The Family Mojo Forced Reunion Tour 2020-2025
covid song-a-day project now 600+ songs
covid project song-a-day for 501 days: March 17, 2020 through July 30, 2021
Joe turned 16 and 17 during this, and Molly 20 and 21!
1. Fell into Nothing (The Rainbow)*
2. A Pair of Brown Eyes (for Shane)
3. California Dreamin'
4. You're Not a Woman Like That*
5. Heart of Gold
6. Crazy (Gnarls)
7. To Sir, With Love
8. Follow My Rhythm*
9. Help!
10. Powderfinger
11. Back to Black (Amy Winehouse)
12. What You Wanna Do Now?*
13. Kiss (Prince)
14. Mrs. Robinson (for Kate)
15. Alone Together*
16. In My Room
17. I Wanna Be Sedated
18. Cheating Again*
19. White Rabbit
20. Almost Time to Sober Up*
21. Oh! Darling
22. Ruby Tuesday
23. Faraway Eyes
24. I'm Your Man
25 Fail*
26. Don't Let It Bring You Down
27. Love the One You're With
28. It's Too Late
29. Long Time Down*
30. American Car (M. Doughty)
31. Kiss Me, Son of God (TMBG)
32. The Lucky One (Freedy)
33. Ziggy Stardust
34. Water with the Wine*
35. Happy Again* (for 4-20)
36. Can't Buy Me Love
37. One After 909
38. One More Cup of Coffee
39. Alexa, Please*
40. Psycho Killer
flashback: Psycho Killer at COSM October 2011
41. Orphan Girl
flashback: Orphan Girl at Towne Crier May 2010
42. Baby's in Black
43. All Along the Watchtower (Justin Offerman on virtual lead)
44. Space Oddity
45. Fire Cranking*
46. With a Little Help from My Friends
47. Kansas City (New Basement Tapes)
48. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
49. One More Night
50. Guitar Mama*
51. Another Girl
52. Runnin' Down a Dream
53. Nothing Compares 2 U
54. Not This Way*
55. Watching the Detectives
56. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
57. You Belong to Me
58. If I Fell
59. The Lights of Green Haven Prison*
60. Stir It Up (Doug L. bass)
61. I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die (TMBG)
62. Has She Got a Friend? Nick Lowe
63. Dreams (Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks)
64. Crisis Beams*
65. Is That Love? (Squeeze)
66. Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter
67. Bluebird (Jay/Longhouse visit)
68. Sweet Virginia
69. Homeward Bound
70. Crazy (Willie Nelson/Patsy Cline) Molly is 20!
71. Em Blues*
72. Dirty Old Town (Andrew Jessica Yarrow visit)
73. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesone When You Go
74. April Come She Will
75. Rhiannon
76. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (w. Linda)
