David Lewis Crawford - Double Dog Dare

David Lewis Crawford & Spatial Effects at WoodsSong

2010-01-01T05:03:00.000-08:00

Click on the image below to get more detail about David's appearance at WoodsSong Coffeehouse in Dalton, GA, January 30 with his talented friends, Spatial Effect.

Spatial Effects is composed of Earl Brackin (mandolin and vocals), Tom Brown (banjo and harmonica), David Crawford (guitar and vocals), all from the North Georgia area, Betsy Blankenship (bass and vocals) of Apison, Tennessee and 2006 Tennessee State Fiddle Champion, John Boulware.

CD's are IN

2009-11-18T16:13:00.000-08:00

The CD's arrived today (they look and sound terrific), so shipments on CD orders will be complete within 1-business day. T-Shirts are yet to come.

The Dalton Daily Citizen

2009-11-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

David's first publicity for Double Dog Dare appeared headlining his local newspaper's website.

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Nov 11, 2009 - Dalton, GA

Parenthood inspires songwriter

By Rachel Brown
Dalton Daily Citizen

It was a normally chaotic evening in David Crawford’s Rocky Face home about four years ago when his daughters, then 3 and 7, inspired him.

“They were in the bathtub, and it was one of those stressful times of getting ready for bed — splashing too much water out, one of them got soap in their eye, one of them wanted the little ducky, and the other one didn’t want them to have the ducky,” he said. “So it was a typical stressful bedtime/bath time scenario, and as I was keeping an eye on them from the living room this song sort of popped into my head.”

Crawford quickly jotted down the words to what would become his “Pachelbel’s Bedtime Canon,” the song that would get more than 1.3 million hits on YouTube and lead him to a recording deal with an independent producer.

“Why don’t you want to say ‘good night’?” the song begins with Crawford rapidly singing the words. “Why is it that you do not go to your bed and sleep tight until the morning light has come and cast its haze upon your eyes and then you wake to greet the day God has made and then rejoice for you, a part of it? Why do you insist upon the crying and the moaning and the whining and the screaming and the tantrums and the yelling, the fussing and the fighting and the biting and the hissies, the one more drink of water and the ‘one more book please, daddy’? And now I just want you to go to sleep...”

The song proceeds to recount the trials of parenthood at bedtime and again in the morning, then transitions to a reflection in which Crawford realizes that the rewards of parenthood are worth all the hardships. His daughters, Tiffany and Sarah, are now 11 and 7.

“Then I think about the laughter when the times are not so hectic...when I hold their little hands, life could not go much more contently...”

A few days after writing the song, Crawford determined he would borrow liberally from the tune for “Pachelbel’s Canon.” Next, he put the song up on YouTube. The idea was to share it primarily with the teachers he works with at Westside Middle School and the teachers his wife, Amy, works with at Westside Elementary.

By the middle of 2008, the video had garnered more than 1 million views, and Crawford he received a message through YouTube from a producer in Novi, Mich. who was interested in the tune. Stan Williams, owner of SWC films and Ninevah’s Crossing, produced the CD. It’s his first CD production project and Crawford’s first CD of his own. A singer and guitarist for the Dalton blue grass band Spatial Effects, the 40-year-old has written and performed “silly songs” since he was about 25, he said.

Williams, who focuses on entertainment media that promote Christian values, said one of the first things he noticed about Crawford was his caring nature.

“I think all of his songs are peppered with those sort of metaphors that suffering has meaning in life,” Williams said. “It’s not just the wonderful stuff; it’s the bad stuff, the stuff that hurts your back and when your kid spreads glue all over your van...Those are the moments that give the relationship meaning and it shows character.”

The album features 11 songs Crawford wrote and performed in a studio in Detroit. Crawford plays rhythm guitar, but the other musicians are professionals from the Detroit area, he said.

He and Crawford said they are working on a second album that will feature educational songs he’s written over the years as a teacher.

<Read More at the Daily Citizen Website>

Let's Hear From You

2009-11-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

After you get your copy of the CD and listen to it, please post your comments here, and David will respond. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Double Dog Dare - Nov 16 Release

2009-10-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

If all the technical approvals go as planned, we should have CDs and T-Shirts ready for distribution by Monday, Nov. 16. It's been a most enjoyable year working with David and Terry, and we love the product they've created, thanks to their creativity, professionalism, and a host of other talented people in the mix. Please visit the Double Dog Dare website and read David's "CREDIT DUE" page where he thanks the many, many people involved in his life and this project. Thank you David and Amy for the great friendship and talent. We hope there will be many years of collaboration ahead. (And yes, folks, David, is already working on another collection of songs.) The picture on the right is Terry, David, and myself after our first recording session December 8, 2008 at Terry's Oakland, MI studio. And a belated thank you to my video editor Mike Sroka for telling me to get David into the studio ASAP even though we didn't think we could afford it at the time. Now, I need to get back and design the T-Shirt page for David's website. Fun stuff.

