Jim Bohen - Songwriter
Blues, rock, acoustic, a cappella, more
While listening to vinyl records, a very young boy
followed them around the turntable -- with his head! That somehow led to his love of melody and early rock 'n' roll.
But an older Jim wasn't completely hooked until he discovered that The Animals, The Rolling Stones and Paul Butterfield had “fathers” named Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Bessie Smith -- the list is long.
Stints as lead singer in rock and acoustic groups in the
1970s followed. But the need to help support a family meant settling down to “real” jobs.
Jim kept his love of music and singing alive, however, and later in life new technologies spurred an explosion
in his songwriting. Though many of his songs are blues
and rock, he's also spent time in country, jazz and rhythm-and-blues. He’s also written ballads, lullabies and many
a cappella compositions (some quite unusual). He even adds some “vocal guitar” to some of his arrangements.
His CD, Never Too Late, contains 12 of the hundreds
of songs he’s written (the lyrics of one of the CD's songs follow). You can hear samples (and buy tracks or the
whole CD) at the iTunes and cdbaby links below. But the CD and a few YouTube performances by Jim (and guitarist Paul Storms) only scratch the surface of what he’s created.
His goal? Putting many more of his songs online for others
to -- hopefully -- enjoy. [Photo by Richard Brewer (www.dixplexia.com]
Blues, rock, acoustic, a cappella, more
While listening to vinyl records, a very young boy
followed them around the turntable -- with his head! That somehow led to his love of melody and early rock 'n' roll.
But an older Jim wasn't completely hooked until he discovered that The Animals, The Rolling Stones and Paul Butterfield had “fathers” named Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, Bessie Smith -- the list is long.
Stints as lead singer in rock and acoustic groups in the
1970s followed. But the need to help support a family meant settling down to “real” jobs.
Jim kept his love of music and singing alive, however, and later in life new technologies spurred an explosion
in his songwriting. Though many of his songs are blues
and rock, he's also spent time in country, jazz and rhythm-and-blues. He’s also written ballads, lullabies and many
a cappella compositions (some quite unusual). He even adds some “vocal guitar” to some of his arrangements.
His CD, Never Too Late, contains 12 of the hundreds
of songs he’s written (the lyrics of one of the CD's songs follow). You can hear samples (and buy tracks or the
whole CD) at the iTunes and cdbaby links below. But the CD and a few YouTube performances by Jim (and guitarist Paul Storms) only scratch the surface of what he’s created.
His goal? Putting many more of his songs online for others
to -- hopefully -- enjoy. [Photo by Richard Brewer (www.dixplexia.com]
Heaven Is Calling
© James E. Bohen
Heaven is calling. The celestial orchestra is performing the prelude.
The devil isn't finished falling. He's already making plans to continue the feud.
Angels have taken sides. Doubt intrudes
on the tried-and-truest, deep sky-bluest certitudes.
The gates have opened, the climate's changed, the landscape is evolving.
The place is getting re-arranged, the problems aren't resolving.
The lines are so long, staff is so slow.
Service has gone to hell up above and even down below.
"Take what you can" is the mantra, the holy grail, so to speak.
There's a new way to tell the tale of sorry, a new way to turn the other cheek.
You need to get your head on straight, dismiss all the magic potions.
It's all too large, it's all too much to get marooned on a limited ocean.
Moanin' for a savior, hopin' for a rapture is a dead-weight waste of time.
You're better off getting' on with life. We don't need another shrine.
You may hold off fallin' --
if you hold off callin' for the bottom to rise at a specially appointed time.
Rivers will flood, wars mean blood will flow.
You can blame it on the lord of creation -- he produced the show.
Winds will shriek, the dead bones will creak --
the pointing of so many bony fingers will just continue to grow.
Synapses choose to hide so we can enjoy at least some of the ride.
Take it from me, no one will ever see the end of the run of the vertigo.
Cool waters -- may I see your ticket, please?
The view is very good today. Cry, if you feel the need.
You may hold off fallin' -- if you climb --
but all you do is play peek-a-boo and slightly alter the time.
© James E. Bohen
Heaven is calling. The celestial orchestra is performing the prelude.
The devil isn't finished falling. He's already making plans to continue the feud.
Angels have taken sides. Doubt intrudes
on the tried-and-truest, deep sky-bluest certitudes.
The gates have opened, the climate's changed, the landscape is evolving.
The place is getting re-arranged, the problems aren't resolving.
The lines are so long, staff is so slow.
Service has gone to hell up above and even down below.
"Take what you can" is the mantra, the holy grail, so to speak.
There's a new way to tell the tale of sorry, a new way to turn the other cheek.
You need to get your head on straight, dismiss all the magic potions.
It's all too large, it's all too much to get marooned on a limited ocean.
Moanin' for a savior, hopin' for a rapture is a dead-weight waste of time.
You're better off getting' on with life. We don't need another shrine.
You may hold off fallin' --
if you hold off callin' for the bottom to rise at a specially appointed time.
Rivers will flood, wars mean blood will flow.
You can blame it on the lord of creation -- he produced the show.
Winds will shriek, the dead bones will creak --
the pointing of so many bony fingers will just continue to grow.
Synapses choose to hide so we can enjoy at least some of the ride.
Take it from me, no one will ever see the end of the run of the vertigo.
Cool waters -- may I see your ticket, please?
The view is very good today. Cry, if you feel the need.
You may hold off fallin' -- if you climb --
but all you do is play peek-a-boo and slightly alter the time.