77. What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love & Understanding?
78. I Blame Her*
79. I Don't Know How to Love Him
80. Jackson (June Carter-Johnny Cash)
81. First We Take Manhattan
82. Midnight Rider
83. Double-Stick Tape*
84. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
85. Remember Me (Freedy)
86. Dirty Work
87. Little Wing (w. Josh V.)
88. Back to December (Taylor Swift)
89. Let It Be
90. Mexico
91. Hound Dog (Sahi)
92. Discover Me*
93. Frank Mills (Hair)
94. Ticket to Ride
95. Dandelion
96. Red Rubber Ball
97. Lightning Bolt (Jake Bugg)
98. Lost & Alone*
99. Loves Me Like a Rock
100. I Love You When You're Walking Away*
101. Everyday People - Sly
102. I Got You Babe
103. It Ain't Me Babe
104. Royals - Lorde
105. Fallen Windows*
106. Another First Kiss
107. Mama Tried
108. If Toothpaste Was Your Lovin' I'd Brush Three Times a Day*
109. Little Palaces
110. Blame (by Molly)* 100 day BLOOPER Reel!
111. Save Me
112. If I Needed Someone
113. Oh Sister
114. When the Web Goes Down*
115. Mother's Little Helper
116. Fly Like An Eagle
117. Hotel 17 - Freedy
118. If I Needed You
119. Burn (from Hamilton)
120. Cigarette Song*
121. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
122. Absolutely Sweet Marie
123. I Walk the Line
124. Comes A Time (w. Linda & Julia)
125. Kodachrome
126. Jesus Ain't Listening to You*
127. Can't Help Falling in Love with You
128. Beast of Burden
129. You Get Me Lost
130. Parachute (farewell to Molly)
131. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
132. Ring of Fire
133. Sweet & Dandy (for Kate and Scott!)
134. I'm So Tired (last Molly)
135. Annie's Going to Sing Her Song
136. Through with the Day*
137. Mary Jane's Last Dance
138. Diamonds and Rust
139. Kit Kat jingle
140. Gimme Some Truth
141. Kid - Chrissy Hynde
142. I'm Afraid to Call You Up on the Telephone*
143. Bad Moon Rising
144. At Seventeen - virtual Molly + Mojo
145. Sara (for Sara Wolff)
146. Big River
147. La Basura Blanca* (translation contest)
148. Isis (the good one)
149. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
150. I'll Follow the Sun
151. Me & My Uncle
152. Surfin' USA
153. No Particular Place to Go
154. Motion Sickness - Molly & Friends
155. Coast to Coast*
156. Jealous Guy
157. Hand in Hand
158. The Starrs with Two Rs*
159. Tumbling Dice
160. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
161. Tell Me Why
162. Sunshine Jonathan Edwards
163. Unrelated Thing They Might Be Giants
164. Offshore Breeze*
165. Up the Junction Squeeze
166. Lawyers, Guns & Money Warren Zevon
167. Sorrow/Joy*
168. Helplessly Hoping at Linda's
169. Sincere Freedy Johnston
170. Copperhead Road
171. Famous Blue Raincoat L. Cohen
172. Locomotive Breath (JW flute solo)
173. Fork in the Road*
174. Victoria The Kinks
175. Out of Time Rolling Stones
176. Girl Beatles
177. They'll Need a Crane They Might Be Giants
178. It Don't Come Easy
179. Say Something with virtual Molly from Harlem
180. 1 2 3 (You Don't Care About Us)*
181. Pancho & Lefty
Townes Van Zandt
182. Put the Message in the Box
183. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
184. Everything is Broken
185. Top of the World
- Carpenters
Bonus track: Molly's I'm Your Man
186. Brown Eyed Women the Dead
187. I See the Light*
188. The Promised Land - Chuck Berry
189. Starman - Bowie for Patick H.
190. Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms
191. Dead Flowers
192. Falling in Place*
193. I'm Only Sleeping
194. On the Way Home for Molly
195. Tempted - Squeeze
196. Long May You Run - Moll home for Bessie
