albums
Compilations
2012 Casio Picks
2012 Piano Picks
2012 Acoustic Picks
2012 Electric Picks
2013 Trex Video
Childhood (1974-90)
1977 Firsts
1978 Seconds
1985 Cacappella
1986 Eye Beater
1987 Guitarded
1988 Kim 1
1988 Kim 2
1988 Kim 3
1988 Kim 4
1988 Kim 5
1988 Kim 6
1988 Kim 7
1988 Kim 8
1988 Kim 9
1988 Kim 10
1988 Kim 11
1988 Kim 12
1989 Kim 13
1989 Five Dollar Drummer
1989 Wino Three Girls
1990 A Caustic Gutter
1996-1999
1996 NoVaSoCa
1996 Fullerton
1997 Soundtracks
1997 Walk Around
1997 Riding the Greyhound
1999 I Mowed
1999 Simulameous
1999 Yikes
1999 Piano Farte
2000-2008
2001 Marathon
2001 Days Like These
2001 Alcan Back
2001 Sleepy Sloppy
2001 Dad Day Jam
2002 Unfit
2002 The Key of G
2003 Daffy Day
2003 Januweary
2003 Post-Key
2003 Fatiguitar
2003 Oh No
2005 Waiting
2005 Sun Strike
2006 Stinky Room
2006 Schtupid
2007 Coy Pun
2007 Post-Ides
2007 Post-Ideas
2007 Post-Ideals
2007 Warble
2007 Another Same Day
2007 And Another
2007 Bald Ballads
2007 Lunch Broken
2007 Mayo
2007 Mayon
2007 Mayonandon
2007 Mayoff
2007 Juneo
2007 Juneon
2007 Juneonandon
2007 Two Song Rule
2007 Cavy Fury
2007 Infinity Daze
2007 Fall Start
2007 False Tart
2007 Fall End
2008 New Ear
2008 Decadend

Track List

# title lyrics time download listen started recorded rating
1 C lyrics 1:22 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
2 Mom's First Recital lyrics 2:20 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
3 Let Daddy Try lyrics 1:30 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
4 Exercises lyrics 2:13 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
5 Oh What a Beautiful lyrics 3:45 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
6 Jessica's Turn lyrics 7:51 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
7 Poems Stories Counting lyrics 10:05 download listen locally - 1978-11-??
8 Snaky lyrics 5:28 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
9 Grumple Pumpkins lyrics 3:30 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
10 2 Fingers Too Many lyrics 1:26 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
11 I Want it Off lyrics 1:15 download listen locally - 1978-12-?? (none)
12 Mom's Plagued Practice lyrics 9:34 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
13 A Whole Tape of It lyrics 4:43 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
14 Jessmas Carols lyrics 7:46 download listen locally - 1978-12-??
Total 62:48 play all locally album rating:

Notes

These recordings are from late 1978, when we lived next door to Jon. You can hear a little piano and singing here and there, but it's mostly just a bunch of talking and babble!

I was 5 at the time. Jessica was 3. My friends Jon and Jason came over for one of the days.

It's interesting to see the relationship between our personalities back then and how we are decades later!

Songs

C

This is my first recorded song on piano. It's pretty awful, but hey, what can you expect from a 5 year old?

Lyrics to "C":

dad:
  all right, travis
  you're going to uh play us a song now that you made up

trav:
  ok

dad:
  all right, go ahead
  what is the key?

trav:
  c

dad:
  the key of c
  all right

trav:
  ok
  

Mom's First Recital

Mom was playing a song from her first recital. I sang along,

Lyrics to "Mom's First Recital":

jess:
  ??? tape record ???

dad:
  wel,l wait a minute now, mom's gonna

mom:
  let me play my

dad:
  all right, let's take ???

mom:
  this is my first recital

jess:
  ok

mom:
  i'm gonna play

jess:
  yay yay la la

trav:
  [scat]
  want me to make the singing while you do that?
  ???

mom:
  i have to start again
  um, i goofed up

jess:
  i want you to read this
  i want you to read this

mom:
  my ???

trav:
  let me hear that

mom:
  let me start again

dad:
  start again

trav:
  she's gonna start again
  she's gonna start again, ok?

dad:
  all right, she's gonna start again

trav:
  here she goes
  she's so embarassed
  he he

jess:
  ???
  two dollars and ??? cents
  ???

trav:
  i guess she doesn't like it
 

Let Daddy Try

Dad then tackled the same song that Mom played. I hung in there as the annoying sidekick.

