Awesome job guys.  Great lyrics.  Reminds me a bit of Old 97's or Big Star

I hope you don't find this negative of me but isn't this actually about the things that God can't do, but people can?

Amen! You guys nailed this one. Great song James.

Really pretty, and I like that there are three different choruses to this.

This is one finely-crafted country song, well-done you two! Also the impromptu percussion is very endearing, reminds me of Nathan who often does the same thing when I play a song for him the first time :)

The Classic Country Gospel Hymn played with powerful energy and beautiful vocals and acoustic guitar by Paul Drockton

How Great Thou Art  (Over 265,000 Facebook Likes!)

A Place Called Eldorado (#431, 210121)

 * by Dan Rivers + James Tristan Redding * 

Place called Eldorado a couple hours from OKC
One square mile somewhere in the middle between you and me
Sick of these palm trees and I miss the way you laugh
What if I go east and you head west and we cut the drive in half

Bet there's fields of gold and green that glisten in the rain
Never made a footprint there and no one knows your name
Do you still have that Subaru with a peace sign on the back
I got me an old Chevrolet and I just filled up the tank

Hope you're leavin' Greenville L.A. just disappeared
I'm flyin' like an eagle there ain't no rear view mirror
Mile markers flashing by lead to where I'll spend all my tomorrows
A place called Eldorado

A couple books and a baseball cap the shirt you bought for me
Heart racin' as I tossed 'em all on the empty shotgun seat
Bet you're on a two lane road in the Appalachian snow
Somewhere in the desert I turned on that radio

Guess you got through Knoxville I just passed Santa Fe
And I ain't gonna' stop 'til I see your pretty face
Mile markers flashing by lead to where I'll spend all my tomorrows
A place called Eldorado

Sometime after midnight I tried to call you up
Telephone kept ringin' got this feelin' in my gut
Shook it off like I always do and rolled the windows down
Lit another cigarette too late to turn back now

Mile markers flashing by lead to where I'll spend all my tomorrows
A place called Eldorado

Week 04 - A Place Called Eldorado (210121)

"Some Things In This World Only God Can Do" (#432, 210126)

 * Co-written with Jeffrey Joslin * 

Engine runnin' strange need the oil changed
Go see Billy at the fillin' station
He'll top up the tank and it won't break the bank
And he's always good for makin' conversation

Diner on the left lady's name is Tess
Makes the county's finest apple pie
Summer through to winter breakfast lunch and dinner
Gotta' have a piece before you die

But if you're feelin' lost like you can't see no way out
Lookin' for some answers when all you got is doubt
if YOU'RE out on the edge with nothin' left to lose
I know who to send you to
There's some things in this world only God can do

When you're feelin' low there's a place just up the road
Keystone Karaoke's goin' down
If you can't sing a lick they won't mind a bit
Cheapest kind of therapy in town

If you need a little peace to get you through the night
A candle in the darkness to shine a little light
If your heart is broken and you're feelin' like a fool
I know who to send you to
There's some things in this world only God can do

I ain't tryin' to say that God won't find a way
Of showin' up through someone else
The people that you meet might be His hands and feet
I'm sure he don't mind the help

Well if you need the grace that'll quench your thirsty soul
And a cup that will not empty further down the road
If you're lookin' for redemption for something tried and true
I know who to send you to
There's some things in this world only God can do

Week 05b - Some Things In This World Only God Can Do (210126)

Week 4 HELP YOURSELF  31/01/21
¾ G C D Em capo 2

G
HERE I GO
C                     D
DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN
G                                     C                  D
I ALWAYS STAY IN THAT STATE SO LONG
EM
LET  ME GO
C                      D
PROVE ME  WRONG AGAIN
Em                                 C         D        G
BUT OVER AND OVER THE SAME OLD GROUND
2
LONG AGO
YOU WERE NEAR TO ME
YOU SHOWED THE COURAGE TO SEE ME THROUGH
ALL THE YEARS
EVERY TRAGEDY
OUR HEARTS SANK DEEP IN THE STONE COLD GROUND
3
WHERE’S THE TUNE
WHERE’S THE MELODY
FELL ON DEAF EARS AND KEPT ROLLING ON
ON AND ON IN MY MEMORY
OVER AND OVER THE SAME OLD SONG  
 
4
SHOULD WE CROSS PATHS AGAIN some day
ILL NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU FOUND THE WAY
FROM THE PAST THROUGH THE PAIN AGAIN
BR OKEN IN PIECES AND SHATTERED LIKE CLAY
OVER AND OVER MADE NEW TODAY

BRIDGE D  C  G 
D
WHO CAN I RUN TO
C                                        G
IM STUCK IN A MIRE SO HUNGRY AND TIRED
 D
WHERE IS MY RESCUE
C
THESE TEARS HAVE RUN DRY
G
RAINED DOWN IN SKIES

help yourself wk4

Days and days of grey and overcast
Waiting for this goddamn storm to pass
Trying, not to, fall into the mud
Bleak midwinter cold the trees are bare
Feeling like the sky is looking there
Heart is sinking into the flood
But I swore to myself that when the sun came out I'd sing and play

