2021 Remixes
These videos were created the week of January 16th, to complete the Project 2A: Uncovering Soul assignment from the “Sing Anything Like a Pro with Stevie Mackey” course on monthly.com. I created this page due to the story and work that went behind completing this project, as well as to properly archive it for myself as a future reference point. I believe 2021 is going to be see as the beginning of a new creative period for me. I can feel it.
A decade of Motor Kine: 2019 back to the birth of the song in 2009
To give you context, here is the same song performed differently each time. I believe the artist needs to be open to all versions of their song. And let their music take on a life of its own.
This is an exercise in reinvention. Sometimes, innovation is renovation. Motor Kine is one of the first songs I wrote. One of the first songs that unified the band on stage, one of the first lines I was able to sing with conviction.
Years back my friends and I tracked a winter swell that was set to break records and render the entire coastline from LA down to the border unsurfable. The sheer size alone made it an issue, the California coasts were not able to handle it. We each asked each of our spouses for the green light to explore the Baja coast, to surf, and sleep in the dirt. At 4am in the morning, we were packing the jeep and it was raining cats and dogs. One friend gestured to call it off.
I stepped in and said:
As we crossed over into Mexico, the sun rose and a clear blue sky shone down on all roads south. Somewhere across the endless miles of dirt roads south of Ensanada, we came across a few Baja 500/1000 trail runners. Imagine a dust storm approaching in your rearview mirror. Breakneck speeds bearing down on your truck. We pulled off and beheld the offroad racers blazing their trails to nowhere, for nothing but a path to glory.
Every time I sing the line:
It puts me there, in Baja, rasing with the old gods of the west. The old gods of Mexico. God’s country.
Reinventing a song is pretty straight forward. You can start with the melody. You can mix up instrumentation, you can set the melody to a different backbeat. In this exercise, I took cues from the harmonica player, Jim Woodard. For reference, I’ve added older versions of the song dating back to the first time I ever played it. You can see an evolution take place, as long as an artist is open to it each musician brings his own flavor to the music. The song has evolved from a spoken word manifesto of the surfer lifestyle and rugged primal scream of freedom to a groove that demands soul singing.
Song meaning is something that I give over to the listener. I’ve done my job, now it’s up to you to infuse your own meaning. The only meaning I am going to offer is for the word “Kine”. It’s Hawaiian Pidgin for sweet goodness. Often linked to good people, good things, food, and of course, “Da Kine Bud”.
bold is emphasis on words when singing.
I am your Motor Kine,
I know you’ve seen me riding
Greased back I shine like lighting
Leg up mamma, take a ride
Dusty roads through the canyon gorge
Like a bullet baby how we run
steer me babe with a gentle hand
on into that old boy sun
Your desert’s of the rarest beauty
I’ve never seen the like
Your sands they give me water
Your sun keeps me alive
Race down the Pacific Ocean,
Run down those Mexico sands.
Just for nothing, babe. Just cause I want to.
Gonna fly all across these lands.
SPOKEN:
Motor Kine don’t take low octane
Throw down some money & give me premium fuel
Motor Kine don’t run on that cheap stuff
Ease your hand mamma Keep me cool!
Race down the Pacific Ocean,
Run down those Mexico sands.
Just for nothing, babe. Just cause I want to.
Gonna fly all across these lands.