Lyrics to "Let Daddy Try":

mom:
  ok dad's turn

jess:
  ???

dad:
  that's not recorded

mom:
  huh?

dad:
  is that recorded now?

mom:
  it's going to record i think

dad:
  all right

mom:
  ok let daddy try
  ???

trav:
  now here daddy goes
  the finest funny guy

jess:
  ???

trav:
  jessica's bothering him, ok?

dad:
  huh?

jess:
  ???

trav:
  he'll start in about 2, 2 or 1 minutes

jess:
  i want to play this

dad:
  what?

mom:
  in a few minutes, jessica

jess:
  i want to ???

dad:
  well, i'll try to
  i just want to

trav:
  here he goes

dad:
  all right, no no, just a minute

trav:
  please

dad:
  i'll let you play that next

trav:
  here i go
  i'm gonna go after daddy, ok?
  here he goes
  he's gonna play duck from the lake; mommy did too
  [scat]
  let's see if i'm bothering him
  he's been ??? playing like this a long time
  [scat]
  

Exercises

This shows the exercises I had learned up until that point. Pretty bad.

Lyrics to "Exercises":

dad:
  all right, what are you gonna play?

jess:
  dad
  ???

trav:
  ok that was a mistake
  that was just warming up
  that's my song
  i'm gonna do another one ok

jess:
  ???

trav:
  [scat]
  now i'm gonna say the words to them ok
  no this one first
  now i'm gonna say the other one ok
  doe a deer a female deer
  i mean it's do re mi da so la ti do
  do re mi da so la ti do
  do re mi da so la ti do
  this is just doe a deer ok
  doe a deer a female deer
  that was it
  it goes
  doe doe a deer a female deer
  ok
  now that's just some of it
  i'm learning that
  ??? i'm gonna play another song
  oh yeah, i'm gonna do it
  ok here i go
  it's another way to play this that song like this
  you just go
  it's just gonna be backwards ok

dad:
  he he

trav:
  he didn't like that?
  daddy was laughing and we were laughing
  i guess daddy was funny heh
  

Oh What a Beautiful

We certainly butchered it! My takeover of the piano was a disaster!

Lyrics to "Oh What a Beautiful":

trav:
  now i'm gonna play another one
  or maybe daddy first ok
  he's gonna do it first
  go on

dad:
  what am i gonna play?

trav:
  you can just play another one
  like this one too

dad:
  hmm?

trav:
  have you?

dad:
  what was the song you were playing the other night?
  trying to make ???

trav:
  what?

dad:
  hmm?

trav:
  what?

dad:
  i'm just trying to remember what it was
  what was the name of it?

trav:
  what?

dad:
  oh i know what it was

trav:
  [scat]
  ok let's do it
  you sing
  i'll sing it

dad:
  ok i know what it was

trav:
  oh what a beautiful feeling

dad:
  morning

trav:
  morning
  oh what a beautiful day
  i've got a beautiful feeling
  everything's going

dad:
  no

trav:
  my way
  you missed it

dad:
  we don't need to practice on this tape
  all right let's try it again

trav:
  ok
  feeling
  oh what a beautiful day, i mean morning, day
  i've got a beautiful feeling
  everything's going my way

dad:
  well that's really good trav

trav:
  ok i'll play one of mine
  i'm gonna play mine while you
  well this is gonna be 5 times ok
  here goes
  ready stop please
  stop ok

dad:
  well now that we have the song right
  why don't you sing it right
  you wanna sing it now?

trav:
  i mean that was what

dad:
  ok

trav:
  that was 9 times, maybe 10

dad:
  all right now you
  you sing oh what a beautiful morning
  i'm gonna play it right this time

trav:
  ok
  oh what a beautiful morning
  oh what a beautiful day
  i've got a beautiful feeling
  everything's going my way

dad:
  well that's good
  wanna try that again?

trav:
  um, ok

dad:
  all right, let's try that once more

trav:
  we're gonna play it again ok

dad:
  ready

trav:
  we're both gonna play it
  where do you start, here?

dad:
  no, i'll, i'll play it, and then i'll teach you later

trav:
  he'll play it, ok, and then he'll teach me

dad:
  ready?

trav:
  yeah
  oh what a beautiful feeling

dad:
  try again

trav:
  what?
  oh what a beautiful morning
  oh what a beautiful day, it's perfect
  i've got a beautiful ???ning

dad:
  feel

trav:
  feeling
  everything's going my way

dad:
  someone at the door?
  

Jessica's Turn

Dad was trying to let Jess have a turn. I kept interrupting. Finally near the end she had her shot.

Lyrics to "Jessica's Turn":

dad:
  let's let jessica record a song
  all right, jessica?
  
jess:
  deep and wide
  deep and wide
    
trav:
  after jessica sings uh records a song
  then we're gonna sing songs and play on the piano

dad: 
  all right
  
jess:
  i want
  i want deep and wide
  
dad:
  ok you sing that one
  
trav:
  you sing deep and wide, ok
  
dad:
  all right, tra

trav:
  jessica
  
dad:
  ok jessica what are you gonna say  

jess:
  deep and wide
  deep and wide

dad:
  that's good
  
trav:
  there's a fountain flowing deep and wide
  you say that

jess:
  deep and wide
    
trav:
  deep and wide
  there's a fountain flowing deep and wide
  first on deep you put your hands on up like this
  and

jess:
  uh-uh like this
   
trav:   
  for deep you put them them like this
  on wide you put them like this

jess:
  uh-uh on wide you put them like this
  deep you put them like this

trav:
  ok
  deep and wide
  there's a fountain going deep and wide
  now jessica is gonna sing it ok
  now you go, ok, jessica

