The Sneezy Sneak Rag Song Sketch

Here is me lying in the grass defying all allergies. HA!

I know it's not very sexy or glamorous but I fear that I have allergies.  And when I have an allergy attack, I tend to sneeze.  A lot. Like four in a row.  Fortunately, I can keep my allergies at bay by incorporating local honey into my diet (it really works, guys, it just takes a couple months to work but it DOES).  But I know the agony (maybe too strong of a word) of trying to sneak into the bedroom without waking up my baby and then...  ah ah ah CHOO!  

Anyway, I wrote and recorded this little ragtime piano piece with that image in mind.  Download, enjoy and eat local honey.

A Friend Like You Song Sketch

Here is...
My very first buddy song.  EVAH!  Very exciting, very exciting indeed.  I don't have any project this is supposed to be for but I thought it would be fun for you all to hear!



*Ironically enough, my best friends are my husband and family members... But... poetic license, right?

Speak Love to Me... And Soon Song Sketch

Speak Low by iamemma

Today happens to be my mother's birthday! Whew! Maternal birthday madness! So I covered a song I remember her loving when I was little. It plays in One Touch of Venus with Ava Gardner (who my mother adores) and each of the main characters sing it alone and so longingly - it really is a gorgeous scene.

It was written by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash for the play version of One Touch of Venus, but quickly became a jazz standard covered by a ton of people. And now me! I hope you like it, Mommy! I love you!

I'm now using SoundCloud which allows the listener to download the song themselves from the widget, however, I still truly appreciate the comments! And if you aren't able to work the download, don't hesitate to ask me for a copy!

Very Very Extraordinary! Song Sketch

I don't have an accurate photo of me right now - partly because I am having a bit of difficulty fitting into anything. Alas. So this romantic picture (found here) seemed good for the song!

I'm in quite a glowy mood - Baby's coming soon, my favorite season (along with pomegranate availability) is on its way and pumpkin spice lattes are available at Starbucks. Life is good! So I thought I'd do one of those songs everybody loves (well, probably most everybody): L-O-V-E!

It's written by two songwriters I'm afraid I'm not super familiar with: Milton Gabler, Bert Kaempfert. Like most people, I associate this song with Nat King Cole.

I hope that those of you long weekenders have a wonderful weekend! And those who just have a normal sized one, still enjoy it as much as a long one.

If you would like a copy of this song for you, just let me know in a comment! If it's your first request, please leave your email address as well.

Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

P.P.S. I have a brand, new original album out! If youdownload it and looooove it, please write a lovely review on the site from which you purchased it!

It's Gonna Be a Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day Song Sketch

I hope everyone's August is going well! I thought this song would help us through the rest of these days of summer as we (well, I, at least!) look forward to the cool, fresh days of Fall but still enjoy the last lazy moments of summer.

This song is so completely perfect in its original form but I think it can never be sung too much! I am getting kinda close to exceeding my bandwidth on this site, so it may take a moment or two to load!

Also, a couple of my fans and readers have requested my baby registry location; I am registered at myregistry.com. And thank you for thinking of my impending wee moppet (I'm officially 35 1/2 weeks!)!

If you would like a copy of this song for you, just let me know in a comment! If it's your first request, please leave your email address as well.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

P.P.S. I have a brand, new original album out! If youdownload it and looooove it, please write a lovely review on the site from which you purchased it!

Beachy Keen Song Sketch

I actually posted this song over a year ago but I think it fits perfectly for those end-of-summer afternoons! It's quite short and different from my normal fare so let me know what you think...

If you would like a copy of this song for you, just let me know in a comment! If it's your first request, please leave your email address as well.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

P.P.S. I have a brand, new original album out! If youdownload it and looooove it, please write a lovely review on the site from which you purchased it!

And You'll Spread Your Wings and You'll Take to the Sky Song Sketch

Well, it's August! It's the sultriest month of summer, I think. June seems fresh and inviting, July seems like vacation and the beach and August seems like heeeeeeaaaaaat. Where you spend the whole month searching for shade. This gorgeous song by George Gershwin perfectly captures that lazy feel when you just can't possibly compete with the high temperature.

This song has been covered by just about everyone (because it's just so gorgeous) from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Scarlett Johansson and Peter Gabriel. Even Janis Joplin has done it! But I've always wanted to cover it myself and I thought the first day of August would be the perfect time.

It's also a lullaby (one of my uncles used the lyrics of it for his birth announcement) so it seems appropriate as Baby is on my mind!

What are some of your favorite 80s songs?

If you would like a copy of this song for you, just let me know in a comment! If it's your first request, please leave your email address as well.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

P.P.S. I have a brand, new original album out! If you download it and looooove it, please write a lovely review on the site from which you purchased it!

That's Fine and Dandy With Me... Original Song Sketch

I have some of my songs in a couple music libraries that license the songs out to different projects: films, commercials, etc. This is a song I wrote as an experiment because one of the libraries particularly requested a song that exuded a "happy day" feeling.

What do you think?

If you would like a copy of this song for you, just let me know in a comment! If it's your first request, please leave your email address as well.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

P.P.S. I have a brand, new original album out! If you download it and looooove it, please write a lovely review on the site from which you purchased it!

For Every Kiss You Give Me, I'll Give You Three Song Sketch

A while ago I had a bunch of brilliant suggestions for songs that make people happy and some of them stood out - this song (a suggestion from Diana of ourcitylights) being one of them! I've always loved this song and think it's just perfect in its original form but I thought it might be fun to take a little more intimate approach to it!

