New Country 2020 - part 4

country-spree.mp3

A quiet folk story about the monsters we grow up believing in… and the ones we learn to recognize later. “Real Monsters” follows a lifetime of advice from a father who knows that danger doesn’t hide under beds — it shakes your hand, clocks in at work, and sometimes smiles a little too wide.

Acoustic, warm, and a little bittersweet, this one leans into that front-porch wisdom we all heard growing up. No villains named, no sides taken — just a reminder to trust the good folks, keep your circle close, and not fall for anybody selling fear.

LYRICS
(C)2025 Ggreg Snyder

[Verse 1]
When I was just a barefoot kid,
I asked my dad, “Are monsters real?”
He said, “Son, they ain’t hidin’ under beds,
they walk on two good heels.
Don’t trust a smile that comes too quick,
and don’t believe every friendly face.
Some folks’ll pat your back real nice
while they’re movin’ you outta place.”

[Chorus]
Real monsters ain’t in the closet,
ain’t curlin’ up out in the dark.
They’re drivin’ to work like you do,
buyin’ groceries, parking their cars.
And you can’t hear ’em growl or howl,
no warning bark or spark —
The real monsters walk among us,
in the daylight, son, not in the dark.

[Verse 2]
Years later when I got a job,
Dad said, “Now here comes the fun —
Some folks’ll trip you on the staircase
just to claim they climbed to number one.
They’ll dress up ambition like kindness,
they’ll swear they’re only tryin’ to help.
Don’t let ’em carve you up, my boy,
just to puff up their own self.”

[Chorus]
real monsters ain’t in the closet,
ain’t curlin’ up out in the dark.
They’re clockin’ in, shakin’ hands,
smilin’ wide in the company yard.
they won’t leave tracks or shadows,
they blend right in with the larks —
The real monsters walk among us,
in the daylight, son, not in the dark.

[Bridge]
But you learn to spot ’em by heartbeat,
by how your stomach knots or calms.
Trust the ones who stay beside you
when everything else goes wrong.
The good ones don’t shine like diamonds —
they’re quiet, steady, true.
Takes half a life to realize
who’s who around you.

[Verse 3]
Now Dad’s old bones are brittle,
but his voice is steady still.
Says, “Watch the suits and papers, son —
the ones who bill you just to bill.
Doctors, lawyers, numbers men,
not all, but some will take you far from home.
Keep your circle small and honest, boy,
you’ll need ’em when you’re grown.”

[Chorus]
real monsters ain’t in the closet,
or swimming with the sharks.
They’re shakin’ hands, makin’ plans,
smilin’ like neighbors in the park.
But love’s the best flashlight we got,
cuts clean through the stark.
The real monsters walk among us —
so keep good people close when things get dark.

[Outro]
And Dad said, “One more thing, my boy —
beware the folks who swear they see
a monster hidin’ everywhere,
and tell you that’s your enemy.
Fear’s a cheap and easy seller,
don’t buy it just ’cause it’s loud.
Keep your heart lined up with kindness,
you’ll stand taller than the crowd.”

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