Amy and I have sure been through lots of medical ordeals before. And now, during the pandemic, we’ve been trapped in multiple patient portals as medical practices increasingly move their patient information online . They promised efficiency and convenience, but it hasn’t always worked out that way! We know!
So we wrote a funny song containing our gripes about it.
The chorus goes:
I'm a mere mortal
Trapped forever in a patient portal
Now patient is the hardest thing to be
It’s got an infectious ska groove that’ll make you dance as you gripe along with me!
So, enter your email below and I’ll immediately e-mail you a secret link to this new track.
Here’s a TikTok of the chorus in my music recording software for you to sample:
It’s been a long time coming! I felt strongly like there was some unfinished business — that these songs, recorded over the course of 25+ years, needed to be on an album. When you buy this album on Bandcamp, you get to download the tracks or stream them in the Bandcamp mobile app. You also make a statement that independently-created music has value, especially when you socially share the album here!
You can listen to the tracks below and decide about purchasing this Jersey-riffic collection. All purchases (compact disc or download/streaming) comes with a downloadable PDF booklet containing lyrics and stories behind the songs. The CD purchase also comes with the download and streaming access.
“It’s a Jersey Thing” is also on all streaming services, like Apple Music and Spotify.
Hey friends! Let’s share a laugh over my latest recording and video – a new version of my most popular song over the years – “You Can’t Get There from Here in Jersey!”
The official video premieres today, Tuesday 6/28 at 11:30 AM Eastern.
I wrote this song for my wife Amy back in ’99 when we were dating. Then I sang it at our wedding. It’s an upbeat, feel-good rock’n’roll love song. Over the years I made some demo recordings of it. But now, recording technology has come so much further, has have my multi-instrumental skills. So it seemed the right time to try again and record what I’ve heard in my head all these years. And I’m delighted with the result. I hope you will be as well!
Here’s the YouTube video:
The single is on my Bandcamp, page (embedded below), Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and wherever you listen to streaming music.
As with all my new music, I offer it to my mailing list before it’s launched to the general public. If you want to get my next single before it’s released, sign up below.
A rock song and video about the many benefits of cycling
My father Bob, a fellow cyclist, told me he wrote a poem about cycling and would like me to set it to music, and that he had a concept for a video.
The anthemic rock track features multiple layers of harmony vocals, guitars, and keyboards. There’s a slide guitar solo that give s a nod to George Harrison’s immediately recognizable style.
Be the first to hear the single before its release! Enter your email address below to get a secret link to this upcoming track — it’s one of my best productions!
When you sign up to receive email from me, you’ll get first looks and listens at my latest projects before they’re released – and you’ll know when my live events are happening – you’ll get convenient links to my streaming concerts right to your inbox.
I’m working on a music video for my new song “Run With My Troubles.” This hard rock song carries an uplifting message about the effect of exercise on anxiety and stress. I played all the instruments on it, with special attention paid to guitar solo – a tribute to the late, great Edward Van Halen.
I want you to hear the song before it’s released!
Sign up to get my email notifications and I’ll send this track right to your inbox.
To learn more about my exercise endeavors for my mental health, see my feature in Kidney Donor Athletes.
My most essential song about maintaining optimism in hard times is out today as we leave the chaotic year 2020 behind and look forward to a better 2021.
The video for this song is scheduled for public release as part of a special event I will announce soon.
Right now the video is viewable only to subscribers to my emails. If you’re not getting my emails yet, sign up below and the exclusive link to the video will be sent right to your inbox.
I wrote this song in 2004 and have included it in many of my live performances. Back then I made a few demo recordings, but now the time was right to give it a complete multi-instrumentalist treatment. I was very much thinking of “Big Man” Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band when I decided to break out the saxophone for this arrangement. I also played a metal xylophone known as a glockenspiel, giving the piano and sax part an extra sparkle on top.
This is the title track for an upcoming album dedicated to supporting your best mental health. “Salt and Sand: A Rock-n-Roll Journey to Mental Health” is due out by summer 2021.
Enjoy! And have a happy and prosperous year 2021! I look forward to sharing the new year’s abundance of well-being with you.
I’m pleased to present you with my latest musical creation: “Battle.” This is the home studio video – actual footage of my recording this track, along with Fred E. Jam, keeper of F-Jam Online Collaboration Studios, who played the electronic drum kit.
The song shares my revelation about how mental health or living with a chronic physical condition doesn’t have to be a battle. It can be a humanitarian mission.
At the same time the video is released, so is the single on BandCamp. You can play the track below.