Stan Williams
Executive Producer-Publisher

Ready, Set, Here We Go

2009-10-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

The CD has been completed

Moving Right Along

2008-02-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

Our family just got back from Disney World. My girls, ages 9 and 5, had a great time. Our youngest was quite the daredevil as she took on Test Track, Tower Of Terror, Space Mountain and Everest. The trust she must place in us, to believe that such intimidating rides are of no concern to her, is amazing. And the way her older sister encourages her and comforts her in the waiting lines is absolutely inspiring. I couldn't believe both girls walked the whole time without feigning any broken legs or crippling maladies.

The songs are shaping up nicely. I sent in two new songs to my producer and we are kicking the tires on them to see how they hold up. The songs came to me in different ways. One song was created lyrics first and the other came to me in a totally new way, chords first. I had never actually created a song based on a chord progression and it felt a little like brushing your teeth with the wrong hand. But amazingly the melody and lyrics hit at the same time and, with the exception of the middle verse, the song flowed quite easily.

I still have to get Stan a better picture of me for use on the webpage and other materials, but if you looked like my close ups, you might be delaying that as well. Actually, I'm waiting for a pretty day to try and get some shots outside, digital cameras sure make it easy.

Well, I've got to go because it's bathtime and bedtime at the Crawford house, but things don't sound Pachelbelish......yet.......

New So It's Cool

2008-02-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

When it's new it's cool. I suppose we all like to get something new. And when we have something new we devote a lot of our attention to it until it gets old, then, well, not so much attention. The blog is still new, so it is getting a lot of my attention right now. I completed the verses for a new blues song about extended family and I'm pretty happy with it right now. I still feel like there's a line or two hiding in the seventh chords, but hopefully it'll come while I'm waiting in traffic. I was asked to perform at our local Creative Arts Guild and will be doing so in March. Also, the band I play in will be opening for a remarkable group of musicians (and people), the Lovell Sisters.

It was a beautiful day for us. 70 degrees in February and my daughters were on their swings in shorts and tanktops. It was great to see them playing together so well. They are living too much in the moment to understand what a blessing they are to each other, but I know one day they will be able to see their bond personified and recognize it as one of God's greatest gifts to them.

We ate at the Fortune Cookie and my girls grossed out their mother by ordering and eating steamed pot-stickers. If you don't know what these look like, imagine newborn opossums served on a bed of lettuce. Of course they are not opossum, (I don't think they are opossum) and they are actually good if you like a doughy dumpling taste mixed with a mild sausage flavor with a hint of teriyaki.

Our youngest is resting on her mother's lap and our oldest has her toes tucked under her mother's leg. It looks like Norman Rockwell painted a mural on our living room wall. I think I'm going to pose for the picture as well. Goodnight.

Here We Go!

2008-02-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

I dropped a little song in the YouTube pond and the ripples are still spreading. The Pachelbel Bedtime song (click on movie at right) I posted on YouTube has been heard all around the world (I still can't believe it) and when it made it's way to Michigan it landed squarely in the ears of one Stan Williams at SWC Films. He contacted me and we have decided to put together an album of songs that, hopefully, will resonate with families throughout the world. He asked me to begin documenting my journey so, as per the titile of this first entry, Here we go.

How do I feel?

I go from elation to trepidation to determination and a lot of other "ations". I am nervous, curious, and excited. I feel like this is going to be a lot of fun.

Who am I?

I am a Christian, husband, father, citizen, and teacher. I try to be the best of each of these that I can, and I find great joy when I do them well.

I am married to a wonderful woman and we have two beautiful kind-hearted daughters.

How far along on the album are we?
We began working January 3rd or 4th of this year. I think things are going well. The arranger for our album is Terry Herald and he is working on three of the songs right now. I will keep this section of the blog updated as I hear from my producer.

Well, I think I'm going to work a little on a song that needs finishing so check back later for updates and info.

Thanks,
David

David Crawford Signs With SWC Films

2007-12-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

(CD) It's hard to classify this project. We discovered David when my son, Josh, sent me a link to a YouTube video David has posted of a silly song he wrote to the tune of Pachelbel's Canon in D — "Pachelbel's Bedtime." (picture at right) But then there was a song about a spoiled kid in a toy store he sang to the "Flight of the Bumblebee." David has a talent for triple-tonguing his words, like the French Horn he also plays. When I contacted David I found out he had a number of other songs in other genre's from country blues, to romantic, to Gospel. So, David and I signed an agreement today, December 6, 2007, to do an album that promises be a delightful musical feast of classical silliness combined with fun-blues (yeah, that's right, it don't make sense), to a couple touching love songs, and one great Gospel tune...at the end, of course. It may takes us a while to get everything going, but we're confident it will be worth the wait.

SWC Films will produce with Terry Herald (RGM/GOH Studios, Oakland, MI) and Nineveh's Crossing will distribute.

Stan Williams
SWC Films/Nineveh's Crossing