Back To Morgantown Liner Notes

PLUS - More Than You Ever Need To Know About This CD

1. Kaylabee (3:57)

A song about rejection, almost like poor old Charlie Brown exceptin' with a gap-tooth grin. A few years back I saw a Volkswagon Cabriolet on my street with a vanity plate: KAYLABEE. She was most likely  a college student. It sounded like the name of a song to me. I'm playing my old Alvarez Guitar and my dad's old Kay string bass. Daria Jones added the percussion.

2. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (3:11)

A short guitar instrumental played on my old Alvarez. I added some extra stuff to this old tune.

3. Back To Morgantown (3:13)

Often I have told folks I know around the country what a great place Morgantown is. It doesn't seem to register. They really aren't interested in hearing about it. I have a more "electric" version posted on my MySpace page, but I think it sounds better with a lighter, jazzier touch. We actually recorded right over the first version, starting with Mic Fries on the brushes and snare. Next, Nathan Wilson added the bass part. Then I changed the guitar parts around and we added Jenny Wilson on the flute. Daria played percussion, and we used the acoustic piano part by Dan McCollum I didn't use the first time around.

4. Deep Dark Hole (4:12)

Deep. Dark. Hey, it's a hole...pretty depressing. Me on the guitar, Nathan Wilson on Bass.

5. Hazel (3:07)

It's always a trial when people borrow stuff, especially when you wonder if it will ever be back. This typical of my songs; it's almost a true story. I often have old friends ask if I'm talking about them in my songs. Mostly reality is a jump-off point, and things in the song generally get out hand from there.

6. Campfire Breakfast (2:18)

This was originally a solo guitar number. I recorded about eight takes and sent three of them to Steve Bodner at Soundfield. The takes were similar enough that he lined them up together. Neat! This is on my Yamaha acoustic with three nearly identical takes playing all at once. It doesn't sound like it, but no reverb was added to this track.

7. Your Texas (3:23)

Lonely song. A mountain guy longs for his love in Texas. It just ain't gonna happen. Rachel Eddy played fiddle.  Kind of  a “Texas Waltz”.

8. Plane Went Down (3:38)

I apologize for this one - I really do. The story (such as it is) has been in my head for awhile, but every attempt to make a song of it or even a short story, was awful. I finally came up with a chorus I liked. I recorded it and left the verses empty with some simple chords. It was one of the last songs to be mixed because I was adding lyrics up to the last minute. There may be a little more to the story than first meets the eye....then again...maybe not.

9. Mountain Sky (2:02)

Ahh... peaceful! - solo guitar tune on my Yamaha.

10. Annie Laurie (3:52)

Traditional Scottish song - surprisingly - a real challenge to sing. Yamaha acoustic guitar, that's me on the cello.

words and music composed by Dan Cunningham

©2007 pickndawg music ASCAP

“Johnny”, and “Annie Laurie” are in the Public Domain

recorded in Morgantown WV at the “BOOM CLOSET”                                                                                                         Dan Cunningham – recording engineer

mixed/mastered at Soundfield Recording Studios, New Concord OH                                                                           engineer: Steve Bodner