197. You Won't See Me - Mojo
198. Look at Miss Ohio
199. Wernher Von Braun Tom Lehrer
200. Accidentally Like a Martyr Warren Zevon
201. The False Alarm (Suicide Song)*
202. Only a Fool - Steely Dan
203. Moonage Daydream - Bowie
204. Caroline, No
205. All the Young Dudes
206. Poor Jenny
207. The Big Light - Elvis Costello
208. Two of Us
209. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
210. The Soul Trap*
211. In My Life - Central Park w Molly
212. Train to Chicago - Drink Me
213. If I Ever Was a Child - Wilco
214. Youngstown - Springsteen
215. Hey, Good Lookin' - for Jaime Alex Alita!
216. Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman
217. Coffee After Dark*
218. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
219. Golden Years
220. Handle With Care - Wilburys
221. I Threw It All Away
222. Western Sky - Freedy
223. The Man Who Sold the World
224. The Losing End - Neil
225. Gate-Leg Table*
226. So. Central Rain - REM
227. The Mountan House - Jay Ungar
228. Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
229. Rhiannon
230. All of Me
231. Stoney End - Laura Nyro - Molly visit
232. Lean on Me - election day
233. Winding Road - Bonnie Somerville
234. Sativa Summer*
235. End of the Line - Traveling Wilburys
236. Won't Get Fooled Again - election over
237. On a Night Like This
238. Sweet & Shiny Eyes - Bonnie Raitt
239. Piece of My Heart
240. Questioningly - Ramones
241. Wichita Lineman - Jimmy Webb
242. Our Song - Taylor Swift
243. You Never Can Tell - Chuck Berry
244. What Time Is It in Paris?*
245. Guilty Bonnie Raitt (Randy Newman)
246. Suffragette City
247. Dear John
248. People Are Strange - the Doors
249. Johnny & Mary - Robert Palmer
250. Kooks - Bowie - for Sahi
251. Higher Standards*
252. Harvest @ The Nest
253. Sad Lisa - Yusuf/Cat Stevens
254. Positively 4th Street
255. I Don't Want to Spoil the Party - Thanksgiving
256. You Can't Always Get What You Want
257. So Like Candy - McCartney & MacManus
258. What's Her Name Now?*
259. You Can't Get a Man with a Gun - Irving Berlin
260. As Tears Go By
261. Under My Thumb
262. Everybody Knows - L. Cohen
263. All Men Are Liars - Nick Lowe
264. Delirious - Prince
265. Wild Horses
266. The Big Room*
267. Anthem - Leonard Cohen
268. Already Gone
269. Simple Twist of Fate
270. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
271. John Barleycorn Must Die
272. Lovely Day - Bill Withers - Julie Bday
273. Suzanne - L. Cohen
274. Seventeen (for Molly)*
275. Songbird
276. I Shall Be Released
277. When the Ship Comes In
278. Things We Said Today
279. Melissa
280. Let the Sunshine In (Hair)
281. I'll Cry Instead
282. Falling Slowly (from "Once")
283. Cash for Christmas*
284. Silent Night (Christmas)
285. To Ramona
286. Go Your Own Way
287. Green Shirt - E.C.
288. Hungry Heart
289. Last Summer*
290. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
291. Blackbird
292. Creep - directed by Molly
293. Flyin' Shoes - Townes Van Zandt
294. Too True to See*
295. Doctor Robert
296. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
297. Almost Blue
298. Friday I’m in Love - The Cure
299. Winter Song
300. Tower of Song
300 Songs Blooper Reel
301. White Lexus - M. Doughty
302. Girls Talk - Elvis Costello
303. Racing Downtown*
304. Closing Time - Leonard Cohen
305. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
306. Cream - Prince
307. Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
308. Candy Says
309. Half a Boy and Half a Man
310. The Kids Are Alright - Inauguration day
311. Candy From a Baby*
312. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