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= Verse
Give me rock and rool music till the end of time
if I need to sell my soul ill be the first in line
Favorite tune blasting from the radio
Cant you hear me knocking by the Rolling Stones
Dance with me baby
hold me real close
the one I choose
the one i love the most
= Chorus
Baby show em how its done
hold me little chosen one
baby show en how its done
= Verse
Woke up this morning feeling no pain
my baby’s love hits me like the pouring rain
Here comes the evening watch my baby sway
beauty flows like some fine champagne
Hang with me baby
walk real close
the one I choose
the one i love the most
= Chorus
Baby show em how its done
hold me little chosen one
baby show en how its done
= Verse
Say now little baby dont you board that jet
I aint half done with the whole of you yet
Full moon’s a GLOW It’s gonna wax & wane
saxaphone playing by the subway train
My partner in crime
lets chase down so fun
hold you as tight as I can
my little chosen one
= Chorus
Baby show em how its done
hold me little chosen one
baby show en how its done
★ RELATED TUTORIALS ★
Here is a link to the song page on my site…
https://www.theram.io/albums/first-in-line/
Here is a link to the iRealPro backing tracks I just made…
http://bit.ly/TheRamiRealPro
★ FOLLOW ME HERE ★
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/therammusic/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/blackmountainbigfoot
Twitter – hhttps://twitter.com/TheRamMusic
TeeSpring Merchandise – https://teespring.com/stores/the-ram
★ LISTEN TO MY MUSIC ★
New Music 2019 on My Site – https://www.theram.io/music/
Tutorials Chords & Lyrics on My Site – https://www.theram.io/learn/
Band Camp Site https://therammusic.bandcamp.com/
Sond Cloud Site – https://soundcloud.com/therammusic
★ ABOUT & SPECIAL THANKS ★
The Ram is a traveling singer-songwriter based out of North County San Diego, California. Part of traveling means we play with musicians from all walks of life and exposure to all sorts of different genres, styles, and instrumentation. It’s the pure freedom a songwriter needs to pivot, working with a collective of musical talent as opposed to managing a working band in a specific genre or class of music. © 2005-2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – THE RAM / OD SOUL, INC. Registered with ASCAP. Always be ORIGINAL. Treat yourself and go write yourself some bad-ass groves.
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Dancing Fingers (Key of C)
=Verses
Yeah babe I’m dancing, fingers ass & all
Here with my guitar, babe wont you come along?
=Chorus
Cause I love you, nobody close to or above you
yes I love you , yeah I love you
Yes Im dancing, with a group/bunch of my closest friends
Oh what an evening, I hope this night never ends
I want to say that i love you, from me and the boys onstage
we’ll carry on to better days, Yes we love you
Right here! Right now!
Looking at the Moon
= Verse 1-4
One solitary man
looking at the moon
looking at the moon
One beaten down dream
had the guts to stand
stand tall through it all
I saw her run
run into the night
run across the dawn
One single rose was thrown
it fell into my hand
it fell into my hand
= Chorus 1
I will ride
across the midnight sky
I see you look up
with your starlit eyes
= Verse 5-8
One solitary man
looking at the moon
looking at the moon
One look in those eyes
blew my mind
blew my mind
One heart rise above the rest
All the rest will fall
All the rest will fall
One look in those eyes
I decided to stay
I decided to stay
= Chorus 2
I will ride
across the midnight sky
I see you look up
with your starlit eyes
= INSTRUMENTAL
= Chorus 3
I will ride
across the midnight sky
I see you look up
with your starlit eyes
= Verse 9-12
One look in those eyes
blew my mind
blew my mind
One listen to her song
Filled my heart
it didn’t take long
One listen to her song
blew my mind
blew my mind
One solitary man
looking at the moon
looking at the moon
= Chorus 3
I will ride
across the midnight sky
I see you look up
with those beautiful starlit eyes
ALT
Sleep paralyzed dream
I couldn’t even move
I could barely move
Space Cowboy
= Verse
Moon so bright, my eyes are weeping
electrified tide charged by brilliant light
Venturing out, through the pounding ocean
psilocybin speaks to my deepest mind
Lord my deepest mind…
= Chorus
the haters say my name
RIDE ON Space Cowboy
done smoked his mind to the southern wind
the stars all align
you know you are my hero
the milky way is a friend of mine
lord a friend of mind…
= Verse
Quiet my soul, and laser focus
Tame the wild seas for your son tonight
amphitheater formed by clouds above me
laugh out loud as I drop into the perfect ride
a perfect ride…
= Chorus
the haters say my name
RIDE ON Space Cowboy
done smoked his mind to the southern wind
the stars all align
you know you are my hero
the milky way is a friend of mine
lord a friend of mind…
= Verse
Waves so high, my body’s peaking
psilocybin ride through electric nights
I’ve made my peace, with the pounding ocean
the milky was says she’s a friend of mine.
