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Lost and Found

by Tommy Wiggins

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1.
Take Me Back to the Northland 04:15
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Don’t wanna talk to nobody I don’t wanna answer the phone I don’t care what’s in the mailbox Just tell ‘em nobody’s home Can’t you see I’m excited I got that look in my eye I got the traveling fever But it’ll leave by and by Shakes me up on the highway It make me rattle and roll I keep looking for the way Don’t want a turnpike toll There’s just too much commotion For this backwater boy I got the traveling fever And it don’t leave me no joy Take me back to the Northland Back to where I belong Take me back to my homeland And let me sing my song There’s just too much commotion For the backwater boy I got the traveling fever Something ‘bout Minnesota Way down deep in my heart A little bit of Dakota With me from the start I love the hills of Wisconsin I got a little place of my own To shake the traveling fever Lord, I don’t wanna roam Take me back to the Northland Back to where I belong You take me back to my homeland Let me sing my song There’s just too much commotion For the backwater boy I got the traveling fever © 1981 Tommy Wiggins
2.
Yeah, Yeah, You 03:38
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Growing up in North Saint Paul Insulated from it all I thought everybody was just like me Go to school, play some ball Early spring ‘till the bitter fall All in all, the boy didn’t have a clue About you, yeah you And every little thing about a love that’s true Yeah, yeah, you We grew up, we move out ‘Cuz it’s our time to twist and shout Look at the world from a brand new point of view Or so we think, but it ain’t right Black’s still black and night is still night But I’ve got a silver lining poking thru It’s you, yeah you And every little thing about a lover that’s true Yeah, yeah you I will do for you Hang up a yellow moon is what I’m gonna do Yeah, yeah you Moving right along Living out the song Finding our own way Each and every day You, yeah you And every little thing about a love that’s true Yeah, yeah you I will do for you Is hang up a yellow moon, that’s what I’m gonna do Yeah, yeah you Yeah, yeah you Yeah, yeah you Yeah, yeah you Yeah, yeah you ©2006 Tommy Wiggins
3.
Faded Photographs 03:57
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Cobwebs growing in the corner The winds are blowing ‘cross the fields All the singing birds have taken to the wing Farmers counting up the yields Kettle singing in the kitchen Stoke the fire with your dreams Button up the kids and get them off to school Kiss the lover in your dreams When he left, he left you heartache Every morning brings the blue When he left, he left you nothing left to lose Just a couple of faded photographs of him and you Staring out the kitchen window You’re trying not to feel the pain Yet you’re hoping that he’ll call you up today ‘cause It’s your birthday once again Kettle singing in the kitchen Stoke that fire with your dreams Button up the kids and get them off to school Kiss the lover in your dreams When he left, he left you heartache Every morning brings the blues When he left, he left you nothing left to lose Just a couple of faded photographs of him and you Just a couple of faded photographs © 1976 Tommy Wiggins
4.
Lee Ann 04:08
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He’s just a country boy, ordinary Joe He got dreams like anyone, anywhere you go He needs a hand to hold, and a pretty smile Looking for a heart of gold, been looking for a while Lee Ann’s a country girl with a pretty smile Every bit her mama’s child, the same easy style It happened on a summer night, going to the fair No one ever touched her so, ‘till the morning air He said “Lee Ann will you be my country girl Lee Ann will you be my country girl Gonna love you now, gonna take you around the world Oh, Lee Ann will you be my country girl?” Love takes the easy road underneath the moon It’ll wind around your heart all the way ‘till June In a little country church outside of town He looked into her eyes with everyone around He said “Lee Ann will you be my country girl Lee Ann will you be my country girl Gonna love you now, gonna take you around the world My Lee Ann Tell me it’s old fashioned, say it’s out of style To think a love could last more than just a little while In a little country church outside of town He looked into her eyes with everybody around He said “Lee Ann will you be my country girl Lee Ann will you be my country girl Gonna love you now, gonna take you around the world Lee Ann Country Girl © 1981 Tommy Wiggins
5.
All the Pretty Girls 03:13
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Pretty girl, she don’t know how to choose Nobody let’s her pay any dues Dressing right, looking so fine Here comes another guy to make some time And he says “would you like to go and see a show Hey there’s a quiet little place that I know” A little candlelight and sparkling wine She lets him get her where she wants him every time All the pretty girls get the guys Falling in love with their sweet-talking dancing eyes You’d think by now that the boys would get wise To all the pretty girls Is it something that they learn in school How to act like that and be so cool? Every day they’re flirting with the boys in the hall And all the guys I know are doing it to Hey, can I meet you maybe after school Another younger heart is heading for a fall All the pretty girls get the guys Falling in love with the sweet-talking dancing eyes You’d think by now the boys would get wise To all the pretty girls All the pretty girls get the guys Falling in love with their sweet-talking dancing eyes You’d think by now that the boys would be wise All the pretty girls All the pretty girls © 1985 Tommy Wiggins
