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Still Going Strong

from Brian's Dream by Jemmy Joe

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about

When working to adapt "Every Grain Of Sand" with the band Bitterbrush, I made a few demo ideas of where we could take the song. One was the basis of this song, "Still Going Strong". I was secretly glad it was rejected because as soon as I wrote the guitar lead dealie, I thought I could turn it into my own song. Many of my own songs started as cover songs I was making new versions of. A part of me thinks I shouldn't have done any of the Bob Dylan covers I made versions of and just made my own lyrics. Even if I used the same melody, I doubt anyone would have noticed. It was the first song I wrote on my new Martin D-18. Ooh la la, look at me. Anyways, that's how this song started. Can you hear "Every Grain Of Sand" sung over this?

When writing a new song lyrically, I often will think of what kind of song it is. A Descriptive Love song, a Political Rant song, a Party With Lots Of Drinks song, a Peak In To The Diary song. This is a "Aren't A Character?!?" song. The best example I have is Frank Sinatra's "Why Try And Change Me Now?" Taking this theme, I then stole line after line from a myriad of sources. In this song is a line from that Sinatra song, Edgar Allen Poe, Taylor Swift, a 15th century German folk song, a meme, an old world idiom, a quote from a podcast, Shakespeare and something a coworker said to our boss that always tickled me.

This song is *very* "me". I look fairly normal these days, so it can take a minute or two for people I meet to realize I am a huge weirdo. I don't feel like one. When people tell me I'm not like other people, wether its meant kindly or not, I bristle at it. Who is like anyone else?!?! You, me and everyone we know: we're all completely unique and we are all weirder and weirder the more you get to know the other person. But I just have to accept the consensus at this point. This song *is* leaning into it a bit.

lyrics

I'm not sentimental
But sometimes I walk
I walk in the rain
A man of man hats
That's a known fact
But never are they plain
Haters gonna hate
Cuz they can't explain
That which can't be tamed
But my thoughts burst free
Like blossoms in the season
They can't be contained
Its a many fine and course thread that makes a tapestry
So why oh why
Why oh why
Why you trying to change me?
This started before you got here
It'll be going on when you're gone
This started before you got here
And I'm still going strong

I got a sense of humor
That's not quite normal
My jokes get a stare and a blink
But I always get a laugh
Anytime people ask
What I actually think
I'm not like other girls
People say "Me thinks thou protest too much"
But I could not bring my passion from the common spring
I'm not laying it on a touch
Its a many fine and course thread that makes a tapestry
So why oh why
Why oh why
Why you trying to change me?
This started before you got here
It'll be going on when you're gone
This started before you got here
And I'm still going strong
This started before you got here
It'll be going on when you're gone
This started before you got here
And I'm still going strong

credits

from Brian's Dream, released November 24, 2023

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Jemmy Joe Olympia, Washington

Jemmy Joe is a twin. An unreliable narrator. An acquired taste. Mixing traditional folk, jazz harmonic taste and a sardonic optimism, Jemmy Joe has been making music for no one his entire, god damn adult life. Though he has very little to show for it, it is the train he is on and will not be jumping off any time soon. ... more

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