Album Notes

Florida.

Many think of it as the land of tropical sunshine, white sand, blue water, palm trees, boats, abundant game fish, waterfront bars, sunsets, rum drinks, live music, shorts and sandals and babes in bikinis.

Florida.

It's a goal, a destination, a lifestyle, a dream for many people. Florida. It's a paradise of the imagination for people not yet living here.

Floridians are mostly people who moved here from somewhere else to pursue their personal paradise. Include the Yard Dogs in that group! We enjoy living here in southwest Florida in our own particular version of paradise. Our various experiences have inspired us to write and perform this collection of songs that explore life here. We welcome you to our paradise!

Charlie's song, "Welcome to Paradise", besides being the title song for this CD, is a song about how life can often trick you - even in paradise!

Kip's song, "Debutante to Trailer Trash", reflects the accommodations some people must make in order to share a life in paradise with those they love.

Brian's song "Pink Pissed-Off Person" explains where and how a particular ruddy faced woman now living in Florida developed her partiality to the color pink - and her attitude!

Kip's song, "Martha" tells of a man accused of doing something he really didn't do. Deny, deny, deny!

Florida has its fair share of drinking and gambling establishments, and escort services as well. While they aren't collectively mentioned in the traditional song, "House of the Rising Sun", they manage to accomplish the same things!

Spending too much time in the House of the Rising Sun, or waterfront bars, or playing music with the yard dogs can lead to killer hangovers and a craving for fried chicken. In "KFC Blues" Brian explores this topic.

Maybe it's all the Florida sunshine or the salt water or those ubiquitous baseball caps we wear which are choking off our follicles, but Kip explains how it is that we are "Not Losing Hair" in his song which is about the power of positive thinking. We aren't losing hair, we are gaining face!

Though none of us are from Louisiana, our music is of a style which we have self-described as "Florida Cajun". Charlie elaborates on this theme in his song, "Louisiana Bayou Band".

Brian's song "Tits Up" was inspired in part by the significant segment of the Florida population enjoying the autumn of their years. Hey, be happy!

Florida is home to many rivers. The Peace, the Myakka, the Shark, or our own Caloosahatchee River - these are a few that come to mind. Let's pick one together and do what Kip sings, "Let's Go Down the River"!

If all else fails and you just can't relate to the paradise we describe in our songs, well - perhaps you should listen to the song Kip wrote as our bonus track; achieve the state of mind described there, then listen to the CD again!

Welcome to paradise! Laisse les bon temps rouler!

the Yard Dogs