Boat In Belize - Kelly McGuire

Kelly McGuire is probably one of the best songwriters I've ever heard, both within the Trop Rock community and without. The visual and emotional descriptions of people, events and places in his songs are easily comparable to the great novelists, in my opinion. Simply put, Kelly McGuire literally forces the listener to incorporate the use of the senses.

For example, in his fantastic sea ballad, Solitude, he allows us to quietly peek in on his lonely world at sea

Feel the breeze,
straighten the telltale...
Hear the mainsail firm and turn to foil...

Even lightheared songs like Boat in Belize put us square in the middle of a typical day in Belize watching some unnamed, lucky son-of-a-bitch as he lives the life we all dream about. Read along and see how he does it.


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BOAT IN BELIZE
Kelly McGuire
Boat in Belize - 2007

He sits at the bar
while he's waiting for charters
He's up at the crack of noon
At night he's at Frido's,
Dancing with ladies,
He's a strikingly handsome dude.

It couldn't get much better,
Sent his ex-wife a letter,
Saying there won't be any alimony soon...
I've been captured by natives,
Of a third world country
Under a Central American moon

He's got a boat in Belize,
A dock in San Pedro,
A coconut fall from the bar
He's got his back to the beach on his favorite barstool
He don't have to stumble too far...
He plies his trade in the islands,
Diving and trying to forget what he left all behind
He's just what he seems
He's living his dreams
Down in Belize.

Now the turquoise waters,
Pickled by palm trees,
Blowing in the tropical breeze
Barbeque Sundays, Bruce on the barbee...
The palapa bar down at BC's.

Now the traders and islanders, sailors and pirates
And divers and those with a scam,
And the tourists that meet him,
Like me want to be him,
And we're trying to come up with a plan.

He's got a boat in Belize,
A dock in San Pedro,
A coconut fall from the bar.
He's got his back to the beach on his favorite barstool,
He don't have to stumble too far...
He plies his trade in the islands,
Diving and trying to forget what he left all behind.
He's just what he seems,
He's living his dreams...
on his boat in Belize.
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Current Conditions - Jake & The Half Conched Band

I'm so sick of this weather!

HOUSTON, TX - The conditions here in Southeast Texas have been worse than ever, lately. It's cold, it's rainy, it's just miserable. Last week, I braved temperatures in the low 40's to go out and tend to my pool and backyard, just so I could pretend it was springtime again. At least the days are starting to get a little longer.

I want to go fishing. I want to go to the beach. I want to grill shrimp and steak and sip a cold beer while the waterfall fills my yard with calm trickling noises.

Recently I was rediscovering Jake & The Half Conched Band's lullaby called Current Conditions. It's fantastic. I recently spent half a day really practicing it on the ukulele. I now know it by heart. It's on his Life On The Gulf CD. If you don't have it... you gotta get it.

Current Conditions
By Jake & The Half Conched Band
Life On The Gulf - 2007

The weather man..... paints a picture of my dreams
As he describes the conditions along the gulf stream
It's a life made perfect just for me.

The taste of salt... on the rim of a margarita glass
A back porch view of Perdido Pass
The rest of the world can just kiss my ass

It's eighty-four but it feels like ninety
The sun is setting and the pressure is steady
The winds are out of the South, and you can see for miles
The forecast leaves me wishin' that I was in the current condition

I close my eyes... I'm right back in Calypso Cafe'
Listening to ol' John Reno Play
As I watch the sun call it a day

I feel the breeze... gently stirring the evening air
It carries away all of my cares
And for a moment, it's like I'm there

It's eighty-four but it feels like ninety
The sun is setting and the pressure is steady
The winds are out of the South, and you can see for miles
The forecast leaves me wishin' that I was in the current condition