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“Halfway There” (Original song by Jim Fusco) – The Open Mic Sessions

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome again to the Open Mic Sessions with me, Jim Fusco!

Today, I bring you the title track to my 2009 album, “Halfway There”.  This is a very special video for me, as this original song live video was selected as one of the top three Instagram videos in the Sam Ash music store open mic video contest!  From there, it went on to win the national Open Mic video contest title!  I was given a $100 gift card to Sam Ash and I’m so glad an original song of mine got that kind of recognition.  It was even featured on Sam Ash’s homepage once it won!

“Halfway There” was a concept I had for an album.  Basically, I was growing up and had to come to terms with getting a job, getting married, and potentially giving up some of the lofty goals I had for myself in previous years.  So, a lot of that album has to do with that sentiment.

But, you know something?  I realized along the way that I’m pretty happy where things ended up.  I realized that I didn’t really want to spend all of my days and nights trying to get gigs, living in perpetual poverty, and holding down some menial job until I hit it big.  Now that I have a normal “day job”, it’s given me the flexibility to  have a nice home and to get some of the guitars that I’ve always wanted.  And, from everything I’ve heard and read, fame isn’t really all it’s cracked-up to be.  I hope to make a name for myself with these Laptop Sessions acoustic cover song music videos online (and maybe get recognized for it someday), but that’s something I can do in my free time.  Problem is, like everyone else that’s married and has a house, I don’t have much free time!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy what I’ve been able to do on my little free time lately.  Going to these open mic nights has brought me out of my comfort zone, but its also ignited my love for playing music again.  I’ve met some interesting people, too.  Stay tuned for more, as I continue to dig into my catalog of original songs and play at open mics around the state.



Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Goodbye, So Long” (Original Wednesday Acoustic Song by Indie Music Songwriter Chris Moore)

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By Chris Moore:

Tonight was, hands down, the absolute most fun I’ve had writing a song and/or recording a Laptop Session!

And I’ve got lots of songs and videos for this one to stand up against…

It all began when I left school late tonight, and headed home to gather my guitar and Macbook, as well as Jim’s Macbook.  Then, I met Jim and our friend Dana Camp at Dana’s office for pizza and songwriting.  They were gracious enough to help me write a song that I had started — a song that I needed to record and post for tonight’s video.  Actually, interestingly enough, I had planned on finishing a piece I have called “There’s One Thing.”  It’s an upbeat song, and as I explained to Mike when he came by tonight, I haven’t written all that many love songs.  I felt I could definitely use the help to put it over the top!

Then, Jim brought up another fragment that I had recorded as a thirty-second demo for him.  All he or I knew was the verse I had written (i.e. “You said goodbye so long ago; I should’ve said something before I just let you go…”).  We decided to work on that instead, and after much fiddling on the keyboard, Jim worked out a progression for the bridge that we could both agree on.  When we started to write words for the bridge, we realized that we were both singing the tune to yet another fragment I had included on a demo tape.  As we continued to work, that third fragment, transcribed into a different key, became the chorus of the song (i.e. “I wouldn’t want you to think I forgot about you, girl…”).

Still, there was something missing in terms of the chords.  Jim asked Mike to step in and the team of Fusc and Fusc worked some magic in polishing up the tune and progression — for instance, I have Mike to thank for the flourishes at the ends of the verses.

Finally, I needed to work out a complete set of lyrics.  So, Dana pulled up a chair (and an overturned computer monitor as an ottoman) and began writing in his creative writing binder.  Thus, I have him to thank for putting words to the bridge (i.e. “Remember those summer days that we wished would never end…”).

A true collaboration.

Truly, I have Jim to thank for arranging and bringing the concept for the song together.  You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the awesome outro of harmonies has his trademark on it.  Among other aspects he contributed, I love the riffs he plays on the piano throughout.

