Great collaboration, you bring out something great in each other!

"The Shape Of Your Shadow" (#496, 210824)

The shape of your shadow
Is dancing on the floor
The shade of fine tobacco
I never could afford

The light outside the window
Is seeping through the cracks
A memory made out of tinsel
Shining against the black

And the only two things I know
The only two things
The only two things there are
Are my breath so shallow
And the shape of your shadow

The mornings are sewn together
A pale surrender into the night
You were once my first forever
Until your letter spelled goodbye

Week 34 - Shape Of Your Shadow (210824)

"Turn It Around" (#563, 220404)

There's a hundred one expressions
About things gone wrong
I don't got room for half of 'em
To fit in this here song

But I got little good news
About life's little fluctuations
I've yet to see it all come tumblin' down
Despite our limitations

When we didn't break it and we can't fix it
If we didn't start it and we cannot make it stop
Though we lack the power to 86 it
And we can't even guarantee we'll always be on top

Popular wisdom is I hear again and again
It'll be alright before the lights go down
So if it ain't alright yet then it's not the end
And we still got plenty of time to turn it around

We've all had that moment
Something's on the fritz
It all goes pear-shaped
And you get the yips

Things go sideways
You're at your wits' end
In dire straits
Remember my friend

Week 14 - Turn It Around (220404)

A recent camping trip with my wife to the eastern high desert of San Diego County served to inspire my composition. Over several days and nights out in the open desert, I heard many different sounds (birds, coyotes, the wind rustling through the bushes, faint chatter from other campers). I also reveled in the awe-inspiring landscape of the mountains looming to our west, the high desert terrain and foliage around us, and the incredible swirling star-filled night sky above us.  Beyond the landscape and sounds, there is a rich history of the Pony Express and Butterfield Stagecoach routes through the area, as well as traces of a migrating native American population.  I was moved to attempt to capture all this into a musical soundscape that would evoke these sights, sounds, and memories.

Vallecito

I think I want a bit more light than this
I think I want a bit more light 

Oh turn a light on
Shine a light on me

I think I want a bit more warmth than this
I think I want a bit more warmth

Oh light a fire
Bring warmth to me

And it's been so very long that I've been
Sitting in the dark - 
I DON't know why I didn’t a change before
I guess what matters now
Is getting back up off the ground
I've seen a little light and I want more

I think I want a bit more love than this
I think I want a bit more love

Open my heart up
Let a love begin
Open my heart up
Let the loving in

Turn A Light On

Struggle with Goodbye
(Mark I. Anderson)

I see lovers holding hands
I see laughter in their eyes
I know love won’t understand
Wy it is some lovers cry
I see dreams that will command you
To never cease to try
In the end the best we can do   
Is to struggle with goodbye

When the darkness becomes the morning 
And the morning’s turned to dusk
When the night has ceased it’s mourning
And it’s time again to trust
When the soul has finished teaching
All it can teach before it dies 
In the silence there’s a warning
As it struggles with goodbye

When the echo of a young love
Is waiting in the dark
When the night just won’t let go of
The fire and the spark
There’ll be dreams that will command you
To spread your wings and fly
In the end all that we can do 
Is to struggle with goodbye 

There’ll be dreams that still command you
To spread your wings and fly
In the end the best we can do 
Is to struggle with goodbye…

Struggle with goodbye

Turn It Around
Copyright 2022 Erin Wolf

Week 14 Prompt: Turn It Around

i look to the light i have found
shining through the darkness
i don't know which way to go
but i gotta turn it around

the road ahead's uncertain
the road ahead is scary
i don't know what's 
coming on up ahead of me

but i know i can't stay here
can't stay where i've been
it's time to go
a new adventure's just waiting to begin

'cuz here there's nothing to do but
walk around in circles
there's nothing to do but
to walk around in circles

time to turn it around
time to turn it around

i listen for the sounds i have heard
sounds of freedom singing like a bird
i have heard the call on the horizon waiting
and i know they're waiting just for me for the taking

and there's nothing to do 
but walk around in circles
oh, there's nothing to do here
but walk around in circles

gotta turn it around
gotta turn it around

oh I've been scared to 
take that first step for fear
that i'll be dragged into
the unknown

and i don't know what is coming
but it can't be any worse
than all i've been through
all i've been through

gotta turn it around

i go where my feet are leading me
leading me into the next 
chapter of this journey

and i don't know who i'll come to 
and i don't know who i'll love
and i don't know who i'll fight for
oh could it be from above

but there's nothing to do here
but walk around in circles
no, there's nothing to do but
walk around in circles

gotta turn it around
i gotta turn it around
gotta turn it around

ooohooo, turn it around

Turn It Around

Featuring the incredible Dan Raza on guitar!

I held onto a dream for the longest time,
Brick by brick everything falling into place,
Just when I thought I had a firm foundation,
I realized I was standing on shaky ground.

The home I built turned to rubble, 
Just an illusion all of this time.
Blinders kept me from seeing the kingdom,
And lately I’ve never felt more whole.
I have yet to earn a crown of my own,
But maybe I could borrow yours, chaos king.

With no where to go, I followed the only way,
The sun had set, all I had was the starlight.
As I moved through the forest all became clear,
I had to leave all I’ve ever known to find myself again.

