Heavy duty, heart felt and lyrically mesmerizing. 🙌🏼🙌🏼

"Maybe sorry's not the same thing as I love you" Ah! You got me here! I wrote a vaguely similar line once. I was broken hearted to realized that caring about someone is not the same as loving someone. This is an excellent example of what I would call a content-driven song :).

The guitar opening reminded me of McCartney’s Teddy Boy, then we spin off into a really good JTR song. Those chords pack emotion behind your lyrics.

The lines that set up the "used to think it was" are really profound and beautiful. I loved the "last night I saw the moon rise through the trees" stanza.

This is just excellent use of the prompt, and beautifully woven lyrics. Even though it's written as self reflection, it hits home on many fronts. Good one, James!

Really pretty and moving!  I like the way the lyrics are crafted.  Really love the lines just before your title line.  Nice space throughout.

"Used To Think It Was" (#547, 220130)

Maybe I've been wrong about some things
I can see that now
And maybe when the telephone won't ring
It's never been so loud
Or maybe I'm still dreaming and if the dream comes true
I'll find everything I've lost
Maybe sorry's not the same thing as I love you
I used to think it was

For the longest time there's been hurting
Where I wish there was none
And too many names where I've determined
There should be only one
Forever I sought mercy on demand
No matter what the cost
But a highway isn't any kind of friend
I used to think it was

Used to be so sure God I could have sworn
There was nothing I could do
But there's some things I'd change if I could do it all again
Just between me and you

Last night I saw the moon rise through the trees
In a drunk and lonely sky
Spent the morning getting on my knees
Waiting for a sign
Something's changed I can't say the reason
Maybe it's because
This is not the only road to freedom
I used to think it was

Week 05 - Used To Think It Was (220130)

Copyright Erin Wolf 2022
Song A Week - Week 48

Photo 165901815 © Saran Sinsaward | Dreamstime.com

you wonder what happened
to change my tune
how did my power suddenly
dig in and burst out
where had i been
all the while before
what changed from 
then to now

heard i wasn't enough for nashville
and that's okay - i never wanted nashville
all i wanted was to sing
my heart out for you
for you, my muse
who helped me feel
for you, my muse
who helped me heal

when i met you
all my blocks were unstopped
when i met you
all my words were undone
when i met you
all the fog had lifted
when i met you
oh when i met you

but i couldn't say all this to you
my bravado had gone on break
i know, right? how rude!
so i'm singing it now
in hopes you'll hear
that without your light
i wouldn't be here
no i wouldn't be here

when i met you
all my blocks were unstopped
when i met you
all my words were undone
when i met you
all the fog had lifted
when i met you
oh when i met you

Musings On A Mysterious Muse (When I Met You)

Copyright Erin Wolf 2022
Song A Week - Week 48

Photo 20581889 © Michael0822 | Dreamstime.com

days were rushing by
now the clock's going slow
still can't believe i
had you to hold
after all these years
waiting and hoping
the flame grew dimmer
barely a flicker
ooh barely a flicker

i used to feel it all
every single feel
now i feel numb like
none of this is real
and while you're radiant
my glow's gone cold
guess you're not the one
i'm meant to hold
ooh meant to hold
meant to hold

the sun's shining bright
yet somehow tinged grey
i don't even know what to say

i'm not who i was
who you knew me to be
you've changed, too
a little bit, maybe
we're on parallel tracks
at the moment
never meant cross
the other's line

the other's line 
other's line

maybe we're not parallel
but a weird angle
either way you see it
someone's out - unavail
moving ever forward
always a step ahead of mine
are we at the end of the line

i miss how i used to love you
magic in the air
music flowing freely
across the ocean there
now all i see are
shadows of what we used to be
mist left behind, faint as smoke
just as fine
oh just as fine

the sun's shining bright
yet somehow tinged grey
i don't even know what to say

i'm not who i was
who you knew me to be
you've changed, too
a little bit, maybe
we're on parallel tracks
at the moment
never meant cross
the other's line

oh the other's line
cross the other's line
the other's line
never cross the other's line

