(woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by The North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.

[acoustic guitar intro] [playing in folk rhythm] ♪ ♪ [Jake plays the harmonica] ♪ ♪ Jenny ♪ ♪ Still got a lot to break her down ♪ ♪ Maybe ♪ ♪ All the pain is all gone now ♪ ♪ Maybe we'll talk ♪ ♪ In the morning about it ♪ ♪ And try to begin ♪ ♪ Something better than this ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's Friday ♪ ♪ And I can't make it anywhere ♪ ♪ I'm stuck at work ♪ ♪ And she's off at some fair ♪ ♪ Maybe I'll fight ♪ ♪ My way out of it now ♪ ♪ And maybe I'll fight ♪ ♪ For something better than this ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If I could see your face ♪ ♪ I wouldn't know if I ♪ ♪ Could part your velvet lips ♪ ♪ Or leave from your eye ♪ ♪ But even if I try ♪ ♪ To be sentimental now ♪ ♪ It hurts to lie ♪ ♪ When something's better than this ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ There's a stranger here ♪ ♪ But I don't know ♪ ♪ What to do ♪ ♪ Is he calling for you dear ♪ ♪ Is he telling the truth ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ A full moon is rising ♪ ♪ But I can't sleep now ♪ ♪ It's too late to try ♪ ♪ Or I'll even scream or shout ♪ ♪ Maybe we'll run ♪ ♪ In the morning out of here ♪ ♪ It's time to begin ♪ ♪ Something better than this ♪ ♪ ♪ Better than this ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hi, I'm Jake Ingamar, I'm from Fargo, North Dakota, and I'm here to play some of my old indie original folk music.

It really always goes back to when I was really young when I really responded to music was when I first heard Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA tape riding in my dad's 1982 diesel Cadillac.

In 1999 we had the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen come to the Fargodome.

my dad took me to go see both.

I was about 5 or 6 years old, and ever since, especially Bruce Springsteen-- that changed my life.

I didn't pick up guitar till I was about 13, 14, and ever since then I've done nothing else other than play guitar.

So it's been my main thing for many years.

Most of the stuff I like is old music like '60s-- the Beatles, the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers which is an old country band-- highly influential.

And I love Elliot Smith, you'll hear a lot of Elliot Smith influence in my music.

And Townes Van Zant and Bob Dylan.

So I have a lot of musical influences.

My main element what I always go by with writing is melody.

I'm a massive believer in melody, but that process, you can't always rely on that.

Lately I've been starting with lyrics more, and then the melody comes to me.

"Madeline" is a song I wrote when I was 22, and that was another melody first song.

The lyrics are a little abstract, but I wrote it in a sense that it's kind of a metaphor for getting away from addiction.

[playing in folk-rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ Well she spells out your name ♪ ♪ Writing it in perfect paint ♪ ♪ ♪ On a note that she shared ♪ ♪ On her knees about affairs ♪ ♪ ♪ Your attention perseveres ♪ ♪ As the inner poet disappears ♪ ♪ You're just a broken-nosed ♪ ♪ Cashier ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now you make all your days ♪ ♪ Dreaming in a slumber state ♪ ♪ Down a high road through hell ♪ ♪ She wants you to unchain yourself ♪ ♪ But you're a lonely servant now ♪ ♪ For the sake of love spinning 'round ♪ ♪ Her highness ♪ ♪ Is calling now ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ [finger-picking a guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Every moment you get by ♪ ♪ She'll be waiting for you to say good night ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Madeline ♪ ♪ ♪ Now she smokes in the mirror of the bedroom ♪ ♪ Down the hall ♪ ♪ Laughing to herself ♪ ♪ Determined to deceive the world ♪ ♪ Now she wants you in disguise ♪ ♪ For the every man ♪ ♪ Passing by ♪ ♪ As the colors flash ♪ ♪ Before your eyes ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ♪ [playing rock 'n' roll] ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ Coming Up Nights ♪ ♪ I was free to ride ♪ ♪ Spent on a sidewalk ♪ ♪ We were two to cry ♪ ♪ Walking under shadows ♪ ♪ Throwing our lives away ♪ ♪ ♪ Just another stranger ♪ ♪ Talking about every day ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody warned us how to be ♪ ♪ When we were young ♪ ♪ We just kept moving on ♪ ♪ Getting older and thought ♪ ♪ We'd keep on growing up ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ Throwing down these tears ♪ ♪ I can't hold them up no more ♪ ♪ So chained to fear ♪ ♪ So trained to lie ♪ ♪ Standing on the road and trying ♪ ♪ To find my place in the sun ♪ ♪ ♪ Thinking about tomorrow ♪ ♪ It's bound to fade into nothing ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody told us how ♪ ♪ To be when were young ♪ ♪ We just kept on getting older ♪ ♪ And we thought hey ♪ ♪ We could just keep growing up ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody told us ♪ ♪ How to be when we were young ♪ ♪ We just kept on getting older ♪ ♪ And thought hey ♪ ♪ We can just keep growing up ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ Could we just keep growing up ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [folk style finger-picking in bright rhythm ♪ ♪ ♪ If four walls could talk ♪ ♪ ♪ And time was just a game ♪ ♪ That we played ♪ ♪ And we just move along ♪ ♪ Day to day ♪ ♪ ♪ And if romance was long ♪ ♪ And diamonds faded away ♪ ♪ From our name ♪ ♪ And in the end ♪ ♪ We'd remain ♪ ♪ ♪ Only then I'd think ♪ ♪ ♪ Of more ways to ease ♪ ♪ All your pain ♪ ♪ 'Cause both of us ♪ ♪ Ain't the same ♪ ♪ ♪ So will darkness do us right babe ♪ ♪ If we both run out of time ♪ ♪ To save ♪ ♪ Well close your eyes ♪ ♪ For the sake of grace ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If loving you came easy ♪ ♪ And I could understand ♪ ♪ How it used to be ♪ ♪ Then we could be renewed ♪ ♪ Before we're already ♪ ♪ Dead and gone ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ What I would say for any new musicians, anybody that's just taking up-- listen to as much music as possible, listen to old music, have an appreciation for all the genres, and dig deep into the best stuff.

