Recording and Mixing Dates: Recorded April 29, 2015 and September 2015. Mixed February 27, 2016.

 

Genesis: I wrote the lyrics on July 7, 2009. The lines “Some of you are bumblebees, Saving up your stings” had come into my head a week or two before that day. It was an unusual writing session, as I had no idea where the song might take me.

The lyric lay dormant on my computer’s hard drive, as I could not find the right music. Then, in October 2014, I came up with a melody and chord changes that matched the words well.

I always knew the song should take on a bluegrass sound. Luckily, my dear friend and musical collaborator, John August Lee (see photo above), agreed to arrange, play, and sing on the recording. In May 2015 I sent him my vocal and mandolin tracks, along with some placeholder guitar and bass parts. On September 24 he sent me his tracks. John played two banjo parts, a flatpicked guitar part that includes a stunning solo, a bass guitar part, and two harmony vocal parts. I think you will admire his arrangement and recordings as much as I do. If you like what you hear, check out our China Sky album. John’s musical fingerprints are all over this fine album:

 

Production: As mentioned above, bass guitar, banjo, acoustic guitar, and mandolin.

Lyrics

Sometimes I work for money

Sometimes I work for show

Sometimes I work to cure myself

And try to save my soul

I’m a restless dreamer

I am not a detail man

The things we have in common

I rarely understand.

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder why

 

They say I punched her ticket

They say I paid her dues

They say I went and turned my back

On all her threadbare blues

She always had a backup

She always had an out

She double-crossed her two-timed man

Of that I have no doubt

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder why

 

Some of you are wizards

Some of you are kings

Some of you are bumblebees

Saving up your stings

 

Canaries in the coalmine

Drop their wings and sigh

They sure could use the sweet spring air

That waits for them outside

I couldn’t tell the difference

Between her hopes and fears

What went wrong, so deathly wrong?

In her tender years

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder

Sure do wonder why

 

Some of you are wizards

Some of you are kings

Some of you are bumblebees

Saving up your stings

Copyright 2016 Fred Grittner All Rights Reserved