SONG BITS: ALBUM #3 - KEEPIN' TIME

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                             (Please note:  All Track images on this page are used under license from Shutterstock).

Keepin' Time

writers: J. Dandrea and r. neal gracey

Neal had written the lyrics during a particularly rough period in his life, and I immediately heard the music to the song as soon as I read the words.   It would make the perfect title track for the overall album that I already had in mind, featuring the topic of  Time.  The Shutterstock photo used for the album cover, was unusual and made a great theme visual, and this one for the individual song photo, also looks perfect. 
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co-writer: R. Neal Gracey (lyrics)
lyrics page:  Lyrics   Info page: Info

A Long Time Ago

writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics

This was a song that was just a simple guitar tune.  It occupies a special place in my heart, and it seemed it was the right piece to add to this album. As with other songs on this album, there's a common theme of "longing" and of missing someone or, missing happier times, than what's perhaps in the present.  I think that this is just a life-theme, we all feel this now and then.   
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lyrics page:  Lyrics   Info page: Info

Movin' On

writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics

This song was written about the way I was feeling after spending many years in the army, moving around every couple years to a new assignment.  You give up friends you’ve gotten close to after 3 or 4 years at a time and then move to a new location. I wrote the song on a 12-string acoustic guitar, with a lively finger-picking rhythm to it.  The current recording uses guitar strumming and a rhythm that keeps it upbeat as well as has a nice vocal duet . 
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Lyrics page:   Lyrics  Info page: Info

More Than You'll Ever Know

writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics

This song was written on piano as opposed to the guitar. It is a light and bouncy number, with a chorus part that I soon began to hear the line “More Than You’ll Ever Know” with. The current version uses A Cappella and some amazing harmony - and I truly think that the AI enhancement brought out the total vision that I had when I wrote this song.  I never get tired of listening to it.  Enjoy!    
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lyrics page:  Lyrics  Info page: Info

Iron City Shuffle

writer: J. Dandrea, instrumental music

In this song,  I was thinking of my  brother  Tom, who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for many years. Although he had since moved to Florida, he lived in Pitt for nearly 28 years. He and I will always treasure so many wonderful memories of that great “steel city” of Pittsburgh. I really like this AI-enhanced version which gives it a better "jazz" and laid-back feeling.
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Info page:  Info

Watching Over Me

writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics

Once in a lifetime you experience that mysterious and intense relationship that pushes everything else in your life aside.  It is so ironic that often the most intense relationships never seem to work out.   That feeling of a special someone who may be across the world but who is always "watching over me"  is very special, and this is one of my favorites on the album.  
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lyrics page:    Lyrics  Info page: Info

Forever Roses

writer: J. Dandrea, instrumental music

Sometimes a single image is all it takes to describe a lifetime of memories. In this case, a single red rose.  Such is the forever love of two of the dearest souls I have ever known. If memories are truly treasures in time, then this song takes its special place on this album with the theme of   Time – and a love eternal, unending, and immortal.  Their love was just too strong to ever allow them to be parted – and the gift of their example of eternal love can be summed up in a single picture – such as this one, forever roses.  This is one of my very favorite songs.
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Info page: Info

Long Time Waiting

writer: J. Dandrea, music and lyrics

This was a folk-style tune that came tumbling out on guitar one evening. Circumstances sometimes conspire to keep us from being together – jobs, geography, finances….. we can’t make it work out. In the end you just wind up saying that maybe someday, somewhere, in  "another place and time",  maybe. . . .  but that this one  "just wasn't meant to be".   Chalk it up to life, love, and . . . time. 
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lyrics page:   Lyrics  Info page: Info