And there's blue in the sky today
---
Black clouds got the best of yesterday
Spring could be a hundred days away
Trudge that path to happy destiny
I can be a grumpy son-of-a-bitch
Grateful for the way you handle it
Trying to seek out the best in me
And I promised myself that when your love arrived I'd sing hooray

And there's blue in the sky today
---
And EVery time I think I went too far you walk me back
And every TIME that I get LOST you help to GET me back on track
And anyTHING I tried to MAKE it fell part ‘til I FOUND you
Then right on cue… the sun came shining through

And there's blue in the sky x4 today

Blue In The Sky

"Dancin’ In The Kitchen" (#434, 210116)

 * Co-written with Pete & Pat Luboff * 

Got up today wrong side of the bed
Rock n’ roll hangover in my head
Stumbled to the kitchen and I lost my frown
'Cuz she was percolating to the coffee sound

Pop went the toast, and up she jumped
Do-si-do'd with the fridge and closed the door with a thump

Dancin' in the kitchen singin' a song
Feelin' 'bout as happy as the year is long
Banging on the pots and rattling the dishes
What a way to start the day
Dancing in the kitchen

Sizzling bacon is her high hat beat
Pancakes flipping to the time in her feet
Singing along to the tune in her heart
Spatula microphone like a superstar

Scrambling the eggs is her rhythm section
As she makes my favorite breakfast confection

Dancin' in the kitchen singin' a song
Feelin' 'bout as happy as the year is long
Banging on the pots and rattling the dishes
What a way to start the day
Dancing in the kitchen

Jumpin' on the table in a cloud of dust
'Cuz the floor's not high enough

Week 05a - Dancin’ In The Kitchen (210116)

My Year is Coming 

Autumn’s watching 
Like you're living someone else’s life
On the outside like
A visitor counting the time 
Yes, I know, I was pushing me out
Giving up like I’d lost it
Never feel like’ I’m getting things right  

Spring came early
Trailing petals like a runaway bride 
Season changes after 
Cold winter, waiting for white 
Catching words in a butterfly net 
Like an imposter
Never feel like I’m doing my best    

I found a gap
between the clouds 
A glint of light 
behind the shadows
Greenest grass 
beyond the meadow
A better day 
beyond tomorrow

I know I know, I know my year is coming 
I know I know, my year is coming 


Summer’s on us
Balmy evening breezes carry the light
Fortune’s knocking
On the changes that I’m feeling inside
Seeds are planted and they’re starting to sprout
Feeling like I’ve got it 
Now I know that I’m crushing my doubt

I found a gap
between the clouds 
A glint of light 
behind the shadows
The greenest grass 
beyond the meadow
A better day 
beyond tomorrow

I know I know, I know my year is coming 
I know I know, my year is coming

Week 5 - SAW - My Year Is Coming (seeds verse 3)

[Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/whiskey-bar-alcohol-glass-scotch-315178/, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en]

Donna Piano: https://soundcloud.com/donna-piano

Erin Wolf: https://soundcloud.com/erinwolf

Sin Or Whisky (by Donna Piano, with Erin Wolf)

Running Blind

WEEK 7
Nik Newark DRUM N FIFE 
CAPO 2
Am
We all recall that moment back in time
when Nik Newark saved our lives
well hold your horses for a moment shut the gate
the songs of nik are rising up again 

his poetry it warms the coldest heart
his falsetto brings you to tears and tears you apart
he ll write an epic song just for you
                           G
on drum 'n' fife mouth trumpet or kazoo

** there’s more to life than drum 'n' fife that’s true
         G
but relentlessly he chases down each perfect tune
Am
whatever genre tempo theme pursued
                                            G
what cannot Nik Newark do

some things in life hit hard and take their toll
we need the art that serves and calms the soul
on these days oh so much more than we've ever known
no one can live by bread alone

his poetry it warms the coldest heart
his falsetto brings you to tears and tears you apart
on drum and fife on triangle and spoon
he ll write an epic song for you

NNDNF SAW 7 - 19:2:21, 8.33 am

My contribution to week 7 of Song A Week 2021. The theme this week was Nik Newark's Drum & Fife, which at first I had no clue what to make of it. So, I zeroed in on the Drum & Fife. Just a side note; the song is in Eb minor simply because, being the first time playing the piano, there are less of the black keys to keep track of than the white ones. :)

Lyrics:
When I start to grumble, that's the rumble of my battle drum
and when I've stopped listening watch for the whistling, of bombs in flight
Am I about to start a fight? All because, I want to be right?

Chorus:  There is no victor at the end of a war
	only the wounded with open sores, that time won't heal
	now tell me, how do you feel, about war?

You start to sweat, perceiving a threat that isn't real
all your efforts are in vain, you need someone to blame, when nothing goes right
Are you about to start a fight? All because, you have fear inside?

(Chorus)

I have my opinions and beliefs - and you have yours, you have yours
I also have my baggage to retrieve - and you have yours, yes you have yours
Rarely do we match, so there's bound to be a clash
without negotiation, co-operation, and understanding, we would have ourselves a war

Are we about to start a fight? All because, we want to show our might?

(Chorus)
There is no victor at the end of a war

Song AND image Copyright © Claes Akerblom 2021

Battle Drum (demo)

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 05b - Some Things In This World Only God Can Do (210126)

JamesTristanRedding

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