Nate Shelkey » Song du Jour

Song du Jour: “Cold Heart”

Nate — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:42:40 +0000

I wrote a new song. This one’s called “Cold Heart”.

Cold Heart

I’ve been down on my luck
Caught out in the rain
Sat down at tables for one
‘Cause the missing girl was always late

Yes, it’s true
And I don’t understand ‘cause of you

I’d about given up
I’d about given in
Because I knew this was a game
I’d never hope to win

Yes, it’s true, and I don’t understand ‘cause of you

So I told my friends I’d be a monk
And I’d move to that moon
I’d start a singles’ leper colony
Wish more people’d get here soon

Yes, it’s true, and I don’t miss the past ‘cause of you

(And then…)

Darlin’, I don’t know why
You thought to give my rusted heart a try

You pried it open
Let the light back in
You blew the dust off
When you smiled just then

Yes, it’s true and I don’t think I’ll last ‘cause of you

So I’ve been driving at night
Trying to catch up with the sky
‘Cause I know them stars and that moon
Are the same ones that look down at you

Yes, it’s true, because I didn’t really plan on loving you

Song du Jour: “Mary(Save Me)”

Nate — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:43:40 +0000

This is what I gather is possibly the 24th video Song du Jour. Sometimes I record just audio and I haven’t kept track of all of them together. So whatever–it’s a LOT people.

This song presupposes the ro-co situation of: What if you met the girl you’ve always wanted…. at your wedding?

Mary(Save Me)
by Nate Shelkey

Mary
Marry me
Come make me forget
I’m married
Oh save me
Save me please (again)

Tell me please
Please tell me
Come take me now away
And tell me nothing’s going to stay this way
And save me
Save me please (again)

Can they say we’re well met?
Because we met while one wed
And receiving lines
Aren’t the time
To place your bets
Or lose your head
But save me
Please save me again

The back of my mind is crawling
With thoughts of how to escape
The back of the bus is calling
As we see the church just fade away

Mary
Marry me
Come make me forget
I’m married
Mary
Save me
Please save me
(again)

Song du Jour: “New Coat Of Paint”

Nate — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:07:50 +0000

After about what, three months? I wrote another song. It’s called “New Coat Of Paint”. It has nothing to do with the Tom Waits’ song other than also being about paint. Here’s the song… and the lyrics.

New Coat Of Paint
I got myself a haircut
I got myself a new place
I got myself a new job now
I cleaned up real good
I can’t wait till you see my face

And I bought myself a new car
Then I got the car washed
Then I bought a new house
With a big garage
I can’t wait till you see this space

But you didn’t love me
With a new coat of paint
But you didn’t love me
With a new coat of paint
But you didn’t love me
Because underneath I’m still the same

So I got myself a shrink who’s good
And I got myself some self-help books
I started volunteering on the weekends
You oughta see how sweet I am

But you didn’t love me
With a new coat of paint
But you didn’t love me
With a new coat of paint
But you didn’t love me
Because underneath I’m still the same

But it’s not all bad
All these things I’ve had
These qualities you’re doubting
Aren’t they the same ones that wowed you in the start?

And it’s not all sad
Yes, in fact, I’m mad
I should have made my mind up
Years before this wind-up that you’ve done

Song du Jour: “I Got Lucky”

Nate — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:53:43 +0000

Here is the latest Song du Jour. I wrote it about Jessica Rona‘s dog Lucky who died recently. He was an awesome dog and she was real sad about it. So I thought I’d write a song to cheer her up a little. Or make her sadder, maybe that’s ok if both happened. Then I asked her to sing it with me and this is the result. Check it! This is the first Song du Jour of the year!

So this is #1.