There's so much great music.

Tune your ear to lots of music that nobody's heard of.

Definitely always keep your ear open, don't shut anything out.

If something sounds weird, if there's music-- oh, that's different-- you've got to take something away from it you like.

There could be something, or it will grow on you.

If you don't like it now, you'll like it again some other time.

"Learn from the Girls," that's the first song I ever wrote starting with a title.

When I was 23 I had this list of titles in my phone, and I had it written in my list of titles.

I got "Learn From the Girl," and I just started strumming-- I wanted to write like a '60s pop song.

The whole song basically came out in one sitting, the chord progression, the melody pretty much came out.

I think that's definitely my most, my popiest song.

[playing rock 'n' roll] ♪ ♪ ♪ Each time you lie awake ♪ ♪ Ain't got nothing ain't got one thing to say ♪ ♪ And it don't lead nowhere ♪ ♪ Cooking up your chores ♪ ♪ But you don't care for that anymore ♪ ♪ You want emotion and you beg and you plead ♪ ♪ But you don't dare to go out stepping in the street ♪ ♪ Ain't no lover there in your arms ♪ ♪ Well stop your cryin' when you're ready to start ♪ ♪ You better learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Every time you run little boy ♪ ♪ You ain't gonna play love in this world ♪ ♪ As your stupid ♪ ♪ Little toy ♪ ♪ Oh-oh ♪ ♪ ♪ In the summer in the pouring rain ♪ ♪ Down in the gutter you can put all your pain ♪ ♪ You keep it hidden but everybody knows ♪ ♪ So you don't bottle it up and explode ♪ ♪ Better learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Every time you're hurt little boy ♪ ♪ You can't erase love in this world ♪ ♪ For your stupid ♪ ♪ Angry joy ♪ ♪ Oh-oh ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo ah-ah ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ And if you ever keep running like before ♪ ♪ Then I don't care anymore just what you're gonna be kid ♪ ♪ Maybe a killer or a programmed machine ♪ ♪ Better earn from your pocket ♪ ♪ Before you make it in the street ♪ ♪ And you better learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Every time you run little boy ♪ ♪ You ain't gonna wage for no war ♪ ♪ Like some stupid angry boy ♪ ♪ You better learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Every time you run little boy ♪ ♪ You ain't gonna make love in this world ♪ ♪ Till you're a student all the time ♪ ♪ Oh learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Oh learn from the girls ♪ ♪ Learn from ♪ ♪ The girls ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo-oo oo ♪ [playing in country rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome to town ♪ ♪ Bummers street ♪ ♪ State of the route ♪ ♪ Of all our broken dreams ♪ ♪ That burned to the ground ♪ ♪ 'Cause oh dear Lorraine ♪ ♪ There's one big mistake ♪ ♪ Call out this place ♪ ♪ ♪ Caught in the nest ♪ ♪ Of their liars tongue ♪ ♪ Who stick out their necks ♪ ♪ Conversation guns ♪ ♪ Well I dare you now ♪ ♪ To go it alone ♪ ♪ Or die so slow ♪ ♪ With each step you take ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Walking 'round everybody ♪ ♪ ♪ You know ♪ ♪ In a town where you weren't born ♪ ♪ And a love that you can't adore ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Laced with regret ♪ ♪ And all around ♪ ♪ You can't show your face ♪ ♪ When you're in misery town ♪ ♪ Well I don't give a damn ♪ ♪ 'Cause oh dear Lorraine ♪ ♪ It's mine now to save ♪ ♪ We're rollin' now babe ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Walking 'round everybody ♪ ♪ ♪ You know ♪ ♪ In a world where you stumbled on ♪ ♪ In a world ♪ ♪ Were you don't belong ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo-oo-oo ooo ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo-oo-oo oo-ooo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [finger-picking in folk music style] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ City leaves ♪ and city streets ♪ Emma walks so cautiously ♪ ♪ And no one knows there's no one there ♪ ♪ Stuck behind a broken stare ♪ ♪ Coming down like midnight hail ♪ ♪ Something waiting to derail ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Back and forth behind the bee ♪ ♪ The nothing men patrol the state ♪ ♪ The city mourns a fallen king ♪ ♪ While the arson lights another sting ♪ ♪ Then it hits you when you sleep ♪ ♪ Like a bomb going off in me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Burning nights that boil you alive ♪ ♪ Well I'd rather drown ♪ ♪ Distance couldn't shake you ♪ ♪ From my heart ♪ ♪ But since I'm older I better be ♪ ♪ Smarter than before ♪ ♪ ♪ Never thought I'd be so ready ♪ ♪ To start ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I guess I'm on my way to become ♪ ♪ The one and only better man ♪ ♪ ♪ But it's so hard when you're riding on a carousel ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Seems unlikely that we could start ♪ ♪ Somewhere but I can see it anyhow ♪ ♪ ♪ Levitating across the clouds ♪ ♪ It's the end of nothing anyhow ♪ ♪ It's the end of nothing anyhow ♪ ♪ It's the end of nothing anyhow ♪ ♪ It's the end of nothing anyhow ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo oo-ooo ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ (woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.