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Though recorded back in 2005 with Fooled By April, I wrote this song in the fervent political season of 2004. Though John Kerry wasn’t as an inspirational a candidate as I had hoped for, I, like so many others, had been inspired by Obama’s keynote speech at the Democratic Convention. I had a melody I’d been playing with, mumbling a chorus, something like “why didn’t you say so…” Obama’s speech reminded me that words matter. So I tried to take my three minute ditty and make the words matter.

New Song
by J. Gordon Wright

Don’t ask the question
If you don’t like the answer
Don’t ask the question
If you won’t hear the sound

Don’t beg a reason
When you can’t name me one
Give me a reason
I need a reason

Let’s sing us a new song tonight
Let’s make it a sing-along this time
Our voices are strong enough
We’re loud enough to beat the band
So sing out
Let’s sing us a new song

Everyone’s watching
To see who’ll take the first step
Everyone’s watching
To see who’s got the hand

I was just watching
Until I closed my eyes
Now I am moving
Finally I’m moving

Let’s sing us a new song tonight
Let’s make it a sing-along this time
Our voices are strong enough
We’re loud enough to beat the band
So sing out
Let’s sing us a new song this time
Let’s sing like we’ve never sung, tonight
Our voices are strong enough
We’re loud enough
We’ll sing and you’ll find out

I remember a time when a word was easy as wind
I remember a time when I could breathe it all in
But the change that came didn’t last too long
And the breeze that blew didn’t carry on
It’s a long time now
But it’s finally come
And I know that we’ll find out…

This is a tune I wrote towards the end of Fooled By April, with a title based on a lyrical hook from my good pal and uber-lyricist, Dave Stanke.

This recording is from the band’s eponymous record, put out in 2005, and was expertly recorded and produced by Tim Bright in Brooklyn.

Superstar Okay
by J. Gordon Wright, David Stanke & Joseph G. Welsh

Heard of this place
And I think I just might like to go
Heard of this place
Between the stations on my car radio

Heard of this place
Where the summer’s always in your eyes
Heard that this place
Is for all the girls and all of the guys
Around the way…

|  Hey, I’m feeling pretty superstar today
|  Feeling like we’re superstar okay
|  Feeling like we’re shining out of our minds
|  Hey, you can take the lights & cameras away
|  Leave us in the dark we’ll shine anyway
|  We’re gonna be superstars
|  Everyone is superstar okay

Run, tell your friends
Cause it all comes down tonight
You know we can’t give in
Not without giving a fight

We’re stripping all the white off the walls
We’re ripping paint in the halls
We’re leaving nothing alone
We’ll break communication
Take over the station
I hear you when you sing along
Let me hear you now…

If we leave tonight, are you ready to ride?
Watch the city pale, the streetlights on our tail
Can you see it now? Can you see it now?