Dogtown Summer
The Sea is made of Corn
Sometime in the summer of 1981 this little blues tune arrived. I tried to convey the sweltering heat of Iowa in the lyrics and the slinky melody. I don’t think we played it that often on our country dance gigs, but if we did it was late at night when the crowd was pretty lit and not really paying attention. By 1990 I had a batch of bluesy tunes that didn’t really fit into my country dance repertoire….enough for another “album”. I booked a one night session at Junior’s Motel recording studio in Otho, Iowa with owner Kirk Kaufman. I hired the best musicians I could afford and we recorded the album “live to 2-track”. I first released it on cassette tape and later CDR that I called the Dogtown Blues. These songs are still available via DistroKid on all the streaming services.
VERSE 1:
When you’re feeling down, cause your baby’s not around
And you gotta make a living walking beans
The heat is on your neck, and the moon say’s “What the Heck?”
You know you’re in a Dogtown Summer
VERSE 2:
My wife she moved away, to a city by the coast
And she left me countin’ bottles on the floor
I read the daily news, but it’s mostly just a bore
And here I am in Dogtown Summer
BRIDGE:
Now which way to the only way to figure out some kind of way to get out of this town?
Someplace where it’s cooler and where the people don’t go knock each other down
INSTRUMENTAL VERSE 2X:
VERSE 3:
Now bring your family to a sunny factory
In a sleepy little town by the sea
Oh the sea is made of corn, and as sure as they are born
They’re gonna have a Dogtown Summer
REPEAT BRIDGE:
REPEAT FIRST VERSE:
© 1990 Shadric Smith
All Rights Reserved. Supposed To Be Music
Special thanks to the musicians who helped with the Dogtown Blues project. L to R Todd Mason - bass, Dave Steen - lead guitar, SS, Denny Osburn - piano, lap steel & mandolin, and Kirk Kaufman - engineer. ( Photo taken by Kris Karr - drums, harmonica & harmony vocals )
The young Kris Karr
Musical Genius. Kirk Kaufman at Junior’s Motel Studio. Otho, Iowa