Category: Blog posts

  • Jimmy & Me Revisited

    Jimmy & Me Revisited

    Playlist See individual songs below for lyrics, links and song-related notes… Description Jimmy & Me was released in 2010. This album, Jimmy & Me Revisited, is a remixed, remastered and expanded version of that album. (The original album is still available via most music channels if you’d like to compare.) The …Revisited album also includes…

  • All I Know

    All I Know

    words & music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Art Garfunkel, Angel Clare, 1973 I bruise you, you bruise mewe both bruise too easilytoo easily to let it showI love you, and that’s all I know all my plans are falling throughall my plans depend…

  • Met Him on a Plane

    Met Him on a Plane

    (originally “Met Her on a Plane”) words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, And So: On, 1971 met him on a planeI had forgotten I was made of glassI watched the cars and crows and cities passI watched the sun till I was…

  • Simile

    Simile

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, Letters, 1972 this is the answer to the letter unsentwhich even so arrived some years laterlike a song sometimes written for lovelong before it is alive oh, the poem sighed to sweet facescaught away from some…

  • Shattered

    Shattered

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Linda Ronstadt, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, 1989 Notes Even though I love Ronstadt’s version of this, I’ve always thought it was too short. I guess I just love the song so much I never…

  • Skywriter

    Skywriter

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, Twilight Of The Renegades, 2005 Notes A friend helped me discover this song, for I had somehow missed it when it was first released. I love how the rootless, restless lyrics float over the rootless, restless…

  • Wooden Planes

    Wooden Planes

    (aka “A Song for My Brother”) words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: B. J. Thomas, Billy Joe Thomas, 1972 Notes Speaking of flyin’ games, here’s another. Again we’re chasing after something unattainable. Again we think our flight will never end. It was the last…

  • When Can Brown Begin

    When Can Brown Begin

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, Letters, 1972 Notes If after the first six songs you’re still unsure whether Jimmy is a dreamer or not, this one should do the trick. This song is about so much more than racism—don’t stop until…

  • If Ships Were Made To Sail

    If Ships Were Made To Sail

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, And So: On, 1971 Notes Oh, the images in this song! This one is right up there with Joni’s “River” in the “running away” genre. “If I could fall up the long night, reach to time…

  • Love Hurts

    Love Hurts

    words/music by Boudleaux Bryant • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© House of Bryant Publications Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, Letters, 1972 Notes Jimmy didn’t write this song, but I “discovered” it on his Letters album. And the way he sings it, he might as well have written it. As I said, I often performed it, and I…

  • How Quickly

    How Quickly

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Reviews Well, with ‘How Quickly’, you have once again given it a lovely, subtle and sensitively written arrangement and vocal to match, and added the gutsy guitar licks (beautifully but boldly played by Dan Leonhardt) to prevent the whole thing…

  • Shine It on Me

    Shine It on Me

    (aka “You Might As Well Smile”) words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Art Garfunkel, Watermark, 1978 Notes These next three songs are so resolute and positive and indefatigable that I’m hoping they’ll inspire you to forgive me for the previous two… This one’s a…

  • Lightning in a Bottle

    Lightning in a Bottle

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jennifer Warnes, soundtrack from Winter People, 1989 Notes Like the previous song, it starts out rather ordinary—”all I have to do is”—and then zings you at the end—”catch some lightning in a bottle.” Like it’s the easiest thing…

  • Another Lullaby

    Another Lullaby

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Art Garfunkel, Angel Clare, 1973 close your eyesmy pretty childthough the night is darkand the wind is wildI will stand beside your bedtonight there is nothingyou need fear or dread you can sleep nowgo to sleepthe rain falls…

  • Asleep on the Wind

    Asleep on the Wind

    words/music by Jimmy Webb • arranged/performed by Doug Howell© Universal – Polygram International Pub Inc. Favorite version: Jimmy Webb, Land’s End, 1974 love is a glass of wineit‘s balanced on the siderail of a shipacross the sea at midnight comeit may not last the daylight comeand the trip is longand the waves are strongbut then…

  • Sanctus (Holy, Holy)

    Sanctus (Holy, Holy)

    holy, holyholy, holyGod of power and might holy, holyholy, holyGod of power and might heaven and earth are full of your gloryhosanna in the highestall heaven and earth are full of your gloryhosannahosannahosanna in the highest blessed is the one who comesin the name of the Lord Reviews Damn I just listened and started to…

  • Have I Ever Heard This Sound?

    Have I Ever Heard This Sound?

    have I ever heard this sound before?the first song of a bird in springhas never caused my heart to sing beforebut suddenly it calls to me, freeing meto sing of things I’ve ever been afraid to speakhave I ever heard this sound before? have I ever felt this warmth before?the stirring of a summer breezehas never caused all…

  • Up on the Roof

    Up on the Roof

    Lyrics by Gerry Goffin, Music by Carole King© Screen Gems – EMI Music, Inc. when this old world starts getting me downand people are just too much for me to faceI climb way up to the top of the stairsand all my cares just drift right into spaceon the roof it’s peaceful as can beand…

  • Jesus Never Fails

    Jesus Never Fails

    words and music by Doug Howell© Bud John Songs (orig Lexicon Music, Inc.) • Used by permission Jesus never failsJesus never failsI’ve got a friendwho won’t ever forsake meJesus never fails Jesus never fails me when I need HimJesus never failsI’ve got a friendwho won’t ever forsake meoh, Jesus never fails He gives me songs…

  • Let’s Start Over

    Let’s Start Over

    it’s not so easystartin’ on two sides of the streeteyes that fill with angerevery time we meetwords as sharp as glassthat cut the heart right throughmeant for mebut I turn ‘em back to you so right and wrong is nowthe only game we playseems like trust is stillanother world awayone that can’t be reacheduntil we’ve…