Copyright Erin Wolf 2023
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
January 2023 - Day 3
Prompt: Someplace That I'm Supposed to Be

this new year i had
a resolution
to get more organized
thought it would be
the perfect solution
for my hot mess life

well i went down to the
office depot
there on the west side of town
found myself a handy dandy planner
did you know you have to write stuff down?!

there's prob'ly someplace 
that i'm supposed to be
they'll just have to wait or 
start without me
i guess i'll sort it out 
one step at a time
no worries - i'll be just fine

i'm amazed at how y'all 
make life look easy
you just go ahead and do it
i try to follow
every step you make
but it seems this tidy thing just won't take

there's prob'ly someplace 
that i'm supposed to be
they'll just have to wait or 
start without me
i guess i'll sort it out 
one step at a time
no worries - i'll be just fine

oh there's prob'ly someplace 
that i'm supposed to be
they'll just have to wait or 
start without me
i guess i'll sort it out 
one step at a time
no worries - i'll be just fine

no, seriously, i think i'll probably be...
i'll be alright...
please God help me...
i'm not alright...

where's my highlighter?!
who took my highlighter?!

Where's My Highlighter? (I'll Be Just Fine)

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024
"Stories of Me & You"

Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
*Note: While the week imploded and I couldn't get 7 songs in 7 days as hoped, I pulled out an old back-up plan and wrote a song with all 7 prompts included. May have been a bit of a lyrical stretch - ah well.

Prompts:
1. Down the Hall
2. Open all Night
3. Stories of You
4. Tiles on the Roof
5. Hide in Plain Sight
6. The Real Reason
7. Go to the Store
--
i remember how you looked at me
over your shoulder as we crossed 
the rainy streets of new york city
it's almost like your eyes needed confirmation
i was real
your smile showed me it was real

you were the real reason i was nervous
so i let my fear hide in plain sight
now suddenly, after all these years,
you're only down the hall, and i wonder
if this is all real
open the door to see that we are real

and then we'll share stories of all me
and we'll share stories of all you
'til eventually new stories of we're shining through
we know they're real
and we know they're true
oh these stories of me and you

we know they're real and
we know they're true
me and you

rain's pouring down 
on the tiles
of the roof
but it all seems moot
when your smile's 
as warm as the sun

when we go to the store, 
you hope then door for me
but i can't help but feel like 
we're caught up in a dream
'cuz after all these years we're here and it's right
open the door and kept it open all night

and then we'll share stories of all me
and we'll share stories of all you
'til eventually new stories of we're shining through
we know they're real
and we know they're true
stories of me and you

we know they're real and
we know they're true
me and you

Stories of Me & You

Copyright Erin Wolf 2024
Fearless Songwriter Challenge - August 2024
(one song, seven prompts)

Photo: Fire with some colorful reactions - Hartford, WI - September 2024
--
like paint on a wall
the perfect design
ember and ash
intertwined

you've heard it before
promises broken
small as an apple 
big as a mountain

but it doesn't matter
ain't worth the cost
lost a friend
your whole house

too hard to love
that's what they say
these demons inside
you're trying to hide

don't quit now...

hold fast and strong
those voices, love,
they're all wrong
all the lies you've been sold
will be breaking down in time
you are not alone
you are not alone

the cracks are breaking
within your heart
thought you could fight
but it's just so hard

when everything's burning
all that you'd made
the dreams are crumbling
and fading away

don't quit now...

hold fast and strong
those voices, love,
they're all wrong
all the lies you've been sold
will be breaking down in time
you are not alone
you are not alone
you are not alone

Hold Fast - You Are Not Alone

"I Went Walking"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 1
Prompt: I Went Walking

i went walking down the 
streets of Nashville
i was hoping i could find
new kinda something
maybe a dream that 
i could finally get behind

i went walking on the 
streets of New Orleans
mardi gras shortly ahead
everyone hollerin', screamin' for
something more 
something they could feel
feel instead

oh, something they could feel instead

maybe as we're walking
we'll find something new
and maybe as i'm walking
i could find something without you

got many faces, got many names
oh, i know
oh, these stupid hopes in the things
i still hold

oh woah oh

i went walking down the
streets of New York City 
in the spring
you're on my mind
i remember your sweetest kiss and
remember your bittersweet goodbye

remember when we went walking
in the woods
slipping and sliding on the ice
found a little bench where my dreams - 
i thought they found a foothold -
then morning came
the dream was 
gone



I Went Walking

"High Wall"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 2
Prompt: High Wall

the rain's pouring down
on this darkest night
and i'm thinking back to when
nothing was right

felt like i'd sold my soul to the 
devil himself and i didn't know
felt like i was digging a grave
'gainst this high wall

i didn't know what i had gotten myself into
and none of my pride has kicked in
little intuition, too
but everybody kept telling me
"don't overthink it, baby"

oh, you were so charming
so everything at the beginning
you had such a charming smile
you were a little rough, little rough & tumble

but i should've seen those eyes 
were dancing with fire in your soul
oh, an anger that you just couldn't quench
with anything lovable
no, nothing lovable

and i wasn't sure what i would do
getting in cahoots with you
felt my soul was starting to,
starting to feel something new

oh, i could feel that ancient beast
that i thought that i'd laid deep 
oh, your malice and your anger worst
waking the beast within me

well, i had to find my way to climb
and scale that high wall to be free
'cuz i knew, oh i knew, oh i knew, oh i knew
that you would be the death of me

and thank God that i found a way
to get out
that high wall got knocked down and
was liberation - 
kingdom come

