Category Archives: Original Songs

Original songs from songwriter Jim Fusco!

“Only A Dream” – an MoU Original Acoustic Rock Song

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By Jim Fusco:

For my first trick…

Welcome to my first Original Wednesday original acoustic song music video for the year 2009!  It’s Jim Fusco here with a great song that we chose to kick-off our (and by “our”, I mean the band Masters of the Universe, or MoU) second album, “Homestead’s Revenge”.  The song is “Only A Dream” and it’s a chorus I wrote the tune to, but never did anything else with.

I remember the day very vividly.  It was one of our band songwriting sessions and I remember finally fleshing-out the chorus with the help of Chris, Mike,  Becky, and Cliff.  Then, I ran over to the piano and started to work out chord progressions for the verses.  I came up with the very interesting Em7 to Bm chord progression and I really love the tune that goes along with it.  I remember sitting there working and hearing Becky and Chris deciding on words to go into the chorus of the song.

I took my ideas over to the rest of the band and we worked out the words.  We came up with this image of a man in a jail cell.  The conversation went something like this: “How about a man locked in a jail cell that’s dreaming about getting out?”  “Oh yeah- like he’s locked in there!” “Okay, let’s see- ‘Locked in solitary confinement…'”  “No, that doesn’t work with the tune…” “Locked in solidarity…” “That doesn’t make sense, though.” “Oh, but it does!  The guy is locked up AND he’s all alone!” “Perfect!”

And that’s how the writing session went- we scrutinized everything but were able to paint a very realistic image of the idea we were getting across.  Why don’t you just listen and find out what that message is?

I also remember Mike returning from the back room, playing his middle-8.  I love that part of the song and it leads right back into the chorus very well.  He did that on “These Streets” from the same album.  The lyrics are great on the middle-8 to “These Streets”- we were thinking about that kind of great fast-paced life you think you have in high school  and threw in, “Live like it’s 1999,” because I was a freshman/sophomore in 1999.

Also, I was very excited when we all did the vocals.  On the original (which you can hear by going to MoU’s Official Website), you’ll hear double-tracked vocals from each of the five members of the band on the choruses and backgrounds, PLUS the lead vocals.

Some fun facts: Chris, Cliff, Mike, and I recorded our vocals together and we dubbed Becky’s much softer voice later on two other tracks so I could handle it better in the mix.  It isn’t easy blending a female voice into four other male voices.  But, my voice must not be too far off from a female’s voice, which made it easier to mix.  Why do I say that?  Well, on the middle-8, you’ll hear the backing vocals come in.  I love that part.  Well, on that section, Becky doesn’t sing- it’s just Mike’s lead, then Mike, Chris, Cliff, and I on backing vocals.  I sang the high part (doing my best Becky impression) because we seamlessly wove the backing vocals around Mike’s lead, allowing us to use only four other backing vocal harmony parts.  I remember doing those backing vocals that night with the boys and we were all so incredibly excited.  After we finished each good take, we’d get so stoked about it.  The greatest backing vocals I think I’ve ever heard are during the second half of the second verse.  The way that some of the vocals move around and some stay the same…it’s really a stroke of genius on my part! 🙂  Want to hear just the vocals-only section?  Click HERE and you’ll go to the Albums page on the MoU website.  The clip of only the vocals from that section will play in the background.  Click around to the other pages on the site and you’ll hear more rare vocals-only clips from the album!

Well, I hope you enjoy this great original song.  It was truly a collaborative effort- a great, catchy song- that was the perfect album-starter.  Until next Tuesday, I hope you have a great week.  Make sure to come back tomorrow for your Jeff Copperthite Thumpin’ Thursday acoustic cover song music video!

“Christmas Evening” (Jim Fusco original song)

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By Jim Fusco:

A week away.  I just can’t believe it.  I haven’t had time to breathe, but I’ve managed to set up the whole house, buy and wrap gifts, and watch Christmas movies in this short period we call Christmas time.  During these last few days, I’m trying to make the absolute most of it, and that involves doing things I actually want to do when I get home.  I’m glad to bring you tonight’s Original Wednesday.

You know, I tried to present a new song here tonight, but my last Original Wednesday of the Session-a-day project rounds out with yet another Christmas song.  I can’t believe we’re at the end of this project already.  I mean, it’s been a lot of work and a long time in the making, but I look forward to the time when I can actually go back and appreciate it all.  It’s been a great life-journal over these past few months.

Tonight’s orignal song is a tune that my father dictated to me, to which I attempted (back in 2000 or 2001) to add chords to.  He’s maintained throughout the years that I didn’t get it right.  The original music had a flute behind it.  I remember the flute part exactly.  I know that’s what he wanted in there.  He says I don’t sing it right, either, but I suppose that’s the nature of cover songs…and the nature of transposing a song from a tune to the piano when you really don’t know how to play.  Again, this was seven years ago when I was still VERY new to any of the “musical” instruments.  I knew how to play the drums, but picked up piano and guitar on my own.