6.
Give Me Better 04:06
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I don’t care if the sun don’t shine ‘round my house today I don’t care if the moon don’t rise Or if I draw my pay Only one thing that’s on my mind And I gotta talk to you It won’t take long to tell you now baby What I want you to do Give me better, when I give you time Got to give me better, honey I ain’t lyin’ My heart beats fast on the outside And you’re still on the run Give me better, I’m comin’ undone I don’t care if a chilly wind blows It don’t matter, no All I want is a love that grows Honey, don’t close the door Tell me that your love’ll be strong Each and every day Tell me now that you want my lovin’ hear me when I say The kinda lovin’ that I’m gettin’ from you Cuts me to the bone You had me howlin’ at the moon Then you left me ‘lone I could plead insanity, with nothing left to lose This roller coaster ride with you Is givin’ me the blues © 1991 Tommy Wiggins/Chris Daniels
7.
Irreconcilable 03:53
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I refuse to hear the sound of the slamming door Don’t wanna know the reason she’s not there anymore Don’t go tell me that I lost everything I know A mystery, what ever was she thinking Irreconcilable I can’t believe that she said she don’t even know me no more I won’t believe her I don’t even love you’s I’m still savoring the spark and the flame and the fire and the feeling But not the dying ember I could swear I hear the beating of a broken heart Don’t go tell me that it’s mine, I won’t believe it You could sell me just about anything that you want But don’t you tell me Irreconcilable I just can’t believe there’s nothing more that we can do Think about it, girl come on back to me and you I’m not just tilting windmills spinning in the sky This is real love and I don’t want to let it die Irreconcilable I refuse to hear the sound of that slamming door Irreconcilable Think about it, girl come on back to me and you © 1999 Tommy Wiggins/Chris Daniels
8.
What's Goin' Down 03:21
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Same old story in every town Everybody tryin’ to wrap their heads around What’s goin’ down Hard to keep gas in your car 20 dollar bill won’t take you very far In your car All the good jobs left this town All the kids are hangin’ ‘round Lookin’ like they’re lost and found Bringin’ everybody down Stay the course, complete the mission Blinded by belief in your conviction Self-fulfilled prediction Cause-effect, truth or fiction temperature is rising from our oil addition Stick your drill into the sand Gotta be some better plan People all across the land Are wakin’ up to take a stand In every city and every little town We all wanna know what’s goin’ down Politicians jerkin’ us around How you gonna fix the mess we’re in Patience with you’s wearin’ thin Keep on pushin’ us the same old run-around What’s goin’ down Same old story in every town Everybody tryin’ to wrap their heads around What’s goin’ down Down, down, down Down, down, down ©2008 Tommy Wiggins
9.
To See You Smile 03:44
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I couldn’t face the music, so I hung here at home I reveled in the quiet of my disconnected phone I didn’t read those headlines, or really give a damn I just had to sit a while to think of who I am What have I accomplished, or does it really matter Is there any consequence to have my ego flattered Jesus loves me, anyway at least that’s what we’re told I’m flying past the middle on the way to getting old But to see you smile, and laugh at something funny To see you smile, I’ve come to understand Just to see you smile, it is my milk and honey And I’m your milk and honey man Written in a love song in my younger day The singer said he would not trade tomorrow for today He wasn’t long on money, no he hadn’t much to share But it was warm and sunny. And her skin was oh so fair But to see her smile, and laugh at something funny To see her smile, he’d come to understand Just to see her smile Those years are not forgotten, the song it still rings true Money doesn’t matter, there’s enough to see us through You can take tomorrow, and pitch it all away I’m still not going to borrow on today To see her smile, and laugh at something funny To see her smile, he’s come to understand To see you smile, laugh at something funny To see you smile, I’ve come to understand To see you smile I’m your milk and honey man © 2006 Tommy Wiggins
10.
Thank My Lucky Stars 03:26
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If you ask me how I got to be me I would say that there are three Lucky stars up in the sky That I set my compass by The brightest one would be her love A life she let me be part of A journey that I’d never dream of making Next up on that list of three Without whom I’d never be Making up this song to sing Living all the joy it bring s Brothers back in seventy-two When our dreams were shiny new The Freeland boys will always be a part of me I thank my lucky stars for shining Down on me with perfect timing And all I really had to do Is sing along I have always wanted to be Part of something bigger than me Maybe just a hand to hold Is all it takes to feed your soul Maybe if we multiply That little act of kindness by The fact that when you give your heart You get back two We can thank our lucky stars for shining Down on us with perfect timing And all we ever really had to do If you ask me how I got to be me I would say that there are three Lucky stars up in the sky That I set my compass by The brightest one would be her love Next one is the music that I’m part of Then there’s you and me Yeah, there’s you and me Thank our lucky stars ©2011 Tommy Wiggins

