Jane sometimes kids me about my getting new instruments, or trying to play new instruments, so i thought i would write a song about my exploration in that area. I first thought it would be along the lines of trying an instrument, not doing particularly well with it, and then moving on to try another. The problem is, however, that i rarely stop playing at the previous instrument! Thus, the song is not what i intended it to be; rather, it’s more like a survey of the instruments that i strive to play, with less self-mocking than i had planned.
I “wrote” this song (all except the last verse) in my head on a drive to Louisiana. However, since i didn’t trust that i could keep more than a verse at a time in my memory, i had to keep stopping to write down each verse in turn. I have since modified the verse about the banjo.
In late 2017 i decided to learn to play the harmonica. Though it will be a while (if ever) before i can play it, i thought it deserved its own verse.