The home I built turned to rubble, 
Just an illusion all of this time.
Blinders kept me from seeing the kingdom,
And lately I’ve never felt more whole.
I have yet to earn a crown of my own,
But maybe I could borrow yours, chaos king.

The heavens and the cosmos have never felt closer,
When for so long they seemed out of reach,
Somehow the stars seem brighter than ever before,
And they reflect like diamonds on the beach.

The home I built turned to rubble, 
Just an illusion all of this time.
Blinders kept me from seeing the kingdom,
And lately I’ve never felt more whole.
I have yet to earn a crown of my own,
But maybe I could borrow yours, chaos king.

Dan Raza & Anoki ReChord – Chaos King

"Ship To The Shore" (#419, 201122)

Got no gin blanket's gone
Wind so cold water's calm
Prayed for grace don't know how
Threw the compass off the bow

Made up my mind ship to the shore
Ran out of time do that anymore
Throw it all out deadbolt the door
Ain't too proud that's for sure

Anchor's up tide is low
What's my plan hell if I know
Raise that flag load that lead
Burn that oil sun to set

Made up my mind ship to the shore
Ran out of time do that anymore
Throw it all out deadbolt the door
Ain't too proud that's for sure

Cast my face hard and mean
Break the chain nice and clean
Drop this freight light the fuse
No more runnin' nothing to prove

Week 48b - Ship To The Shore (201122)

"Near or Far" (#420, 201202)

Never a doubt in my mind
How I'd spend all of my time
Born to look deeper in people's two peepers
Figurin' out which ones is blind

Same thing one day to the next
Gettin' their blinkers both checked
Have 'em look closer at the words on the poster
And send 'em off wearin' new specs

Plenty see near others real far
Me I just measure the distance
Cross every T dot the eyes in the chart
Grateful I'm makin' a difference

Twenty twenty since I was born
But I know that ain't really the norm
So I keep grandma' drivin' by wisely prescribin'
New lenses and rims made of horn

Folks rarely see crystal clear
Except in the old rearview mirror
Yes that's a metaphor but still I won't settle for
Lettin' their sight disappear

Plenty see near others real far
Me I just measure the distance
Cross every T dot the eyes in the chart
Grateful I'm makin' a difference

Better train all my assistants
How to keep eyes outta' trouble
Otherwise who's gonna' fix it
If I should start seein' double

Week 49 - Near Or Far (201202)

*** Note: really tried to stay on theme all year, but I had already written a Good Book song in 2019 (in fact, just about a year ago exactly; hmm....). So, this week you get a window into my day job. *** 

"We Owe It All To You" (#421, 201206)

Today I got a feeling sitting on a conference all
About some words that I need to say out loud
Well this year's been a hard one all the rises and the falls
But through it all I couldn't be more proud

Of all the front line heroes who save us every day
From makin' a mistake we can't undo
To know them is to love them so I look at them and say
We owe it all to you

From PSRs to drivers site managers to execs
Maui to Massachusetts and in between
There ain't a single one of 'em who don't have my respect
It's an honor to be servin' on this team

To all the front line heroes who save us every day
From makin' a mistake we can't undo
To know them is to love them so I look at them and say
We owe it all to you

Our masks are for each other as much as for ourselves
These times are tough but we're gonna' make it through
Our hands are clean, our hearts are strong, our work paralleled
Front line staff we owe it all to you

Week 50b - We Owe It All To You (201206)

"Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Country Music" (#422, 201208)

 * Co-written with Dan Rivers * 

First day in the USA from a desert combat zone
Just pray I can find my way Take Me Home Country Roads
5th gear no rear view mirror I'm gettin' back to basics
Shot of Jack and I made it back to Friends In Low Places

Everything I need to know I learned from country music
I was born and raised in the southern ways from the day I learned to crawl
Every man I trust every girl I love every song I'll ever sing
Thank God for country music it taught me everything

You Find Out Who Your Friends Are when you leave for a couple years
Do you build a brand new life or sit there cryin' in your beer
They asked if every day there all I thought of was survivin'
Pretty soon I guess you start to Live Like You Were Dyin'

Everything I need to know I learned from country music
I was born and raised in the southern ways from the day I learned to crawl
Every man I trust every girl I love every song I'll ever sing
Thank God for country music it taught me everything

Guitars and Cadillacs to D-I-V-O-R-C-E
My exes down in Texas from Lucille to Jolene
Take this job and shove it killin' time in guitar town
All my rowdy friends to Sunday mornin' comin' down

Week 50a - Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Country Music (201208)

My songwriting and vocal influences include:
Alanis Morissette
Avril Lavigne
Beck
Carrie Underwood
Courtney Love
David Bowie
Dave Grohl
George Harrison
Harry Styles
Hayley Williams
Hillary Lindsey
Jamie Bower
John Lennon
Josh Homme
Kacey Musgraves
Kelly Clarkson
Kim Gordon
Kurt Cobain
Lee Ranaldo
Liz Phair
Michelle Branch
Stefani Germanotta
Taylor Swift
Thurston Moore
Tom Petty
William Corgan

Dan Raza & Anoki ReChord – Chaos King

Anoki

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