A Quarrelsome Reputation

Dusk turns to dawn
Cold lash of rain
Streams down upon
My windowpane 
I stretch and yawn
Then drift off again
  
So soft and warm
Blanket, pillow
Outside it storms
Winds howl and blow
Will we go out?
I don’t suppose

No need to go outside
Let’s stay right here
Set out the candlelights
For atmosphere
Wear slippers instead of shoes
Make a big pot of tea
Simmer up a hearty stew
Just you and me

Fire dies down
Embers they glow
Grandfather clock
Ticks nice and slow
Just like my heart
In the comfort of home

Our time to hide
If they should look
Curl up inside
Our cozy nook
Here we’ll abide
Reading our books

World spins fast outside
There’s no need to race
In here is where we’ll find
A more leisurely pace
Everyday moments
Of simplicity
Basic components
For all to live happily

So warm in here
You’d never know
Out there’s so cold
Rain’s turned to snow
Melts as it drips
Down steamy windows

Look out to see
On the plum tree
A robin has perched
Softly it sings
Verse unrehearsed
What joy it brings

Sipping my tea
In my big thermal socks
Don’t matter to me
If the temperature drops
Got double glazing
Plush carpeting too
Some pumpkin bread baking
I’ll share my piece with you

Once in a blue moon
If we’re feeling so bold
Put on our big snow boots
Venture out in the cold
Catch up with the blackbirds
Say hello to the wrens
And when we’ve had enough words
Then we’ll come home again

Hygge

Industry of Cool

Morning comes, I'm moving slow
Not quite sure which way to go
Try a shuffle, then a slide
Feels like learning how to ride

Finding my step, steady and slow
Listening close to where I should go
Not chasing a rush, just keeping it true
Letting the rhythm show what to do

Some days steady, some days wild
Some days timid as a child
Trust my heartbeat, trust my pace
I'll find my step, I'll find my place

Some days I drift, some days I drive
Still there's a beat that keeps me alive
I'll follow that line, wherever it bends
I'll follow that road where it never ends

Tap a toe and start anew
Doesn't matter what I do
When the world feels out of tune
There's still a beat I'll follow soon
I'll trust the beat that lifts my feet
Every rhythm, soft or sweet
Let the worries fall behind
I'm stepping into my own mind

Left may falter, right may roam
Still I push forward, I'm coming home
The path is mine, the road is wide
I step into it with nothing to hide

Finding my step, steady and slow
Listening close to where I should go
Not chasing a rush, just keeping it true
Letting the rhythm show what to do

Some days I drift, some days I drive
Still there's a beat that keeps me alive
I'll follow that line, wherever it bends
I'll follow that road where it never ends

Finding My Step

Finding My Step - Instrumental

The cost of living has gone up sky-high
Most people’s money is in short supply
Quality of life, ain’t what it was
And the whole world is rife with such distrust

Yesterday a dollar bought a loaf of bread
Now you gotta max a credit card instead
Work real hard, scrimp and save
Don’t make no difference ‘matter how much we slave

And why?
Got to be a reason why
So tell me why
It’s such a struggle to survive?

Poor can’t afford health insurance fees
Rich cashin’ in on cryptocurrency
They may be rich, but they’re grey and old
Got all the money, but they’ve got no soul

Neighbour next door working a double shift,
Tryna keep their life from falling off a cliff.
Politicians talkin’ like they will help us,
But they fly first class while we ride the bus.

And why?
Got to be a reason why
So tell me why
It’s such a struggle to survive?

Boil up the rice and try to stretch it long,
Singin’ ‘bout survival like a protest song.
They say “tighten your belts,” but it’s wearing thin,
Can’t squeeze much more, no space within.

The poor try to live a life of decency
While the rich they glide along so easily
Count their money, polish their crown
When they try to get to heaven it’ll weigh them down

So why?
Got to be a reason why
So tell me why
It’s such a struggle to survive?

Rich and Poor

Tenuous Tether

Cottage Pie

When you're little and your shoes won't tie
And bedtime hits when the sun's still in the sky
You want to grow up so you can finally choose
Your bedtime, your snack time and your cartoon news
You say, “I'll be happy when I don't have to obey!”
But grown-ups smile 'cause they've all heard you say
You'll be happy when you're big and tall—
But life feels hard when you are small

You'll be happy when… you think life, at last, finally starts
But happiness keeps sneaking right on past you in the dark
Don't wait for someday because it comes faster than you'll ever know
Try to love the moment wherever you go, life is short, my friend
So let yourself begin

Suddenly you're fifteen with a learner's permit
Swearing no one understands you one little bit
And you'll only be free when you get your own place
No curfews, no lectures, no rules in your space
You say, “I'll be happy when I finally get out,”
But give it some time and you whisper with doubt
You start to miss the laughter and those home-cooked meals—
Turns out paying all that rent is not ideal

You'll be happy when… you think life, at last, finally starts
But happiness keeps sneaking right on past you in the dark
Don't wait for someday because it comes faster than you'll ever know
Try to love the moment wherever you go, life is short, my friend
So let yourself begin

Chasing a degree and then a job with good pay
A home of your own and a dog someday
Then marriage, a garden, two cars and a plan
You're sure you'll be happy when you're a “real adult” then
You keep adding goals like they're beads on a chain
And each one you reach just resets it again
So stop and smell the flowers - take in the view—
There's a whole big world all around you

You'll be happy when… you think life, at last, finally starts
But happiness keeps sneaking right on past you in the dark
Don't wait for someday because it comes faster than you'll ever know
Try to love the moment wherever you go, life is short, my friend
So let yourself begin

One day you'll be older with time finally free
No alarm clock to argue, no boss to appease
Your knees might be creaky but your memories gold
And you'll think of the days when you wished to be old
You'll sit by the window and smile at the sky
Counting all the moments that quietly flew by
And wonder why you waited to start living then
When joy gently tapped your door again and again

You'll be happy when… you stop waiting for another cue
'Cause happiness is hiding in the moments passing through
Don't save joy for someday— you only get this one
Try to love each heartbeat, every rising of the sun
Life is short, my friend, so let today begin

You'll Be Happy When...

Constraints Breed Creativity

ROCKSTEADYTNT.COM

I’m Kelly Marshall, and Rocksteady TNT is where I blend ska, rocksteady, and reggae with the sounds I’ve carried with me — Eastern European folk, funk, soul, jazz, punk, hip-hop, and a few ’80s echoes. I play bass, guitar, keys, and whatever else feels right, layering each track at home in Glasgow. What started in 1999 as an experiment has become my way of honoring roots while inventing new directions — keeping rhythm, melody, and heart at the core.

Constraints Breed Creativity

Rocksteady TNT

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