Nicely put. Kudos! My fav is the turnaround in the bridge (words and chord progression there).

I really like "Walk beside 'em step by step God will guide 'em through the rest"

GREAT message delivered in an eloquent and upbeat way, without being preachy . Love it!

great message and delivery!  I enjoyed reflecting on when we can't quite "put it into words" and then come across something poignant in our life path like you are elucidating here.  Tremendous concept, executed well.  And that step-by-step bridge (it kind of feels like it goes through a chromatic transition with a minor chord or two to my ears and then somehow gets through that cycle with a really nice major uplift, sorry my language is limited

Such a well written melody that supports the lyrics and brings out emotion.  This is an important and touching theme - and accessible to those of us who are not religious/spiritual.  I really like the bridge lyrics too.

One of your very best ❤️❤️❤️👏

That bridge, though. Seriously, though, this one has me thinking today - thank you, James & Chris.

Welcome to
The end of the world

This is the road to the end
This is the restaurant at the end
This is the end, this is the end, this is the end

If you came in thinking there’d be a movie with the scenes of your life
There’s no theatre, there’s no film, there’s no reel and, baby, there’s no time

And if you came in wondering exactly what you’d find here my friend
Not to spoil the surprise, but at the end there’s just a lot of end

And as long as you’ve been expecting
There’s no reason it should let you down, it’s always been the end it said it’d be

The commercials said the end
The posters said the end
The tickets said admit one to the end

So I don’t know what you figured you would see when you came steaming around the bend

Welcome to
The end of the world

This is the road to the end
This is the restaurant at the end
This is the end, this is the end, this is the end

The End

"Biggest Octopus Ever" (#481, 210710)

Well it's something I thought was pure fiction
Just a ploy to sell tabloids and such
Turns out they got it all perfectly right to the letter

It's been known by several descriptions
Like a monster or creature of dread
It's the biggest ... octopus ... ever

What the books couldn't teach I'm observing
That it's real and lives in the sea
But I don't have to live my life frozen in terror

See it's friendly and that much is certain
After all it's been kind to me
It's the biggest ... octopus ... ever

Well it's wide as the great state of kansas
It's tall as the sky and it's wet
And it lives longer than any human can measure

Yes we can't really quite understand it
All we know is we'll never forget
The biggest ... octopus ... ever

It has eyes the size of the ocean
And a heart that's salty and warm
It's every bit as mysterious as it is clever

I will say it once more in slow motion
So take heed as you have been warned
It's the biggest ... octopus ... ever

Week 28b - Biggest Octopus Ever (210710)

Be The Reason (#484, 210704)

 * Co-written with Chris Gantry * 

How many times I almost quit
Turned my back on life said to hell with it
But somewhere deep inside me
A voice spoke to remind me
How good it's about to get

I didn't wanna' hear that stuff
No I was shut down I couldn't feel no love
But slowly by degrees
A couple things got through to me
Like maybe it's enough

To be the reason someone smiles
Give 'em somethin' to believe in for a little while
Walk beside 'em step by step
God will guide 'em through the rest
He gives the gifts we're just here to help receive 'em
That's our job to be the reason

At first I couldn't put it into words
Like a highway with one too many curves
When you're racin' in the dark
You can blow right past your heart
Sometimes it takes a lotta' nerve

To be the reason someone smiles
Give 'em somethin' to believe in for a little while
Walk beside 'em step by step
God will guide 'em through the rest
He gives the gifts we're just here to help receive 'em
That's our job to be the reason

I walked that walk as if the blind could lead the blind
'Til something opened up my mind
The voice of reason in my ear
My better self right beside me in the mirror

Week 28a - Be The Reason (210704)

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

In the style of a rebound roll-in-the-hay, this is my first recording after my post-house-move slump. We're all a bit shame-faced about it, but it needed doing.

Based on a couple of quotes from Rumi (which may or may not have required some pumped-up beats), here are the lyrics:
This being human is a guest house
Each morning brings a new arrival

A joy, depression, or a meanness,
Or unexpectedly, a momentary awareness

Welcome every one them
Even crowds of sorrows,
who sweep your out house violently
And strip your things away,
Still, treat each guest honorably,
And entertain each visitor
They may be making space in you
for some new delight

The da-ark thought, the shame, the malice,
MEET them at the door laughing...
Invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
Each one’ s a guide sent from the beyond

Chorus

Today, 
like every other day, 
we wake up empty
and frightened
Don't grab your phone, no
Reach for your guitar

Let the beauty
we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways 
to kneel and kiss the ground.

