Me & the Chief

This is a song I started to write as a senior in college, about my dear late grandfather, Donald Staszczyk, called "Donnie Doochie" or "Chief" by the neighborhood folks.  Feels so great to have finished it today, and to play it on the upcoming tour!

"Me and the Chief"

by John Schmitt

I would sit in Church when I was 9
Praying about things to pass the time
Apologizing for little stuff
Like playing gym too rough

So narrow-minded
So undivided
I trusted I would be safe
I worried about small things
Like venial sins and baseball swings

And my Grandpa would take me to Amish Country
My Grandpa would take me to Amish Country

I remember he was sick
I remember all those days
Sitting in the lobby of the Buffalo VA
Staring up at the ceiling
Saying 'don't take him away'...

Cuz my Grandpa would take me to Amish Country
My Grandpa would take me to Amish Country

The Chief he died in the Spring of '91
And left behind 4 daughters and a son
I didn't bear his name, I wouldn't try
To lift such a heavy name so high
Some Daddy's get off easy
When their kids turn out alright
Some Daddy's never get to say goodbye
 

My Grandpa would take me to Amish Country
My Grandpa would take me to Amish Country

Welcome back, Unrelenting Anxiety.
I see you've come to mess me up.

Everything About It is a Love Song

If I ever come back as a tree, or a crow

Or even the wind-blown dust

Find me on the ancient road in the song when the wires are hushed

Hurry on and remember me, as I'll remember you

Far above the golden clouds, the darkness vibrates

The earth is blue

And everything about it is a love song.

Everything about it.

~P. Simon

Re-Post: Madre

May 21st, 2010

You need not hold me back, woman
I am but a curious son.
You cannot do it all, Mother
And I do not expect the world anymore
If I check in with my Friend
Friend is you of course
It is not to dive into things
Things that still sting
Things I have not yet mustered
The Energy to face.
It's to hear stories of the hospital
Of our crazy veterans
Of our crazy family members
My crazy little sister
Frightened of bugs
And to tell you
That I really do love you.

Re-Post: Untitled #12

Come now, Little Ones
And tell me
How the Heart sits inside You
The Fleeting ticks of the Clock
And for the first time
You realize
Like us all
That You're Speeding

And if Venice is Sinking

Jesus hangs behind the glass above Venetian doors
His window box boasts crimson flowers, fresh cut the day before
And you couldn't find a smile if you nailed it to his face
But Jesus Christ hangs his head with grace

And if Venice is sinking, I'm going under
'Cause beauty's religion and it's christened me with wonder

They come in bent-backed, creeping 'cross the floor, all dressed in black
Candles, thick as pillars, you can buy one off the floor
And the ceiling's painted gold, Mary's hair is red
The old come here to kiss their dead

And if Venice is sinking, I'm going under
'Cause beauty's religion and it's Christened me with wonder

We made love upon a bed that sagged down to the floor
In a room that had a postcard on the door
Of Marini's little man with an erection on a horse,
It always leaves me laughing
Leaves me feeling that of course if

Venice is sinking, I'm going under
'Cause beauty's religion and it's christened me with wonder
Venice is sinking, I'm going under
'Cause beauty's religion and it's christened me with wonder

The Late Great Johnny Ace

I was reading a magazine
And thinking of a rock and roll song
The year was nineteen fiftysix
And I hadn't been playing that long
When a man came on the radio
And this is what he said
He said I hate to break it to his fans
But Johnny Ace is dead
Well, I really wasn't
Such a Johnny Ace fan
But I felt bad all the same
So I sent away for his photograph
And I wait untill it came
It came all the way from Texas
With a sad and sim-ple face
And they signed it on the bottom
From the Late Great Johnny Ace

It was the year of The Beatles
It was the year of The Stones
It was nineteen sixtyfour
I was living in London
With the girl from the summer be-fore

It was the year of The Beatles
It was the year of The Stones
A year after J.F.K.
We were staying up all night
And giving the days away
And the music was flowing amazing
And blowing my way

On a cold December evening
I was walking through the Christmas tide
When a stranger came up and asked me
If I'd heard John Lennon had died
And the two of us went to this bar
And we stayed to close the place
And every song we played
Was for The Late Great Johnny Ace
-Paul Simon

Just the most perfect-est song ever written.

i heard there was a secret chord
that david played and it pleased the lord
but you don't really care for music, do you
well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing hallelujah

hallelujah...

well your faith was strong but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
she tied you to her kitchen chair
she broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah

hallelujah...

baby i've been here before
i've seen this room and i've walked this floor
you know, i used to live alone before i knew you
i've seen your flag on the marble arch
but love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...

well there was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below
but now you never show that to me do you
but remember when i moved in you
and the holy dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah

hallelujah...

well, maybe there's a god above
but all i've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
it's not a cry that you hear at night
it's not somebody who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...

Happy Birthday Mom

My Mother celebrated
Another Trip 'Round the Sun
And I celebrated
Having spent Twenty Seven Trips
With Her in my Life
And in my Mind
We were Somewhere Nice
With a Good View
Watching the Sun come 'Round again
My Head on Her Shoulder
Her Hand Rubbing My Back
In Silence

Here she is...

So this is the object I've been working on in part for 4 years.  The thing I labored over, sought collaboration for, worked in an office for, and never dreamed was possible, until the moment I held it in my hands.

It's entirely my property, intellectually and physically, and does not belong in any way to any other person, company, or entity.  I've spent about $5,000 of my own money on the project, in addition to the countless dollars donated by friends, family, and fans.

More than that, though, it is something I am enormously proud of.  It sounds great.  It looks great.  It tells all the stories I want it to, and I do not shudder at a single moment when listening.  I didn't cut corners, I didn't undersell a thing.  It was done to the max, with the best people I could get and trust.

I took a risk (though not if you ask me) by asking Caleb, a rookie at producing other people's work, to produce my album.  He was absolutely incredible.  His mark is all over this record, and he deserves mountains and mountains of credit for all the hard work put in.

Lizanne and Glenn at MorningStar also deserve so much praise for not only being talented, but agreeing to work with me and make this happen.  They are special, special people.

This Friday, I release this album for the world to hear.  Some people have bought the album at shows this week, and the feedback has been nothing short of glowing.  I hope the rest of the world who has yet to hear it all thinks the same. 

Friday, Nov. 12th

9pm-10pm

CD Release Party

154 Ludlow Street (Lower East Side)

New York, NY

Free Admission

Special Guests: Ryan Vaughn, Pat Firth, Greg Mayo, Brian Killeen, Kate Branagh, Chris Ayer, Karly Jurgensen, Amy Silverman, Andy Mac, Dan Testa, Brandon Warren, Jennie Muoio, Lissa Farquar, and more...

That's lots of talented people, all there to entertain you all, and try and show you what this record is about. 

This marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life.  It marks me realizing a dream, and pushing harder than ever to make the dream persist.  I want to play music and sing, and write, forever.  To never stop.  And the next year will bring me to all the little towns, the big cities, and the incredible places in this country, and world.  I will take further pride in singing for my supper, more than ever possible.

So, I hope you all enjoy my new album, "Ophelia."  You can order it by visiting:

http://tinyurl.com/johnschmitt

I will ship it to where you are, no matter where, for free!

Until Friday...be well.

-John