Listen

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean, Jason Haze on drums.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

From the first time I engaged with the Word of The Year trend, I became obsessed with the idea of *really* listening… to others, to the voice of conscience, to body language and facial expressions, to nature and the universe. (This song just has a scratch vocal track right now but much of the music is done.)

Aftermath

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean, Jason Haze on drums.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

Big changes in my life coincided with big changes in this country in general, and this song was born.

Fall or Fly

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean, Jason Haze on drums.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

This song idea was sparked by a photo of a mysterious woman on a city rooftoop at night. My own reality crept into the lyrics, as I was changing careers and contemplating how to create the next chapter in my life.

Handyman/Poet

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

This song was for a good friend, gone too soon. His business card read “Handyman/Poet.” He was a prolific poet and a talented carpenter. He battled bi-polar disorder and depression for most of his life, and he once told me that when he took the meds, which helped his mental health, “the muses died” and he could no longer create.

Salt, Sand and Time

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

This song is pure vibe, a love song to Hatteras Island, NC, my part-time home.

Some Love

By Teresa Chandler and Conni Leigh James.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

This was my first experience co-writing lyrics and I’m so glad it was with Teresa. She is a great singer/songwriter and a great teacher.

September Burning

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]
In 2022, we had a stretch of unusually brilliant sunrises, sadly caused by the wildfires raging across California. A friend living out there was evacuating ahead of the fire, not for the first time. She told me that this time she would not rebuild or return.

This Nor’ Easter Night

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]
This was the first song I ever wrote (written in 2021). A series of Nor’Easters was wreaking havoc on the oceanfront house where I was living at the time, and the unrest across the country, in the wake of the George Floyd killing, seemed to echo the violence and chaos of the storms.

First Mile of Leaving

Lyrics and music by Conni Leigh James and Teresa Chandler.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]
Learning to let go has always been a challenge for me.

Just Like Eve

Lyrics by Conni Leigh James, music by Chris Dean.
[link to lyrics] [link to pdf with chords]

This is a classic loss of innocence song with a twist. I’ve always been intrigued with the concept of Eden, and how growth/knowledge requires giving up on some comforting fairy tales. Eventually I came to realize that we go through the equivilant of being kicked out of Eden many times in our lives if we are open to change and growth.