lord a friend of mind…
= Chorus
the haters say my name
RIDE ON Space Cowboy
done smoked his mind to the southern wind
the stars all align
you know you are my hero
the milky way is a friend of mine
lord a friend of mind…
= Chorus
I stand with my old guitar
to you i’ll be faithful
just give me little action every now and then
I plucked upon these steel strings
it all comes to a stand still
my love song’s sung to the southern wind
= Verses
Well I’m a road running desert dog baby
Haven’t had water for days
The valley hears my motorcycle coming
Echoes through the tall palisades
Raw thunder cross the tall palisades 2X
Looking to find myself my own oasis
Riding all night and through the dawn
If I could only show you everything I’ve seen here
You’d feel at home in the place I’m coming from
The Place I’m coming from
= Chorus
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
= Verses
I travel light, Lord the guitar is my calling
a little Harmonica if you’d like some
Serenading my lovely baby from her window
Disappearing in the shadows till the dawn
Making love in the shadows through the dawn 2X
= Chorus
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
= Verses
My home is where I rest my head baby
It seems my days of moving will soon be done
You make it easy to stay here right beside you
finding comfort where on earth I swear there was none
Comfort baby where I swear was none 2X
= Chorus
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
The Place Where I’m a Coming From
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Motor Kine (Key of G)
dusty roads through the canyon gorge
like a bullet baby how we run
steer me babe with a gentle hand
on into that old boy sun
yeah
I am your Motor Kine,
I know you’ve seen me riding
greased back I shine like lighting
leg up mamma and take a ride
race down the pacific ocean,
run down those Mexico sands
just for nothing babe, just cause I want to
Gonna fly all across these lands
yeah
your desert is of the rarest beauty
I’ve never seen the like
your sands they give me water
your sun keeps me alive
dusty roads through the canyon gorge
like a bullet baby how we run
steer me babe with a gentle hand
on into that old boy sun
yeah
Motor Kine dont take low octane
throw down some money & give me premium fuel
Motor Kine don’t run on that cheap stuff
Ease your hand mamma Keep me cool!
race down the pacific ocean,
run down those Mexico sands
just for nothing babe, just cause I want to
Gonna fly all across these lands
yeah
One more time
race down the pacific…
Don’t Matter Much Now Anyway (B)
F# | B | F# | B
F# | B | F# | B
Ain’t no right ain’t no wrong
when you sit and watch a new day dawn
Aint no wrong aint no right
been here since the dark of night
F# | B
F# | B | F# | B
F# | B | F# | B
Walked myself to the edge of town,
made damn sure no one came to follow me down
Yes and to keep me company,
I gotta little hipper from the whiskey family
—— Chorus————–
F# | B
G# | A | A# | B
F# | B
But it dont, no it dont, yes it dont, matter much anyway…
all alone, all alone, one and only, help me get my thinking straight
Just cut the cable and the TV screen
just a rabid dog barking back at me.
So many voices chiming through my head
cant put a face to all the words just said.
Get more listening to the wind and rain
or the rumble of a diesel train
cause a mans a man and a facts a fact
but those are lies and we shouldn’t be lied to like that
—-
But it dont, no it dont, yes it dont, matter much anyway…
all alone, all aloe, one and only, help me get my thinking straight
You cant tell a lie through a song
and expect folks to listen all that long.
Guitar note catch a breeze and off they go,
and whos gonna catch em I donnt know.
Way over top a voice gonna hit that note
just like old golden throat.
thats my version of a TV screen,
you see it don’t have to be all obscene.
—-
Ragtop Car (key of C) SLIDE
Some say that the love of the wanderlust
is just a life that won’t amount to much,
a man born with rambling shoes,
is just another man born to lose
I want to set the record straight,
before I hit the road today.
Got a ragtop car enough gas to take us far
enough away, cause I plan to drive all day
when the evening comes we’ll be like loaded guns
Out in the night shooting stars from the sky, baby
When the blue sky’s lost in a concrete maze,
I get out of the city and get lost for days
lacing up my rambling shoes is a way to beat the 3rd street blues
Gonna kick it road trip style for 1000 miles
you rock the old shotgun till another ice age come
stand up on your feet do a little dance for me
no uturns are planned on this road trip baby
I got myself a roady in my hand
talking a cold pabst Blue ribbon, in my hand
I’m not trying to be tough just priming up the motor of love
gotta loosen up when my baby starts showing that stuff.
