa, prejudice. ‘a powerful song’
Debbie – a girl trapped in her emotions, like a bird in a cage. She needs to be set free
Don’t let go – a physiotherapist massages a patient’s hand. He has romantic thoughts
Don’t look back – 1950’s style rock’n’roll. Orpheus has to lead Euridice out of the underworld
Don’t turn around – Beatles style, early 1960’s
Down by the river – a fantasy rendez-vous with a girl in the countryside
Dream machine – could be a motorbike race, or using a dial-up sleep gadget to design your dreams. +video
Easy riding – getting back together with an old flame
Eric or me – a love triangle, with options
Euridice – 1950’s style rock’n’roll. The Orpheus and Euridice love story
Everly Brothers song – a ‘bird dog’ pinched my girl. I’m ‘crying in the rain’
Falling in love – happy melodious love song
‘Beautiful voice, soft and silky, almost brought me to tears’
Fellini – 1970’s actress wants to be in one of Fellini’s weird films
Fly cuckoo fly – get out of my nest!
Four grey walls – complaint about being “stitched up”
Fun city – rock’n’roll song, 1950’s style
‘Foot-tapper, punchy guitar’
Gentle with me – country song. This girl needs careful handling. She’s been hurt before
Get with it, Vicar – in the era of flower power, a stuffy old C. of E. vicar needs to get ‘with it’
Go away – girl kicks out playboy cheat, then wants to run after him. Strong language. ‘nice melody, good words / story’
Gonna ring your bell – girl confident of conquest
Good morning Maria – happy outcome of a one-night stand, despite neighbours with binoculars. ‘nice song, unusually interesting backing’
Goodnight Maria – country-blues. Father leaving home ‘Needs more light and shade’
Growl – at the teddy boys of the 1950’s
Hallo Mausi – novelty musical number in German. Can two lovers get it together with aphrodisiacs? ‘Thank God it’s only 1 min 28 secs’
Handle me with care – I’m a sensitive girl, so take care (I might turn into a tiger! (Sung by Josie Andrews, with a cold!) ‘She is unsure of the song and is being prompted as she goes along’
Happy birthday Jesus – dancing round the Christmas tree, children invite Jesus to join in the fun (Taken from the Hidden Treasure album)
Heinz and Uli – they have a wishing well, a frisky horse, a goat to cut the grass, and toasted crumpets for tea
Hey little girl – 1950’s lilting melody, inviting a girl on a date
Hey Yeah – enthusiastic I-love-you song in early 1960’s Beatles style. Ooo!
Hit and run affair – this girl lost everything. She was taken for a ride by a con artist
Hold on – 1960’s Beatles style. Finding your true love is just a matter of getting out there ‘too many – hold on’s – chirpy guitar’
I belong to Scotland – just a bowl of porridge oats, and I’m away – cos I belong to Scotland, okay! ‘a good rousing song for all those Scots’
I don’t wanna dance any more – suggestive smooching ‘where did she pop up from?’
I love you tonight – Fantasy love song – atmospheric
I married a cowboy – first song in a medley by the ‘Cherry-Tones’ – no soundtrack
I need a man – ‘God created Eve in her image’ (a feminist surrenders to her hormones). ‘Good backing arrangement -I prefer the “other singer” version’
I need a woman – a simple answer to the meaning of life. Edna Everage, Shirley Bassey, Dolly Parton ‘Club/cabaret song – audience could join in the “woman” bits in this gender-diverse non-binary age’
I want you – smooth love song ‘nice melody’
If I were to hire a psychiatrist – what do they get up to in their consulting rooms, with the famous couch? ‘Quirky’
I’ll be there – typical C & W song. If you’re feeling down, I’ll be there for you. ‘I certainly like I’ll be there‘
I’m a dreamer – 1950’s early Elvis style love song ‘Romantic’
I’m a loving man – melodramatic ballad, a la Demis Roussos or Julio Iglesias. Appeal to “Come back to me” ‘Good song for a Broadway show’
Inside your love – Charles Aznavour type ballad
It gets you that way – Frank Sinatra, seriously old fashioned bluesy number ‘easy song to listen to’
It’s a cold cold world – love warms the world, till it’s gone
I’ve only got one heart – 1950’s ballad, similar to The Platters
Jamie Boy – parents face up to the long-term prospects for a little boy with autism. From Hidden Treasure album.
Jamie in person – words and phrases from five-year-old boy learning to speak within his autism limit
Jingles – BBC world service, + Radios 1,2,3 and 4
Juke in the box – a street musician builds a booth and plays songs on request (like a juke box). No foreign coins please! (Sorry I don’t have a recording of this song, but you can always read the dots)
Jungle fever – you bring out the jungle in me. Disco.
