My friend was friends with Steve Earle's sister
And the stories that she told about her telling stories
With second hand hearsay being small town gospel
Pray

At these times we should stop and wait
It's not my place to speculate
Think about the nothing that we make with time
And the something that we leave behind

You can take someone out of context, try to grow them straight
In the shade of burning trees a street or two away
You can take years to leave the ones before
You can take someone out of context, but when the context is a war
Sometimes it doesn't matter
Some die fighting losing battles

It's a wonder for those on the line
That anyone makes it to 29
Easy enough for me to say
The leaving behind, the nothing made
The thousand miles, the setting straight
The burning bright, praying for rain
The small town gospel gossip pray
The, hell, who am I to say

Not Waiting Around (Out of Context) - Song a Week 2020, Week 35

My heart just sank at the news today
Nothing to do
What can anybody say about it all?
At this the latest blow to fall
I sigh at the waste at the pointlessness
Shake my head, and I'm cursing as I turn a weary eye
To the earth and to sky

What sense to make except to be grateful for the gifts you gave?

Thank you for your service to your people
Cause you were a king - you were a king
In the vision of a world with all men equal
You showed the dream, you showed the dream
You showed a courage and a strength, and dignity though,
Too soon to go, too soon to go
The unfinished work of superheroes*
Must be our own, becomes our own

Surprised to learn how you knew of it
Long before your triumph, that this thing was inside you
That your days were numbered too
Love and respect the choice you made
To take the wave and ride it,
Dance along, crack a smile,
Live it all before you die

What sense to make except to be grateful for the gifts life gave?

Thank you for your service to all people
You were a king - you were a king
Vision of a world with all men equal
You showed the dream, you showed the dream
You showed a courage and a strength, and dignity though,
Too soon to go, too soon to go
I guess the unfinished work of superheroes*
Becomes our own, must be our own

* Credit where credit's due, I just wanting to acknowledge that this line comes from (indeed, is a reference to), Ben Harper's "the unfinished work of our heroes must be our own", from "How Many Miles Must We March". When I heard his line, I assumed it was an existing quote or a saying, but it looks like Ben Harper is just deep.

You Were A King

key C

based on a poem by RUMI and a visit to Van Gogh Live September 24 2020

In this earth 
In this earth  
We shall not plant any seeds 
Sow compassion 
And Rows of love 
In this perfect precious field 
We shall not plant any seeds 
Sow compassion 
And Rows of love 

Love for all  
Is the art of life
Love will save us all
thru these tears we till
the soil we will reap in joy

in this earth

What do you do when literally nothing interesting been happening to you lately? You write a song about your favorite turkish soap opera. And then it ends up being your favorite song ever. Also: BV!

Artwork by the amazing Cecilia Balvidares. 

Lyrics:

Polluted air floats over the street,
I guess this is where we supposed to be now.
I told my story like a book you wouldn't read,
and just for fun, you would doodle every vowel.

And you still pay attention, makes me forget how to breathe
but I obviously try not to let it show.
There's a long way home for you and me
and it's even harder for me to go.

So if I say I hate your guts, please don't believe me
cause you're killing mine.
And you say I need to trust in what we're feeling,
don't know how I can try.
Give me somewhere to start.

The foreign airlines speeding up the sky,
I kinda like how it makes us feel small.
Still, I lose my North when I look at your eyes,
evaporate like ethyl alcohol.

Can't close the book now, it's open in your hands.
I just pray you will be careful.
Now we're growing where it used to be badlands,
two thorn roses made of metal.

So if I say I hate your guts, please don't believe me
cause you're killing mine.
And you say I need to trust in what we're feeling,
don't know how I can try.
Give me somewhere to start.

Wish I could help it but it's in my nature,
I tend to walk away when it gets dangerous.
Don't let me break it, don't let me break your heart...
All I need is somewhere to start.

Can't close the book now...
Can't close the book now...
Can't close the book now...
Can't close the book now...

Polluted air floats over the street,
I guess this is where we supposed to be now.

Don't Believe Me

Copyright Erin Wolf 2020

Guitar & Vocals: Erin Wolf
Lyrics: James Tristan Redding & Erin Wolf
Music: Erin Wolf

*This song uses a wide range of old unused prompts from Song-A-Week founder, James Tristan Redding (@jimtristan). Former prompts featured can be found following the song lyrics with the year the prompt is from. While I had hoped to use them as prompts in their own right, it seemed fitting to put them all together while also using Week 40's theme, "Ifs and Thens". Thank you for the wonderful inspiration, old friend!*

last call, but i'll keep nursing my
whiskey for one
i used to say i like myself better when I'm drunk
but that old me is gone
that old me is gone

i guess my best was pretty bad, hey
what i said is not what i wanted to say
but in the end, i pay for my mistakes
pay for my mistakes

all i ever wanted was to make you proud
but for all i know,
i've failed and let you down
if i could just make you smile
even for a moment
that would be just fine

it's 11:59 and here i am hoping
that you are my tomorrow morning
forget ifs and thens
how or whens
what do ya say

forget ifs and thens
how or whens
what do ya say

(vocalizations)
(because i'm too lazy to type them all out)