jess:
  ok

trav:
  deep and ???
  deep and ???
  that was a mistake, he he
  
jess:
  it's because i ??? it
  
dad:
  ok go ahead jessica you sing it  

jess:
  deep 
  i don't want to
  
dad:
  all right i'll tell you which you sing
  sing the one about the calvary
  i'm too young to 
    
trav:
  i'm too ... march in the infantry  
  ride in the calorie, shoot the artillery

jess:
  deep and wide
  
trav:
  i'm too young to march in the infantry  
  ride in the calorie, shoot the artillery
  i'm too young to fly over the ever, end of me
  i'm on the lord on me oh yeah 

jess:
  ???

mom:
  i thought jessica was going to record
  
dad:
  i know, all r-

trav:
  i'm on lord of me

jess:
  you're supposed to do this

trav:
  nuh-uh

dad:
  all right now travis
  you be quiet for a few minutes
  and let jessica sing or play the piano

jess:
  deep and wide  

trav:
  you can play the piano  

dad:
  ssh
  just be quiet, travis
  just be quiet please
  
jess:
  ???
  deep and wide  
  
dad:
  mm-hmm  
  
trav:
  uh-huh
  she doesn't know what to say

dad:
  all right do you know u,
  
trav:
  maybe she'll ??? the piano    

dad:
  how 'bout buffalo girls

jess:
  buffalo girls  

dad:
  all right, sing that song

jess:  
  i don't know it

dad:
  try it
  
trav:
  i'll say it first and then jessica

dad:
  no that's all right
  jessica can maybe figure it out

trav:  
  change your mind

dad:
  go ahead jess
  how do you sing it

jess:
  i don't know it
  
dad:
  well you were singing it the other night
  all right sing fishers of men     
  i

jess:  
  fishers of men
  fishers of men
  fishers of men
  fishers of men

trav:
  ???
  now you say i will make yous
  
jess:  
  i will make yous

trav:
  fishers
    
jess:
  fishers of men
  if you follow me

dad:
  oh that's good
  
trav:
  maybe she'll sing another song  
  this is travis talking
  the telephone just rang

mom:  
  hello

trav:  
  it, it's mommy and she's gonna get it, never mind
  
jess:
  this is called
  this is ug
  ugly ugly duckling

trav:
  you can play on the piano

jess:
  ugly duckling
  ugly duckling

trav and jess:
  ugly duckling
     
dad:  
  hey listen mom's on the telephone
  i'm gonna turn this off for a little bit
  
trav:
  no wait 'til jessica comes, ok

jess:
  ???

trav:  
  wait 'til mom goes    
  oh what a beautiful feeling
  everything's going my way, oh yeah
  
mom:
  ??? headquarters urging us to vote for ???
  
dad:
  warner?

mom:
  ???
  
dad:  
  a ten year old?
  
mom:
  he sounded very young

trav:
  ??
  you wanna sing a song
  gallop, gallop, gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop, gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop, gallop on horses
  to the mountains

  gallop, gallop, gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop, gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop, gobble obble obble ha ha
  ???
 
mom:
  ???
  
trav:
  gallop, gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop on horses
  to the mountains
  to the mountains
  
  oh 
  gallop gallop gallop on horses
  gallop gallop gall gallop on horses
  gallop, gallop, gallop
  gallop, gallop, gallop
  [scat] woah
  gallop gallop gallop gallop  gallop on horses
  that was a mistake
  i mean it wasn't a mistake ??? i was wrong

dad:  
  all right travis

trav:  
  maybe jessica can sing it

jess:  
  gallop on horses

trav and jess:
  gallop on horses

jess:
  gallop on horses

trav:
  now we're both singing
  now we're both gonna sing the song ok
  gal--
  we're both gonna sing gallop on horses
  you follow sing

trav and jess:  
  gallop on horses
  gallop on horses

trav:
  gallop on horses
  to the mountain side

jess:
  ???
  i know another good song
  ???

trav:    
  she put her hand on my cheek by purpose

jess:
  ???
  
trav:  
  on purpose not accident
  no take backs

jess:
  ???
    
dad:    
  all right, come on you guys
  jessica
  travis, don't you sing for a minute
  
trav:
  ok

dad:
  don't talk    
  i wanna hear jessica sing her song
  or place us a piece
  you can play something on the piano with one finger

jess:
  glug glug glug glug glug glug glug
  [scat]

dad:
  all right
  sing about the bugs
  
jess:
  huh?
  
dad:
  sing about the frog sitting on the log
  
jess:    
  ???
  two little froggies  
  one was the baby
  one was the mommy, daddy  
  travis, jessica, and mommy
  and always ??? together
  and then they put
  and then they know how to put us together
  and then they know ???
  then they know to pull
  amd make like and like snakes
  [scat]
  he does they know how to sleep
  and the baby ??? sleep ???
  ??? sleep ??? mommy bed
  ???  
  the baby ???  
  travis was all swimming together together
  and they all um um had ???
  [scat]
  cockatoo  
  cockadoo, cockadoo
  [scat]
  
dad:
  ok well that's nice
  that was the song you chose to sing

trav:
  now how about you play something on the piano, ok
  
dad:    
  can you can you play us a tune on the piano with one finger

trav:
  one finger
  
jess:
  this is a good one
  this ???

