"Leavin'" (#445, 210309)

 * co-written with Jeffrey Joslin; complete demo performed, recorded, and produced by Jeffrey Joslin; essentially I made a pot of coffee and suggested we write a song, Jeffrey Joslin did everything else * 

Keep my leavin' in the soles of my shoes
In case I got a little leavin' to do, a little leavin’ to do
I leave my boots by the foot of the stairs
In case my leavin' wants to go somewhere, wants to go somewhere

North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Close behind no matter where I go
Seems the leavin' won't leave me alone

Well I got me a job twenty dollars a day
But my leavin' told me I gotta' walk away, gotta’ walk away
The boss man asked me said what's the rush
I was long gone in a cloud of dust, in a cloud of dust

North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Follows me around no matter where I go
Seems like this leavin' won't leave me alone

I try to stay long as I can
But the leavin' always seems to have other plans, have other plans
Ask me where I'm goin' well I don't know
Just a chasin' that leavin' on down the road, on down the road

North to south east and west
I keep on leavin' 'til there's nothin' left
Close behind no matter where I go
Seems like the leavin'
Seems like the leavin’
Seems like the leavin' won't leave me alone

Week 11 - Leavin' (#445, 210312)

A week late with a song for the SAW2021 "You Could Turn Back,
But Why Would You Want To" prompt, due to a week and a half on vacation. 
Tried getting started writing the lyrics on the plane to my destination, when the pilot announced that the navigation system was not working (this was before take off, luckily). So, from the word "navigation" came the initial idea to the song.
Many, many thanks to Erin Wolf for adding her beautiful voice to the chorus!


The shell brakes open, a beak poking out
A few more tries, and soon a chick stumbles about
Hungry and cold he starts to wail
Then his mamma brings him food every 5 minutes without fail

He eats and he grows, soon weeks have flown by
The nest is getting smaller, is it time to fly?
His wings not yet strong enough, and his legs not very steady
He sings about the day when he’ll be ready

Chorus:
I’m gonna fly - Across the sky
Navigate the air, as if no one else is there
Soar high - As a kite
On my maiden voyage flight

The day arrives when he spreads his wings and flies
Like in his song, he takes to the skies
This is surely freedom at its best
Why would he ever want to go back to the nest?

High above an eagle eye has locked in on its prey
And in a flash the end is here to the maiden voyage day
Trapped in talons, freedom gone, along with his last breath
His spirit leaves, singing, victorious over death

Chorus


Song and image Copyright © Claes Akerblom 2021

Maiden Voyage

Stephanie told me that all those tattoos 
on her ex-husband's face and his neck were to try to 
protect from attack - there to keep people back
'Til all anyone saw was that armour he wore
It looked kind of fearsome but all that it said was...

Fragile - handle with care
All it said was fragile handle with
all the care that you can muster
Fragile - handle with care - Fragile

Taking a walk trying to clear out my head
When this dog in the park sets to vet me instead
and he's growling and barking and driving me back
Like a dangerous invader set foot on his land
I saw on his collar a sign there that read….

Fragile - handle with care
What it said was fragile handle with
all the care that you can muster
Fragile - handle with care - Fragile

So the next time you notice me snap or I snarl
I want you to know I don't mean to be cruel
It's a side that comes out when I'm 
weak and I'm low on reserves

Then there's the opposite site of this dance
My beautiful victims with sensitive hearts
Cause the people I growl at they tend to be closest
They’re the people I'm wanting to care for the most
Cause maybe the label on everyone's heart says

Fragile - handle with care
What it said was fragile handle with
all the care that you can muster
Fragile - handle with care - Fragile

Fragile

"Cracking Paint And Rusted Hinges" (#449, 210328)

Cracking paint and rusted hinges
Are all that stand today
In between two wooden bridges
The heartbeat slipped away

Used to hear the sound of laughter
Children playing in the sun
Seems like no one thought it mattered
What their hometown would become

And I can't say I got a reason
Reason why I stuck around
Lots of times I feel like leavin'
But my feet won't walk me out

Only sound here is the engine
The only footprints left are mine
Cracking paint and rusted hinges
And that's the bottom line

Week 13 - Cracking Paint And Rusted Hinges (210328)

