David Wagner Music - Acoustic singer/songwriter
Photo by Chris McMurry
Sardonic yet hopeful, the songs of David Wagner always have more going on than what you find on the surface. From straight forward waltzes to eastern-tinged ballads, David's music dances between the wistful and cynical, the frisky and the philosophical., Through every song, there is a story to tell and some truth to lose or find.
Press and such about David Edward Wagner
"... like Leonard Cohen on acid..."
- David Gans (host "The Grateful Dead Hour" )
"David Wagner is a musician and writer from Ohio who currently divides his time between Oakland and Istanbul. Known on the folk circuit as “The Hobo Professor,” he sings sardonic originals with a philosophical outlook: “You get out of bed / just looking for a reason / to crawl back into bed.”
- The Freight and Salvage
"No music critic am, I but this I know: David's brain is full of great insights and he's really good at turning them into music. Good songwriters do that. He's a fun and funny performer, too. I guess that's why he always has a crowd following him around."
- Les (owner, Bazaar Cafe)
"David Wagner joined Michelle Shocked in Santa Cruz, California. As a guest in her 'American Idle' tour, featuring songs that put a real face on to today's living wage crisis, David performed his composition, "Down Right Shame"."
- michelleshocked.com
KIDS MUSIC - here are a couple of our Live Stream Kids Shows from April/May 2020
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A Few New Videos from a Live Stream 3-camera shoot
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Buy "FINE LINE" (digital single) for only $1.00
For only $1.00, you can not only support an independent artist, but you can enjoy a mellow little ditty recorded solo in Istanbul, Turkey in 2012.
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
Past events
NOVEMBER 15th (Friday)
Art House Gallery and Cultural Center 2905 Shattuck Ave Berkeley CA 94705 Doors- 7pm, Show - 8pm Potluck dinner/snacks Sliding Cover - $15-25 Join David Edward Wagner and The Cantina Howlers for a night of original music, old folk and country standards, and good times. The mighty, mighty Kent Ford opens the night. The Cantina Howlers are: David Wagner - guitar, vocals Allegra Thompson - bass, vocals Gerry Tenny - banjo, mandolin, vocals Ethan Byxbe - guitar, trumpet, vocals 
David Wagner and Nick Blechman at WOWMAD
We just had a blast playing the World Out West Music and Dance Festival. WOWMAD brings together a diverse aray of performers from all over the world and turns them loose on Oakland once a year in April. I had the pleasure of playing with one of my favorite musicians, Nick Blechman, an outstanding mandolin and guitar player and Old Time/Folk singer. Looking forward to more shows with Nick and to more WOWMADs. |
David Wagner on KPFA Radio, Berkeley
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David Wagner on Jango: online radioTo visit and listen and 'friend' David Wagner Music on Jango, go to the following link:
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Short list of past venues played:The Freight and Salvage - Berkeley, CA
Bazaar Cafe- San Francisco, CA Cafe Royale- San Francisco, CA The Brick Wall (Fresno Folk Society)- Fresno, CA Cosmic Crossing- Denver, CO The Crepe Place- Santa Cruz, CA The James Joyce- Istanbul, Turkey Quit - Istanbul, Turkey Main Street Station- Guerneville, CA The Art House Gallery- Berkeley, CA ... and of course, many more.! |
David Wagner Music on BandcampDownload David Wagner Music original songs on Bandcamp!