Got a ragtop car enough gas to take us far
enough away, cause I plan to drive all day
when the evening comes we’ll be like loaded guns
Out in the night shooting stars from the sky, baby
Love is a Terrible Thing to Waste
= Verse 1-4
Take to the street to play music
got my amplify
open guitar case
All of the hookers and hustlers
gonna make em move
where they congregate
Pro-stit-tutions illegal
but ya’d never know
by the look of this place
Mind you I’ve got no problem
cause I tell you LOVE
is a terrible thing to waste
= Chorus 1
Ask me where Im goin’
Im a going way down to the dirty side of town
Ask me what I’ll be up to
I say Im a gonna spread a little love around
= Verse 5-8
Playing myself some guitar
a big old smile
right across my face
I’ve been out here for 3 hours
I think its time
to smoke a little jay
Inspiration she finds me
on crowded sidewalks
just about any place
When Im with her I hold her so closely
cause I tell you LOVE
is a terrible thing to waste
= Chorus 1
Ask me where Im goin’
Im a going way down to the dirty side of town
Ask me what I’ll be up to
I say Im a gonna spread a little love around
= Intro
= Verse 1
Makes no difference where I’m going
doesn’t really matter where I’ve been
When I feel her eyes upon me
I know, I’m exactly where I need to be
= Chorus 1
Home is where you make it
Sweet home should come easily
Could be on some distant beach where Im a lying
Could be neath shade of my baby’s tree
= Verse 2
I spent six years in NYC
like living in a penitentiary
Stole a motorbike rode it to the ocean
My broken heart finally came on back to me
= Chorus 2
Home lord you’ve got to go out and take it
Sweet home should come easily
Could be on some highway that I’m riding
Could be left behind in those city streets
= Verse 3
I came to reside in California
Spend my days rolling at the beach
All the pretty girls there they let their hair down
they’ve got nothing on my sweet beauty
= Chorus 3
Home feels just like my woman
Does it fell good?! Lord you’d better believe
She comes & joins me anywhere Im lying
She gives me shade beneath her tree
No sight of the man on the interstate,
spent a mess of time trucking on the road today
I got a one way ticket babe the diesel down
and I’m blowing off some doors as I pass each town
As I pass each town ,,,, lord I pass each town
As I pass each town ,,,, Laying that diesel down
Well its late at night and I need to know,
just what kind of love you’ve just a got in store
I know out side its just a drizzling rain,
so wont you start a fire in the hearth again.
In the hearth again,,,, lord in the hearth again
In the hearth again ,,,, Light a fire in the hearth again
Like a shotgun kick I move as fast I can,
yes thats the signature style of a do right man
I know every action means the word to you
that why Im drive so late to bring the goods to you
Bring the goods to you ,,,, Bring the goods to you
Bring the goods to you ,,,, Baby thats just what I do
Keep Warm
= Verse 1-6
Looking down on the Rocky Mountains
on a jet plane flying over
peering out the window clouds pass me by
Well I must have been crazy,
to love a wild fire.
A wildfire explodes then its gone.
= Chorus 1
And a change in the weather,
the wind changes direction.
Just a signal that the fires gone cold.
the times we spent in love
are the times that last FOREVER.
Sure gonna miss them when they’re gone.
= Verse 7-12
Wishing you were here with me
drinking my bourbon whiskey,
just one kiss of your lips would light up the sky.
Streets of Philadelphia
Golden Sun of California
freedom sings her song, the greatest gift of all.
= Chorus 2
Well Ive been around this world
this old world a few times
One thing I’ve learned I will explain
the times we spent in love
are the times that last FOREVER.
Sure gonna miss them when they’re gone.
All’s Not Gone
Verse
F |C |F |C |
F |C |C- Lick |C- Lick |
2X
Chorus
F |C |C- Lick |C- Lick |
C C |Bb |Bb Bb |C |
F |C |Lick |C |
Bridge
F Bb C |F |F Bb C |F |
F Bb C |F |F Bb C |F |
2X
= Verse 1-2
All’s not gone
I know your feeling that you can’t go on
Baby AAIIII I’ll confide
gonna make us stronger in the by and by
when you stand, stand so tall
you lean in despite the weight of it all
give me grace give me peace of mind
take on the world when Ive got your eye
= Chorus 1
Broken hearts got nothing but time
LOVE makes us closer in the by and by
If it dont kill us we’ll be all right
gonna make us stronger in the by and by
= Verse 3-4
hellfire glows red in the open sky
black scorched earth cross the country side
California fire no place to hide
we got nothing but we’ve got our lives
Much more than most don’t keep nothing in
we may feel dead now but will live again
it hurts so bad to hear you cry
those tears wont hurt you when your by my side
= Chorus 1
Broken hearts got nothing but time
LOVE makes us closer in the by and by
If it dont kill us we’ll be all right
gonna make us stronger in the by and by
Kick it down Break it Loose
D | C
D | C
D A CG G D
Working from 9 to 5 can beat a man down from day to day
but when your working for whiskey and women, Hearing what I say?
