Fantastic lyrics, guys! Also love how completely different the key of the bridge is. Really nice co-write.

Wow, y'all wrote one hell of a song here. This performance is really gorgeous, James, and I'm really loving the stories woven in the lyrics. Really well done.

You really grabbed me with the opening line, here.

Some phenomenal songwriting here you two - that first verse is perfect, and everything that follows is just as good.

So glad you two collaborated, this is nice! Funny but true - I kept hearing "got your nose" instead of "God sure knows" 😆

The chords are so gorgeous!!  And some nice melody/harmony like "understand" in your bridge.

"The Silver Lining" (#444, 210306)

 * Co-written with Mark Anderson / @mark-anderson-474835928 * 

Half the prayer on earth lives in hospitals and prisons
Guess that's what it takes to get soul to listen
A simple conversation can break your heart in two
Funny how we learn to love what we're just about to lose

Doesn't matter who or why it hurts to say goodbye
But even then it's sometimes been a blessing in disguise
Every season I been seein' more and more examples
Life's for livin' and we ain't given more than we can handle

Like hot and cold like salt and pepper
Oh God sure knows how to weave it all together
I can make a plan but I gotta' trust His timing
And find the silver lining

You know that moment when you wake up from a dream
Ain't awake ain't still sleepin' you're somewhere in between
Damn near twenty years I walked around like that
Couldn't see the forest through the trees the good inside the bad

Like hot and cold like salt and pepper
Oh God sure knows how to weave it all together
I can make a plan but I gotta' trust His timing
And find the silver lining

Movin' on when someone's gone is something you can't measure
Holdin' hands or golden bands nothing lasts forever
Wasn't always pretty but it made me who I am
I think I understand

Week 10a - The Silver Lining (210306)

Just the other day I thought we might have reached the end,
broke cause we won't bend
Maybe we won't mend, I thought,
So it took me by surprise then when I heard this happy song
Running through my head - I sang along…

I'm gonna love myself even when they don't
I will accept myself even when they won't
And I’ll embrace myself - when all the others' arms are gone
And I’ll still be loveable, on my own

Took a little while before we found our way back home
Anywhere you roam
All roads lead to Rome
Maybe something changed, or perhaps had shifted long before
But I don't seem to need you any more

Cause I can love myself even when you don't
I will accept myself even when you won't
I will embrace myself - when all the others' arms are gone
And I'll still be loveable, on my own

I'm gonna love myself even when they don't
I will accept myself even when they won't
And I’ll embrace myself - when all the others' arms are gone
And I’ll still be loveable, on my own

And I don't know just how long it will last
I know I can forget these things so fast sometimes
And yesterday's epiphany today is broken light bulb with no glow
So just for today I know I know

That I can love myself even when they don't
I will accept myself even when they won't
I will embrace myself - when all the others' arms are gone
And I'm still loveable, on my own

I'm gonna love myself even when they don't
I will accept myself even when they won't
And I’ll embrace myself - when all the others' arms are gone
And I'm still loveable, on my own


Even When

I believe in you

This song is the result of a bet with a drunken Celt who challenged me to write a song on this subject in 24 hours.

I declined the bet, but the ideas wouldn't let go.

She had forgotten about the bet the following day.

Suckered

Copyright 2021 Erin Wolf

Week 27 Prompt: I Love Lulu

*Note about the song: If this sounds like a classic "fallen in love with a completely insecure and over-the-top diva who has unreasonable requests of their love interest", you'd be correct - it is. Inspiration drawn from artwork of Mount Rainier and the Grand Canyon, as well as the song "The Eye" by Brandi Carlile; specifically the line: "You can dance in a hurricane, but only if you're standing in the eye."

standing at the base of the mountain
you tell me, 
"start to climb"

well i don't know what this will prove
but i'll do it for you

"why? why?" you ask me
cuz i love lulu
yes, i love lulu

staring out over the ocean
and you point and tell me,
"start swimming, yeah, start swimming"

well i don't know what this will prove
but i will go and swim for you

"why? why?" you ask me
cuz i love lulu
yeah i love lulu

looking over the canyon side
you point your hand and tell me,
"start to cross in time"

well i don't know what this will prove
but i will try to cross for you

"why? why?" you ask me
cuz i love lulu
oh i love lulu

my love is endless
it is greater than anything
that i have ever known

and i don't need to demonstrate
with these asks
but i'll do it if you ask me to
oh if you ask me to do

but i won't make you prove your worth
cuz you're all that i need, lulu
lulu

i will do these things for you
cuz i love lulu
lulu

I Love Lulu

I was on vacation with my family during weeks 27 and 28 of #songaweek2021, but I could not pass up the chance to make a little tune with their themes ("I Love Lulu" and "Biggest Octopus Ever") when I saw them after I got back. My kiddo's name is Luthien and sometimes I call her Lulu. AND she loves octopuses and got to see her first one IRL at the Omaha  Zoo on our vacation. (This is not that one, it's a sculpture at the same zoo.) One day she hopes to touch one (we all enjoyed reading The Soul of An Octopus by Sy Montgomery in which people get up close with octopuses. And yes it's "octopuses" not "octopi.")

Description longer than song - yikes!

I love Lulu
And one of these days
I’ll find a way
For her to feast her eyes and fingers
On the biggest octopus ever!
I love Lulu . . .