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Lyrics to a handful of David Wagner original songs
LET'S DRINK A TOAST TO THE END OF THE WORLD (2012) music/lyrics by David Edward WagnerCome now, Little Darling, put that pretty red sweater on
Let's climb Squirrel Mountain we can watch the world fall down We can watch 'em make that last mistake that 'shroom cloud looks pretty from here And I don't mean to sound forward but I want to make it clear Let's drink a toast to the end of the world grab a gas mask and give a little twirl it's still a nice place for a boy to meet a girl but it all might end tomorrow We can talk about the weather, we can whistle some favorite tune We can talk about the way you look so pretty beneath a fall out winter's moon We can talk about anything you'd like Here, just let me pop one more brew 'Cause that Geiger counter's hitting ten and I can say the same 'bout you So, let's drink a toast to the end of the world grab a gasmask and give a little twirl It's still a nice place for a boy to meet a girl but it all might end tomorrow Let's drink a toast to the end of the end it don't matter now, so give a little spin We just got started so we'd better begin 'Cause it all might end tomorrow REPLACE ME (2010) music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner The sunrise caught me with my eyes blind Driving all night to your call The sign sighs I'm still east of Plainview With some long, dark roads left to haul And you know I'd rather be waiting And you know I'd rather be home And I know you got to replace me 'Cause lonely don't mean all alone 'Cause I've seen them wide-open spaces And felt drifting winds on my skin And I know the look on the faces When a new dawn's about to begin A new dawn... And there's nothing to do as that road winds Except count off the miles as they fall And wishing on stars just to pass time Really ain't wishing at all And you said this time is for taking I said let's take some and go Then you said, 'just look at tomorrow, It's all we want, but never know' And you know I'd rather be waiting And you know I'd rather be home And I know you got to replace me 'Cause you need love that ain't gonna roam You need love... MONKEY IN THE TRUNK (1998) music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner There was an organ grinder’s monkey who got sick of the way things was So he packed up his clothes in his accordion case, and set out just because He hitched all the way to Tacoma, before he got squished by a drunk Who scraped him up with a shovel, and threw the monkey in the trunk Well, the moral of this story, the lesson I want you to learn Is when you set out to follow your road, keep your eyes open every turn. There once was a girl from Nantucket, and she learned to cook and to sew One day she bought her a puppy dog, and she took it wherever she’d go One winter, that dog caught pneumonia, and it died within six days And that lonely old New England maiden slowly just withered away Well, the moral of this story, the thing that I think you should know Is don’t be afraid to love with no limits, just don’t be afraid to let go Now, Georgie went to the city, ‘cause he heard there was parties and girls He’d had enough of that West Texas stuff, he wanted to see the whole world Well, one night a knife cut his belly, the drunken lover of some slinky blonde Who ended up taking his wallet before they dumped him in a pond Now, the moral of this story, the thing that I’m saying to you Is that it’s alright to do what you want to just be careful to watch what you do |
MEXICO SONG (1999)
music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner I was a half-mile from Durango, sucking on a mango When some pretty seniorita walks up to me She said, “Do you want to buy some tortillas, you can make some quesadillas And maybe spend a little time with me.” I said, “Darlin’ lead the way, ‘cause I got no where else to stay, And besides I like the twinkle in your eyes.” And the moon was full in Mexico, and I’m down to my last peso So I turned back to her with a sigh. And I said, “Seniorita, por favor, Give me tortillas, make ‘em corn, And take me back to your place so I can rest my weary head.” Well the two of us started walkin’, we were smiling we were talking She spoke a little English, I spoke poco Espanol. The night wind was blowing chilly, so I pulled her closer to me She said, “Don’t you fear, there ain’t much further to go.” I said, “Darlin’, I ain’t worried, and I’m in no big hurry, I’m just glad to be here in your company.” And the moon shone in her Spanish eyes, she turned to me and to my surprise These are the very words she said to me, She said, “Oh senior, por favor, Don’t take me to my husband’s door, He’s cruel and abusive, just take me away.” Well, I stopped there dead in my tracks, almost dropped my tortilla sack I cleared my throat and then I cleared my throat again. I said, “Uh, I don’t know honey, I ain’t even got any money, I’m just a tumble weed and I’m blowin’ through this here town.” She said, “Ii don’t need much, just a warm bed and a soft touch, I think I’ll die if I stay here one more night.” Before I knew even what I said, thinking more with my heart or at least not with my head This is what I gave as my reply, I said, “Seniorita, por favor, Let’s head west for the ocean shore, We’ll live on fish and coconuts, and die a ripe old age.” Well, we walked ‘til morning reached us, and we still didn’t see no beaches, We walked another