Thursday, December 5, 2019

Ok Boomer

Old dogs can’t be taught new tricks New cliches or politics And when you ask him, He gets mad Give him old song with a story line Smokie bar and jar of moonshine And when you ask him, He gets sad

Ok Boomer, tell me again One ring of fire, how will it end Only the truth, you can defend Ok Boomer, ……tell me again Dad killed guys with swastikas Now kids die in Florida And when you ask him, He gets mad Times did change for the better Now we’re our own worst debtors And when you ask him, He gets sad Chorus Distant drums of discontent No love shown to immigrants And when you ask him, He gets mad He has not given up hope It’s in his nature to vote And when you ask him, He gets sad Chorus
(c) 2019 Dave Schipper Rose Riversongs


Saturday, October 5, 2019

Let me walk (a nod to the Man in Black)

Oh mystery, don’t bury me In your hands, In your hands Take me back, face the facts I am weak, I am weak Let me walk in your grace
Let me feel the air of peace Let me stand for what is right Let me walk in path of light A child’s face, a worn out place In our hands, In our hands On TV screens and in my dreams My heart hurts, my heart hurts When morals are lost To the wealth of gain He finds no host In this evil game Take me back, the man in black Hold our hands, hold our hands Speak gentle words, now rarely heard Mend our hearts, mend our hearts Chorus (c) Dave Schipper 2019 Rose Riversongs

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Angels in action


Angels in action
Need a reaction
Puppies on a string

Lightning in motion
Needs a commotion
Wild flowers in spring

Take me and gently
Whisper faintly
I hold to the wire

Sin with me saintly
Tonight so sadly
With you there is fire

(c) Rose Riversongs
by Dave Schipper

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Summer's Day



There are moments
Too few hours in the day
To escape the way I’m feeling
To keep life at bay

This summers day,
You will not find me!
Off the grid and in hiding
Lost in Earl Grey tea

And in this moment
I push down the voices
In a search for silence
To regret no choices

I’m a subtle cake
With layers of mom and fun
I’ll add chocolate
And bake until I am done

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Struggle










The struggle is real
She pulled him out, He falls back
As part of the deal
He’s so grateful

She welded together his life
Endured the sparks of strife
Until He stood whole
Without the past He stole

There are no hidden answers
In the next barroom dancer
It becomes plain to see
What you meant to me

Words words words
Nothing is absorbed
Lies lies lies
All kept in side

At the table she set me down
Weary from a familiar song
I am the man she made
Then cast off in a trade

to be continued ....
By Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Down the road, again


You can drive me crazy 
Even call me lazy
You’re downright nasty
But I’m going down that road again

I ain’t no saint 
But you’re the sinner
Just ignored me like you been
Cuz I’m going down that road again

Turn away then
When you’re done
There’s more pretty girls then one
But I’ll go down that road again


by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Liza Lee

There she goes out the door 
as she’s done times before 
Not with me, she’s just free 
Lil' dancer Liza Lee

She's just a wind swept queen
In naturally torn  jeans
She lights up the dance floor

The band wants to play more

She’s got Hell on her toes 
And Heart mom on her wrist 
Lil' angel on her knee
And save the bees daisy

The ready boys take note
And her tattoos they quote
"Love me for who I am
Not who you want me to be."

Yet this bright butterfly
Flirts and flutters on by
Out the door as before
She's just free Lil' Liza Lee.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs


Monday, May 27, 2019

Stout Friend


Spring Love


Pinch me in the morning you’re still here
It’s been months but full of years
We watch the flowers and trees bloom
Over morning coffee in  the porch room

Spring love let me sing
The flowers I’ll bring
The notes will ring
Spring love let me sing

When I saw your old lover in the crowd
I just wanted to shout out loud
You crazy dumb ass fool
You ain’t the sharpest tool

Why he left I do not know
Is it inside you that has yet to show
I do believe it was a flaw of his
Not to treasure your kiss

Spring love let me sing
The flowers I’ll bring
The notes will ring
Spring love let me sing

Meet me halfway
Agree to disagree
Hear what I say
You mean so much to me

I didn’t win you as much as pick you up
I showed you friendship that wouldn’t stop
Even gave you that alone space
Plus, I’ll do it all with grace

By Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Friday, April 19, 2019

Crumbs

I’m good with the crumbs of your life
As you add layer and layer of icing
The base holds a strong foundation

Where once I was offered a huge slice
I'm content to lick my fingers of icing
With joy and jubilation

Yes I would relish a full serving
An hour of talking and listening
Till then, my crumb celebration  

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Driving home

When you’re foiled at the four way
Running circles in the roundabout
And writing curses of road rage
Pull over and write me a text

Tell me your wildest dreams
Tigers, and bears oh my
Tell me your softest desires
Pillows, flowers and cat fur

Now that you’re refreshed
Grab the wheel and drive
Polite and not in a rush
I love you and want you to...

Survive.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

The note


The note gave her three choices
Say nothing and confirm his thoughts
Say thanks and confirm his thoughts
Or open up Pandora’s box

Words all have several meanings

She let it sit for a few days
Then gently opened the lid to say
“You are nothing and everything to me,
Please leave me but never go away.”

She stopped right there and hit send.

Now the world lives in text message
We long for the pen and paper
Time and texture versus rapid words
Her words went unread forever

He died thinking his thoughts confirmed.

By Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Wind

Wind, the source of comfort on a hot day.

The cause of the snow spray

The generator of power seen from the highway

The dustball rolling on the spillway.

