Jason from the Jungle Gym Jam will personally autograph your copy of the "Everyone's Invited!" album to your family so you can easily enjoy the music in your car, kitchen or home theater. Comes in a wonderfully designed 4-panel digi-pack with artwork by children's illustrator Melissa Bailey.
Includes unlimited streaming of Everyone's Invited!
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Inspiration
Our county (Essex County) zoo, the Turtle Back Zoo, features a family train ride that goes around some of the zoo grounds into the woods, through a tunnel and alongside a reservoir.
Early in the spring I got on the train with my daughter and the idea of a song really came on strong, especially as we rode past the reservoir and saw sunshine glimmering on it. This lyric came to mind during the course of the 10-minute ride: “I see the sun sparkle on the water out the window of the train.” The line never left me and it’s in the final version of the song. My imagination took me other places we might go on a train ride – to the city with “I see tall and shiny buildings” or through the country with “I see cows grazing in the pasture.” Because of the city/country connection, I was hearing a cross between a soul and country arrangement in my head, which would later give me an inspired idea for a guest artist.
Writing
I carried this song idea around with me for a while, but it took a songwriting session with Amy to truly complete the thought. Together we came up with a chorus that could affirm the imagery of the choruses and still move the song forward (like the train).
In the Studio
We enlisted the help of renowned keyboardist John Ginty, who happened to be a high school bandmate of mine and Ross’ to play the vintage Hammond organ. It really adds a sound to the record that is both soulful and rustic at once, like the image of a train itself. John happened to be available between finishing a Canadian tour with the Dixie Chicks and heading out to L.A. to record an album with Steve Earle. John also has an amazing solo record of his own, titled Bad News Travels, which has been getting rave reviews in the blues world.
lyrics
Verse 1:
D G D
I see our trip just beginning
G D
I see our trip just beginning
D G D
I see our trip just beginning
Bm A D
Out the window of the train
D G D
I see tall and shiny buildings
G D
I see tall and shiny buildings
D G D
I see tall and shiny buildings
Bm A D
Out the window of the train
Chorus:
G D
Choo-choo and clickety clack
A D
Here we come along the track
G D
I press my face against the glass
E7 A
To see the wonderful sights we pass
Verse 2:
I see cows grazing in the pasture
I see cows grazing in the pasture
I see cows grazing in the pasture
Out the window of the train
I see the scenery moving faster
I see the scenery moving faster
I see the scenery moving faster
Out the window of the train
Chorus:
Choo-choo and clickety clack
Here we come along the track
I press my face against the glass
To see the wonderful sights we pass
Verse3:
I see the sun sparkle on the water
I see the sun sparkle on the water
I see the sun sparkle on the water
Out the window of the train
I see horses playing together
I see horses playing together
I see horses playing together
Out the window of the train
Chorus:
Choo-choo and clickety clack
Here we come along the track
I press my face against the glass
To see the wonderful sights we pass
Solo (over half a verse)
Verse 4:
I see Grandma waving at me
I see Grandpa waving at me
I see my cousins waving at me
Out the window of the train
I can see our destination
I see us pull into the station
I see us pull into the station
Out the window of the train
credits
from Everyone's Invited!,
released January 28, 2014
Jason Didner -Lead vocals, electric guitar
Casey McCleary -vocal harmonies
Judy Helbig -Bass guitar, vocal harmonies
Ross Kantor -drums, vocal harmonies
John Ginty -Hammond B-3 organ
Dave Cushing -acoustic guitar and percussion
Produced, engineered and mixed by Dave Cushing at Snowdome Studios, Montclair, NJ
Mastered by Scott Anthony at The Viewing Room, Springfield, NJ (storybooksound.com)
Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym JamMontclair, New Jersey
Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam is an award-winning "kindie" band that brings a true rock-n-roll spirit to songs that
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