313. Brown Eyed Girl
314. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
315. Proud Mary
316. Behind Blue Eyes
317. Spanish Is the Loving Tongue
318. Money Don't Matter 2 Night
319. Things Have Changed
320. Lisa in the Morning*
321. I Me Mine
322. Spooky
323. The Big Country - Talking Heads
324. Sounds of Silence
325. The Rose of England - Nick Lowe
326. And She Was - Talking Heads
327. Tearing Down This Place - Freedy
328. Bartender's Blues James Taylor- for Wyoming
329. Anticipation - Carly Simon
330. House of the Rising Sun
331. You Took My Breath Away - Wilburys
332. Doctor My Eyes
333. More Than Once*
334. Watching the Wheels - Lennon
335. Happy Valentine's Day*
336. American Tune - Paul Simon
337. Walk On By - For Ric McGinn
338. You Got Lucky - Tom Petty
339. Figure Eight - Schoolhouse Rock - w Jocelyn!
340. You're a Big Girl Now
341. Killing Me Softly
342. You Don't Know How It Feels - Tom Petty
343. I'll Be Back - Beatles
344. Beer Song*
345. Lay, Lady, Lay
346. Think For Yourself
347. Jack & Blow by Atta Boy
348. The Golden Vanity
349. To Make You Feel My Love - JW bday
350. Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
351. Take Me Home, Country Roads
352. Drive My Car - for Joe license
353. Confidence Tree*
354. My Mood Swings
355. Forgive Me* - featuring Bob Gurland
356. Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
357. Dock of the Bay - with Sunny!
358. Georgia by Phoebe Bridgers
359. Four of Two - TMBG
360. Sandman
361. Cruel to Be Kind
362. For What It's Worth - back to Linda's
363. A Guy Forget*
364. Free Fallin' - with switcheroo
365. Sweet Caroline - one year w gang
366. The Man in Me - Dylan with Sunny
367. Give Me Love - George Harrison
368. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul
369. What Is Life - George
370. Conman*
371. Lip Service - Elvis Costello
372. We'd Better Talk This Over - Dylan
373. Hotel California
374. Losing My Religion
375. This Year's Girl
376. Broad Majestic Shannon - Pogues/Shane MacGowan
377. Tangled Up in Blue
378. Let It Be - with Molly!
379. "When I Have Fears" - by John Keats, 1818
380. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Linda's
381. Town Way to Water*
382. Baby You're a Rich Man
383. This Masquerade - Leon Russell - Marathon Key
384. Memphis, Tennessee - Chuck Berry at Linda's
385. Do You Want to Know a Secret?
386. Waiting for the End of the World - EC
387. Back in the USSR - w Russia photos
388. Your Racist Friend - They Might Be Giants
389. It's Only Love - Beatles - Key Largo
390. Silver Wings - Merle Haggard
391. Changed Your Mind - three by Freedy
392. I Can Hear the Laughs
393. Tucumcari
394. Come Together
395. Appetites*
396. Thomas Pynchon- Train Song
397. Talk of the Town - Pretenders
398. I Only Have Eyes for You
399. TVC 15 Bowie
400. I'm a Believer
401. I've Been Working on the Railroad
402. The Waiting - Tom Petty - Joe 17!
403. The House at the Top of the Tree - TMBG
404. Gold Dust Woman
- Stevie Nicks
extra: 10 Takes of Julio, a short film
405. Jesse James
406. Day Tripper
407. Sugaree
408. You Are My Sunshine - Rich and Clare
409. Rattled - Traveling Wilburys
410. The Downside*
411. Save Yourself City Girl
412. Angel from Montgomery 5/2/21 anniv
413. I've Just Seen a Face
414. Life on Mars - with Alan C.
415. Tomorrow is a Long Time
416. In a Town This Size
417. Emily
418. I Know You Rider
419. Me and Bobby McGee - for Mema
420. I Must Be High - Wilco
421. Big Yellow Taxi w. Molly
422. A Long Way from My Home*
423. Like a Hurricane
424. Get Back - w. Nat Z.
425. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
426. Sometimes It Snows in April
427. Mr. Bojangles
428. Morning Has Broken
429. Green Wood*
430. Coming Into Los Angeles - Arlo
431. Spirit in the Sky - video!
432. I Am a Child - Neil
433. The Auld Triangle
434. It Takes a Lot to Laugh It Takes a Train to Cry - Bob's 80th
435. The Night Before - Molly's roof + 21st birthday!
436. The Thrill Is Gone
437. You're No Good
438. Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot - in Telluride
439. Words - Neil Young
440. Rocky Mountain High - Telluride
441. Electric Feel by MGMT - Molly & Joe!
442. Teachable Moment*
443. Against the Wind - Bob Seger
444. Shooting Star - Bad Co.
445. Marrakesh Express - CSN
446. Going to California - Zep
447. Idiot Wind
448. Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae
449. Stuck in the Middle With You
450. Camptown Races
451. Air Kiss*
452. Beverly Hillbillies Theme
453. Sara Smile - Hall & Oates
454. When Will I Be Loved
456. After Midnight
457. Sugar Mountain
458. Sylvia's Mother - Shel Silverstein
459. In Spite of Ourselves - John Prine
460. Willin' - Little Feat
461. Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar - Father's Day in 5
462. A Hard Day's Night - w Pratts
463. St. Teresa - Joan Osborne
464. South Carolina - Linnell
465. Nothing to Be Afraid Of*
466. Keep it to Yourself - Amy Rigby
467. I've Got a Match - TMBG
468. I Think I Love You - Partridge Family
469. Everything is Free - Gillian Welch for Jessica O.
470. I'm Looking through You
471. Sympathy for the Devil
472. Blame It on Cain
473. After the Gold Rush
474. Rode Hard - Amy Rigby
475. Party in the USA - 4/july
476. Very Unlikely that You'll Go to Heaven*
477. Cover of the Rolling Stone
478. See Me Feel Me - The Who
479. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - with Alan C.
480. Across the Universe
481. Dumb - Nirvana
482. Perfect Day - Lou Reed 7/11
483. Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
484. My Time Is Free*
485. Ripple - with Jay
486. Honky Tonk Women - Cape
487. I Feel Fine - Beatles
488. Black Diamond Bay
489. Wish You Were Here
490. Summertime
491. Criminal - Fiona Apple
492. Fool on the Hill
493. Rehab - Amy Winehouse for Clare
494. Just One Girl*
495. All Summer Long - Beach Boys
496. Happy Together
497. Come On Eileen
498. Balls - Amy Rigby
499. Ric's Song* in memory of Ric McGinn
500. Birds - Neil Young - it's over July 29, 2021
501. Goodbye - Bo Burnham from "Inside" - One to grow on - July 30
plus:
502. Daydream Believer (for Jeff Arnold)
503. Sixteen Candles for Joe turning 16
504. Paper Bag - Molly, Fiona Apple
505. Day is Done* 8/29
506. The Way by Fastball Labor Day
507. Everybody Wants to Rule the World Columbus Day
508. Lost Cause by Beck - Veteran's Day
509.Getting Better - Beatles Thanksgiving
510. Walk Away - Kelly Clarkson - Tgiving2
511. Lovesick Blues - Hank Williams - Dec. the Omicrom variations
512. If We Make It Through December - Merle Haggard
513. The Long and Winding Road - "Get Back" parody 2022
514. Your Secret Heart *
515. So Much Wine - Andrew Bird/The Handsome Family
516. Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag by Country Joe McDonald - Woodstock. Ukraine.
517. New Friends - Pinegrove
518. I Call Your Name - Beatles/Mamas and the Papas for Kay Rosoff, April Joe Bday
519. My Daughter Got Her Braces Off Today* - May Molly Bday
520. Desperado - June
521. She's Got You - Patsy Cline - July
522. Runaway Train Linda cape
523. Whisky in the Jar - Tom cape - July 29 1 year after
524. Leavin' on Your Mind - more Patsy
525.
