Friday, May 25, 2012

Happy Birthday Bob


You know what it takes to continually re-invent your voice, literally and artistically, in public, for 50 years? Courage my friends, courage. Happy Birthday Bob.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Belts And Rankings



In Martial Arts

When I did Aikido, I went along with belts and ranks because that was the way it was done. T'ai-Chi was always my main thing though and there were no belts there, so I went along with that. In my own teaching I don’t use belts or ranks. My students seem to have a natural sense of their own abilities relative to others. I have certified a handful of students to teach over the years, which involves a process that culminates in the student being given a certificate stating that I’ve given them my “OK” and blessing to teach. But other than that, there are no titles or belts in my school.

I can see positive and negative sides to having or not having belts and rankings and each teacher has to decide for themselves how it will be handled in their particular school. Some traditions don’t allow much leeway on the part of instructors in this area. They must either conform to a standard belt/ranking system or break with that tradition. Others are more flexible with more freedom granted to teachers to go their own way.

I think that whatever system a teacher or school uses, it will be much better if the head of the school and all the teachers are clear about what exactly belts mean and don't mean and communicate that clearly and regularly to all students. Thinking things like this out and then making them clearly understood is very valuable in many ways. Too often I think these things are not well thought out and there are all kinds of unspoken misunderstandings. Clarity of mission and purpose, as well as the core principles of the art, are invaluable in any training.

Having been exposed personally to martial artists like David Harris, Fook Yeung, Gao Fu, Steve Smith, Andrew T. Dale, Sid Woodcock and others, that I deeply admire and am continually amazed by, I have a hard time getting too pumped up on myself. I've never been comfortable calling myself anything but Gene. I see why people call themselves Sifu, but I just can't do it myself. For instance, Dave Harris was always awesome, but there was a point a while back where suddenly it just seemed obvious that if anyone was a "master", he was. It seemed like everyone just started referring to him as a master, although of course, I never heard him call himself that.

I feel I am on the path of mastery, but not of the martial/combat applications of T'ai-Chi. I am on the path of mastering three things: the basics of the art, integrating them into my entire life, and teaching. Whether I get to that place where people naturally call me "master" or whatever, is not my concern or goal. It seems unlikely. But I do love being on this path and as long as I'm on it, I am happy.

Monday, May 7, 2012

New Album


Where I Belong

I've just completed another album of songs. My first this year...I'm slowing down a bit. It's called "Where I belong" and features 15 new songs. As usual, it's available for downloading free or with a donation at my site: www.GeneBurnett.com  Donations are strictly optional. I'm always happy to get a tip in my digital tip jar but it's by no means necessary. Feel free to share anything you download with anyone you think might like my music. All I ask is that you tell them about my site and that they can make a donation if they feel like doing so. (All of my songs are also available on iTunes and CD Baby where they might be easier and faster to find and download, but they'll cost you a buck.)

Once again, I'm proud and happy with my work on this latest project. Here are the song titles, along with a lyric sample from each song. I'm also linking each song title to that individual song, in case you want to listen to just that song. Please find the "Musical Recordings" page on my site to listen to or download the entire album.



I've written many songs about balancing the inherent tension between love and money. This is the latest...


There’s gold up in those hills
You can have it for a song
There’s gold up in those hills
But not where I belong
There’s deals up in those hills
A thousand pages long
There’s deals up in those hills
But not where I belong

I was born in the lowlands—I was raised on the flats
Looking down on anybody—I can’t get used to that




A song of gratitude for all of the women who helped me get ready for Samarra...


There were women to do things with
And women I wanted to do things to
And women I wanted to walk the line with
Between the two
There were women who were harder to get rid of
Than a Japanese tattoo
But I love all the women who led me to you




Love is like breathing to me...it must be done again and again...


I thought I wouldn’t change but I did
I thought I’d always be a little kid
I thought I’d never do what grownups did
I thought I wouldn’t change but I did…

Then I thought that I could change but I could not
I thought that I was in the power spot
I thought that only fools took what they got
I thought that I could change but I could not…

Chorus:
You make me want to do it all again
Take the real and toss the could have been
Take the wheel and let it spin
You make me want to do it all again




A long more or less true story song about a Summer I spent in NYC long, long ago...


At the time she didn’t seem that cool
She wasn’t super pretty and she didn’t make me drool
But she knew what she wanted right out of school
And until he came along she’d have to make do

She moved to the city to further her ends
To sublet a loft from a couple of friends
Who were my friends too so our stories blend
We were roommates for a Summer while we chased the wind



Ever wonder about how you fit in to the drama of people's lives you were once involved with but no longer? Me too...