(c) 2020, Lyrics and Music by Jason Didner Produced by Jason Didner, Amy Didner and Fred E. Jam Engineered by Jason Didner Jason Didner – vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass Fred E. Jam – drums, sound design
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
I thought this was a battle
The kind that’s won or lost
Where raging at the rival
Brings a victory worth all costs
But the prize is alienation
Now that seems a hollow win
Standing lonely in the ruins
Of the war I fought within
Verse 2:
I thought this was a battle
With troops on high alert
Couldn’t trace the friendly fire
From the part of me that hurt
Oh, the rage destroys your allies
In the same flames as your foes
Your own weapon takes you over
No matter how it goes
Verse 3:
I thought this was a battle
I could win and earn my peace
Then I saw myself in terror
As hostilities increased
And the anger gave an order
Show no mercy in this fight
I asked myself the question
Could this order not be right
Bridge:
It can take all that you got
To disobey an order that’s all wrong
To take the heat for seeming weak
That’s a different kind of strong
When the rage calls loved ones enemies
And declares we’re at code red
And orders me to take them down
I’ll lift them up instead
Verse 4:
I thought this was a battle
Now I’m learning it’s much more
It’s a mission to compassion
For the pain down in my core
It’s a journey toward forgiveness
When the rage has had its say
And the wisdom we discover
We can’t fight these things away
But we can live to love another day
I had shared this song with my email subscribers when just the vocal and piano were recorded. If you’d like to get exclusives like this before everyone else, go ahead and sign up below:
I’m proud to introduce my new single, “Because I’m Grateful!” This is your mantra for daily gratitude. Let this song into your heart and mind. It will give you some space from your depression or anxiety.
This is my debut playing a drum kit! All my musical life, I’ve heard drumbeats in my head, but have always handled drums by either programming drum machines or better, teaming up with my drummer friends. Wolfgang Van Halen’s new solo project Mammoth WVH inspired me to complete my multi-instrumental abilities. Interesting note: Eddie Van Halen got me to play guitar when I was 16. Now at 50, his son has gotten me to take up drums and record entire arrangements myself! Thank you Wolf!
Amy and I co-wrote the lyrics and co-produced the record. When I was a little shy about the tempo (first take was pretty slow), Amy encouraged me to pick up the pace. The result you’re hearing now is much more lively than the original.
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
I’m grateful that I woke up this morning
At least that’s what that TED talk said I’m supposed to say
Still I’m sorry for myself and my brain’s all full of warnings
I’ll try this attitude of gratitude on some other day
But then, what if that day could come around this morning
What could it hurt to thank a loved one or two?
It might bring a little good to take stock of my blessings
OK, let’s see what this gratitude thing can do
Pre-chorus:
I can feel my mood get a little bit lighter
As my outlook grows just a little brighter
Chorus:
I’m not afraid today to show what I’m made of
I’m grateful for my love, my child and my pets
I’m thankful for the support I have
And the strength I’ve found within
Because I’m grateful
Sadness isn’t all there is
Verse 2:
Depression can’t have the upper hand this morning
‘Cause I’ve got a new move that villain has never seen
When you see what it can do, you won’t call it corny or boring
See, I’m getting in touch with the grateful part of me
I’m gonna do it again tomorrow morning
‘Cause feeling better is feeling pretty sweet
I’m letting go of the rope - Depression, here’s your warning
I ain’t fighting today and that don’t feel like defeat
Pre-chorus:
I can feel my mood get a little bit lighter
As my outlook grows just a little brighter
Chorus:
I’m not afraid today to show what I’m made of
I’m grateful for my love, my child and my pets
I’m thankful for the support I have
And the strength I’ve got within
Because I’m grateful
Sadness isn’t all there is
Here’s a throwback to an online collab I did in 2004 with Fred E. Jam, a great drummer and producer in Michigan who’s been highly dedicated to collaborating online. We also got Mike Mililo to lay down some killer sax riffs and Dennis Wieand to add some great texture with his Hammond organ. And of course, my wife Amy gave the song its character with her spoken parts at the beginning and end.
This song is the true story of that time I was in Atlantic City and blew all my available money for gambling within the first 15 minutes there! I was left with the rest of the day to wait and think about the quick losses while my family managed to nurse their money over the course of the day – ultimately I won, because I came up with this song!
Lyrics:
There’s no clock in this gambling house
No window on the fading light of day
My better judgment says “Get up, get out!”
But greed is standing in the way, yeah
My lucky hands they held the winning cards
I felt the ride would never end
Who thought saying no would be so hard
When you think a win’s around the bend, yeah
So have you got a couple bucks to lend?
Chorus:
Green light, go for the money
Now I’m running through the red
I’ve had my run on the table
Now I’m in above my head
I was sitting pretty
But now I’m broke instead
I’m telling you I should have quit while I was ahead
My next big win is on the credit card
I’ve got to make back everything I lost
This ain’t no foolin’ now, I’m playing hard
I will break even at all costs, yeah
I was the highest roller in the place
I pushed my luck a little bit too far
I’ve got to get myself back in the race
And play the chips on one more lucky star, yeah
So how much would you pay to buy my car?
Chorus
Outro:
Better quit, better quit while you’re ahead
Better quit, better quit while you’re ahead
Better quit, better quit while you’re ahead
Better quit, better quit…
(spoken) Coffee, soda, juice?
