“I Need…” (Original Acoustic Song by Songwriter Jim Fusco)

By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to another edition of “Original Wednesday” here on the best music video blog of all time: the Laptop Sessions!

After the success of last time’s “Jim Fusco downer song from ‘My Other Half'”, I decided to give you another cut from the same album: “I Need…”.  Actually, in a half-hour span, I wrote these two songs.  It was a difficult time for me- I knew my relationship was ending, but dealt with it by writing two “downer” songs, but with different meanings.  On one hand, I had “I’m Just Waiting” that was about the end coming in the relationship.  The other, this tune: “I Need…”, dealt with the fact that I was going to be without someone again.  That wasn’t something I was too happy about, but new love will always come eventually.  It’s MUCH better than being unhappy in a relationship, I’ll tell you that.

That’s why, over the past few years, I haven’t had much to write about relationship-wise, as I’ve had such a steadily growing relationship.  In fact, the songs on my upcoming album (which I’m mastering tonight) that deal with my relationship are simply about my unhappiness that after all of this time, I’m still forced to be away more often than not.  I’ve waited long enough, I say! 🙂

I hope you enjoy tonight’s original Wednesday Laptop Session.  I’d write more, but as a guy, I find that I can’t do two things at once.  I have to go back to mastering my songs now so I can give a copy to a select few to review and tweak.  Until Saturday, enjoy Chris and Jeff’s videos!

“I’m Just Waiting” (Original Wednesday Jim Fusco acoustic song)

By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to another “Original Wendesday” edition of The Laptop Sessions!  I hope this once-a-week treatment is becoming a favorite of yours, because we truly believe our original tunes can stand alongside the other major-label bands’ songs we play on the music video blog.

If you want to hear any of our original music, make sure to visit the websites of Jim Fusco (me), Chris Moore, Jeff Copperthite, and our band (with Mike Fusco) Masters of the Universe.

Today, I bring you a “classic” Jim Fusco tune from the epic album, “My Other Half”.  This album is a unique concept where it takes you on a journey from the beginning to the end of a relationship.  How did I get my inspiration?  Well, I lived through it and wrote a song each step of the way.  I didn’t do it on purpose- it just happened.  Strong emotions always make me want to write.

I’ve never had trouble coming up with tunes for my songs.  I’ve always had them floating around, waiting to be written out.  The trouble I have sometimes is coming up with something substantial enough to write about.  That’s why you’ll notice many of my songs are about some sort of big event or emotional period in my young life.

During the days of the “My Other Half” album, relationships were so new to me- I wanted to write about every facet of them.  That’s probably why I ended up with over 25 tracks…

Nowadays, things (as far as relationships go, at least) have definitely settled down.  I’m happy, but comfortable, too.  So, you’ll notice that the songs off of my upcoming album (who knows when that will come out…) are mostly about when something or someone bothered me in some way.  I think you can learn a lot about me, my life, and my emotions by listening to my albums in order.

This song was written in one night with another song that I’ll be bringing to you next Original Wednesday in three weeks.  I was in a very bad mood back in January of my senior year in high school.  I knew my first ever relationship was going to end, but it hadn’t yet.  I didn’t want it to because ANYTHING was better than being alone at that point.  But, I didn’t know when things were going to happen.

Isn’t it funny to have those moments when you know something is going to happen, you can’t stop it, but you’re not sure when it’s all going to come to pass?  Well, that’s how I felt then, and it ended up in a simple, yet heartfelt song.

I think some may think this is a kind of “suicide-song”.  It isn’t and was never meant to be.  “The end” that I speak of is the end of the relationship, not my life.  And for that matter, if I ever felt that way, I wouldn’t end my life- I would continue living just to get back at all the people that made me so miserable in the first place! 🙂

Okay, enough of the explanation: get to watching this video!  I hope you enjoy it.  I’ll be on the “cover song” track on Saturday with another great tune from Paul McCartney.  Stay tuned to the best music blog on Earth!

“Strummin’” (Original Jim Fusco 12-String Acoustic Guitar Song)

By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to yet another edition of “Original Wednesday” here on the best music video blog in the universe: The Laptop Sessions!  “Original Wednesday” is the once-a-week occurance where we put aside our acoustic rock cover songs and play you an original from our vast catalog.  Tonight, it’s my turn, which comes but once every three weeks, so you know it’s going to be a good one!

“Strummin'” is a song off of my album “That’s All Folks” and was also a bonus track on my earlier album “Formula”.  It actually appeared as my first music video on the Enhanced CD portion of that disc.  I put the video up on YouTube- you can see how much thinner my face was then…and it was only 2004!  Watch the song HERE.

This is a very simple song…well, actually it uses a few jazz chords that I learned while taking my only guitar class in college.  I already knew how to play, but this class filled in a lot of the music theory for me, and I was the best student in the class.  I was actually the only person in class to play Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child”.  So, I took a couple of those great sounding jazz chords and turned them into a song of my own.

I needed to finish this song for that music video, which we were going to film the next day.  We even got clearance to use my old high school’s auditorium to tape it, so we had to get it recorded and done right.

So, I wrote the rest of the song quickly and tried out my newfound soloing technique that I also learned while taking that guitar class.

All the lyrics in this song are true-life lyrics.  But there’s a line at the end, “Highly doubt this song will make me a star.”  For some reason, I always thought that this would be the song to make me a star- just because it’s so different and clever.  I hope all of our loyal visitors will send this video around to their friends- if anything, it’ll give you a smile.

Enjoy this song tonight and make sure to come back on Saturday, when I’ll be premiering my first-ever Laptop Sessions cover song on piano.

“Happy Tears” (Original Wednesday Song by Songwriter Jim Fusco)

By Jim Fusco:

Tonight, it’s another Original Wednesday for me, Jim Fusco, where I play an original song from my now vast collection of well over 150. I’m excited about tonight’s, as it’s been one of my favorites since I wrote it back in 2002 or 2003. The original recorded version of this song, which you can listen to by clicking HERE, is rich with about ten of my voices singing in harmony. I even made a surround-sound version of this song with a music video, available by clicking HERE.

Everybody tells me that this is most “Beach Boys” sounding song I’ve written. And to tell you the truth, as with all of my songs, I didn’t write it with a specific style in mind. I never sit down and go, “Okay, Jim, time to write a Beach Boys song.” But, even I’ll admit that this is a Beach Boys-sounding song, especially with that interesting strumming pattern. It’s tough to play that and sing with it at the same time, but I’ve been playing this song for so long that I don’t even think about it anymore. This video was Take 1.

I wrote this song after my then-girlfriend (and now fiancee) Becky said the phrase “Happy Tears” and I found it so interesting that I put those words to this great tune that popped into my head one day. I think we were going through a time in our relationship where you’re thinking, “Man, I do NOT want to mess this up.” There’s always going to be issues to iron-out, and when you finally do, it’s almost hard to believe that everything worked out. But, looking back five years ago, it almost seems obvious that it would all work out.

Enjoy tonight’s Laptop Session and come back tomorrow for another great acoustic cover song by Chris Moore. Jeff will be back for a special Independence Day Session on Friday- will it be a patriotic song? I hope not- they’re always so cheesy. But, that’s my opinion. See you then!