Guesthouse

"Corner Of The World" (#487, 210723)

Standing at the corner of the world
Finally see how wrong I've been
It ain't round I'm trippin' on the edge
Losin' touch and fallin' in

Arguin' with the corner of world
Dead wrong but what difference does it make
Six sides to every story and I can't see 'em all
There's too much water in the way

Out here at the corner of the world
No one there to reel me in
Ride the waves until the current rose up good
Goin' overboard again

Reachin' for the corner of the world
Like a silent foxhole prayer
Sharp as a razor and colder than the night
Get me outta' there

Facin' down the corner of the world
Like it's my only friend
Speak the words make the moves do it all
If it'll keep me from the end

Week 30 - Corner Of The World (210723)

When the sunlight hits the water
And all the ripples sparkle gold
You meet with mother nature's daughter 
She's a wonder to behold
You can feel the life arising
As the crickets buzz and jump
And all the earth's awake and thriving
And you can tell the time has come 

Chorus:
And when you know you know you know
You just feel what's there to feel
You're gonna go where you got to go
to dream the dream and make it real
You gotta be what you got to be
When you see her there you see
When you know you know you know

And the spirit's there to guide you
And you've woken up to love
You can feel it there inside you
You just have to open up
And the heat is like a furnace
But the water's cold and sweet
Just to see her makes you nervous
Til your eyes will softly meet

Chorus

M8
That love has finally found its way to you after oh so long
Love has finally come and made you it's own

When you roll down to the river
And you hear those crickets play
When you see the gold light shimmer
Off the crest of every wave
Well if you meet her there you'll feel it
The ancient spell re-cast anew
You say the words and know you mean it
No, no-one teaches it to you  

Chorus

You Know You Know

26-(still catching up on SAW 2021 list)
Saturday night late
1.Last night we watched the tennis 
We cheered Ash Barty home
She held my every childhood dream and never let it go
Our eyes were sore with weeping
All joy came pouring down
This prize was for her keeping
Our hearts adorned her crown

2.We stayed up til the finish
Past 3am at least
We jumped and sang like children
It brought our hearts release
Weve just returned to lockdown
For weeks we must stay in
But none can steal our love for Ash
Nor quench the pride within

3.Twas 40 years of waiting
and watching for the day
Since Evonne in all elegance
Performed a great display
And perfect that another 
Would come and take her place
A shining star of courage
A girl so filled with grace

4.So heres to Ash and Evonne
Heres to childhood dreams
For us back home in Sydney
We toast our london queens
a rare and treasured moment
All glorious and bright
Beneath the milky way we sing 
And celebrate tonight

saturday night up late SAW 26

"What Is And What Could Be" (#488, 210729)

If you're fixed on takin' off that ring
Guess I'll take mine off too
Moving truck it took everything
Everything except the truth

Things are gonna' change for us
Kids will learn my new address
Every other weekend ain't enough
But I'll take what I can get

There's a lesson in the losin' and a grace in each goodbye
Bittersweet like all things human we can't know until we try
Sometimes I don't see it comin' other times it's outta' reach
Ain't we all in search of something between what is and what could be

After all the wishing
The waiting and the walking out
Somehow I quit the chasing
Grabbed hold of here and now

Week 31 - What Is And What Could Be (210729)

The ninth tale of Snow and Cherry

When souls collide

love is the answer
to the pain in your soul, she said
what you're looking for
you won't find it in here

well, I don't believe it, he said
what if you're wrong, you know,
you've been wrong before
you don't know me at all

in his mind
her words
sting like a paper cut
if she's right
all he's known comes tumbling down

love is a journey, she points
and I'm getting off, he scorns
what makes you so sure?
well, I don't care anymore

In her heart
she knows
this is a story of when
the person's right
but the timing is off

oh oh the timing is off oh oh

love isn't easy
but it's worth the fall, I heard
the pain is assured
but the heartbreak is a choice

I know now
this is a story of 
when souls collide
but the timing is off

they might not meet again, that's right
but will never forget

on oh oh life goes on

Tales of Snow and Cherry

When souls collide

songaweek2021

this is just a little beginning of something I want to write to the memory of my Grandparents -they were the sweetest. :) 

I once caught a bus to the ocean
I sat with my sister and nan
From Randwick to Coogee it’s not very far 
We went by bus coz my nan had no car

She’d married a man Jack the Barber
Who always had time for a chat
Their love was my standard they rarely did fight
A marriage like theirs shone more brightly than bright

out of sight SAW 2021

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 28a - Be The Reason (210704)

JamesTristanRedding

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