I wrote Departures [https://soundcloud.com/kent-aitken-386794022/departures-song-a-week-2020-week-4] when I was setting up to move; I'm book-ending it with this the day before I head home for the summer. Erin [https://soundcloud.com/erinwolf] was right; I think I have travel on my mind.

*****

When we are tired
And need to lay down
Count time to the tide
Come back to this place

When we are older
Bring me to the water
Set time all aside
Back where I was born

Bring me home, to tie it together
When memory is worn

At the end of the evening
At the end of the warm night
Bright with my brothers
And the families they made

Where our mother is buried
We water the flowers
Somehow they grow
When we're far away

I like to think they need our attention
Even when we only make it home rarely

Bring me home, to tie it together
When memory is worn

With a sigh
For the seasons and lives that pass by

When I am ready
Bring me to the water

The Water - Song a Week 2020, Week 29

"Longest Road You'll Ever Walk" (#355-375, 200505-200717)

Co-written with Chris Wyatt.

Artwork by "beguima", two sisters and a brother from Barcelona: www.society6.com/guillemvillaro

She swore she would never leave you
But here you are all alone
Nothin' more than a memory
And no strength to carry on

You moved mountains to have her
Damn near 1500 miles
That all crumbled when she left you
In the middle of the night

After seven years together it finally fell apart
Coulda' seen it comin' you weren't listenin' at all
It's a lonely highway from your head to your heart
The longest road you'll ever walk

If you knew that it was over
Could have kissed her one last time
Begged for one more sunrise
Tried to change her mind

Here you are with all the pieces
Scattered all around the room
Trying hard to find a reason
God I hope you find it soon

Lookin' back now it's clear I couldn't tell
Ain't no sense to sit here talkin' to myself
Need to face it I'm losin' my best friend
And I'd do it all again

Week 29a - Longest Road You’ll Ever Walk (200717)

"I Can't Believe It's Not" (#382, 200802)

Something about your smile
Darker than the rest
The anger in your eyes
Always hurt the best

Better hold on tight
To the pain I know
Never safe inside
Never could let go

I'd give you everything
To have you back again
One more night together
We could stay forever

Show me some kinda' sign
Before I'm out of time
And the door is finally locked
I can't believe it's not

Nothing could have stopped
What you meant to me
All those aftershocks
Brought me to my knees

I'd give you everything
To have you back again
One more night together
We could stay forever

Show me some kinda' sign
Before I'm out of time
And the door is finally locked
I can't believe it's not

Did I dream it did I fall in fantasy
Did I carve you from the earth
Did I leave behind my sense of sanity
Did I waste until it hurt

Week 32 - I Can’t Believe It’s Not (200802)

The Ending - Song a Week 2020, Week 33

Glasgow Songwriting Festival with lots of good tutors and inspiration.
This was written after an afternoon with Boo Hewerdine

Every Road

I got electricity that's shooting out my fingertips 
feel it when I walk into the room
I got sexuality that's bending all of space and time 
Find the world revolves around me too

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth with me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
it's coursing through my veins
I'm set to set the world alight

I been every hole you ever sold your soul to leave behind
I been broken down and left to die
I tried every way to shake the naked devil off your back
Can you see the twinkle in my eye

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth in me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I feel it's coursing through my veins
I'm setting everything alight

I got on top and
Ain’t gonna stop
Ain’t gonna stop now - no
I crashed out
I’m back now
Bringing something to the light

The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I got the the goddam font of youth in me tonight
The elixir of life - the elixir of life
I feel it's coursing through my veins
I'm set to set the world alight

Elixir Of Life

A new idea!  Incomplete, needs work, but I’m excited about this idea.  This is about climate change and how it will (or to be more accurate, how it already is) prompting migration of people.  It’s inspired by this New York Times Magazine article: How Climate Migration Will Reshape America.  https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/P6rcx8h4Ww8L6-7D-QqMJg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhQyJSP4QZAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tL2ludGVyYWN0aXZlLzIwMjAvMDkvMTUvbWFnYXppbmUvY2xpbWF0ZS1jcmlzaXMtbWlncmF0aW9uLWFtZXJpY2EuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD05JmVtYz1lZGl0X25uXzIwMjAwOTE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIyMTk5Jm5sPXRoZS1tb3JuaW5nJnJlZ2lfaWQ9MTMyMDM3Mjk1JnNlY3Rpb25faW5kZXg9MSZzZWN0aW9uX25hbWU9YmlnX3N0b3J5JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MzgwOTAmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWRiNTZmMmM2NWIwMzQ0M2RhZTAzOTczMGVhYTQ4NjAzVwNueXRCCgBDUp1gXxpHHKFSFmFic3RyYWN0X3dhdGVyQG1hYy5jb21YBAAAAAA~

I like this melody, but it sounds very familiar, too familiar.  If you happen to recognize it, let me know.