Changing of the Guard Dylan at the carny
526. Walkin' After Midnight Patsy Cline
527. Maine - Noah Kahan - Joe Molly
528. Reminder*
529. Lady Madonna (cape) Sept.
530. Eleanor Rigby (Molly to UK) Oct.
531. Dead - TMBG - Halloween
532. Dr. Worm - Thanksgiving Joe home
533. A Self Called Nowhere - 3 x TMBG
534. River by Joni Mitchell - Molly in London
535. West Virginia John Linnell - State Songs TMBG
536. Homesick - Noah Kahan - Xmas Eve whole family
537. All I Want for Christmas is You
538. All This Useless Beauty - Elvis Costello
539. 22 by Taylor Swift - Molly back to UK 2023
540. Can't Keep Johnny Down - Grundarfjörður, Iceland
541. Moonage Daydream (accidental reprise) - family home
542. Where Were You Last Night? - Joe living room studio
543. One Headlight - The Wallflowers
544. Amsterdam by Gregory Alan Isakov - Joe back to NYC
545. Tears at the Birthday Party - Bacharach tribute - Stratton VT
546. Pledging My Time -bday jam w Vince 2.28
547. Long Long Time - Linda Ronstadt - Moll for dad (from sxsw)
548. This House Is Empty Now - more Bacharach - Costello J. to UK
549. The Double Negative *
550. Don't Let Me Down - Julie and Molly in Liverpool
551. October Sky by Yebba. Family Vacation Lisbon 4.23
552.
Rocky Racoon Liverpool Julie Molly
553. If You Could Read My Mind - for Gordon Lightfoot
554. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - in Istanbul! Blue Mosque
555. Older by They Might Be Giants - Molly is 23 in the UK
556. I Can't Make Me Love You - (Bonnie Raitt) Bonus track Molly @ school
557. There's a Story in Your Voice - Elvis & Lucinda Williams - Joe home
558. Nowhere Man - summer fam home
559. Emily I'm Sorry - Boygenius
560. Help Me Rhonda - Cape w Tom F.
561. Montana - State Songs - John Linnell
562. Ophelia - for Robbie Robertson - sept 2
563. Margaritaville - for Jimmy Buffet - sept 9
564. Molly's original song from The Thin Place - Edinburgh Fringe
565. Between the Bars - Elliott Smith
566. Dial Drunk - Noah Kahan
567. Alone Again (Naturally) plus the Upbeat Version
568. Begging for Rain - Molly at Showcase NYC
569. If I Should Fall from Grace with God - for Shane MacGowan
570. Moondance w Joe Thanksgiving
571. Sally Maclennane - more Shane - Xmas
572. Our Lips Are Sealed - New Years Mojo 2024
573. I'm a Man You Don't Meet Everyday - Pogues tribute at DBC
574. I Should Have Known Better - valentines day 2024
575. Broken Down Car* Molly original on the BBC
576. Waterloo Sunset - London Oxford w. Catty 2.24
577. Delta Dawn - sunrise Big Bend Terlingua
578. Black and White World - Elvis C. big bend TX
579. Neon Pill - NY & London, w the kids by Cage the Elephant
580. Midnight in Harlem - Molly Joe Catty in London
581. I Want to Hold Your Hand - cape draco jake isidoro
582. All You Need Is Love - DBC
583. London Girl - for Molly and Catty
584. It Makes No Difference - Linda cape
585. Rich and Poor* cape
586. Wonderwall - Molly Joe home
587. Trouble - Cage the Elephant - 4 guitar family
588. Mellow Yellow - Donovan - Molly Catty at the Cape
589. You're the First, the Last, My Everything by Barry White for Lazar! bday
590. Fragile* - election day - cape scenery
591. He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother
592. Feel at Home* Joe thanksgiving no momo
593. Like a Rolling Stone - songs of Timothee Chalamet Christmas Day cabin
594. The Times They Are A-Changin' - earplugs basement Joe drums
595. Close To You - Dolomites jan 2025
596. The Only Answer - Mike Doughty Knit and SC reunion
597. I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You - Tom Waits w Joe
598. Ol' 55 - Tom Waits 2 in Iceland
599. Tom Waits #3 - Old Shoes (and Picture Postcards)
600. Sunny Afternoon - the gang at Linda's
coming
I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better - the Byrds (Gene Clark) palm desert
Bluebird is Dead - ELO Joshua Tree
He's Gone - Grateful Dead JT
Everybody's Talkin' -palm desert
vault
Roses - Overpade from September's Spirit
Evergreen - Mojo in Lisbon 4/23
Good time Charlie's got the blues
Tightrope
if I don't see you tomorrow
I'm Impressed
- TMBG
Read some of the comments here.