day, then another, and then one more (that’s four) And we ran out of tortillas by about day number three, ya see, We didn’t have a choice when we robbed that general store. I said, “This here’s a hold up, toss your cash and throw your gold up, And I’ll thank you for the horses in advance.” We made our get-away into a setting sun, and she asked me where’d I get the gun, I said, “All I got’s this pistol in my pants.” And she said, “Oh senior, por favor, You make me blush, don’t say no more, Just tell me that you love me, and I’ll never leave your side.” We continued our westward motion, and eventually hit the ocean, It wasn’t too long ‘fore we were naked in the waves. And that surf splashed all around us, and that feeling finally found us, And I shouted out, “Yes indeed, love saves!” Then I took her by her small hand, and led her through the soft sand, We made love while palms blew upon the breeze. And as we lie in peaceful rest, my heart beating fast, her head on my chest, I whispered these words sweetly in her ear, I said, “Seniorita, por favor, My search is over, I’ll look no more, I’ll tell you that I love you, and never leave your side.” Months passed by in perfect bliss, every smile a touch, every gaze a kiss, I thought things couldn’t go better than they were. ‘Til one day I came home early from gathering fruit and palm leaves And that wasn’t me I saw laying next to her. Her lover quick jumped to his feet, grabbed a pistol off the chair without missing a beat And said I better throw my hands up in the air. He led me away with chains on my wrist, for robbery, kidnapping, and grand horse-theft, She whispered these words as I drew near. She said, “Oh senior, por favor, It’s been fun on this ocean shore, But this man is strong and handsome, and rich with the bounty from you.” Well, this story’s got a happy ending, my broken heart is mending, I’m writing these words watching waves crash on the beach. That jail cell couldn’t hold, me, and they never found the gold, see, I hopped a train and headed far out of their reach. I went down south where the coast was clear, bought a fishing net and a boat to steer And built a little hut above the high-tide line. I spend my days fishing in the sun, and my nights picking guitar when the fishing’s done And I whisper these words sweetly to the moon, I say, “Seniorita, por favor, Thank you for shining on my door, It’s just you, and me, and time, and I’ll never leave your side.” |
JESUS WAS A ROCKSTAR (1995)
music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner and Kenny Jason Jesus was a rockstar and he had a twelve piece band he'd blow 'em down in every town, from Rome to Jerusalem Jesus would make 'em boogie, he'd make 'em hoochie coo he'd turn water into wine and then hand the jug to you Jesus and his bandmates, they'd set up any old place with John on the washboard and Peter on the bass Luke was on the keyboards, and Matthew on the flute Judas played the lyre, and Nathan played the lute And while they all were jamming, the angels all flew down to sing along that pious song and join that joyful sound and they sang about Peace love and harmony peace love and harmony peace love and harmony soon They did not have a tour bus, so they walked from town to town in any kind of weather they could always pull a crowd Jesus had his six-string and he played it every night when he'd bend the strings the angels would sing and dark would turn to light and up upon that hilltop as he dangled from that cross his soul was freed, he'd no longer need to worry about a backstage pass and they sang about peace love and harmony peace love and harmony peace love and harmony soon Yeah, Jesus was a rockstar and he had a twelve piece band he'd blow 'em down in every town, from Rome to Jerusalem Jesus would make 'em boogie, he'd make 'em hoochie coo he'd turn water into wine and then hand the jug to you DOWN RIGHT SHAME (2001) music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner It’s a down right shame if you stop just to think about it Don’t stop and think about it, find out there’s doubt about it Don’t give a damn, cause they don’t give a damn about you It’s a down right shame that they don’t give a damn about you You work all week and wonder where all your money went Buy all your clothes second hand at the scratch and dent Fighting to survive, cause you know they’re all fighting against you It’s a downright shame how you know they’re all fighting against you (chorus) Cause if you climb to high They only knock you down And if you sink too low You’ll disappear without a sound It’s the high-tech highway Of information generation blues Got two jobs and your ends are still far apart Try to make ‘em meet and it’s only going to break your heart Don’t give up, just do what you oughta gotta do It’s a down right shame how they’re tryin’ to make a number out of you Binary, primary, meat’s bad and so is dairy Can’t breathe the air it’s scary, can’t help but feel contrary Can’t understand how the man says his plan is going well It’s a down right shame that we all got souls for them to sell (Chorus) PRETTY GIRL (2010) music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner She's a pretty girl and she's looking for pretty things And the truths that she tells, like the lies that she sells Are pure in the song that she sings And you reach for her beauty, but beauty's not yours to behold And the dim, smoky silence of this nameless cafe Is all that she leaves you It's all that she leaves you And it's midnight wherever she's at, as it's morning back home in the Bay And the fog is now rising, like remnants still smoldering Of flames that die, yet don't go away And these memories are anchors, they just drag you down, down, down And the tides are a pulling, and the shore keeps a shrinking And you're reaching for something Keep reaching for something And it's true what she said, you were looking for something else But when you look now, it seems different somehow Like you lost what was never possessed And she told you she'd wait, and she is still waiting, but not for you And the whiskey ain't working, nor the highways to somewhere, but that's all that she leaves you It's all that she leaves you She's a pretty girl Such a pretty girl |
