I like things to have a beginning, a middle and an end. For my CD I recorded things I like, of course, and when I was done I recognized some themes and spent a lot of time on ordering the tracks. I began with a lively flatpicked number, "Under the Double Eagle," followed by a fingerpicked-and=sung number, "Candy Man" and a humorous song, "The Vegetable Song," aka "The Barnyard Dance."
    Having introduced myself and what I do, I noticed I'd done a few songs related to places or travel, so they came next: "Sailors Hornpipe," "40th and Plum," "Home on the Range (in Yiddish)," "I'm Goin' Back To Where I Come From," "Guabi Guabi" (from Africa), "Repo Depot" (an original kiss-off song about buying a cheap car and splitting), and "Mauna Loa" from Hawaii.
    Next came songs by, for or about children: "Chopsticks (yes, on the guitar)" whose composer was 16; "Freight Train" (Elizabeth Cotten wrote it age 10 or 11) "Jimmy Brown the Newsboy," "Castle on a Cloud," "Jingle Bells" and "Prairie Lullabye" which also serves as valedictory. I went back in the studio and added a second valedictory, "There Will Be a Happy Meeting," because my wife wanted me to.
   That's my CD: 17 songs, 45 minutes. Folks can play 'em in any order as long as the check clears.