I Miss How I Used to Love You

Learning how to pray
(Mark I. Anderson)

Dear lord, it’s been a little while
I feel as helpless as a little child  
But I need to talk with you
And I’m guessing that you know
I made a few mistakes / and I can’t let ‘em go

So, I turn to you
Hoping I might find
The strength to surrender one more time

[Chorus]
I’m asking for forgiveness
I’m asking for your grace
I’m asking you to hold me
In your sweet embrace
Till I can fly again
Higher than today
Just an earth-bound angle in the end
Learning how to pray 

Dear lord if you can hear me
I’m on my knees as you can see
And in trouble once again
But I’m guessing that you know
All about the fool / who just can’t let it show

So, I turn to you
Hoping I might see
The image of the man you made in me

[Chorus]
I’m asking for forgiveness
I’m asking for your grace
I’m asking you to hold me
In your sweet embrace
Till I can fly again
Higher than today
Just an earth-bound angle in the end
Learning who to pray

[Bridge]
Been too long on my own
Too long turned away
Tryin’ to make it home
When I pray

[Chorus]
I’m asking for forgiveness
I’m asking for your grace
I’m asking you to hold me
In your sweet embrace
Till I can fly again
Higher than today
Just an earth-bound angle in the end

Till I can fly again
Higher than today
Just an earth-bound angle in the end
Learning how to pray
Learning how to pray…

Learning how to pray

Forget the photographs
They don’t know what we’re after
Like a cellphone screen
Could ever know what we mean

I know this live in the moment
Bullshit is nothing new
But I need you to be alright
With me being moved

I am a sucker for
Movies with winning wars
Sunlit seams
Splitting at the scenes

Lens flash dreams
Mercy, more
It doesn’t matter how
We won the war

Who do you mean
I need you to tell me what you mean

Who moved the scene
Who moved the scene
Who changed everything that it means
Who changed everything that it means

Who Moved the Scene - Song a Week 2022, Week 48

I wanna be your rock-n- roll
(Mark I. Anderson)

Pretty eyes / lovely child
You ware your blues so well
I can see / you don’t need
What others try to sell
I would hold your hand and take your side
Help me understand and I will try

We both know / it gets cold
Waiting for the dawn
Come with me / we will see
The beauty in the song
I would hold your hand and comfort you
Help you understand what we could do

[Chorus]
I want to be your rock-n-roll
The country music in your soul
I want to be your secret prayer
And the man that takes you there
I want to be your everything
The music and the song you sing
The very heartbeat, rhythm, and soul
I wanna be your rock-n- roll

Comes a day / we find a way
A brand-new melody
Is waiting for us / it will show us
This is destiny
I will hold your hand so don’t let go
We got something here that’s solid gold

[Chorus]
I want to be your rock-n-roll
The country music in your soul
I want to be your secret prayer
And the man that takes you there
I want to be your everything
The music and the song we sing
The very heartbeat, rhythm, and soul
I wanna be your rock-n- roll

[Bridge]
We’d be a legends / you and me
Guitar hero’s / for all the world to see

[Chorus]
I want to be your rock-n-roll
The country music in your soul
I want to be your secret prayer
And the man that takes you there
I want to be your everything
The music in the song you sing
The very heartbeat, rhythm, and soul
I wanna be your rock-n- roll
I wanna be your rock-n- roll
I wanna be your rock-n- roll
I wanna be your rock-n- roll

I wanna be your rock-n-roll

The song’s about friends
(Mark I. Anderson)
 
Before and after photographs
The years go slowly rolling past
Who we were gonna be / when we were young
 
Dark hair is turning gray
A few tears along the way
That ain’t what you see / when you’re young
 
[Chorus]
We gave all we had to each other
Happy just to be lovers
Somehow it seems
Between all your dreams
And who you become in the end
The song’s about friends
The song’s about friends

Too many nine to fives
One day when retired
We thought we’d be free / when we were young
 
Now age is nothing more
Then pages we’ve read before
And what we believe / when you’re young
 