Just a matter of time – wishful thinking for the end of all conflict
Just around the corner – 1960’s girl-group style Nice melody
King of Charleston – little Charlie Marsden invents a dance inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s walk. ‘All the toffs and smarties invite him to their parties, just to raise their social class appeal’ ‘my favourite – if only I could still dance to it!’ ‘I’d vote for King of Charleston’ ‘Very authentic sound, complete story, wonderful stuff’
King of the Styx – Orpheus persuades the ferryman to take him across the river Styx
Lady in black – advice to a widow to enjoy living. Her former husband speaks from the after-life. ‘nice upbeat tune’
Let Glasgow sing – a tour round the suburbs of Glasgow, from Cambuslang to the Erskine bridge
Let it show – country/folk. Appeal to a girl to be less timid
Listen to the wind – Take it from a friend, love can start again. “New Faces” winner, 1976
Little Rose – smoochy ballad
Lorry/Fountain – two children’s songs. Stuck behind a lorry, watering the garden
Love doesn’t need any reason – I don’t analyse, I just go with the flow (leave the schoolroom behind)
Love don’t come – love does come along, but at the wrong time
Love me a million – Country duet. He works away from home, so they cherish their limited time together. (“Still love it, played at full blast!”)
Loving you loving me – 1960’s happy Beatles style. Don’t fall in the quicksand of apathy – get out there!
Magic spell – two strangers meet, and fall under love’s magic spell
Mario – a lament from Mario’s girlfriend, nostalgic for the life they left behind when he became famous
Massimo – Jazz-blues. How run-of-the-mill accidents caused paralysis. Sorry, I haven’t got a recording of this one. You can always read the dots!
Master key – Tamla-Motown type song for girl groups
Medley of ballads – clips of songs e.g. Middle of a minute, Special girl, I’ve only got one heart, Susie Susie.
Medley of country songs – bits of songs strung together: Alabamie Mammy, A man’s gotta do, Goodnight Maria, Go away, Cool lady.
Memphis Horizon – Jazz-country. ‘Go west, young man’ and claim your patch of land
Middle of a minute – for this girl it was love at first sight– ‘Like a bolt from the blue, suddenly I knew’
Midnight train – Skiffle song about a train that’s running late and an impatient wife pacing the platform, and then derailing the train!
Might-have-beens – I may find another girl, but I’ll still remember you. Folk-country
Money doesn’t grow on trees – Swing, a la Frank Sinatra
Mountain song – man in hospital speculates about what his wife is up to in his absence – ‘Why has she changed her perfume? And who was the man who chose?’ (He responds by flirting with the nurse)
My brothers and I – powerful folk song about living a pure life. ‘I can imagine this in a folk club, the audience joining in with the repetition of My brothers and I’
My early night – Jazz-blues. No more exciting nights out. Since you left me, I only have early nights
Not so long ago – reminiscing
Now you see me, now you don’t – Beatles-type song from the psychedelic era
Off to the war – in 1914 boys were keen to go to the war, and girlfriends hoped they’d return safely
Office romance – ‘Miss Lee, come and sit upon my knee!’
On the banks of Loch Lomond – a rendez-vous confusion for illicit lovers
One o’ them days – a man’s hum-drum life is transformed when he reads the news about Elizabeth Taylor (She says her next husband will be George Hamilton and everyone thinks she means George Hamilton the Fourth, a well-known country singer)
One two three – Orpheus sings to the 3-headed dog at the gates of the underworld. Written for a rock’n’roll musical.
Parkinson People – a celebration of the social side of Parkinson’s. Many thanks to Damian Griffiths for working on the music side for me; He simplified the tune and made it more catchy. This recording is just a demo for the time-being. We are hoping this song will eventually be taken up by Parkinson groups all over the country.
Parlez-vous Francais – a French-English flirtation, with down-to-earth sentiments. I have never sought to augment the population of France by having a baby, or perhaps twins! ‘ideal for a cafe in a Maigret story’
Peter and I – happy duet in a garden, playing our guitars (in stereo)
Piccadilly – a place where old friends bump into each other, buy hot chestnuts, then swim in the Serpentine
Pick a bale o’ cotton – adapted to tell the story of a cotton-picker’s romance with the boss’s daughter. ‘a very original and lively version of an old tune. The American accent needs more work’
Pink champagne – cabaret, a la Manhattan Transfer. Straight from the bottle and into the glass, not too slow, and not too fast
Poor Suzanne – country. Paraplegic girl recovering from car accident
Pretty Mary – rhythmic folk song, wooing and bedding (“Will you let me lay with you tonight”) ‘An easy-going tune with nice lyrics’
Primrose Hill – wistful. London landmark where lovers stroll, and the ghost of a train (Conan Doyle). ‘a hauntingly gripping tune. Could be theme music to Sherlock Holmes’
Put your long-johns on – children’s song with slightly rude bits
Radio love– co-written. Entered for the Eurovision Song Contest. Girl falls for her favourite DJ
Railroad Bill – Wild West story. Lightning strikes, and Bill escapes from a doomed gambling den. Sorry no soundtrack for this one but you can read the sheet music.
Rainbow song – Spanish guitar. Celebration of how a rainbow is formed
Rainy day – a children’s song about the weather. Interlocking lyrics.
Read between the lines – 1960’s James Bond riff. Gurus from India just wanted our money
Read between the lines (2) – another version, sung by your local vicar, trying to be James Bond
Ready for the rock – 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll. Are you ready? Set? Then let’s all rock to the hop!