Copyright Erin Wolf 2021
featuring guitar & worn-out voice

Week 13 Prompt: Cracking paint

sitting on the kitchen floor
staring at the wall
i see the cracking paint
as it chips and falls

hear these creaking floorboards
under my feet
this old house is falling down
but it ain't yet beat

oh oh oh
oh woah oh

see the breaks
in the window panes
letting in the drafts
just the same

hearing the leaking faucet run
just a pain no fun
i know that this could seem like a tale
a metaphor of a kind for you and me

oh oh oh
oh woah oh

if this old house could tell a story
or two
this house would tell the story
of me and you

of how we laughed, loved,
and cried
but also tell the story of
how our love died

This Old House

capo 4
G
He’s kind he’s Kent and we’re
Perfectly content 
C                                  G
to celebrate all that he brings

     D                                 Em                    C
To keep us connected as songs are perfected 
                                                        D/F#
and let’s face it that voice when he sings. 

G
It’s country 
       C
It’s warm
      EM             D/F#
It’s emotional brawn
             EM                    D
Banjolele or guitar he strums
      EM             D/F#             G                 C
We’re simply delighted and we cannot fight it 
        EM             D/F#         G
We join in all the tunes as one. 

He’s Full of grace
Its written on his face
Every time there is a glitch
He gently reminds us and kindly will guide us
“Try to mute or unmute flick the  switch”

he’s country 
he’s warm
his emotional brawn
Banjolele or guitar he strums
 We’re simply delighted and we cannot fight it 
We join in all the tunes as one. 


em                    D/.F#
and lets not forget
the sweetest of all pets
C                 D/F#
corgi of THIS TEAM
C                    D/F#
  KIwi    KIWI AGREES

thank you kent (week 14)

"HWC" (#459, 210504)

(aka this-is-what-happens-when-James-loses-his-voice-but-is-still-bound-and-determined-to-write-a-damn-song-every-week)

How can you make a noise
When you don't have a voice
Can anybody hear my thoughts

How will my love be loud
When I can't make a sound
Can you speak for me if I cannot

How do I trust that I
Will fully heal in time
Can you promise this shall pass

However long it takes
We'll trust and we will wait
Can absolutely promise you that

Week 18 - HWC (210504)

I STILL FEEL THE FIRE

Copyright Erin Wolf 2021

Week 18 Prompt: You May Already Be a Winner

take me back 
to the place i was born
take me to
the waters i adore
let me stand in the shallows
and feel the pulse
let me hear crashing waves
and cries of the gulls

take me down
all these city streets
remind me again
of early memories
let me feel 
like a child again
let me reclaim
where life began

all i want is to let go and just breathe in
all i want is to let go and just breathe in

you may already be a winner
they said
but they don't know
i'm trying to forget
you and all the magic
you made me feel
it's why i return
to what is real

all i want is to let go and just breathe in
all i want is to let go and just breathe in
all i want is to let go and just breathe in
all i want is to let go and just breathe in

take me back 
to the place i was born
take me to 
the waters i adore

Take Me Back

I still consider myself new to recording/mixing/DAWing, but that excuse seems weaker as I get into year 2 of regular recording. So trying to deconstruct the process and get better. This week I set out to write a song that wanted layers, including double-tracked vocals which I've never done - and unless I'm doing a distant room mic, probably will incorporate in nearly every project in the future.

*****

When she was done with the souls in Savannah
Headed up the highway to find me
Hair like the gold in California
The devil came up from eastern Georgia

The cracks in the floorboards all led to 
A young man’s soul and a fiddle tune
You can play with the devil when your hands are hot
Johnny’s mighta been but mine were not

I mighta let the devil into my bed
Dark black eyes all dressed in red
Left like smoke from cigarettes
I mighta let the devil into my bed 

It’s not sinking in just yet
Keep on drinking to forget
Left like smoke from cigarettes
I mighta let the devil into my bed

So I’m pouring wine into a hollow
And fixing photos I turned over
Saying a prayer that she’ll forget my number
Hoping that no one answers it

Savannah - Song a Week 2021, Week 18

PATMOS 2025

Don’t delay 
Don’t delay 
Obey the word of God 

Be baptized washing away your sins 
Calling on the name of the Lord 
Repent for the kingdom of the heavens is here 
Get into the church life Jesus is Lord 

Jesus is Lord 
Jesus is Lord 
Jesus Christ is Lord

Don’t delay (Baptism song)

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 13 - Cracking Paint And Rusted Hinges (210328)

JamesTristanRedding