dad:  
  no, with one finger you play me a song

trav:
  ??? like this

dad:      
  you like that
  you like that note?

trav:
  you can play like this
  or you can play like this
  
dad:    
  i know but just let her try it  
  see what, see what, see what she comes up with it

jess:
  i already di d it
  it's was the end of it
  
dad:  
  that was the end of that song?
  ok very good
  would you like to listen to it on the tape now?

jess:
  yeah
  
dad:
  all right

trav:
  all of those on the tape, ok?              
  

Poems Stories Counting

The pumpkin poem implies this was recorded around Halloween. The highlights are Jessica's math skills and Dad figuring out how to get her to count.

Lyrics to "Poems Stories Counting":

trav:
  i'm gonna sing a song
  it's travis on the tape, ok

mom:
  travis why don't you say your poem

trav:
  i'm gonna say the poem ok
  ok here i go

  5 timid pumpkins marching down the street
  they have  left the cornfield where they used to grow
  now they're out on the highway facing the cars
  and must face the traffic or not cry or whine
  suddenly one goes down; he stumbled in a rut
  then another goes down; his toe got cut
  this must be contagious says jack ???
  ???
  the last little pumpkin continues neat and clean
  marches forth bravely to arrive for halloween

  that was the end
  maybe i can, or i will sing a song ok
  and then daddy's gonna sing something, dave emmitt, ok
  we're all the emmitts, ok
  and even more emmitts than smell
  i mean snell ok
  here it goes
  i think i'm gonna do one right now
  ok here i go

  lights on the mountains are really funny
  i mean, i'm gonna stop
  maybe i can do something else ok
  ok oh here i got it ok

  when we go camping it's really nice
  on the water bright
  we swim and play and all our way
  then that's how we camp on the night
  we're not camping on the trip
  on the trip on the trip
  because we're in the car
  because we have to get there before we camp
  all in one night
  or in 2 days
  or in 1 night i mean day
  then we can sing the song
  on the way to the campsite
  jessica's doing it
  on the way to the campsite
  on the way to the car we sing

  mares eat oats and does at oats and little lambs eat ivy
  kids eat ivy too; wouldn't you

  ok here it goes

  mares eat oats and does at oats and little lambs eat ivy
  kids eat ivy too; wouldn't you

jess:
  ???

trav:
  yeah here's another song, ok
  be quiet jess
  i'm gonna
  jess is talking a little bit
  so i'm gonna say a story ok

  i saw something

  5 little piggies
  but the first one said, the first one stayed home
  but the second one went to the market
  the third one had a good time, i mean read stories in the ???
  the fourth one said i like to eat
  the fifth one said i'm gonna take a rest
  and that's the end of the 5 little piggies
  but not close, um, it's close to ???

  ok here it goes; the 2nd part

  5 little piggies are on a street
  then the, uh then the first one said all streets are dangerous
  and then they all washed along again
  and then they came to a swamp
  and there they saw swamps
  and the beatiful swan came over the lake
  and all they're beautiful
  so they all came over the lake
  and they saw on the lake there are no swans anymore
  because the others took a trip some place

jess:
  ???

trav:
  you be quiet, jessica
  i'm in the middle of a story, ok
  ok, i'm gonna start
  i'm gonna do the third chapter
  and the

jess:
  ???

trav:
  be quiet

dad:
  well, that's all right travis
  you finish your third chapter
  and then jessica gets another turn

trav:
  ok i'm gonna do it ok

dad:
  mm-hmm

trav:
  i'm, here, me
  because i didn't finish it
  then the first little piggie said
  oh those bones are

jess:
  ???

trav:
  be quiet
  cover her mouth, ok
  then the first little piggie um saw some swans
  and wondered why they're going some place

jess:
  ??? [something about "this little piggie" over and over]

trav:
  and then they
  one of them say
  you better watch out about the foxes in the woods
  and this is the first time i've ever been here ok
  now i will give you a chance to go in the woods
  and find some animals
  said the mother
  ok i will do it
  and they went
  so they had a good time
  and a good good good morning
  one night she made a walk over in the cornfield
  and there was a wolf and they were scared and
  just a minute
  jessica, you be quiet
  i'm disappointed about you all these times when i was telling something
  ok i'm gonna start all over
  i'm gonna start in the fourth chapter

dad:
  wait a minute, can jessica get something in here, between takes

trav:
  ok jessica do it and then i'm gonna do another chapter ok

dad:
  all right travis, oh jessica ???

trav:
  about whales and dolphins

jess:
  ??? this little piggie said ???
  and this little piggie said ???
  and this little, this little
  ??? this little piggie ???

