All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray.

When I was a young girl I had a little organ and used to play it everyday in our rec room downstairs. I have loved music my whole life.  I would play and sing all the songs in my little music book.  It was wonderful for me.  When I entered Jr high, I began to take classical guitar lessons.  It was so challenging and I would have to practice over and over to get some of the most simple pieces of music right.  But when I got it right, the beauty of the piece was awesome.  After a year of classical lessons, I taught myself to play chords.  I was hooked on playing and singing.  I would attend  church camps and retreats and take my guitar with me. I would have the pleasure of playing along side the camp counselors.  What a time in my life that was!  I eventually spent a summer at a church camp as a Jr counselor and played and sang the whole summer.  In our youth group at church I would lead the worship songs, even when we went to other churches and nursing homes.  I just felt I was in the right place. 
I grew up listening to many different types of music thanks to my mom.  She taught my sister and I how to sing, how to hear the parts and sing them.  I sing today the harmonies of most songs because my mom taught me to hear the harmonies and sing them strongly against  the melody. In fact, I am happiest singing the harmonies and not the melodies of songs. 
I would spend hours playing guitar and singing in my room. Especially through my high school years.  I had so many deep thoughts and feelings in high school and often put them to music or in poetry form.  Not the light, fluffy stuff...but the deep, heart wrenching stuff. I can't tell you today why I am that kind of person.  All I know is that when the music is dark, deep, and especially played in a minor key...my soul soars!!!!!!!!! 
One of the favorite songs I sang and played all through high school was California Dreaming. 
The words, the mood and the sound has always effected me.  I don't know why, but it is still a favorite of mine today.  In fact, I often have this song playing in my head.  This is a song I can sing from the depths of my soul...and I can sing it without the music.  It is haunting.  I am sure if I sat and tried to analyze all of this, I could come up with something very profound about this why this song stands out for me.  Today, I just don't want to be analytic.  The skies are gray and cold today.  The trees are losing their leaves.  The wind is biting and strong.  It is days like today that I seem to like the most....and I don't know why.  Fall is my favorite time of year, and days like today just seem to be my favorite.
Here is my song:


California Dreamin' ( in parenthasis is the echo...)






All the leaves are brown

(All the leaves are brown)

And the sky is gray.

(And the sky is gray).

I've been for a walk

(I've been for a walk)

On a winter's day.

(On a winter's day).



I'd be safe and warm

(I'd be safe and warm)

if I was in L.A.

(If I was in L.A.)

California dreamin'

(California dreamin') on such a winter's day.



Stopped in to a church I passed along the way.

Well I got down on my knees

(got down on my knees)

And I pretend to pray.

(I pretend to pray).

You know the preacher likes the cold.

(preacher likes the cold).

He knows I'm gonna stay.

(knows I'm gonna stay).

California dreamin'

(California dreamin') on such a winter's day.



(Bridge)



All the leaves are brown

(All the leaves are brown)

And the sky is gray.

(And the sky is gray).

I've been for a walk

(I've been for a walk)

On a winter's day.

(On a winter's day).



If I didn't tell her

(If I didn't tell her)

I could leave today.

(I could leave today).

California dreamin' (California dreamin')on such a winter's day,

California dreamin' on such a winter's day,

California dreamin' on such a winter's day.




Lorrie