about

Tommy Wiggins is a lifer. A prolific songwriter for more than 50 years, he has woven his own tapestry of American roots music, leaving a unique stamp upon the intersecting worlds of rock, country, blues, soul, and folk. He's built a resume that's as diverse as his music, serving as an engineer, producer, educator, multi-instrumentalist, and five-time Emmy-winning TV host. For Wiggins, this isn't just a career; it's a legacy in the making.

Lost and Found finds him sifting through his personal archives, pulling together a track list of previously-unreleased music that helps tell the story of an inspired, tireless creator. "As songwriters, we create so many songs that never see a release date," he explains. "We pour every bit of our hearts and our souls into them, but most remain unheard forever. I wanted to revisit some of the songs that didn't make it onto a particular album. Perhaps they didn't fit on the records I was making at the time — but they all have a home here."

Songs like "Take Me Back to The Northland" date back to the early 1980s, when Wiggins — a Minnesota native who launched his career with free-spirited '70s bands like Freeland — was still in the early stages of his solo career. Most of the material was recorded during the 1990s and early 2000s, featuring a cast of collaborators and co-conspirators who've partnered with Wiggins over the decades. The result is a time capsule of rootsy rock & roll, with each track serving as its own timestamp.

"These songs are a snapshot of a time and a place," Wiggins says. "They're a reminder of where I was, who I was with, and the life events that were inspiring me to write."

They also sound as vital today as they did during their time of creation. After all, each is a chapter in Wiggins' ongoing story, featuring not only the full spread of his abilities as a songwriter, but also his wide-ranging chops as a recording artist. He isn't just the album's frontman; he's also the keyboardist, the engineer, the bandleader, and the artistic driving force. Consider him a one-stop songwriting shop, capable of shepherding a piece of music through each stage of creation, recording, and release.

Lost and Found is a glimpse at Tommy Wiggins' past, presented by an artist whose present is just as prolific as his earlier days.

"I was writing songs 50 years ago," he says, "and I'm amazed that I continue to be as excited about music now as I was back then. Many songwriters have a big arc, and they stop writing at some point… but I still have new music in my head every single day, and I'm still sharpening the craft of making songs. I'm going to continue making more snapshots. Oh, and Freeland’s making another record.”
Andrew Leahey

credits

released May 11, 2021

1. TAKE ME BACK TO THE NORTHLAND
I wrote this dancehall rocker in 1981, recorded it with my hot band in 1991, and finally mixed it in 2021. “Take me back to the Northland, back to where I belong. Take me back to my homeland and let me sing my song.” Roots run deep.
Tommy – Vocal, Organ, Piano
Backing Vocals - Jan Reimer, Sherie Tazelaar
Guitars – Jeff Christensen
Tenor Sax – David Marden
Bass – Steve Keys
Drums – Mike Hurley
Recorded 1991 at HTC Studio A, Eden Prairie, MN
Engineers – Tom Jensen, Steve Glaser
Mixed – 2021 by Tommy at Tommy’s Tracks, Nashville, TN

2. YEAH, YEAH, YOU
“I’ve got a silver lining poking through. It’s you, yeah you. And every little thing about a lover that’s true. Yeah, yeah you.”
Tommy – Vocal, Backing Vocals, Organ, Piano
Backing Vocal – Kim Strauss
Electric Guitars – Denny Hemingson
Bass – Derek Poindexter
Drums – Russ Garner
Recorded by Recording Arts and Technology students at Cuyahoga Community College,
Cleveland, OH 2008. Additional recording by Tommy, Russ and Denny 2021
Mixed – 2021 by Brett Ryan Stewart at The WireBarn, Nashville, TN

3. FADED PHOTOGRAPHS
“When he left, he left you nothing left to lose, just a couple of faded photographs, of him and you.”
Tommy – Vocal, harmony, Acoustic Guitar, Fender Rhodes
Backing Vocal – Jan Reimer
Cow Grunge Electric Guitar – Phil Solem
Bass – Steve Keys
Drums – Dave Pedersen
Recorded 1993 at Tommy’s and Phil’s
Engineers – Leonard John and Tommy
Mixed 1997 by Tommy at The Studio Guy, Moreland Hills, OH