dad:
  ok
  now listen, jessica

trav:
  uh

dad:
  wait a minute, travis
  she has a couple chapters
  um, while we are recording
  we don't record very often but uh
  so that we remember how old you were when we recorded this
  how old are you now?
  how old's that?

jess:
  3

dad:
  how many?

trav and jess:
  3

dad:
  3, ok
  now you just learned the other day how to count to 10, right?
  can you count to 10?

trav:
  jessica, say 1 2 3 4 5 6 7...

dad:
  come on je-trav, you be quiet

jess:
  ??? what number

dad:
  yeah, start with 1 and count to 10

jess:
  uh

dad:
  go ahead

jess:
  1 ???

dad:
  go ahead

jess:
  1
  now what?

dad:
  all right, you count my, you count my fingers
  go ahead, start counting

jess:
  ??? 1

dad:
  all right, how many's that?
  go ahead, say

jess:
  1 2 3 5

dad:
  huh?

trav and jess:
  4

jess:
  5 10

trav:
  no, 6

dad:
  no, all right, you just count to 10, just count to 10
  don't worry about my fingers, 'cause you get mixed up then

jess:
  10

dad:
  count 1 2 3, go ahead

jess:
  1 2 3

dad:
  go ahead

jess:
  1 2 3

dad:
  where's the rest?

jess:
  i don't know

trav:
  4 5 6

jess:
  4 5 6

trav:
  7 8 9

jess:
  7 8 9

trav:
  10 11

jess:
  11

trav:
  jessica, just say 10

dad:
  oh jessica
  i just wanted you to count on the, on the tape recorder
  'cause you can count to 13

jess:
  tape recorder ???

trav:
  11 12 13

jess:
  i want to hear the tape recorder

dad:
  ok but count to 10 and then we'll let you listen to it

jess:
  i'm not, i don't want to

dad:
  go ahead, go ahead, count to 10

jess:
  i don't want to

dad:
  you don't want to count to 10?
  why, you did the other day in the museum
  remember, you were counting those people?
  go ahead, count to, count to, count to as high as you can count

trav:
  and now say the abcs

jess:
  1 2 3

dad:
  there's 3 of us here, that's right

jess:
  now i want to hear it

dad:
  well count these keys on the piano
  start there and then count

jess:
  i want to start with this

dad:
  all right go ahead

jess:
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 19 16

trav:
  14

jess:
  16

dad:
  that's all right
  now see, she gets to 13 all right

jess:
  i'm gonna start again

dad:
  that's ok jess, that's very good

trav:
  now i'll say the alphabet
  a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u and v w x and y and z
  now i've sung my abcs won't you sing with me again

jess:
  oh i know that one

trav:
  ok

jess:
  i know that one

dad:
  you know that one, jessica?

jess:
  a b c d e m o p i will sing with c d h i h i e f d
  i will sing you a song again

dad:
  ok

jess:
  ??? ok

dad:
  you ready to hear it now?

trav:
  how about we can, you can play the piano, ok?

dad:
  well, i'll stop this now
  

Snaky

Sounds like I had too much sugar. I'm guessing Dad was at work and Jessica was at school.

I'm guessing this was recorded some time in December (since we later sing Xmas songs on the tape), but it might have still been November. My assumption was that this tape was recorded after the one which contains "C" through "Poems Stories Counting".

Lyrics to "Snaky":

trav:
  mommy and me are gonna talk and snaky

mome:
  ???

trav:
  mommy what do you want to say?

mom:
  well, i think it's just gonna be you guys
  you and snaky

trav:
  how come you don't want to say anything

mom:
  'cause i have work to do
  i'm gonna clean the walls

trav:
  oh how come?

mom:
  'cause they're dirty

trav:
  i bet you want to say something
  and please
  so you can be on the tapes
  about 3 tapes

mom:
  3?

trav:
  yeah, we've got 3 tapes of you

mom:
  trav, i'm not as gabby as you are

trav:
  i known
  of me, snaky, everybody ??? oh
  ok well i'm gonna
  i'm gonna say a riddle
  what a ???
  how come the bugs get eatened?
  and we'll found out on the next
  what are trains called
  i mean ???
  the pin is on the floor
  bubble gum
  oh choo-choo
  oh no you know
  choo-choo train
  that's one of the riddles
  now i'm gonna tell you the other riddles
  how come ducks fly upside down?
  ???
  and how come ducks
  what does the duck ??? upside down
  and how come the dumptrucks eat women
  how come
  what ??? the longest?
  and a dead one
  the 'cause they're maneaters
  ??? one
  and how come beanbags are stuffed ???
  that was number 4
  this is number 4
  because they have beans in them
  that's one riddle
  and how come chairs have cotton in them
  do chairs have springs in them?
  yes
  do couches have springs in them?
  i don't know, yes
  do beds have spring in them?
  of course, yes
  do bugs eat bugs?
  yes
  do bees eat people?
  yes
  do hearts eat bugs?
  no, yes
  when the people are dead?
  ???
  um 2000 and 800 and a million, a million, a killion, a trillion...
  [and so on, with lots of made up -illions]
  now i'm gonna just gab ok
  [scat]
  ???
  now i'm gonna be real
  and this is a real
  and this is a real snaky
  oh i guess i ???
  do the rest when jessica comes from school ok
  ok that's good
  and that's all about it
  now i'm gonna
  now i'm gonna
  now i'm gonna
  now i'm gonna play
  count
  i'm gonna count up to a long number
  1 2 3 4... 40
  now i'm gonna say
  i'm gonna count all these books
  ???
  1 2 3... 45 50 55
  0 1 number is 0
  5 and 1
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  