High Wall

"You Didn't Say Nothing At All"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 3
Prompt: Didn't Say Nothing

i remember when you promised me
the world, oh
told me that we'd paint our names 
on the marquees of old

said you were kind, and you told me
that i had to get off my ass
bold of you to assume that
i gave a damn

don't say you didn't say nothing
when that's all you knew
don't say you didn't say nothing
when nothing you said was true
don't say
you didn't say nothing at all

oh ooooh
oh ooooh

you told me to be ready 
for when the phone calls would come
said that we would find our way
on the road and oh

you asked if i was ready 
for the chance of a lifetime
you never considered that 
i never found you to be a lifeline 

don't say you didn't say nothing
when nothing was all you knew
don't say you didn't say nothing
when nothing you said was true
don't say
you didn't say nothing at all

oh, i know you're full of it, and
oh, i don't believe you at all

don't think i was gonna be your little puppet 
for the rest of our days
i know it kinda felt like a whirlwind 
and it's all a haze

don't worry 'bout me
i'm sure you'll be alright
'cuz let's not act like you wouldn't leave me
behind for the limelight

don't say you didn't say nothing
'cuz nothing was all you knew
don't say you didn't say nothing
when nothing you said was true
don't say
you didn't say nothing at all

You Didn't Say Nothing At All

"Footsteps (A Bloody Requiem)"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 4
Prompt: Footsteps

hear the footsteps coming 'round
quietly, stealthily in the dark
you wonder where they're coming from
who they're coming for
you didn't it was possible
thought it was all lore

be careful what you wish 
you might just get it, oh
the ghostly footsteps of 
those who'd come before
their relentless, eternal marching onward
hear their voices rising above the storm

oooh the storm
oooh above the storm

their voices have those souls back
their song they're rising for their lives
can we, the living, 
honor our dead
those who left because
the grave was too much instead

oooh too much instead
too much, too much, grave is too much instead

and their final hymn
their requiem
their final hymn is a bloody requiem
do we call for justice
do we leave it to the morning light
will we hear their calls tonight

Footsteps (A Bloody Requiem)

"This Ain't Your Land"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 5
Prompt: Your Land

see the planes taking off 
for new places
spelling S-O-S out 
hand in hand
well, the air's getting pretty ICE-y these days, 
i feel
trying to hold on to a spark of hope 
that you can't kill

everyone says i should just keep quiet
lest i catch your wrath (ha ha)
well, darling, i don't give a damn 
and you can kiss my fat ass
oh, you think this land is your land,
that we should kneel and kiss your rings
oh but darling, there is so much to know and learn
beside these things

i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring
no, i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring

ah oh
ahh woah ooh

think you're a king 
or you think you're the Pope
you think that you're 
God-given somehow,
you miraculous big ol' dope
oh, your fragility is something to behold
but all of your bullsh*t harmful ways,
gotta admit, they're getting old

oh, i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring
and i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring

no, i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring
no, i'm not backing down
and i'm not bending over
to kiss your ring

you gotta get away
'cuz revolution is coming...

This Ain't Your Land

"An Endless Heavenly Sky for Valerie"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 6
Prompt: Endless Sky

oh, i'm thinking 'bout my childhood days
when you taught me how to sing 
"heavenly breeze"
oh those days by the lake
seemed like there were endless skies
you showed me God in your eyes

your laughter 
sounded like a bird song
you always had us singing along
made me feel like i belonged
safe haven, all the day long
safe haven, all the day long

Valerie
do you know what you mean to us
and to me
Valerie
do you know what you meant to us
and to me

tonight, we heard your voice
singing from the lodge across the way
as we sang, 
"hallelujah, He is raised from the grave"
you taught us all about 
forgiving one another
i wish some others remembered these days
i wish that we could forgive each other more
these days

you always taught us to 
love our neighbors
and love Jesus and ourselves as well
you always sang a simple
but we wanted to sing along
now i sing this one for you

valerie
did you know what you meant to us
and to me
valerie
did you know what you meant to us
and to me

it's been year since i said goodbye
sent you off into the heavenly afterlife
you know what is waiting on the other side
hopefully, it's you with open arms and a wide smile
oh, i hope it's you with open arms
and a smile

An Endless Heavenly Sky for Valerie

"You and Me Will Have Peace of Mind"
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025
Fearless Songwriter Challenge (7in7)
April-May 2025 - Day 7
Prompt: You and Me

they say this love is for you and me, 
my dear
guess that would be all good and well if 
i knew who you were here
are you a fragment of someone's imagination
just to poke fun
and this life i've been living 
all alone

are you real, or are you 
some fantasy lore
will i find you in the heavens or
or six feet 'neath the floor
and i don't know if you're real
or some ghost of love that's past
i don't know what to say
or am i just being crass

all i said is i'm doubting it
now i suppose, i should be waiting on it
waiting on you

all the psychics and 
tarot readers
they've told i'd find you again
but their predictions 
have been wrong
for over seven years and 
they're still going strong

i don't know who 
i'm supposed to be
searching for
don't think i 
can find you 
somebody 
someone
the blind's leading the blind

and i don't know if i... i am past my time
and i'm tired of people saying,
"it'll happen when you don't expect it, right?"
just leave me in peace
i've had enough of the
unsolicited encouragement
i'm doing just fine 
i'm content

oh, i,
i am fine
oh, i
have peace of mind

You and Me Will Have Peace of Mind

Official account of Erin Wolf for Song A Week 2019-present. • For 2016-2018 Song A Week archives, follow @erniwolf or click the link below.

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