THis old dog has learned a thing or two just a riding on the country lanes
Sometimes you need to just feel alive to get passed all the mundane
—chorus—
There aint no use in thinking when you know what you gotta do
talking is procrastination, you got to kick it down and break it loose
ohh lord kick it down and break it loose
People spending their lives trying to keep one up on their brother man
I pay no mind to that bullshit, yes I never give a god damn
looking back to the happiest days barely made myself the months rent
no I couldn’t find 2 dimes to rub together, never worried bout what I spent
—chorus—
Its been too many years I lost count some time ago
seems like the faces and places of my childhood melt away like a late snow
been away from town for so many years they’ll hardly recognize my face
so take me Mississippi river take me back to my mammas place
= Intro
My guiding light
brothers & sisters tonight
I’ll tell you one thang
play some guitar sweet
baby move your feet
lord we’ll get this whole place swingin
—————
kiss of love to my sistaaahhhas
a shout out to my brothers right now
—————
tell you right now
if it all went south
happy to be right here with you BABE
= Chorus 1
This road is heavy
but I’ll find my way
Nothing but Dangerous Highway
Special thanks to Mike Rudenko (https://www.instagram.com/mauispeardiver/) for taking the exceptional underwater footage used in the music video. Big moray eels, dolphins and more. Mike is an amazing photographer I met while diving on the Big Island with Kohala Divers (https://www.instagram.com/kohaladivers/).
Lay Down Low
verses
D#7 G# B G# | D#7 B F# F
D#7 G# B G# | D#7 B F# F
D#7 G# B G# | D#7 B F# F
—–chorus—-
D#7 G# B G# | D#7 B F# F
D#7 B F# F | D#7 B F# F
Sometimes you play a hand and it turns it all upside down
I’ve got a real bad feeling that they’re coming for me now
said don/t you hear the tires burning up to the house
Hear them call my name but I just can’t go
Don’t you know I’ve got to lay down low
——————-
a rendezvous arranged by cell got the marker placed
I hear them at the front door I leave as I hear it break
veiled in darkened shadow I make a slow retreat
All those fools a chasing think they’re in the Know
Slipped past in the night just to lay down low
——————-
Once again, Im running like the Devil in the dark of night
kill the lights my friend and throw it into 4WD
these woods and roads I’ve known just about all of my life
this here truck can motor but is goes too slow
Said I got to leave the ground so I can lay down low
——————-
Sometimes you play a hand and nothin’ ends turning right
but just past the state line ooh an airstrip dark as night
load the cargo sit back as we take flight
jet plane take me to where I want to go
Don’t you know I’ve got to lay down low
——————-
3x Don’t you know I’ve got to lay down low
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= Verse 1-2
babby I cant find my way back home
I cant find no air to breathe
I cant find my way outta here
Lord it might be the death of me
Lord I know that you need me home
the wheel in the skys on fire
gonna say to me its just a lie
when that something calls me out in the night
= Chorus 1
Gone are the times away
gone are the nights alone
I can see your light shine
it brings me back from the call of the wild
= Verse 3-4
Neon light burn holes in my eyes
moon screams out my name
lord Ive been like a moth to the fire
Im tuned into the call wild
Baby HELL YES i know
hard living’s not where I want to be
the price of what I think is being free
I dont know what calls me out into the night
= Chorus 2
Gone are the times away
gone are the nights alone
I can see your light shine
it brings me back from the call of the wild
= Verse 5-6
Now I know that Ive always been home
Im now awake from that lucid dream
the one that took the breath outta me
the one that scared the death outta me
Lord I know that you got me home
I see love in your eyes are on fire
I know that you are my buring light
your beauty called me back in from the night
= Chorus 3
Gone are the times away
gone are the nights alone
I can see your light shine
it brings me back from the call of the wild