[Chorus]
We gave all we had to each other
Happy just to be lovers
Somehow it seems
Between all our dreams
And who we become in the end
The song’s about friends
The song’s about friends

[Bridge]
We thought we were ageless
Lovers forever
All through the years
The laughter and tears
The song’s about friends
Song’s about friends

Somehow it seems
After we dream
It’s who we became in the end
The song’s about friends

Before and after photographs
The years go slowly rolling past
Who we were gonna be / when we were young…

Breeze

Together
(Mark I. Anderson)

He held her hand / And she held his
As they walked / they reminisced 
Through the years they walked like this
Together

They had dreams / When they were young
Some came true / some came undone
But they held on to everyone
Together 

(Chorus)
A little older than the day before
The hourglass it’s keeping score
I don’t know if they knew for sure
How I admired them 
Together

Along the way / Their smiles and tears
Special memories / through the years
Kept them both in love right here
Together

Time’s a foe / And time’s a friend 
They both knew  / Time would end
So they held on and remembered when
Together  

(Chorus)
A little older than the day before
The hourglass it’s keeping score
I don’t know if they knew for sure
How I admired them
Together

She held his hand / and said goodbye
She held the tears / she didn’t cry
She just sat there by his side
Together 

(Chorus)
A little older than the day before
The hourglass it’s keeping score
I don’t know if they knew for sure
How I admired them 

A little older than the day before
The hourglass it’s keeping score
I don’t know if they knew for sure
How I admired them 
Together

Together***

Think of me like John Wick
(Mark I Anderson)

It’s not that I’m not found / I just ain’t as lost as I was
I’m still hanging around / all that reminds me of love
I’m fighting with ghosts
Losing all hope
Fallin and fallin down quick
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
You can think of me like John Wick

Do you ever miss me / I guess the truth is unkind
That’s when it hits me / I must be losing my mind
You’re like a loaded gun
When I try and run
I hear the revolvers cold click
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
You can think of me like John Wick

[Chorus]
Here at the continental 
Everyone’s safe
I may sound a bit sentimental
As I plead my case
Whether stealing my heart 
Or killing my dog 
The outcome is hard to predict
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
Remember me like John Wick

It’s not that I’m not found / I just ain’t as lost as I was
All over town / they say that I’ll rise above 
The mighty high table
Where everyone’s able
To spill your blood with a flick
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
You can think of me like John Wick

[Chorus]
Here at the continental 
Everyone’s safe
I may sound a bit sentimental
As I plead my case
Whether stealing my heart 
Or killing my dog 
The outcome is hard to predict
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
Remember me like John Wick

If you’re stealing my heart 
Or killing my dog 
The outcome is hard to predict
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
Remember me like John Wick
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
Remember me like John Wick
But I’ll honor your marker as you walk away
Remember me and John Wick

Think of me like John Wick

Every heart falls in the end
(Mark I Anderson)
 
I grew up believing
A heart is for giving
And one day you’ll leave it behind
You can’t take it with you
As long as you’re breathing
Your heart needs another’s to find
Its purpose and meaning
And everyone’s will
There’ll come a day when you’ll know
That love is the treasure
The soul needs to measure
Before your heart can let go
 
[Chorus]
That’s why we all fall in love
It seems to me that’s the goal in the end
Some will fall quickly and some fall behind
But ever one falls down my friend 
Every heart falls in the end 
 
Man it sure felt right
When my heart first took flight
I crash landed a couple of times
Now that I’m older
I think that I might have
Found what a heart needs to find
I’m learning my purpose 
Like everyone else
Is to hold on and never let go
When heart is the treasure
The soul needs to measure
The heart is the last one to know
 
[Chorus]
That’s why we all fall in love
It seems to me that’s the goal in the end
Some will fall quickly and some fall behind
But ever one falls down my friend 
Every heart falls in the end 
 
That’s why we all fall in love
It seems to me that’s the goal in the end
Some will fall quickly and some fall behind
But ever one falls down my friend 
Every heart falls in the end

Every heart falls in the end

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 05 - Used To Think It Was (220130)

James Tristan Redding

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