written by Jack Speer, produced by Tre' Corely (Oak Tree Studios), sung by Gus Gashus

My dad was very proud of my early endeavors, but he was extremely disappointed as a result of some life changing choices I made. As a result, we rode down a bumpy road together for a few years. However, things came together before the end of his life and I couldn’t have been more proud to have been his son. As I walked out of the church following his funeral service, a close, life-long friend approached me and said, “You have so many of your father’s knee-jerk mannerisms. In fact, the way you walk and the way you talk; it’s so much like him.” Nothing could have pleased me more, thus the title of this song.

When my mother passed away, I was guilt stricken for so many things I put her through while living under her roof. She raised my siblings and me (4 all total), while my father was mostly on the road - he was a traveling salesman. One of her constant come-back lines whenever I would challenge one of her directives was, "'Cause I said so." No matter what I would ask, i.e. "Why do I have to be home by 6:00 pm?" she would follow with, "'Cause I said so." I guess there's some truth to the adage, "What goes around, comes around," as I have raised 2 sons; I get it. But, I totally hated that response as a kid! She also had a very strong faith, which plays into this song...

When you reach a certain age you get through the day with whatever medication the doc thinks might work, all nicely lined up in the medicine cabinet. By the time you've downed the handful, or whatever you're just about ready to go. Those pills in the bottle make their own special sound - I like to think of it like a rattlesnake in a jar...

This is a rough acoustic 'at home' demo just designed for registration and working out with the band.

WHOLE LOTTA THINKIN’ ‘BOUT YOU (written by Jack Speer, sung by Jack Speer, produced by Tim Buppert):

I grew up in a very small town (population around 2,000) with brick streets. And, as a kid, I rode my bike everywhere. In those days, it wasn't uncommon for a 10-year old kid to play with other kids at the City Park all day long. Everyone knew everyone and nobody locked their doors. Fast forward to 2007, as a member of NSAI, we engaged in exercises to paint detailed verbal pictures, i.e. "Furniture." So, I reflected on the brick streets and how my bike tires would sing on those old brick streets. The rest of the song took on a story line of its own...

YOU STANDING THERE (written by Jack Speer, sung by Matt Dame, produced by John D. Willis):

A song I wrote about my wife, Julie. I met her at a party; one I so did not want to attend. But, immediately after arriving at this teachers’ party with some mutual friends, I saw Julie, threw caution to the wind, and introduced myself. The rest is history.

(REVISIT ALL OF THIS, written by Jack Speer, sung by Matt Dame, produced by John D. Willis):

From feedback provided at a local NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) meeting, I was basically trying to “paint a verbal picture;” to be as descriptive as possible. I had no particular emotional connection to this song, other than my trying to recall some of the significant details of a coming-of-age period in my life, while growing up in a small town.

WHAT I KNOW NOW (written, produced and sung by Jack Speer):

I wrote this song after having the usual parental concerns over my son while he was in his teens.

FUNERALS & BIRTHDAYS (Written, produced and sung by Jack Speer):

I attended a funeral in my hometown to memorialize an old friend of our family’s. During the service and sitting in the pew in front of me was a childhood, longtime friend I hadn’t seen in ages. My friend said, “I’m embarrassed for you to see me with all my wrinkles and weight gain,” I replied that I hadn’t noticed; that she appeared “as she did when we were kids.”

It is the story of first love from Heaven to Hell