Grumple Pumpkins

Jon Friesen was our neighbor. When he came over, I got really hyper. Poor Mom!

This is another poem about pumpkins. So it might have been November (shortly after Halloween) rather then December; it might even have been October.

Lyrics to "Grumple Pumpkins":

trav and jon:
  ok ok ok ok ok
  stop interrupting
  [yelling]

mom:
  hey now listen, talk
  why don't you say something together
  like say anything about the pumpkins in a row

trav and jon:
  i know
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
  then the 1st one said ??? gate

mom:
  clearly, just

trav and jon:
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
  the 1st said ???
  the 2nd said oh ???
  the 3rd one said ??? and i do care

mom:
  let jonathon say it too

jon:
  i don't don't i don't care

trav:
  the 5th one said ooh ???

mom:
  let jonathon say it ok

trav:
  ???

jon:
  you should do it the right way

mom:
  yeah, you should say it very clearly

trav:
  oh gonna be on the tape

mom:
  and then you can see how clearly you talk

trav:
  then you say it first

mom:
  ok let jonathon say the whole

jon:
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
  but the 1st one said oh boy it's getting late
  the 2nd one said ???
  the 3rd one said ???
  the 4th one said let's, it's time to have some fun
  the 5th one said ???
  and ???
  and ???
  and the 5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight

mom:
  you wanna hear it now?

jon:
  yeah
  
trav:
  gonna say grumple grumple
  grumple grumple
  you can go over and we'll say ???
  grumple grumple
    
mom:
  all right but don't you make so much noise
  that jonathon can't hear himself on this tape

trav:
  grumple grumple
      
jon:
  yeah ???
    
trav:
  [babble]
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
  grumple said oh my it's getting grumple
  the 5th one said ???
  the ???
 
jon:
  ???
  you're not saying it the right way   
  
trav:
  ???  

mom:
  travis, you sound like you're ready to go outside
  
trav:
  i do not

mom:
  yes you do
  
trav:
  jonathon said
  here goes jonathon
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a ???
  grumple 
  the 1st one said grumple ???
  and the 5th one said grumple grumple
  the 3rd one said grumple grumple grumple grumple  
  the 2nd one said grumple grumple
  the 2nd one said grumple grumple
  
mom:
  i think you're done recording

trav:
  grumple, no

mom:
  'cause you're not saying anything nice now

trav:
  the 1st one said it might get late
  the 2nd one said there's witches in the air
  
jon:
  yeah ???
  
trav:
  5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
  the 5th one said ??? going back  
  tell stories or sing songs or play the piano    
  

2 Fingers Too Many

This was my first recorded jam session with Jon, ten years before we formed IPECAC! It's hard to tell our voices apart for the rest of it.

Lyrics to "2 Fingers Too Many":

jon:
  ok let's play the piano

trav:
  ???

mom:
  ??/ one
  one finger travis

trav:
  two
  ???

mom:
  ???

trav/jon:
  ???
  this isn't ??? real music
  how about just 2 fingers, 2
  ok
  1 finger

mom:
  travis

trav/jon:
  now we're gonna
  hey hey
  hey

trav:
  1 finger

trav/jon:
  2 fingers
  

User Comments:

  1. "Are you sure that's Jon and not Jessica?" - kme (2010-07-28)

I Want it Off

I was trying to record a music box. Jon and Mom had other ideas.

Lyrics to "I Want it Off":

jon:
  ??? radio
  keep it off i want it off

trav:
  hey ??? on the tape

jon:
  i want it off

trav:
  ok whatever

mom:
  travis, you're not supposed to pick that up

jon:
  yeah

mom:
  it stays on the shelf

jon:
  and i

trav:
  i want to hear it on tape

mom:
  you don't have to pick it up
  you don't go over there

trav:
  ???

jon:
  ??? record music
  ok

trav:
  ???

jon:
  ??? yeah ???

trav:
  uh uh uh [hyper]

mom:
  outside 1 2 3 travis

trav:
  ok here goes

mom:
  turn off everything

trav:
  [laughs]

jon:
  that fell
  

Mom's Plagued Practice

My Mom was trying to practice piano, but I kept distracting her by being hyper.