Red moon – blues cabaret song about the monthly curse of all women
Rhythm is power – dancing to the rhythm of the universe
Riding high – Rhythmic country-rock. I’m so in love I’m sailing in the clouds
Rock and roll – exuberant 1950’s dancing to the record machine, with a ‘teenage queen’
Rolling along – (alternative title Continental Dragon) The life of a long-distance lorry driver (Superb storytelling, very fine songwriting. An excellent job)
Round and around – 1950’s rock and roll. Get in the groove with your blue suede shoes!
Rum tum tum – a Scottish one-man ceilidh band wins belated support from his neighbours
Saxophone man – this girl loves the man who plays sax-sax-saxophone. “Thrill me with that cone!”
Say No – environment, pollution, Murphy’s Law (See other title: If you love your children)
Sebastian – a boy with dirty hands, scrumping, collecting maggots, and wreaking havoc in the house
Senorita – a smoothie. This man has moved to the city, but yearns for his long-lost country girlfriend
Set me free – typical 1950’s ballad, in the style of It’s Only Make Believe and Maybe Tomorrow
Sha la la – melodramatic ‘please don’t leave me’ song
So alone – 1930’s forlorn blues
Something special – rhythmic country duet. The magic of love keeps the world turning
Sorry Baby – a simple love in jeopardy song
Special boy – the delights of a four-year-old boy with autism (including his voice)
Special girl – She’s very popular. Everybody wants to know her. Will she want to know me? (Same tune as Special Boy)
Spring fever – jingle for the Easter Parade in Battersea. I’m a spring chicken, itching to lay my egg. (This song came second in an LBC competition)
Stay with me – simple intense love song
Step out of my dreams – a simple pop song
Strangers in the night – Frank Sinatra? No, Village People. ‘Not daring to hope, but still hoping to dare’
Suitcase of dreams – from a 1960’s musical. Lament of an Indian immigrant, and a Chelsea pensioner’s shame at his treatment
Summer breeze – let’s meet at our south sea island paradise
Sunday – Nostalgic walk in a London park. Footsteps in the dew, kites in the sky
Sunshine lady – rhythmic-folk. The Umbrella Man wants to meet his Lady on the barometer clock
Susie Susie – swing/South American jazz. Paraplegic girl has an admirer (‘it only rains outside’)
Swinging the blues – swing song about a football team (Come on the Blues!)
Take a ride – 1960’s rock song, impulsive hedonism a-la Rolling Stones. Let’s take a ride, man!
Take this letter – a man is leaving his wife, and gives their son a letter to pass on to her
Tearaway – breaking away from a hum-drum relationship, this girl is looking for excitement
Tell him – Tamla Motown song, words by Tamla Motown singer from The Supremes, Cindy Birdsong
The devil has the best tunes – Devil has ace up his sleeve, plays trick on God, & steals the goodies. Disco
The man on the train – a rumble and roar, an exchange of smiles, a husband, a rumble and snore
The pottery song – Broccoli Bill, vegetarian, tries his hand at pottery and wins a prize from Chancellor Kohl
The road to Babylon – prostitute forms relationship, and proposes new life with regular punter. ‘interesting lyrics’
The story that you told me – typical C & W song about how she cheated on me. She had another guy
Thinking it over – smooth country. His ex-girlfriend sends him a letter saying she wants him back. Will she tempt him?
Time step – energetic jive-rock, 1950’s style
Turning it over – country. Musicians on the road. They keep having rows, and discuss whether to split up, or can they make it work?
Tutto di me, tutto di te – dramatic love song for an Italian singer with a powerful voice (All of me, all of you)
TV or me – lonely wife tries to drag her man from the 1970’s late night TV movies
Twist in time – clash between Mods and Rockers. Written for a 1960’s musical called Chelsea Parade
Two little dickie birds – for children to learn about the birds and the bees
Unser Tag – a young couple having their first baby (Sung in German)
Wake me up when the sun comes up – Here is a man who always gets up early, when the sun “beams on the window, peeps through the curtains, down on to my belly”
Walking in the rain – lovesick melodrama, wandering down the street, wondering what went wrong
We’re alright here – multi-nationals exploiting the 3rd world (drugs, baby milk), child death, blindness etc.
We’re mean we’re green – nasty insects, grime and slime in the underworld. Written for a 1950’s rock’n’roll musical
When I look out of my window – 1960’s ballad a la Burt Bacharach. Memories of a long-lost romance
When I see you again – 1970’s rhythmic country, similar to Gentle on my mind
When I think of you now – smooth country song, nostalgic reminiscence. ‘nice ballad, suitable for Michael Buble compilation’
When I wake up in the morning – smooth, rhythmic, wish-you-were-here love song
When I’m loving you – smooth country, sweet sentimental feelings
Where do we go from here? – one side of a conversation. Man tries to rekindle romance with a phone call. It’s a forlorn hope.
Window girl – a girl with a frozen smile trying to find her Prince Charming
Yes indeed – 1960’s optimism, full of bounce and exhilaration
You belong to the hills – Cowboy song. Released from jail, this man is heading home
You don’t know – Simple love song, 1960’s
Contents 