"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)

"The Thing About A River" (#461, 210514)

 * Co-written with @nikki-dean-523384425 * 

The thing about a river is she's been here forever
And she's deeper than she looks
Quiet steady current softens all the edges
Of even jagged rocks

No one knows why the river flows
Where she starts or where she ends
Silent as a mirror but strong enough to take you with her
That's the thing about a river

But the thing about a river is she only flows downstream
Yeah she never turns around
She'll lift you up or pull you in ain't much in between
If you float or if you drown

No one knows why the river flows
Where she starts or where she ends
Silent as a mirror but strong enough to take you with her
That's the thing about a river

She's the path of least resistance
Try to follow where she leads
If you're listenin' you can hear her whisper
She'll tell you everything you need

Week 20 - The Thing About A River (210514)

A co write with  Fiona Ni Ainin 

This link will give you the story of the Children of Lir
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/irish-myth-children-lir-swan-lake

Children Of Lir (Danielle Banks/Fiona Ni Ainin)

Week 20 of Song-A-Week had the prompt "Some 
People's Kids". Here is my attempt at writing a song about that. 
Note: The family pictured has no connection to the events in the song.

Lyrics:

You read that sad things happen to some people's kids
never thought that "some people" would include your mother and me

The first 4 weeks of joy with you (our) baby boy
turned frustrating at the start of week 5
when you started to fuss, this was new to us,
and you kept it up all thru the night

your condition had gone undetected
too late we found out your heart was defective
You read that sad things happen to some people's kids
never thought that "some people" would include your mother and me

not until your face turned all blue
did you end up at Children's ICU
where all they ultimately could do
was to let you go while in your mother's arms

your condition had gone undetected
too late we found out your heart was defective
You read that sad things happen to some people's kids
never thought that "some people" would include your mother and me


Image AND Song Copyright © Claes Akerblom 2021

Some People (demo)

Heart Song Week 20

The seventh tale of Snow and Cherry

Not in my blood

it's early morning
sun rays are coming through my window
my soul is yearning
thoughts in my head spin round in circles

Why'd I keep on falling down
and coming back for more?
it's made me stronger
while trying to kill me all along
but giving up is not in my blood

the still of morning
gives me the courage I've been missing
I'm fooling no one
playing a game I know I can't win

Why instead of losing hope 
I'm coming back for more?
why do I bother?
not even I would claim to know
but giving up is not in my blood

it's early morning
thoughts in my head spin round in circles
I finally noticed
sun rays are coming through my window

Why in spite of feeling down 
I'm coming back for more?
it's made me stronger
bringing some comfort to my soul
but giving up is not in my blood

Giving up is not in my blood

Tales of Snow and Cherry

Not In My Blood

Written with and featuring the mighty Julia Bloom ( https://juliabloom.org/ )

I’ve been dead and born again
More times that I can count 
From smallest to the largest I have grown
The corners turned, the lessons learned 
but only to forget
In the silence of the falling snow

Summers come and summers go
And winters never end
until the spring awakens us from sleep
But ON beyond the coming fall
I'll never rise again
These bones will be the final piece of me

But oh - feel the life rising and I'm new again
Oh - does it really matter how it goes away?

I been dancing skyward 
with the birds and all the bees
Spinning out the quivering strands of life
Weaving sound and colour til they're free to be released
Miracles on miracles in flight

Inside the gene you never see
but feel at every turn
I'm the one who steers you through the dark
I'm the love and longing
That can bring you through the hurt
That makes the meaning pulling at your heart

Oh - feel the life arising and I'm new again
Oh - does it really matter that it goes 

When there’s a love……
I feel a love that lifts me up and lays me down to my rest
I feel a love that lifts me up and lays me down to my rest

Feel the bees that tickle 
as they nibble at your flowers
Knowing how their kisses share your life
Though the birds may wound you 
as they're pecking at your boughs
Only they can spread the seed so wide

Lovers come and lovers go
and wonders never cease
So we travel wide and travel far
Though they fade and fall away
like autumn's changing leaves
love remains and makes us what we are

Oh - feel the life arising and I'm new again
Oh - does it really matter how it goes away?

New Again (with Julia Bloom)

Time
Oh the passing of time
Carving memories soft and smooth 
Time like a River that winds
Gently see its journey through 

And I can see you waving back at me
Diving under foam and ocean spray
I can hear you calling out to me 
Oh time take me there today 

Time
Oh the passing of time
Sealing over hurt and pain 
Time planted seeds in my mind 
And I feed on those old days 

Time 
Oh the passing of time 
Never fades my love for you 
Time like a cord or a vine 
I am connected back to you

the passing of time SAW wk23

wicked honey

Carry the Torch

I guess it’s been a minute since I’ve seen you. 
I carved the date you left in my desk. 
I remember laughing on the subway. 
I’ve been in a sorry kind of state. 

Memories of the good old days 
When we lived beyond the fray	
Loving life and buying time
We had the rhythm but not the rhyme

Don’t shed a tear
I’m in the laughter
I’m in the fear.
a protector 
I’m always near

Heartbreak ravages those who had known you
An important voice muted too soon
I won’t forget the honesty and the laughter
I’ll carry the torch all by myself

Memories of the good old days 
When we lived beyond the fray	
Loving life and buying time
We had the rhythm but not the rhyme

Don’t shed a tear
I’m in the laughter
I’m in the fear.
a protector 
I’m always near


Carry the Torch

Ride the Wind is all about rolling with life’s punches and finding your strength in the middle of the storm. It’s not perfect, it’s not planned — but that’s the beauty of it. With a mix of laid-back grooves and soaring anthems, this album is your soundtrack for embracing change, letting go, and learning to fly even when the path disappears beneath your feet.

New Again (with Julia Bloom)

Rich Waring