4. LEE ANN
“Love takes the easy road underneath the moon. It’ll wind around your heart all the way ‘till June. In a little country church outside of town, he looked into her eyes with everyone around. He said “Lee Ann will you be my country girl?”
Tommy - Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Accordion
Backing Vocals – Jan Reimer and Tommy
Electric Guitar – Jeff Christensen
Bass – Steve Keys
Drums, Cowbell – Dave Pedersen
Recorded 1993 at Composers Workshop, St. Paul, MN
Engineer – Leonard John
Mixed – 1998 by Tommy at The Studio Guy, Moreland Hills, OH

5. ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS
“All the pretty girls get the guys, falling in love with their sweet-talking dancing eyes. You’d think by now that the boys would get wise to all the pretty girls.”
Tommy – Vocal, Fender Rhodes, Organ
Backing Vocals – Jan Reimer, Madeleine Hart
Rhythm Guitar – Phil Solem
Lead Guitar – Jeff Christensen
Tenor Sax – David Marden
Bass – Steve Keys
Drums – Jon Niefeld
Tambourine – Stan Kipper
Maracas – Mark “Chico” Perez
Recorded 1992 at HTC Studio A, Eden Prairie, MN
Engineers – Tom Jensen, Steve Glaser
Mixed – 1992 by John Muldoon at HTC Studio A, Eden Prairie, MN

6. GIVE ME BETTER
“I don’t care if a chilly wind blows. It don’t matter, no. All I want is a love that grows. Honey, don’t close the door. Give me better.”
Tommy – Vocal, Organ, Piano, Synth
Backing Vocals – Cathy Braaten, David Marden, Tommy
Rhythm and Lead Guitar – Jeff Christensen
Bass – Steve Keys
Drums – Jon Niefeld
Cowbell – Red Freeberg
Wood Block and Tambourine – Jan Reimer
Recorded 1992 at HTC Studio A, Eden Prairie, MN
Engineers – Tom Jensen, Steve Glaser
Mixed – 1992 by John Muldoon at HTC Studio A, Eden Prairie, MN

7. IRRECONCILABLE
“I refuse to hear the sound of the slamming door. Don’t wanna know the reason she’s not there anymore. Don’t go tell me that I lost everything I love. A mystery, whatever was she thinking?”
Tommy – Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Fender Rhodes, Organ, Accordion, Percussion
Recorded and mixed 2002 by Tommy at The Studio Guy, Moreland Hills, OH

8. WHAT'S GOIN' DOWN
“Same old story in every town. Everybody tryin’ to wrap their heads around...what’s goin’ down.”
Tommy – Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Percussion
Recorded and Mixed – 2008 by Tommy at The Studio Guy, Moreland Hills, OH

9. TO SEE YOU SMILE
“But to see you smile, and laugh at something funny. To see you smile, I’ve come to understand. To see you smile, it is my milk and honey, and I’m your milk and honey man.”
Tommy – Vocal, Piano, mix
Bass – Derek Poindexter
Recorded live and mixed 2008 by Recording Arts and Technology students at Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH

10. THANK MY LUCKY STARS
“If you ask me how I got to be me, I would say that there are three lucky stars up in the sky that I set my compass by. The brightest one would be her love, a life she let me be part of. A journey that I’d never dream of making.”
Tommy – Vocals, Nylon String Guitars, Piano, Zoom Beat Box
Dreadlock David McDougald - Bass
Recorded 2011 at The Studio Guy, Moreland Hills, OH
Engineer - Dave Towne
Mixed – 2021 by Tommy at Tommy’s Tracks, Nashville, TN

All songs by Tommy Wiggins – Expensive Fun Tunes, BMI with the exception of “Give Me Better” and "Irreconcilable" by Tommy Wiggins and Chris Daniels (Expensive Fun Tunes BMI, Moon Voyage BMI)

Produced and Mastered by Tommy Wiggins.
Mastering assistant – Connor Leveillee
Design – Fussell Graphics

©p 2021 Chilidog Records - “Keeping the heart in the art since 1980.”
Tommy’s recordings can be found at music.tommywiggins.com

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Tommy Wiggins Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville’s Tommy Wiggins began writing songs by kerosene lamp in a Rocky Mountain cabin. He’s been writing, recording and performing his own funky blend of folky, bluesy, country-funk ever since. Tommy recently bought a camper van and is writing songs along the road. New album in 2022 - "When My Brain Goes On Vacation." When your brain goes on vactation, where do YOU go? ... more

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