Follow

Now let’s be honest
Who wants to leave all they know?
The blood and sweat and tears
Dollars spent helping loved ones grow

But let’s be honest
Where do you think you will go?
The floods and storms and fire
Creep up to the doorstep you own

If there’s one thing I’ve learned
Don’t wait for your voice to be heard

Follow

Move where the crops grow
Move where the river flows
Look out the window
Gotta go where the coins go

Follow

Follow where the land will grow

Follow - 9:18:20, 6.51 PM

"Don't Piss On My Leg And Tell Me It's Raining" (#398, 200924)

Damn near got matching tattoos
But you said they ran out of ink
My buddies all laugh at your name on my ass
And I ain't got a clue what to think

We almost became man and wife
But your oil change just couldn't wait
Told me you panicked and boinked the mechanic
It seems like you knew you'd be late

So don't hand me cowpies and tell me they're raisins
Don't roast my hot dog and tell me it's bacon
Somethin' ain't right accordin' to my calculations
Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's rainin'

Bought you that new diamond ring
You said it got lost in the street
So howcome I'm certain you went and returned it
For every cent on that receipt

Spent a weekend with my cousin
Family time was your story
Well it's all fun and games until someone gets laid
Now it's an episode of Maury

So don't hand me cowpies and tell me they're raisins
Don't roast my hot dog and tell me it's bacon
Somethin' ain't right accordin' to my calculations
Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's rainin'

So don't bring me Twinkies and tell me you made 'em
Don't make up games and expect me to play 'em
I may not know much but I'm pretty sure you're mistaken
Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's rainin'

Week 39b - Don't Piss On My Leg And Tell Me It's Raining (200924)

Copyright Erin Wolf 2020

*My apologies to my neighbors who may or may not have endured many, many takes during recording...*

well i look at you as you walk down the avenue
hot as hell and looking so damn cool
there's some kind of magic that's drawing me further in
oh i bet your love is the best kind of sin

you look my way and take a moment to say hey
oh you got my body tingling in some kind of way
who would've thought i'd fall for someone like you
only time will tell which one of us is playing the fool

come on in
let's take a spin

you know
i know
something here that we can't miss

we feel
it's real
all this heat between us

you see
i see
something's beginning

don't hold back now, no
just let go

i know your heart's been broken, beaten, and bruised
so has mine, we both know what we've got to lose
but no worries, baby, you know that i mean you no harm
all i want is your loving on these cold nights to keep me warm

Just Let Go

on another episode of writing songs about TV shows...
I had the initial idea for this song about three weeks ago. I finally sat down and wrote it two weeks ago. And I finished recording it TODAY. FINALLY.

Lyrics:

You'd be surprised 'bout how heavy is the suitcase I brought
despite leaving behind 10 ton of hurt for a long shot.
A chameleon hiding out for its life, took your hand and you took mine.
We were just doing fine but I can't help to be myself back.

'Till I remember I left my ID back home,
I guess that I don't need it to say goodbye in your car.
Throw my arms to the wind, the soundtrack is your laugh
and I'm afraid I won't breathe it in enough.

Don't mind me, I'm just hoping my lungs will be cleaner
after one last night in Cartagena.

A baby deer learning how to walk in high heels,
I never knew what's like to start with the easiest thing.
Would you collect all the times I said no cause I was scared,
and light them into fireworks, hold me close and turn them into yes?

Oh mon amour, I left my ID back home,
I guess that I don't need it to say goodbye in your car.
Throw my arms to the wind, the soundtrack is your laugh
and if I look at your eyes, I can breathe it in enough.

Don't mind me, I'm just hoping my lungs will be cleaner
after one last night in Cartagena.

And just like in the movies you say
I've been here all along.
And I would stay with you here
until my days are gone.

'Till I remember I left my past back home,
and it's faster than me, so though it hurts I have to go.
"Don't you forget about me" you sound like paradise
cause for the first time I wanna say it back.

Don't mind me, I'm just hoping my lungs will be cleaner
after one last night in Cartagena.
(Throw my arms to the wind, the soundtrack is your laugh
and I look at your eyes to breathe it in enough)

last night in Cartagena

Week 4 #songaweek2021. Photo is from a walk with my kids on a woodsy bluff trail overlooking downtown Saint Paul. Feeling very "meh" about this song and life in general today so just made a quick phone recording to git 'er done for another week :)

I’m walking on winter’s water
Skating on thick ice
No fear of drowning
In this frozen paradise

I’m standing in silent snow light
under a full moon
shadows of tree branches
brush the drifts with deep dark hues

Januaerial view
icicle dreams come true

I’m listening to birds and breezes
in the winter woods
bright songs and deep sighs
whispering a world of good

i’m sleeping through winter’s long night
warmed with gentle fire,
soft quilts and old stories
of worlds beyond my cozy shire

Januaerial View

Nashville songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Godin Guitars Official Artist and Founder of www.songaweek.org.

His catalog of 500+ titles includes collaborations with hit writers Mark Narmore, Elliott Park, Steve Dean, and Pete & Pat Luboff, among others internationally from England to Australia.

Redding's music has landed cuts by numerous recording artists including Dan Whitehouse, Emma Gale, and David Easterling.

Week 39b - Don't Piss On My Leg And Tell Me It's Raining (200924)

James Tristan Redding