Your are my friend and my nemesis

The cracking of trees limbs

The interruption to a good concert

The transporter of seeds

Good ones and weeds.

You are as might as a jet stream

Or as gentle as a dream.

Carry me away to the next place

Lure me with a caress to my face

Wind oh wind

Do not end.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2018 Rose Riversongs

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Dream Catcher



Yes I turned the corner in the store to see
a wall of dream catchers; really?
How does an ancient native idea, 
get to be a modern decor piece.

I reach out to marvel at the taught string
wrapped around a birch branch
twisted in an incredibly precise circle
and I was transported to field.

Truly this was not an manufactured China
imitation dream catcher but real
I could smell the grain blowing in the breeze
I see hear my heart beat.

Spiritually my mouth was dry
but I could taste the coolness of a spring
Is this my imagination or did my touch
Open this dream world weaved into this piece.

The feathers so soft appeared to be a pheasant
And the sound of a rustling bird 
Taking to flight was total clarity.
Holy or mystical the dream catcher spirit lived.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2018 Rose Riversongs

Friday, March 8, 2019

Cry for Attention


Some say it’s a cry for attention
Maybe it is.
Some say I’m a bit impatient
Could be right.

All of this analysis 
can be useless
Or can be priceless
just because.

When push comes to shove
I’m just hungry
Hungry for word filled love
Yep a chat.

Fill me up with ideas 
Glint your eyes
Just talk about whatever
And I’ll be fine.

Well until then, I’ll write
Even if it feels
Just a little contrite
Being one sided.

Plus I’ll likely cry
or whine
To myself this time
for attention.

By Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Roseriversongs

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Community of Believers


I belong to a community of believers
To a rich group of deceivers
You know the saint and sinner bunch.
Come on just take a hunch 
That we know what we’re all doing.

When we gather for an hour.
We don’t and that’s ok
Someone leads us along
Maybe teaches a new song.
Ha and we all get along.
For an hour or so.

Yep these Lutherans are a diverse bunch
and down the road you find
Another less diverse tribe.
One calls themselves open
One has a closed communion.

One can only imagine
What would Jesus do
If he had to decide where to go.
Who had the best pot luck?
Who needed the the most help?

One’s faith says he’s there to all
Because they hit the quorum
Three in his name and all.
Makes a community seem small.
Could be a street corner to hit that.

And you he’s probably there too
Because he said he would.
And we take him for his word
Because we’re a community of believers.
Sometimes known as deceivers.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

In the morning


I love the way I see you in the morning.
Your face as pure and unpainted
The pain from the morning distress
The lines from the linens pressed

Unsightly and not presentable is false
Real and my companion for life
I can see the smiles and the laughter
Mixed in the blahs of morning after

You are a soul mate that refreshes me
When I really would rather shut down
You nourish me with a great song
One that I take with me all day long.

by Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Snowbound

Snowbound and I can't get out (x3)
I have to stay here sleeping
Jill and Charlie couldn’t get home (x3)
Before the blizzard started
The Snow's up and door won’t open(x3)
I'll ride it out until Wednesday
The old man's mad but I don't care (x3)
So I’ll just Skype his daughter
If he don't give it up I'll call her all day(x3)
Just to drive him crazy
Snowbound and I can't get out (x3)
I have to stay here sleeping

A traditional song (Waterbound) rewrite by 
Dave Schipper (c) 2019 Rose Riversongs.
February 2019 record breaking snow.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Family Tree

Take a little walk right back in time
Feel the wind cool the warm sunshine
Grab the hand of the one you love
Feel the love lookin from above

Just a branch in the family tree
They’re just folk like you & me
Sim’lar eyes, ears, hands & weight
We’re all linked to a common faith

Promenade to a dosey do
Family history we ought to know
Cowboy boots and petticoats
Dancin to the old timey notes

Chorus

Bridge:
In a farm house out of town
Friends all meet & gather round
Once a year in mid-July
They all travel far & wide

Sing & dance and have some fun
Exactly why they always come
They all leave with memories
Branches of a family tree

 © Rose Riversongs 2005 David Schipper




Take a little walk back in time with this great country bluegrass tune about family reunions. We're all branches in some family tree and when we look around we see similar eyes, ears, hands and weight. Enjoy the fiddle from the incredible Jessie McDonald from the Pigtown Fling Stringband, and harmonies from the Lucky Dog band. If you would like to buy the song or just read more about us go to https://luckydog.band/ Hope you enjoy this trip back to July no matter when you take a chance to watch it. Barn photo by Madison Lysacker and Jessie's photo by Greg Tooke

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Diamonds on her shoes.

She’s got diamonds on her shoes, she’s paid her dues
She’s slick as a cat, and that’s a fact.
Street worn, some bed sheets torn
Call her late, it’s worth the wait

The night is filled with souls like her
The devil has his cards laid out
It’s deuces wild, with Jacks better
Tonight the stakes might just be lights out


It’s just a sales trip, the Jack lets slip
Pocket full of cash, and his mind of ash
A night full of tricks, next day full of shit
He called her late, and it spelled his fate.

Back on the street, she does compete
She’s slick as a cat, and known for that
More diamonds on her shoes, she doesn’t lose
Call her late, and test your fate.

by Dave Schipper Rose Riversongs © 2005







Boy you might think by the name of the piece that it might be a cover, but it’s an updated version of a song on the first cd.  I thought the Bones cd should have a little intrigue if this is a murder ballad or not.  I’m not saying.