**********
old JTR prompts featured in this song (year)
1. make you proud (2018)
2. 11:59 (2018)
3. my best was pretty bad (2018)
4. you are my tomorrow (2017)
5. whiskey for one (2017) 
6. for all i know (2017)
7. pay for my mistakes (2016)
8. not what i wanted to say (2016)
9. i like myself better when i'm drunk (2010)
10. if i could just make you smile (2009)

It's 11:59 Somewhere

"Ooga Looga Wyma Ryma" (#401, 201005)

Aina' nuthin' like a girl makes you drop yer vowels
On the kitchen floor
She be cookin' up some dumplin's I be trippin' meatballs
Comin' back fer more

An' I'm tryin' to tell her sumthin' 'bout you look so nice
'Xcept I sound like a fool
Words 'er flippin' sidewers comin' out my mouf
In between the drool

Ooga looga wyma ryma baby what's your name
Chuga luga hunka lunka baby say it again
Youda cute-a meesa please-a winkie dinkie derpee doo
Banana fana fonanna fe fi fum teach me how to talk to you

Took sum clarses back in carlege wit' sum langejjes
A little French and some Mex
F'Ida' know'd then I'd a showed maybe I cudda' lerned
Mora' what to expex

Talkin' gibbrish ain't so purdy I regrets it now
Yeah I gotta' admit
I dang messed it up I never got my educacione
And I sound like ... not good!

Week 41a - Ooga Looga Wyma Ryma (201005)

Ifs and Thens - Song a Week 2020, Week 41

The train this week is leaving for sapville. All aboard!

I started with the idea of someone realizing that the "I" in "I love you" had changed while repeating that phrase over time and it kinda went full mopey from there. I really gotta write an upbeat positive tune next week - you'd think "simple and sweet" woulda been the one, but whelp, here we are.

****

Don't like to think what I am leaving behind
It's easier that way
If I tell you that I'm sleeping fine
It's easier that way
I've been falling all to pieces
I've been thinking you've been doing the same
Don't like to think what I am leaving behind
But it's better than staying this same

It's all coming down

Cause I don't recognize me
I've been wondering who am I
In I love you

You've been talking about growing old
I feel smaller now every day
Chipping stone from a statue
I've been wondering what will remain

Cause I don't recognize me
I've been wondering who am I
In I love you
I don't know who loves you

We could keep things sweet and simple
But when we put it like that 
It's hard but what I'm leaving behind
Is getting hollower every day

It's not that I don't wanna stay
It's who'd be left in my place

It's all coming down

Cause I don't recognize me
I've been wondering who am I
In I love you
I don't know who loves you

I've been wondering why
I love you
I've been wondering when
I should be leaving soon, should be leaving soon
I've been wondering where
I'll be going to
I've been wondering what who I used to be would do

Sweet and Simple - Song a Week 2020, Week 42

Copyright Erin Wolf 2020

Lyrics: Erin Wolf & James Tristan Redding @jimtristan
*Another tune with a few more discarded prompts, along with the Week 43 prompt, "Edit That Out". List following the lyrics.*

tired of chasing this dream
i can't reach
waking to see i'm alone
again with each
passing day that comes and goes
i wish you would
give me a sign if you love
or even could

scratch that last, edit that out
of your mind
if you really wanna know
i'm not that kind 
of woman who will beg
and wait around
as you decide if i'm enough
without a sound

how 'bout let's not and say we did
just give up now and close the lid
on what never could have been

we both know we're kidding ourselves
put these chapters on the shelves
'cuz it will never happen

i won't let you and everybody else
find me
oh you can search the woods, the fields,
and the sea
for i have gone to find myself
as i am
for i have gone to find myself
as i am

**********
old JTR prompts (year):
1. I Wish You Would (2017)
2. You and Everybody Else (2017)
3. Let's Not and Say We Did (date unknown)
4. If You Really Wanna Know (date unknown)

As I Am

BREATHE IN

Copyright Erin Wolf 2020

hear the wind howling in the trees tonight
all this gale roaring in its flight
my true love has gone away, what am i to do
dawn is nigh, but it's coming without you

i called your name what felt like 1,000 times
as the air moved singing through the chimes
you left without a word, not a clue where you'd go
what in the hell has got you feeling so low

are you 
are you coming home

is this really how you wanna end it all
after everything we've made it through, standing tall
i stood by your side through thick and thin
but i guess in the end, nobody wins

don't worry about me, i'll be just fine
this time, darling, it was you who crossed the line
time for me to go and cauterize this wound
good luck whatever wherever you're marooned

don't
don't bother coming home

this is really how you wanna end it all
after everything we've made it through, standing tall
i stood by your side through thick and thin
but i guess in the end, nobody wins
nobody wins
nobody wins

Ifs and Thens - Song a Week 2020, Week 41

Charlatan, PE