Lyrics to "Mom's Plagued Practice":

trav:
  oh
  now mom is gonna play something
  here we go

jess:
  get this off
  get this off
  get this off

mom:
  please

jess:
  please

mom:
  are you gonna stay in now?

jess:
  yep

mom:
  why?

jess:
  'cause i want to
  i don't want to play a nap

mom:
  then what are you gonna do?
  then play up in your room or something

trav:
  jess is gonna come with me on the tape

mom:
  jonathon's mother wants you guys to play outside

trav:
  no she's, he's gonna, ??? outside
  come on ???

mom:
  i'm sorry, i'm playing the piano

trav:
  what?

jess:
  ???

trav:
  [singing]
  1 2
  ???
  you get 10 times to do that
  you get i mean 2 times to do it after this song
  and then me and jonathon get to do it, ok?

jess:
  ???

mom:
  put that back

jess:
  ???

mom:
  i'm gonna have to put it up where you can't reach it

trav:
  oh singing a song
  singing a song
  singing a song

  singing a song
  singing a song
  singing song song song
  singing a song

trav/jon:
  [scat]

mom:
  you just wait until you're trying to watch tv saturday morning
  i'm gonna come in and bang on this thing
  and run the vacuum cleaner
  turn on the stereo
  so you can't hear your cartoons

trav:
  well i won't care
  'cause i will turn it off and play something else
  ha ha ha

mom:
  aren't you sweet?

trav:
  right jon?
  right

jon:
  if you want to turn it ??? yourself
  ??? how about ???

trav:
  ??? she's gonna ???

jess:
  ???
  if he doesn't turn ???

kids:
  ???

mom:
  travis, turn that off

kids:
  ???

trav:
  oh yeah

jess:
  ???

trav:
  oh yeah, oh yeah
  [scat]

kids:
  ???

trav:
  will you ???

mom:
  no, i'm not gonna let you bring your friends in to pound on the piano

trav:
  i'm not

mom:
  yes you do, you were this morning?

kids:
  ???

trav:
  mom, can i get a piece of bread?

jess:
  travis just said something

trav:
  can i get a piece of bread?

kids:
  ???

mom:
  why do you need bread?
  are you hungry?
  finish that apple you started yesterday

kids:
  ???

jon:
  travis wants to, wants to have a piece of bread

kids:
  ???

jon:
  i just wanted to listen to the music

kids:
  ???

jon:
  ??? i don't have to ???

kids:
  ???
  ??? no more, no more, no more
  ???

jess:
  ???

trav:
  ???

jon:
  yeah, you don't whine, don't whine

kids:
  ???

trav:
  i'm not either

kids:
  ???

mom:
  ??? apple ??? travis

kids:
  ???
  

A Whole Tape of It

It's certainly a whole tape of something. I can't tell who was talking.

Lyrics to "A Whole Tape of It":

???:
  oh now i'm back
  remember me?
  oh yeah
  now i'm gonna play the piano
  and here's something

???:
  it'll be a little while

???:
  ???

trav:
  start here and sing

???:
  ???

dad:
  ok
  ??? this back in the refridgerator ??? dessert

trav:
  [scat]  oh yeah
  ??? oh yeah
  ??? oh yeah
  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
  now i'm gonna sing a song

???:
  slippy slidy i'm slipping ???
  slipping and sliding
  slipping and sliding
  slipping and sliding
    [repeat]

trav:
  singing a song
  singing a song
  singing a song
  singing a song about horses
  sing us a song
  sing us a song
  sing us a song about horses
  sing us a song
  sing us a song about horses
  galloping on water
  horses galloping oh yeah oh yeah

dad:
  trav

trav:
  ??? music
  and that's what it's all about

dad:
  ok why don't ---

trav:
  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
  and that's what it's all about
  and that's what it's all about

mom:
  really trav you did that all morning
  i think it's enough

trav:
  i'm doing some more
  so we get a whole tape of it

mom:
  we already have a whole tape of it

trav:
  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah about the horses
  galloping through water
  and that's what

dad:
  but it can't, it can't pick you up like that
  'cause you're too far away from it
  i'd turn it off

trav:
  oh yeah galloping on horses
  oh yeah galloping on horses
  oh yeah galloping on horses
  to you
  oh yeah galloping on horses
  oh yeah galloping on horses

???:
  ???

trav:
  oh yeah galloping on horses
  to you
  oh yeah that's what it's all about
  galloping on horses
  riding, riding

jess:
  ???
  gallop on horse
  gallop on horse
  ???

trav:
  we swim in water bright
  and all???
  we swim and play
  we swim in water bright
  we swim and play in all our way
  that's how we do it in the water bright
  that's how we do it in the water bright

mom:
  ???

trav:
  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
  oh yeah oh yeah
  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
  that what it's all about
  that what it's all about
  that's what it's all, that's what it's all
  that what it's all about
  oh yeah oh yeah
  that's what it's all, that's what it's all
  that what it's all about
  that's what it's all, that's what it's all

dad:
  travis
  ???

trav:
  i want to hear the tape

  

Jessmas Carols

Mom was getting Jess to show off her brain skills.