I Got Lucky

Lyrics:

Hey Little Jackie Paper, come get your Puff
You know he’s not enough
And Jiminy the Cricket
Can’t shake a stick at him
Hey Chris Robin, come get your Pooh bear
You know he’s crowding up the bench there

She got lucky, I got Lucky
She got lucky, I got Lucky
He is the best best friend there is
She got lucky, I got Lucky
She did/I did

So she don’t need Trigger or Tonto
You can get rid of them pronto
Mosey on Huckleberry
You can take Mr. Ed down the ferry

She got lucky, I got Lucky
She got lucky, I got Lucky
He is the best best friend there is
She got lucky, I got Lucky
She did/I did

When you’re walking, you want a buddy
If it’s cloudy, you crave a sun beam
When you’re dancing, it helps to have a partner
You need your other half, so you can get your start again

And every Bert needs an Ernie
And you Laverne’s, you need a Shirley
Just like the Scarecrow need the Dorothy
You drive a Lovebug? You need a Herbie

Because I had Lucky, She had Lucky
Because I had Lucky, She had Lucky
He was the best best friend there is
Because I had Lucky, She had Lucky

I did
I did
I did

Song du Jour: “January 6th”

Nate — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:55:49 +0000

Here is a special holiday edition of Song du Jour! It’s officially #23 of the year. It’s called “January 6th”. I wrote it thinking about the song “12 Days Of Christmas” and what a lame song that is. First off, it’s freakin’ long! And second off, why would anyone ever give their lover all these weird ass gifts? So I decided to write a song from the perspective of the guy who’s sending those gifts. And on the first day…. she hates them.

January 6th
On the first day of Christmas, my true love said to me,
“I don’t want to be with you
Could you go somewhere else, please?”

On the 2nd day of Christmas
When I crashed on the couch of my friend
He said, “Get rid of all these animals
The place just smells like shit”

On the 3rd day of Christmas
I packed up the doves, the partridge, and the hens.
Built a tree hen house, in the pear tree
But it broke and fell just then

On the 4th day of Christmas
We held a funeral for Scout, Dill, and Jem
Those were the names of the hens
I named them after To Kill A Mockingbird
Never knowing we’d kill them when

On the 5th day of Christmas
The calling birds I bought
They convinced me to text you in the middle of the night
That’s always their advice for everything
“Just call, just call, just call!”
That’s the only thing they think to ever do at all

On the 6th day of Christmas
I picked up these stray geese
I felt sorry, they were pregnant
And their ganders up and left them

On the 7th day of Christmas
I gathered up some swans
I figured you could always use more birds
They’d look good on the lawn

On the 8th day of Christmas
I hit a milk maids after work bar
And these gals just took a shine to me
Guess they really dug the guitar

On the 9th day of Christmas
Each milkmaid called a friend
And one of the friends were twins
So we hung out with them
And we all got drunk and screwed
And I dreamed that they were you(But they weren’t)

On the 10th day of Christmas
the chicks they called some dudes
And they had these fancy names
But I think they made them up
So they could get them nude

On the 11th day of Christmas
the dudes hired a band
but it was a flute band
Is anything more annoying than a flute band?
I found out there is.

Because on the 12th day of Christmas
The dudes made some friends
With a drum circle
I couldn’t go to sleep

And on the day after Christmas, I mean January 6th
I left that crew by the side of the road
Put my thumb out and hitched

All the way back to you
In Mazda ZX Coupe

All I know I’m no good at gifts
I’ve no idea what you like
I just bought a bunch of stuff I saw
And hoped that I was right

But I just bought some gum
And thought that we could kiss
On January 6th
On January 6th

Song du Jour: “Vernal Falls”

Nate — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:50:20 +0000

Here is my latest Song du Jour. It’s #22. And it’s called “Vernal Falls”.

Vernal Falls
I guess I know there’s lots of fish out on the sea
Guess I always wanted you to be the fish to be with me
When I said that the end of the year
Gotta be better than the start
You looked at me
And reached inside my heart

I guess we’ll never know what tomorrow’s gonna be
I guess we’ll never know what tomorrow’s gonna be

We almost drove from the drive-in to the beach
But the night got too long
So we headed home to sleep
I guess we’ll never know what tomorrow’s gonna be
I guess we’ll never know what tomorrow’s gonna be

Can’t make you feel
What you couldn’t see
But baby you held that kiss
Just as long as you held me

I guess I wished
We’d kiss underneath the falls
While the snow was deep below us
And the squirrels would watch it all

I guess I kinda knew
We wouldn’t go to Yosemite
But I guess we never know what tomorrow’s gonna be
But I guess we never know what tomorrow’s gonna be

Can’t make you feel
What you couldn’t see
But baby you held that kiss
Just as long as you held me