As a little update on my album, I've received the final masters and I'm sending the songs off to CDBaby to then be posted up on iTunes. Thank you for your patience! It's taken a bit longer than I expected but I certainly expect it to absolutely amaze you beyond your wildest imaginings...

If you want a copy of this week's song sketch for your personal enjoyment, just leave a comment (if it's your first request, please leave your email as well).

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

I've Come to Watch Your Flowers Growing... Weekly Song Sketch

I picked this song because I was reading a blog entry where the writer was saying how hard it is for her to enjoy the day-to-day and not worry about the future. I completely identify and I thought that maybe this time of the year, while we wait for winter to end and summer to begin, we could all use a chance to just slow down, relax and let the morningtime drop all its petals on us...

If you would like your own copy, just let me know in the comments. If it's your first request, please be sure to leave your email address.

If the song isn't immediately playing for you, give it a couple minutes and then try again. If it still isn't playing, just leave a comment and I'll email you the song.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

But Before the Story Ends... Weekly Song Sketch

Happy Valentine's Day! I love every holiday (checking...um...yes, every holiday) even the much maligned Valentine's so I thought I'd do a particularly lovey song for this week's song sketch. Awww...

It's from Singin' in the Rain but, for some reason, I couldn't find it in any recording except for the wacky film version, complete with Lina Lamont's voice. But it seems perfect for this trés romantic day, all about wanting the person you're with to match up with the men we read about/watch films of. I definitely can identify with holding men to a standard made up from years of falling for fictional heros.

If you would like a copy for yourself, just leave a request in the comment (if it's your first request, please leave your email). Again, my bandwidth on the file hosting site is pretty tight so it may take a while to load - if so, feel free to ask for the song and you can listen to at your leisure.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

If You Want the Things You Love, You Must Have Showers Weekly Song Sketch

Photos from here

Here is Pennies From Heaven, the song I chose to do from Anne's favorite happy songs. The funny thing is that I'd never heard this tune before (despite the fact that I've listened to a ton of music by every artist who's done it) so I am so grateful to Anne for broadening my happy song repertoire!

I used some perfect photos of Anne in the rain from her lovely blog, a cup full of sunshine. Be sure to go by and visit - she's marvelous (as you can see in the above collage!).

Thank you all for your wonderful response to my giveaway! I'm definitely going to do it again. And thank you, Anne, for your lovely song choice.

If you would like an mp3 emailed to you, just let me know in a comment and I'll be sure to send it out! If it's your first request, be sure to include your email in the comment.

And, it appears I'm testing the limits of the bandwidth on my upload site. So, it may take a few minutes for the song to load and you may even need to refresh the page. If it doesn't work still, just leave me a comment and I'll send it to you so you can hear it at your leisure.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

Warm Face, Warm Hands, Warm Feet... Weekly Song Sketch

This week's song sketch is written by the marvelous Lerner and Loewe for My Fair Lady. Despite the fact that this song always performed so exuberantly, it always seems beautifully reflective and wistful. It may actually be my favorite My Fair Lady song.

I had planned on linking to the Red Cross because the bitterly cold weather has surely caused high electricity bills for those who already have trouble making ends meet. Unfortunately, a much more immediate need has come up in Haiti so it may be that Haiti is where our money could be of more help. However, I am still linking to Red Cross where you can donate locally (which would help struggling families pay their bills) or internationally to help out Haiti.

If you would like a copy of the song, just let me know in the comment section below! If it's your first time requesting a song, please be sure to include your email address.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

I've Been Waiting for You... Weekly Song Sketch

I hope you all have had a marvelous start to your new year! I thought I'd celebrate by releasing a never-before-recorded original, Rapunzel. Hooray!

So, as always, if you want a copy, just let me know in a comment (if it's your first time requesting, please leave your email). And please feel free to pass it along to friends and such.

P.S. Feel free to follow me! I promise only ever to lead you to bright, sunny places!

The Fun's Begun Weekly Song Sketch

This song is one of those holiday songs that is always in my head, one of those I sing lustily and make up half the words because, really, who knows the words to this song?

Well, me, actually, as of yesterday. Hooray!

And I also found out that the song (written by Leon Jessel) is from a Betty Boop short that costars King Kong. Making this an obvious choice for the second in my holiday song sketch series.

If you want a copy, just let me know in a comment (please make sure you leave your email if it's your first time asking). I'll email it and you can share it with everybody!

*Feel free to follow this blog! I promise only to lead you to bright, sunny places.

If Bare Limbs You Like...

I recorded another cover, this one of another favorite songwriter, Cole Porter. I love so many of his songs, picking one was very difficult. I chose Anything Goes for three reasons:

1. One kind listener/reader in Chicago said she would like to hear my take on it. Maybe, because I chose her favorite song, she'll send me some of those fabulous Chicago chocolates...

2. I have a thing where I can't seem to write a song unless it is a love song. This song is a perfect example of a song that has really nothing to do with love and yet the final line of the song is romantic (ish). So perhaps Mr. Porter shared my weakness.

3. A friend informed me that this song is the opening sequence in the second Indiana Jones movie which kind of makes the song summery. In a blockbuster, popcorn, no school kind of way.

And for Memorial Day...

There are a bunch of marvelously written songs from the early 1900s that have patriotic themes. Possibly the most prolific patriotic songwriter, George M. Cohan, used riffs from military taps and folk songs to create new and contagious music. And as I'm feeling rather patriotic this year, I thought I'd record one! So, here is You're A Grand Old Flag.