KEEP MOVING ON (2012)
music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner Keep moving on, well it's what you gotta do Keep leaving behind some things or two Rise up in the morning from the night that never ends Pick up that old guitar and play your song again (Chorus) And keep moving... moving on There's a place of peace somewhere I know Gotta keep on going strong Moving on, moving on 'Cause you can always find your way back home if you feel you've gone too long The feeling's gone, ain't that the way of the world She's your light, your life, your wind, your sail And then she's just some girl But you gaze in the mirror and find she's still there in your eyes You go out walking and find she's still there in your skies Just keep moving... (chorus) The curtain drawn against the chill of the night The air is still Keep taking chances, 'cause it's all that you can take And pray for the memories for they will not let you break and keep moving... (chorus) Don't be gone too long TIN CAN IN MY POCKET (2007) music/lyrics by David Edward Wagner I’m staring straight out my window But the city’s still hard to see Seems like every time I look away I end up staring right back at me I got a woman done left me last week Got a minimum daily wage I got a book on God that ain’t been read I ain’t learned how to turn that page And if I had two dimes for every nickel And one nickel for every sin I would spend it all for candy Just to share a little with my friends But all I got is this tin can in my pocket And an old bill in my jeans I got one dream left that don’t get broken But it’s tearing apart at the seams And I don’t give a good god damn about nothing There ain’t nothing left ‘round here that got saved Just take what’s good and lay it down And pour roses over the grave Over the grave Now, don’t tell me that you know something ‘Cause there ain't nothing here going on The streets are empty, nothing left to tempt me It’s a shame it didn’t last very long And I don’t know quite what you think you’re looking for But I don’t think you’ll find it ‘round here That done skipped town just yesterday We could toast it if we had one more beer But all I got is this tin can in my pocket And a crumpled bill in my jeans I got one dream left, and it ain’t got broken But it’s slipping apart at the seams And I don’t give a good god damn about nothing There ain’t nothing left ‘round here to be saved Just take what’s good and lay it down And pour roses over the grave Over the grave It’s a wasteland in Cincinnati It’s a desert in Saint Paul There’s a blizzard in Maine that covered the stain Of the blood that spilled for us all And I don’t know what the hell happened in Tacoma I guess some stories seldom ever get told And I don’t know one thing about Heaven But ‘round here the streets are nothing but gold And all I got is this tin can in my pocket And a cold bill in my jeans I got one dream left and it don’t get broken But it’s coming apart at the seams And I don’t give a good god damn about nothing Ain’t nothing left ‘round here to be saved Just take what’s good and nail it down And pave right over the grave Over the grave Over the grave… SHINE (2010)
music and lyrics by David Edward Wagner What happened to tomorrow Seems like only yesterday We were talking about forever As if it were on its way And now we don’t talk much at all We were blinded in our beauty Then impatient and then bold So, tell me now what are we As this sky turns towards the gold And you shine in that light Yeah, you shine There’s a price for every fortune There’s a deal for every seed There’s a resin of temptation In the crags on every street That we go walking together or alone I’d give my soul to feel you To turn my eyes to see The dawn that’s slowly rising Bring you gently back to me And we’d go dancing in that light Cause there you shine I see you shine Gonna take me back to Memphis Gonna wake up on some floor Gonna head for California and leap right off that shore And soar up high into the light Cause there you shine I see you shine I see you shine |
David Wagner Music "Fine Line"
Here is a quick little music video for David Wagner's 2012 song, "Fine Line".
Self-shot by David early one morning while walking around Istanbul.
Enjoy!
Self-shot by David early one morning while walking around Istanbul.
Enjoy!
The Something Experience
The world's most exuberant quasi-German social dance experiment.
For information concerning David's comedy/dance band "The Something Experience," just press the picture logo to the side.
The world's most exuberant quasi-German social dance experiment.
For information concerning David's comedy/dance band "The Something Experience," just press the picture logo to the side.