I hope as the month’s go on
When you listen to this song
You’ll look out at the stars
And wonder just what went wrong

I guess that’s how I hope tomorrow’s gonna be
I guess that’s how I hope tomorrow’s gonna be

Can’t make you feel
What you couldn’t see
But baby you held that kiss
Just as long as you held me

Song du Jour: “Paper Sky”

Nate — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:47:43 +0000

Here is the new Song du Jour, it’s called “Paper Sky”. It’s #21!
Play Me!”
Paper Sky
You keep me up at night
I see your look, I’ll bite
‘Cause when you flash those eyes
Darlin’, I’m surprised

By the change of the season
But give me a reason
For the paper sky
Give me a warning of a paper sky

It hasn’t been too long
So darlin’ what went wrong (here)?
It’s okay to doubt
It’s okay to fear this

Guess I’m not, guess I’m not, guess I’m not
I’m not used to feeling (this)
Guess I’m not, guess I’m not, guess I’m not
I’m not used to hearing (this)

Feed me a warning of a paper sky
Give me a warning of a paper sky
And when the sky’s fallin’, I’ll know that you’re not mine
I’ll take out that paper, make an airplane to fly

I don’t know what you want
I don’t know what you miss
I think you painted a picture
Of what you want in you

Guess I’m not, guess I’m not, guess I’m not
I’m not what you’re feeling
No I’m not, no I’m not, no I’m not
I’m not used to hearing this

Feed me a warning of a paper sky
Just give me a warning of a paper sky
And paper’s not perfect
But darlin’ please neither am I
And paper’s not perfect
But darlin’ please neither am I
We can begin again
Just turn the paper over and try
And paper’s not perfect
But darlin’ please neither am I

Song du Jour: “Election Day”

Nate — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:02:45 +0000

Here is the latest Song du Jour, where I write a song every week for a year(loosely!). It’s #20. Called “Election Day”

I voted for you today
I voted for you to stay
But you voted me out
You voted me away

I guess I’ll wait till next Election Day

Now you’ll never know if I’d raise taxes
Build that road for your neighborhood access
Will those school kids have new books now?
You’ll never have the chance to find out

I guess I’ll wait till next Election Day

So there won’t be any second term for me
And we’ll never know my legacy
No wildflowers on the highway
Those tougher rape laws all just went away

I guess I’ll wait till next Election Day

I’m about to announce that I’ve conceded
Unless you feel that I’ve been cheated
We could demand to call a recount
There’s still time for us to find out

We don’t have to wait till next Election Day

Next Stand-up Show!

Nate — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:56:30 +0000

I have my next stand-up show next week. So you should totally come!

Friday, October 15th
“COMEDY AT MALO FRIDAYS”
Malo
4326 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
9:30
$10 cover
NO FOOD NO DRINK MINIMUM

Song du Jour: “Travelin’ On”

Nate — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 22:58:59 +0000

This is song #19 of Song du Jour where I write a song every week for year. As you might have guessed, I’m behind a bit. But still, almost to twenty songs and we’re in September. So I’m not even halfway, but I’m not too far from halfway. 10 songs behind. I just have to have a really fruitful October, November, and December. Have faith, people. It CAN be done. Anyway…. here ya go….

Travelin’ On
You said to me, “Could you be perfect?”
You said to me, “Could you be strong?”
You said to me, “Could you believe me?”
I said to you, “Could I be wrong?”

‘Cause I’m travellin’ on.
I waited out on the turnpike
I waited out on your street
I waited out in the darkness
Now you’ll just have to wait for me

‘Cause I’m travellin’ on
She said tomorrow, but tomorrow means yesterday

When you’re travellin’ on
Hold onto your future
Hold onto your friends
Hold onto your lover
You can’t hold on when something’s gone
‘Cause you’re travellin’ on

She said tomorrow but tomorrow means yesterday
When you’re travellin’ on

We’re getting near to the truth now
We’re getting nearer to dawn
And I know we’re getting near to your bedtime
Because we’re getting close to the end of the song
And I’m on travellin’ on

She said tomorrow, but tomorrow means yesterday
It means make hay while the sun is shining
Make love while it’s still today
‘Cause soon you’re travellin’ on
We’re travellin’ on