I’d love to know what I meant to you—Even if it’s nothing
How much did you love me—And how much were you bluffing?
I tend to remember the good times—I might have forgotten the bad
So tell me if you would—How do you see what we had?

 Chorus:
I’m over you—I’m over me
Just curious about these things
Where we miss—Where we meet
What slips off—What goes deep
I’m over you—I’m over me
Just curious about these things



A metaphysical blues version of one of my favorite traditional children's songs...


What if the divine purpose of existence
It that it unfold by chance?
What if even God doesn’t want to sit
And watch a square dance
A story’s always better
If you don’t know how it ends
What if the divine purpose of existence
It that it unfold by chance?

Chorus:
Row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row, row your boat
Up or down the steam
Sad or merrily
Life is just a dream
Row row row your boat




A weed related version of another of my favorite traditional children's songs...


This old man he smoke one
He smoked one and now he’s done
With a big bong sing-a-long—Roll the dog a bone
This old man wants to go home

This old man he smoke two
He smoked two ‘til  he was blue
With a big bong sing-a-long—Roll the dog a bone
This old man wants to go home

This old man he smoke three
He smoked three down on his knee
This old man he smoke four
Still he had to ask for more
With a big bong sing-a-long—Roll the dog a bone
This old man wants to go home




"Yield and remain whole..." Lao Tzu


It must be my karma I wouldn’t alarm a flea
I’m just that kind
I’m just too nice all sugar no spice
And I’m always the last in line

It started as fear but now it’s more clear
That it’s Nature and not just mine
That favors the slow and the steady approach
So I’m always the last in line

Always the last in line (2)
I like the slow and the steady approach so I’m always the last in line



Having a little fun with my friends who can't seem to focus on a song if there's a girl in the room...



It was Open Mike night
I had a brand new song
I wanted my friend to hear it
So I brought him along
But when I started playing
I looked and he was gone
I thought he was immune
But I was wrong

Chorus:
No there ain’t no song in the world
Can compete with a pretty girl
No there ain’t no song in the world
No song in the world




This one's a beast...inspired by a dream I had about trying to drag a friend out of his corporate office job with my bare hands...


Quit that job—Stick it to the man
When the shit hits it—Don’t be in the fucking fan
Aren’t you tired of working for jerks
Making stupid shit that doesn’t really work?
Quit that job…

Quit that job—You’re Satan’s receptionist
I know it doesn’t seem that bad—Except it is
Come on don’t you wanna leave that place?
Wouldn’t you like a boss with just one face?
Quit that job…




Another "list song"...I'm not evening going to try to memorize these anymore...thank God for recording technology!


Let’s have a little play day—Not another gray day
I want a runaway day—Just you and me
I don’t want to wait for payday—I want a right away day
I want to have a heyday—Just you and me
I want a disobey day—I want a misbehave day
I want an unafraid day—Just you and me


I don’t want another stay day—I want a no delay day
A February May Day—Just you and me
I want a have our say day—I want a kneel and pray day
I want a holiday day—Just you and me
I want a wide awake day—A step out of the cage day
I want a Milky Way day—Just you and me




A song about the ruthless efficiency with which life pursues its own expression...


You’re such a big shot in your head—You think you’ll never end up dead
You’re drinking from a poison cup—And life’s gonna fuck you up

Life’s gonna fuck you up—Life’s gonna fuck you up
You’re drinking from a poison cup—And life’s gonna fuck you up




Another song about balance...



It might be sad—But it is true
It’s not a New Age—Point of view
But there is nothing—We can do
You’re not me—I’m not you

Yours are brown—Mine are too
They might as well be—Black and blue
You don’t see—The things I do
You’re not me—I’m not you

Bittersweet is still sweet
Bittersweet is still sweet



Nothing against them really...I've just had my fill...


She smiles and blinks and looks away
And tugs down on her skirt
She looks at me as if to say
Can I trust you? I’ve been hurt
Her voice it catches in her throat
And breaks in little bursts
Ignore this castle and this moat
Come rescue me first

Chorus:
Woman are really wonderful all around the world
I just think I’ve had my fill
Of grown-up little girls




A song about my life and work and my willingness to "do it all again"...


I’m gonna swing out over the water
I’m gonna let go of the rope
I’m gonna fall into the river
I’m gonna sink like a stone
I’m gonna hold my breath down there
I’m gonna count to ten
I’m gonna swim back to the surface
And do it all again

I’m gonna hide out in my head
I’m gonna listen to my heart
I’m gonna sleep in my own bed
I’m gonna tear this thing apart
I’m gonna put it back together
With my guitar and my pen
I’m gonna swim back to the surface
And do it all again



Thanks for your support!

GB