Guitar vocal demo of my first song of 2105. A ballad. About starting a new chapter.

Learn How To Let Go

It's a rockabilly number I want my jockey to play. 

Nothing Like A Rose

A rock song about mentors, or lack thereof.

Role Model

Broken DNA
©2015 Martin Buchanan

I read it somewhere
That we can't avoid how we'll turn out
Or the color of our hair
And I'm getting scared

The scientists say
It's all encoded in our genes
In our DNA
It's just nature's way

SO if I take a long look at my family tree
I know the branch that's my destiny

Cos I've got the same eyes as my Daddy
The ones that see a bar and can't walk past
And I've got the very same heart as him
It's shut down and won't let nobody in
I can't help it it's the way I'm made
I've got his broken DNA
I've got his broken DNA
I've got his broken DNA

It's not Daddy's fault
His Daddy did twenty years in jail
With no time off
For a son that's rough

But they were just alike
Petty crime followed by county time
Left his kids and wife
To just scrape by

I'm in a convenience store parking lot
Reaching for a pistol hidden in the glove box

I've got my Daddy's fingers, hands and wrists
Good for stealing things and making fists
And his same blood runs through my veins
It runs cold when I'm causing pain
I can't help it it's the way I'm made
I've got his broken DNA
I've got his broken DNA
I've got his broken DNA

My girlfriend told me just today
She's gonna keep the child that's on it's way
A look of apology crossed my face
Cos if it's a boy I know it's fate

He'll have the same eyes as his Daddy
He'll only see a world that's cold and sad
He'll have the same kinda legs as me
He'll run from responsibility
He can't help it he'll be made that way
He's got my broken DNA
He's got my broken DNA
He's got my broken DNA
He's got my broken DNA

Broken DNA

Not This Again
(Martin Buchanan) ©2015 

Not this again
Still in my clothes and the sun’s shining in
Through the windshield
In a corn field
I don’t even know how I got here

Not this again
My recollection of recent events
Kinda left me
I’m feeling sketchy
Now I’m down on my knees and I’m retching

This field ain’t the only thing got plowed
I’m not making my momma proud

Chorus
You think I’d learn   Ohh –oh -oh
You’d think I’d learn   Ohh –oh -oh
Life’s got something to teach me
But so far the message hasn’t reached me

Not this again
Got three cracked ribs another busted lip 
And a black eye
All from last night
The officer says it was a bar fight

Not this again
I’m on my phone can’t get a single friend
To pick up
Guess they’re fed up
They know me by now and they’ve had enough

Every time I scratch my itches
I burn up a few more bridges

Chorus


Not This Again

The Longer I Look 
(Martin Buchanan) ©2015

If you stand back from a work of art
The first impression can touch your heart
But the true meaning of every brush stroke
Can only be learned from standing close

Chorus
The longer I look
The clearer I see
The closer you are
The deeper I breathe
The sound of your voice
Is music to me
I can read every beat of your heart
Like words in a book
The longer I look

Finding perfection can take awhile
If time is a road we’ve traveled the miles
We’ve shared our smiles and mingled tears
And watched the days turn into years

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
I almost hate to sleep at night
It means I have to close my eyes
No dream it seems can beat the sight of you 

Repeat Chorus


The Longer I Look

Just Friends
(Martin Buchanan)©2015 

Why don’t you girls      Try and understand
It’s not our fault         It’s called being a man
Ever since we crawled     Up on the sand
It’s been this way

We’re always thinking     About one thing
Not much else      Is on our brain
We’re a little bit Tarzan     And you’re all Jane
What can I say

Chorus
You realize, of course
We can’t be just friends
We like you and all
But that’s not how this ends
We don’t just hang out, drink beers and pretend 
That there’s not this attraction
This electric reaction
That happens again and again
We can’t be just friends

Yeah there’s some things   To distract us all
Like shooting our guns    Or watching football
But ESPN    Or a round of golf
Only goes so far

It comes right down    To our inner soul
This mental fixation   Is hard to control
Just so you know   We got seeds to sow
It’s who we are

Repeat chorus

Bridge
If you’ll let this attraction come to fruition
You’ll have our devotion that goes without mention
But there’ll always be friction

Repeat chorus


This Place

Southern Kind of Summertime
(Martin Buchanan/Chris Smith)


Inner tubes / water’s cool / drifting down the Chattahoochee grinnin’ like a fool
Got the girlfriends / with their legs tanned / floating in the sun with a beer in their hands
Got my eyes on the prize at the end of this ride
Blonde hair / Come on stare / Bet it’s gonna be hot when we get there...

Don’t be surprised what’s on your mind
When it’s 95 outside
With the air you can slice, the sweat in your eyes
And the muscadine wine
It’s a Southern kind of summertime
A Southern kind of summertime

Night comes / But the heat ain’t done / Still hotter than the devil walkin’ on sun
‘lectric Guitars / Under the stars / Drinkin our talent from a mason jar
Gettin’ primed, feelin’ fine, singin’ moonshine rhymes
Drum beat / Girls on their feet / Shakin’ what they got in the Alabama heat...

REPEAT CHORUS

You’re awake from the heat when it’s late and the sleep won’t stay
Cos the day’s done fried ya 
Cicadas in the trees are telling you to reach for the girl 
That’s there beside ya

REPEAT CHORUS


Southern Kind of Summertime

Things I Used To Do
(Martin Buchanan)

Saturday morning waking up late
Four soggy bowls of Frosted Flakes
Laying on the couch in my boxer shorts
Looking at sports

Soured milk in the refrigerator
Kitchen’s a wreck I’ll clean it up later
Jump in the truck to catch up with the boys
Shooting pool down at Roy’s

That’s a partial list of the things I used to do    But now it’s…

Chorus
Love letters and long walks
Late movies and pillow talking
Chocolate coffee with a little whipped cream
Bust out laughing over anything
I don’t do the things I used to do
Now that there’s you     Now that there’s you

Twenty-four calls on my machine
Three of my buddies saying where have you been
We need a fourth for some two-on-two
What’s wrong with you?

They’ll go out for beers still soaked in sweat
And brag and lie about the girls they’ve met
Over plates of nachos with extra cheese
And some Buffalo wings

Add this to the list of the things I used to do     But now it’s…

Repeat chorus

The guys are confused they think I should quit it
And be my old self they just don’t get it
You’re pretty and soft and smart and they’re not

Love letters and long walks
Late movies and pillow talking
Chocolate coffee with a little whipped cream
Window shopping for a diamond ring
I don’t do the things I used to do
Now that there’s you     Now that there’s you


martinbuchanan