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.

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.

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.

1. Where I Belong

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

2. To You

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

3. Let It Spin

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

4. At The Time

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

5. These Things

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

6. Row Row Row

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

7. This Old Man

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

8. The Last In Line

"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

9. No Song In The World

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

10. Quit That Job

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…

11. Play Day

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

12. Fuck You Up

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

13. Bittersweet

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

14. Grown Up Little Girls

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

15. Do It All Again

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

www.GeneBurnett.com