So, after a while of writing and feeding spiders to the Dana’s fish (and, by spiders, I mean mutant arachnids — just so we’re clear here!), we recorded the session.  It took a few takes for me to get the words down, but then we did a full take and I’m very happy with the way it came out.  Remember that it’s a first recording, made only minutes after the final touches were applied.  By the time it makes it to the album, there will most likely be some more substance to it and the rough edges will be smoothed out to perfection.  On the heels of tonight’s collaboration, I’m even more excited about my first album — I plan to bill it as a debut album — with a bona fide producer!

Other notable moments tonight were Jim’s live performance of “Winning You Over” (such a great song; I don’t understand how it can be written off as a pro-Obama song) and Mike’s live take of “I Don’t Love You Anymore.”  Now, Mike’s song I wish I had recorded.  After all, as his lengthy list of songs-to-record proves, he writes so prolifically that there’s no telling when an incredible new song will be pushed aside for yet a newer one.  I’m just glad we got to hear it tonight.  Hopefully, he’ll record another session soon!…

And, with that, I’m off to bed.  I hope you enjoy this third offering toward my upcoming new album.  As always, I’ll keep you posted on all developments.  And thanks so much to the boys for a truly fabulous night of pepperoni pizza and good ol’ American rock songwriting.  Now, don’t forget to come around tomorrow and Friday for two more great sessions by Jeff and Jim.

See you next session!

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“Everything That’s True” (Original song by Jim Fusco)

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By Jim Fusco:

Hello all, and welcome to my first installment of Original Wednesday this year!

Today, I reveal the second song from my album, “The Easy Ways”, released September 20th, 2014.  “Everything That’s True” is the song that kicks off part two of the album (there’s a short interlude song called “Looking For An Angel” that plays before it, but this is the first full song on the second half of the album).

“Everything That’s True” is a classic Jim Fusco love song.  It reminds me of the kind of tune I used to write years ago.  That was back when I was in high school and was the hopeless romantic type.  Oh, who am I kidding- I’m exactly the same now!  It’s interesting to me that it took about ten years for me to write another song like this.  I guess I was feeling sentimental that day.

There are a couple of lines I’m proud of in this song, one being, “The weight I give to things I can’t control is still above the morals I uphold.  But when you’re here it doesn’t take that toll.”  What did I mean by that?  (That question is an inside joke for my dad- Ron Darling/Bob Ojeda-esque?)  Well, I meant that I give way too much value to things that are out of my control.  Or, at least I think I do.  You know the old prayer about giving the strength to accept the things I cannot change?  Yeah, I guess I never got that memo…

Here’s another line I’m proud of: “The strength you hold was never as profound as when you weren’t near me.”  I’m saying that I never realized the power that my wife has over me (figuratively speaking, of course) until she went away on a vacation with her friends one time.  When she’s here, I guess I take her companionship for granted.  And when she was away from me those few days, I realized how much I really do “need” her around.  Funny how it takes someone not being there to make you realize that.

So, I hope you’ll apply these sentiments to some of the people you care about in your life.  I also hope that you’ll head on over to http://jimfusco.com and buy my album and hear the full version of this song.  It has some awesome harmonies on the chorus that probably features one of my lowest-pitch vocals ever.  It’s not to be missed!

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“Opportunities” (Original song by Jim Fusco) – The Open Mic Sessions

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome everyone to another installment of the Open Mic Sessions with Jim Fusco!  Today, I bring you another session from my gig at Sam Ash Music Store in New Haven, CT back on April 3rd, 2013.  I went with my brother Mike while he was visiting home for his birthday.  I remember wanting to go to another venue, but chose Sam Ash because they gave me a $10 gift card just for playing!  Yeah, I go where the “money” is…

Anyway, it gave me an opportunity to play another original song from my 2012 album, “Those Around Us”.  This is one of the faster tracks on the album, “Opportunities”, which features a great drum track from my brother Mike.  As we know, tracks like that are great for pairing-down into the famous “Laptop Sessions” style of performing- just me and an acoustic guitar!

So, I hope you enjoy my original song, “Opportunities”.  Stay tuned as I bring you more of the “Open Mic Sessions” here on the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs and original music video blog!



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