She’s growin’ up
(Mark I. Anderson)

She thinks she’s all grown up at ten years old
Says anyone over twenty-five is really old
I say, “you’re still your daddy’s baby” she says, “yeah I know”
But “what’s for dinner” - awe she’s growin’ up

Sittin’ there with her momma man they sure look tight
Giggling and laughing just like sisters might
I see her all grow up watching them tonight
Man this is livin’ - 

(Chorus)
She’s growin’ up so fast it blows my mind
Just like the toys she left behind
There’s a memory here for me to find
Nothing lasts forever
It used to be daddy tie my shoes
Man I’m watching dreams come true
I wish this would go on forever
Watching growin’ up 

From ten years old to twenty-two it sure goes by
From training wheels to college man it just flies
I’d give anything if I could turn back time
Back to the biggening - 

(Chorus) X2
She’s growin’ up so fast it blows my mind
Just like the toys she left behind
There’s a memory here for me to find
Nothing lasts forever
It used to be daddy tie my shoes
Man I’m watching dreams come true
I wish this would go on forever
Umm but she’s growin’ up 
Growin up

(Outro) 
It used to be daddy tie my shoes
Man I’m watching dreams come true
Is it any wonder I can’t get enough
She’s growin’ up
She’s growin’ up

She's growin' up

The ghost
(Mark I. Anderson)

I ain’t lookin’ - but I see you in my mind
I’d be crazy – to think I could find
Anyone who compares
No, I don’t even dare

(Chorus)
I’m still missin’ you - I’m still wishin’ you
Were here with me today 
I’m still holdin’ on - But it won’t be too long
Before you fade away
Down the road that might be true
But I can’t give up the ghost

It’s been a little while – thought I’d move along
But I’m losing ground – I must be doing something wrong
Again tonight you show up
This is why I can’t let go 

(Chorus)
I’m still missin’ you - I’m still wishin’ you
Were here with me today 
I’m still holdin’ on - But it won’t be too long
Before you fade away
That’s what they tell me you will do
But I can’t give up the ghost

(Bridge)
Life can change – in a New York minute
It ain’t they same – without you in it
God might understand – but I just don’t get it
Why he’d call you home

(Chorus)
I’m still missin’ you - I’m still wishin’ you
Were here with me today 
I’m still holdin’ on - But it won’t be too long
Before you fade away
Down the road that might be true
Down the road that might be true
I can’t give up the ghost
I can’t give up the ghost
I can’t give up the ghost…

The Ghost

La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  

in your heart’s safe place you veil and hide 
the only thing that binds you is your fright 
your inner monarch rainbow butterfly 
is waiting to emerge - so get up and fly 

just behind all the stuff - we talk about 
lives a feeling you got - to break out 

La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  
La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  

Baby I will always treat you right 
take you to the movies you always like 
all I want to do with you is see you smile 
and someday dance with you beyond the aisle  

too hard to tell what you - already heard 
so here it is put into - candid words   

La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  
I know you love me too 
so Baby don’t paint me blue 
La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  


La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  

La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  

La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  
La La Lu Lu lady let me love you  


© Dave S. Schweizer (BMI) 
info@maplebridgemusic.com 
maplebridgemusic.com

La La Lu Lu

Copyright Erin Wolf 2021

Week 28 Prompt: Biggest Octopus Ever

Note about the song: "Gus's Tale" was written as a bit of nonsense about the biggest octopus ever visiting a variety of various "Bay" locations in Canada. As it so happens, the largest, longest-living octopus species is the Northern giant Pacific octopus, which is native to the Western Canadian coastal waters. And while I'd like to claim I was clever enough to have known that ahead of time, I learned that factoid AFTER writing the song. Enjoy!

--

have you heard the tale of Gus
the sea's biggest octopus
ever wanted an adventure one fine day
and said, "i'll go see the bay"

lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
ever wanted an adventure one fine day
and said, "i'll go see the bay"

Gus had heard of some fortune bay
riches sounded quite okay
got the wrong map from a sea urchin
and instead arrived at Bay Fortune

oh lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
got the wrong map from a sea urchin
and instead arrived at Bay Fortune

next Gus thought he'd go for a thrill
and he stopped to talk with some krill
wanted to hear the rumbles in Thunder Bay
but no storms - a clear, sunny day

oh lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
wanted to hear the rumbles in Thunder Bay
but no storms - a clear, sunny day

oh Gus felt a sad kind of way
no James, no Hudson, or Views at the Bay
tried at St. Lawrence, oh but the wait
found him at St. Peter's... gate

oh lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
tried at St. Lawrence, oh but the wait
found him at St. Peter's gate

now you know the tale of Gus
the sea's biggest octopus
ever the adventurer of bays and seas
may he now rest in peace

oh lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
ever the adventurer of bays and seas
may he now rest in peace

oh lie-dee-die-dee-die-dee-doh
lie-dee-die-dee-doh
ever the adventurer of bays and seas
may Gus now rest in peace

Gus's Tale

missed a few weeks-still hoping to catch up :) but here's week 25

1.Birthday pantomime week 25

we were like a ticking bomb
but we never knew it at the time
beneath the veil the thin veneer
of smiles and cheap red wine
we skirted round the cutting truth 
we flirted o so blind
dressed to impress from the dress up chest
for a birthday pantomime

love is a circus love is a show
all come to wonder
some never know
walk on a tightrope
fly through the air
promise you ll catch me
til youre not there 

we were like a spinning top
so destined for the deepest    fall
we’d dance for days then part our ways
and then return for more
the zing the zip the smile the pinch
our hearts a broken arrow
wrapped up in lies and no surprise
it dragged us to tomorrow

love is a circus love is a show
all come to wonder
all long to know
walk on a tightrope
fly through the air
promise you ll catch me
til youre not there 


we were like a party trick
that never turned out right
but still we d try it night and day
and break into an ugly fight
the size of lies the bright disguise
that smothered every little flame
 and even when some hope would rise
we snuffed it out the quicker

birthday pantomime SAW 25

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 10a - The Silver Lining (210306)

JamesTristanRedding

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