Original songs by Erin Wolf in 2024

www.erinwolfmusic.com
www.songaweek.org

SAW 2024

Copyright 2024 Erin Wolf
feat. Baby (guitar) & Mando (mandolin)
Looping drone/vocal effect courtesy of BandLab Sounds

Photo: Gymnasium at the Oak Ridge Children's Museum in Oak Ridge, TN, December 2023

Performance/Song Note: Stream of consciousness writing here with patchy vocals (still not back to 100% from recent respiratory illnesses). Lyrically, the song merges self-awareness and conversations with loved ones as we reflected on 2023 and speculated about 2024. Thanks for listening. <3

--

as the sun rises in the east
i'm left wondering
what today will bring
what will it bring

it's been years since i've 
looked back
and i don't recognize 
the one i've become

don't think it's good 
and i don't think it's bad
i think it just is
yeah, just is

in this next year
i'm taking leap 
after leap
of faith

God has something
and sometimes 
we don't know it,
and that's okay

i've grown and 
i've flown
in ways i couldn't have known
a year and a day ago

i don't what 
tomorrow will bring
but i know i will breathe
yeah, oh woah

yeah, oh woah

and i know i will see new people
and new faces
and i will go to new heights 
and new places

and i know 
tears will fall
and laughter will
burst forth

i'll hope love will 
find me again
that i'll begin to blossom
anew again

i know that love will
find a way to burst forth
like heaven and
all the things in store

in store
in store
in store

All the Things in Store

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024
feat. Baby (guitar) & Viola (bass)

Photo: The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee near Cades Cove (2021) Great Smoky National Park

Song notes: Shout-out to my brother for passing on his old bass a few years ago. I'm not a bass player myself, yet wanted to give it a go for this one... but didn't change the strings out ahead of time (the originals - over 20 years old with questionable ability to hold their tune). Thank you for your patience on the sticky notes!

And shout-out to the lovely Laurie & David Easterling for hosting my kiddos & me over the holidays! Although this song was written in the evening of New Year's Day 2024, the nugget of an idea came to be while writing songs at their dining room table pre-NYE. 

--

i rode to the rolling hills of Kentucky
and i drove through the mountains
Great and Smoky
back home in Tennessee
you were the only one 
i could see

i don't know what it is 
about that holiday time
got all these memories 
of all the good times gone by
and oh, i'm lost in nostalgic memories
they're not faded, no, not for me

and will you come
will you hold on
hope for the new year
maybe

'cuz i'm hoping you are
not too far away
and i hope you are
somewhere close tonight
close tonight

look to the north star
may it guide our way 
back to something
back to something
back home

and as i watch the sun set
on that ol' mountain ridge
i wonder if you're thinking back to
what we had been

and as i look back on photos
and i listen to the songs 
that we shared
oh, that love was there

Oh, That Love was There

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024
"Stories of Me & You"

Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
*Note: While the week imploded and I couldn't get 7 songs in 7 days as hoped, I pulled out an old back-up plan and wrote a song with all 7 prompts included. May have been a bit of a lyrical stretch - ah well.

Prompts:
1. Down the Hall
2. Open all Night
3. Stories of You
4. Tiles on the Roof
5. Hide in Plain Sight
6. The Real Reason
7. Go to the Store
--
i remember how you looked at me
over your shoulder as we crossed 
the rainy streets of new york city
it's almost like your eyes needed confirmation
i was real
your smile showed me it was real

you were the real reason i was nervous
so i let my fear hide in plain sight
now suddenly, after all these years,
you're only down the hall, and i wonder
if this is all real
open the door to see that we are real

and then we'll share stories of all me
and we'll share stories of all you
'til eventually new stories of we're shining through
we know they're real
and we know they're true
oh these stories of me and you

we know they're real and
we know they're true
me and you

rain's pouring down 
on the tiles
of the roof
but it all seems moot
when your smile's 
as warm as the sun

when we go to the store, 
you hope then door for me
but i can't help but feel like 
we're caught up in a dream
'cuz after all these years we're here and it's right
open the door and kept it open all night

and then we'll share stories of all me
and we'll share stories of all you
'til eventually new stories of we're shining through
we know they're real
and we know they're true
stories of me and you

we know they're real and
we know they're true
me and you

Stories of Me & You

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024

Photo: Early morning flight out of MKE, January 2024

Written & recorded at Camp Beckwith in Fairhope, Alabama

-for the Younglings: I love y'all infinity-

another early morning flight
get up before the sunrise
driving through the rain, snow, and fog
everything's clouding over

five states, countless cities 
before i'm by the bay
four hearts left behind
and one that will stay mine

i know that i'll be coming home
in time
even though it seems wild
it's gonna be alright

my loves, oh my loves
my loves, my loves

take me down to the places that i've never been before
and have some new adventures
even though i'm going and coming more than i used to
i'll still be returning home to you

my loves, my loves
my loves, oh my loves

and when you see the stars, you can wish, you can will
and i know that i will be coming home still
promise i will do whatever it takes
see you when morning breaks

my loves, my loves
my loves, oh my loves

My Loves

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024

Photo details: Sunset over Beckwith Camp in Fairhope, AL, January 2024. Photo from Erin Wolf at the end of the pier looking back at the camp.

Note: Bit of a random tune with dreamy elements which also contains a few previous and future prompts from Song A Week (dot org):

-In a million years (week 2)
- All of a sudden (week 4)
- Dream world (week 5)
- Pistols & petals (week 8)

--

there is an ache
inside these bones
like i'm searching for something
God only knows

i am told
time will tell
it's just as well to wait
another night

as i fall asleep 
in this dream world
pistols and petals 
around me fall

all of a sudden
i'm awake
covered in sweat and tears
the ache is back again

and never in a million years
did i think i'd fall
so low
but i never thought i'd
spend so long
solo

la da di dah
la da di dah dah
la da di dah, da da
di dium

one day i may
find someone new
ease this ache
let hope shine through

Let Hope Shine Through

Official account of Erin Wolf for Song A Week 2019-present. • For 2016-2018 Song A Week archives, follow @erniwolf or click the link below.