Lyrics to "Jessmas Carols":

mom:
  let's make a tape of you, ok?
  you want to?
  just a minute

  ok jess how old are you?
  you have to say it
  how old are you?
  you have to say it

jess:
  3

mom:
  3
  and are you learning some songs in school?
  sing them for me

jess:
  i don't want to ???

mom:
  well you can sing them
  and then after you sing them
  you can listen to them on this tape recorder all right?
  ok why don't you sing silent night

jess:
  silent night
  holy night

mom:
  all

jess:
  is calm
  all is bright

mom:
  round

jess:
  the virgin

mom:
  mother

jess:
  and child

mom:
  holy infant so

jess:
  tender and mild

mom:
  sleep

jess:
  in heavenly peace

mom:
  sleep

jess:
  in heavenly peace

mom:
  good
  and how about that one you were singing today about
  oh come

jess:
  uh

mom:
  how does it go
  oh come what?

jess:
  be full
  oh come let us adore him
  oh come let us adore him
  oh come let us adore him
  oh come let us adore him
  oh come let us adore him

mom:
  in christ

jess:
  the kid

mom:
  the king?
  oh, do you know any other parts of that song?

jess:
  ???

mom:
  can you say that little piece
  that you're going to say in your christmas program?

jess:
  yeah

mom:
  ok say that

jess:
  no

mom:
  we would

jess:
  wish you

mom:
  say it, say the whole thing

jess:
  i don't know the whole thing

mom:
  we would wish you

jess:
  we would wish you

mom:
  always

jess:
  always

mom:
  happiness

jess:
  your whole life long

mom:
  so say it all together ok

jess:
  no, i can't

mom:
  why can't you?
  and then you get to listen to yourself say it
  would that be fun?

jess:
  uh, i want to listen to it now

mom:
  well take the rubber band out of your mouth; stop chewing it
  we would wish you always happiness your whole life long
  you say it

jess:
  we lish your whole life ha long

mom:
  can you tell me where we're going tonight

jess:
  hawkins

mom:
  and who lives there?

jess:
  cheryl and david and tracy and allen ford

mom:
  are they your friends

jess:
  yes

mom:
  what's travis doing?

jess:
  playing

mom:
  playing what?
  wanna record jess?

jess:
  yeah


mom:
  all right now you can just talk about
  anything you want to talk about, all right?

trav:
  mommy, someone's at the door
  someone's at the door

mom:
  thank you
  ok jessica's gonna record now
  right, jess?
  all right, i want you to sing some songs
  what are you doing?
  what are you doing? you have to talk
  take the thumb out of your mouth
  what are you doing?

trav:
  if you want to record you have to take the thumb out of your mouth

mom:
  that's right
  now listen
  you sang some songs, your christmas songs
  can you do that now?

jess:
  uh-uh

mom:
  all right, we'll let jason sing then
  jason gets to sing
  ok which one do you want to sing?

jason:
  jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
  oh what fun it is to ride in a 1 horse open sleigh
  jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
  oh what fun it is to ride in a 1 horse open sleigh
  jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
  oh what fun it is to ride in a 1 horse open sleigh
  jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
  oh what fun it is to ride in a 1 horse open sleigh

mom:
  boy, that could go on forever, couldn't it?
  do you know any other ones?

jason:
  rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

mom:
  ok that would sound good

jason:
  rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose
  and if you ever saw it you would even say it glows
  all of the other reindeers used to laugh and call him names
  they never let poor rudolph play in any reindeer games
  then 1 foggy christmas eve santa came to say
  rudolph with your nose so bright won't you guide my sleigh tonight
  then how the reindeer loved him, all the other reindeer

mom:
  as they shouted out with

jason:
  as they shouted out with glee
  rudolph the red-nosed reindeer you'll go down in history

mom:
  jessica's going to do something
  no, i'm not a really good singer
  but jessica is
  jess?

jess:
  hmm?

mom:
  can you sing now?

jess:
  go ??? big ???
  you could ???
  the other reindeer gay

mom:
  you sing silent night

jess:
  silent night
  [babbling]

mom:
  uh-uh you have to do it nicely or i won't let you record
  ok

jess:
  oh come all ye faithful
  joyful with ???
  i don't know it

mom:
  you do know it, you lazy girl

jess:
  [laughs]

mom:
  do you want to record it or not?

jess:
  i do

mom:
  ok come on, sing

jess:
  i do

mom:
  do it then
  i'm gonna turn this off pretty soon

jess:
  oh come
  oh but i don't know it

mom:
  ok go ahead

jess:
  oh come all ye faithful
  joyful ???
  oh come all ye
  come all ye
  come bethlehem no
  ???

mom:
  what?

jess:
  i don't want to

mom:
  how about silent night?

jess:
  holy
  no oh holy night

mom:
  ok sing holy night

jess:
  holy night
  brightest night
  round yon virgin
  mother and child
  i don't know it

mom:
  holy infant

jess:
  holy infant

mom:
  so

jess:
  so tender and mild
  asleep in heavenly peace
  ???

mom:
  see if we can figure out how this works
  ok, jess?