Spinning Wheels

Spinning Wheels started as a riff back in January 2016. I'd just learned about a trick Steve Earle uses where he capos on the second fret but leaves the low E string open. Then if you play D chord shape, that low E adds some nice low end.

spinningwheelsriff.mp3

I kept coming back to that riff year after year, but I could never figure out a melody to sing with it. Finally in January 2022 an idea started to form. First just humming over the opening E chord that would eventually become the verse:

spinningwheels-demo1.mp3

Then I had a few words I stared to play with. Now the song is starting to take shape:

spinningwheels-demo2.mp3

Then I wrote more words, but they're not final:

spinningwheels-demo3.mp3

Then yet another version:

spinningwheels-demo4.mp3

Finally it came together: