Upcoming Concerts

  • Nov 30
    The Guild Theatre
    Menlo Park, CA
  • Dec 01
    Odd Fellows Lodge
    Auburn, CA
  • Dec 02
    HopMonk Tavern
    Sebastopol, CA
Nov 30
The Guild Theatre - Menlo Park, CA
Dec 1
Odd Fellows Lodge - Auburn, CA
Dec 2
HopMonk Tavern - Sebastopol, CA

Moonalice News

  • Let's Rock The World One Tree At A Time!
  • Commemorating the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival!!!
  • Moonalice Minute: Lester & Dylan Chambers (Episode 1)
  • Poster Artist Feature: Dennis Larkins Interview
  • Acoustic Guitar reviews Full Moonalice, Volume 2!!
  • Moonalice plays a set on Jam In The Van
  • Glide Magazine interviews Pete Sears!
  • Acoustic Guitar Magazine: Barry, Roger and T’s play Nick and Woo Woo
  • PopMatters: Bottlerock Napa review … featuring Moonalice
  • Moonalice Will Not Play Indoors Until Further Notice
Let's Rock The World One Tree At A Time!
Commemorating the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival!!!
Moonalice Minute: Lester & Dylan Chambers (Episode 1)
Poster Artist Feature: Dennis Larkins Interview
Acoustic Guitar reviews Full Moonalice, Volume 2!!
Moonalice plays a set on Jam In The Van
Glide Magazine interviews Pete Sears!
Acoustic Guitar Magazine: Barry, Roger and T’s play Nick and Woo Woo
PopMatters: Bottlerock Napa review … featuring Moonalice
Moonalice Will Not Play Indoors Until Further Notice

What To Watch (Archive)

  • Aug 19, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
  • Jul 22, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
  • Sep 1, 2023 / The Chapel (San Francisco)
    According to Moonalice legend, we are totally psyched to be back at the Chapel. People showed us the secu...
  • Aug 31, 2023 / Rebroadcast of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 22 with new Audio & Video (San Francisco)
    This rebroadcast of the 2022 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass show with new and im...
  • Aug 18, 2023 / Oakland A's Jerry Garcia Night @ Oakland Coliseum (Oakland)
    Oakland rap According to Moonalice legend, tonight is Jerry Garcia night at Oakland Coliseum. Jer...
  • Jul 8, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
  • Sep 2, 2023 / Felton Music Hall (Felton)
    According to Moonalice legend, we are really happy we are not at Burning Man. Apparently, a huge storm de...
  • Jul 21, 2023 / Summer Concerts on the Green (Novato)
    Free Admission | 6:00-8:00pm Held at the Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Avenue Guests are encour...
  • Aug 26, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
  • Aug 27, 2023 / Terrapin Crossroads Presents: Sunday Daydream Vol. 2 @ Stafford Lake Park (Novato)
    According to Moonalice legend, we have gathered here at Stafford Lake for Sunshine Daydream 2. It is a b...
Aug 19, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
Jul 22, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
Sep 1, 2023 / The Chapel (San Francisco)
According to Moonalice legend, we are totally psyched to be back at the Chapel. People showed us the secu...
Aug 31, 2023 / Rebroadcast of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 22 with new Audio & Video (San Francisco)
This rebroadcast of the 2022 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass show with new and im...
Aug 18, 2023 / Oakland A's Jerry Garcia Night @ Oakland Coliseum (Oakland)
Oakland rap According to Moonalice legend, tonight is Jerry Garcia night at Oakland Coliseum. Jer...
Jul 8, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
Sep 2, 2023 / Felton Music Hall (Felton)
According to Moonalice legend, we are really happy we are not at Burning Man. Apparently, a huge storm de...
Jul 21, 2023 / Summer Concerts on the Green (Novato)
Free Admission | 6:00-8:00pm Held at the Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Avenue Guests are encour...
Aug 26, 2023 / Saturday Stream (Howling Moon Studio)
Aug 27, 2023 / Terrapin Crossroads Presents: Sunday Daydream Vol. 2 @ Stafford Lake Park (Novato)
According to Moonalice legend, we have gathered here at Stafford Lake for Sunshine Daydream 2. It is a b...

Tell Me It's Okay

Credits: 
Music and lyrics by Roger McNamee

Some times I lie awake and wonder what the world is coming to
It's been a wild ride; now I fear the bills are coming due.

Oh, there's trouble in my Valley.
Oh, there's trouble in my mind . . .
Tell me I'm okay.

I need to know what makes life real, what is the essence of my being
I struggle every day to deal with all the weird stuff that I'm seeing

Oh, there's trouble in my Valley.
Oh, there's trouble in my mind . . .
Tell me I'm okay.

How am I supposed to know what is real and what's for show?
Won't you tell me it's okay?
How am I supposed to know what is real and what's for show?
Won't you tell me it's okay?

Some times I lie awake at night and dream of things that might have been
I wonder why it is that someone has to lose so you can win

Oh, there's trouble in my Valley.
Oh, there's trouble in my mind . . .
Tell me I'm okay.

How am I supposed to know what is real and what's for show?
Won't you tell me it's okay?
How am I supposed to know what is real and what's for show?
Won't you tell me it's okay?
Won't you tell me, won't you tell me won't you tell me it's okay?
Tell me it's okay . . .

-----------

Here's the back story to Tell Me It's Okay.

I wrote it in late 2000 or early 2001. The song is about dealing with economic calamity. When the internet bubble burst, our part of California melted down economically. People said and did things that really bothered me. A huge number of our friends were laid off without anyplace to go. Just like now.

The first line of the chorus was suggested by a friend. The parallel guitar parts I worked out myself. The FOBs recorded the song with no jam, but a long guitar solo at the end by Bert Keely. The jams at the beginning and in the middle of the song evolved at Moonalice shows. We didn't play the song at the first five Moonalice concerts - for some weird reason I was reluctant to play my FOB songs - but then we tried it at a free show in San Francisco.

T Bone Burnett didn't care for the song, so we never went past basic tracks in the studio. As a result, we thought it would be good to include the video produced by Elliot Mazer. Believe it or not the video is entirely live EXCEPT Pete's keyboard part (note that he also plays bass!) and GE's harmony vocal.

Tribe Comments

Kip Bailing's picture

What's the meaning of the designation, "Festival Version," that sometimes refers to this terrific song?