Top ten:
Beatles 54
Dylan 37
Elvis Costello 19
Neil Young 16
They Might Be Giants 16
Leonard Cohen 11
Freedy Johnston 10
David Bowie 9
Paul Simon 8
Prince 7
Nick Lowe 6
Tom Petty 5
*originals 77
Day 365:
How does a year go by? One day at a time. With no travel, mostly virtual school, and a lot of unknowns.
A year ago we started this thing, with no idea how long it would
go. I imagined 60 songs, then 100 or 200. It has been a strange
trip watching the numbers go up, to see how a year passes. Look at the crazy long list below.
Now we
are back where we started. It has been long enough to see our
hair grow, to see us age. Despite the struggles, sometimes, to
get everyone to play, I am so appreciative of my talented family for
showing up, for letting me explore this dream, for giving the thing I
most needed to get through.
On Monday, March 17, 2020, we posted on
Facebook:
"We have decided that we will try to post a song a day. Forced
Family Mojo Reunion, Corona-style. Day One: Fell Into Nothing."
This was in the scary first days, kids home from
school, bad news and new rules every day. I was afraid, and needed a
ritual or routine of connection. That day we all sat in the
living room and I led a guided meditation, 15 minues. After that,
they were happy to play music. For the sake of family sanity and unity recording or working on a song a day.
Our band Family Mojo (Julie pulled the name from the aether at the Towne Crier, signing up for our first open open-mic), was active from about 2009 to
2012. So the kids were 9 and 5 when we started. I joke the band lasted until they got old
enough to realize playing music with your parents isn't cool.
In
2020, they have no choice.
This turns out to be a record of our playing together again: figuring out
where to stand, how to sing, watching Joe's hair grow. It's also a record of getting along,
or not, and teaching the kids our favorite songs. Also check out the blooper reel. And Bloopers Part 2
Update: Molly moved back to the city end of July but is still contributing, sometimes virtually, sometimes visiting. We also enjoyed weekly distanced gatherings at Linda's this summer and fall.
Thoughts on 250 days
I am an amateur musician in the literal sense: I do it for love. But
also figuratively: I'm not that good. I am surrounded by real,
naturally talented players and singers, most closely my wife and kids,
and also in our community. Playing with them is a privilege, has made
me better and given me confidence--but it has not made me a Musician as
they are, naturally.
I am a writer with bad handwriting. My songwriting is good, but
I am not so good at presenting. The best moments for me in these
many days were when my family performed my songs, a dream come true.
This is a vanity project--meaning it has been very rough on mine.
Staring at videos of myself every day: unavoidable my aging,
unavoidable my limited singing and playing skills. Hyper-lefty, I
can't write legibly (like my father); there's a disconnect in
the corpus callosum; I struggle, and I'm embarrassed to say how long
I've played guitar to get this mediocre.
The songs we've chosen to play here, to teach the kids, are what I consider the greatest songwriting. I’ve lately learned that most of my favorite songwriters on this list--my lifelong idols--are, like me, Lefties who play right handed guitar. Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Nick Lowe, and David Byrne, to start with. Didn't know that. There goes that excuse.
So, 250. I promised Julie we will not go past 1000, to give her hope.
There are endless great songs and songwriters to discover. You
understand and appreciate them in a new way when you play them, learn
them from the inside out. Beatles, Bowie, Steely Dan, Prince, Squeeze:
their chords are never simple, never go where you expect, you have to
pay attention. (And then there's Joni...we're still working.)
Playing my old songs is like staring at the lines on my face. The gift
is that I can recognize great songs, even if I don't write them. Thanks
to family and friends for playing along.
Family Mojo and Friends, Farmer's Market c. 2012 with Jay and Linda