I actually remember being out at, I think, a place like Sturbridge Village with my aunt many summers ago and specifically buying one of those tin flutes so I could play this song’s flute part.  I know I have a version of it somewhere.  Wow, I think it’s actually right in front of my face right now on the desk in  my room.  If Chris gets me REALLY drunk (kidding!) maybe he can talk me into playing that almost certainly embarassing tape of Christmas songs for him.  Hey, free fast-food always helps.  But, then again, I owe him for last night’s dinner because I forgot to pay for his!  What a friend I am…

I got to do a little shopping tonight, allowing me to neglect my nightly freelance work in favor of spreading some Christmas cheer.  I hope I have a nice weekend and a nice time leading into Christmas.

Oh, and as one last note: I made a comment at work today about one of the reasons I love Christmas music so much.  I really do like it more than just about anyone.  I have over 200 Christmas songs and love every single one.  Anyway, one of the reasons I love it so much is because of how happy the songs are.  I can count on one hand the sad Christmas songs.  And even those have sleigh bells…

Tonight’s original song is one of those sad songs (with sleigh bells) that basically points out how Christmas can be a sad time if no one’s there to make it a big event.  I took my father’s verses (whether he says they’re correct or not) and appended the fast part way back then.  The parts actually work together well and the lyrics even follow the same sentiment: “I want to be home on Christmas.  If I’m not, then I’ll be sad.  If you’re wondering why I’m sad, just look around and notice that I’m not home and around loved ones for Christmas!”  So, it all comes back around.

Good night and see you on Saturday!  Stay tuned for a great Thumpin’ Thursday post with Chris Moore tomorrow!

“What An Outsider Sees” (Jim Fusco Original Acoustic Rock Song)

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to your Original Wednesday video tonight with me, Jim Fusco!

Tonight, I bring you a tune I wrote back in senior year of high school in 2001-2002.  A friend of mine at the time was having some troubles because the person he liked always decided to go out with the jerkier guys so she could keep up appearances with the cool crowd.  But, she always acted so natural and comfortable around him, so it made it even harder to live with, especially because the decision was out of his hands.

I took a few lines that he wrote (the cornier lines and the ones with the clichés) and wrote this tune around it.  I love the tune, but it was written after all of the songs for my album, “My Other Half”, that I was recording at the time, so I relegated this song to the bonus tracks.

Even though I always tease Chris for his use of the major to minor chord switch in his songs, I thought my usage of the E to E minor chords before the chorus gave the song a nice feel.  In fact, I didn’t plan it at all- it’s just what the tune called for.

You’ll notice that this video looks a bit different, in that I have my microphone right up to my mouth.  This song is sung in a lower register.  If you’ve watched my videos before, you know I have no problems belting out songs in many different styles and tempos.  But, something about this song- one that I wrote, mind you- is very difficult for me to sing with any loudness in my voice.  I mean, I could sing it louder, but then you’d lose that feeling and my voice wouldn’t be as bassy as I’d like it.

So, I tried this new technique for this video.  I’ll be back to my old technique next time around.

I’m very much looking forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow, coupled with the early start on Friday.  I’m just as excited about the upcoming WCJM “10th Anniversary Show” on Saturday morning- our first real “morning show” in a long, long, long time.  It’ll be nice to gather the guys once more for a show.  You know it’ll be online as soon as possible!

Enjoy tonight’s video.  I’d write even more, but we just finished watching “North By Northwest” and I won yet another Trivial Pursuit game against Dana and Chris.  I hope you all have an amazing holiday weekend (mine started when my work let us out two hours early with pay!) and I’ll be back with you on Saturday night after everything calms back down.  Until then, go stuff yourself silly! 🙂

“Winning You Over” (Original Post-Election Jim Fusco Acoustic Song)

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By Jim Fusco:

What a happy day it is here at the Fusco-Moore Experience (home of FMP Studios).  We were both (along with all of my friends and family) pulling for Barack Obama to win the Presidential election.  We watched every minute of it and I didn’t stop watching until about 2 am.

It was a great night for the country because it was actually a decisive victory- a true electoral landslide.  Yes, the popular vote was closer, but as the Republicans proved in 2000, the country-wide popular vote means nothing in a presidential election.

So, tonight, my Laptop Sessions Original Wednesday video had to be something extra-special.  I actually sat down and wrote a new song just for the occasion- talk about a turnaround!  I had the tune to the verse of this song for a few weeks now, but never did anything with it.  I’m not going to explain the words of the song or what it’s about.  You’ll have to deduce that answer on your own.  Oh, and one tidbit- this actually ISN’T going to be a track off of my upcoming album, “Halfway There” that’s already been mixed and mastered.  So, you get an extra-special bonus with this song tonight!

I will say that I’m pretty proud of this video.  It took me many takes to get right, mostly because I didn’t know all the words yet!  But, the song’s structure is cool- the “chorus” is actually more of a “tag” to the song, making the bridge more of the chorus, if that makes sense.  I wanted to write a topical song that wasn’t overtly so.  I think, given the day on which it’s being posted, that the song fits into the political landscape well.  But, I hope that people can listen to it at different times of the year (without knowing what day I wrote it) and still understand the sentiments I’m trying to get across.

I’ll say this: one of my big hopes for America is UNITY.  It’s about time after so many years of being truly divided.  Say what you will about political views, etc, but Barack Obama is the first president in over 20 years to get elected by a true MAJORITY of American voters (over 50%).  That says something very powerful to me, and I hope he can bring this country together and help to heal the divides of politics, racism, and religion.  Good night, America- I hope you’ll join me in rejoicing as we usher in a new era for the United States.