What Else Can We Say
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 17
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

how do you speak
when the words 
are struggling
inside your mind
how can you say
all you're feeling
when you can't 
utter a sound

what do you say
when you can't
describe the ache
what do you do
when the screen goes dark
darkness consumes
you

oh run to the hope
it ain't gone
oh, no
keep moving 
forward
into the light
into the light

childlike
wonder
wond'ring how
how to move 
forward with
we're at a loss
what to do

say farewell
you don't know 
what else
we can say
there are no
words for this
kind of pain

hold on to hope
it ain't gone
we don't know
how else to keep
moving on
just don't go
into the dark
rage into 
the light 

oh woah
oh woah
oh woah
oh woah

oh woah
oh woah
oh woah
oh 

(song inspired by Mthr. Michele Whitford's sermon & eulogy at the funeral and celebration of life for Mark Walter - written in loving memory of Marky)

17 - What Else Can We Say - 25TNWi24

Sometimes, You're Falling Out
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 18
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

stuck in time
frozen
how i used to
see you

now you
stand before me
and i don't recognize
who you are

lights going out
in your eyes
color has faded
from your hair

no signs of 
recognition 
in your face
do we know 
where we are

do you know
who i am
who i was
to you

pictures
faded in the
sunlight
years casting 
shadows

see these ghosts
from a life
since past
still no signs

you recognize
do you know 
who i am
who i was
to you

can you
can you
can you
can you
can you

you've asked for
one more
one last 
time

you're in and out
of consciousness
sometimes you're present
sometimes, 
you're falling out

sometimes, 
you're falling out
falling out
falling

(written in memory of Edward Murray and Betty Dobrzynski)

18 - Sometimes, You're Falling Out - 25TNWI24

Ticking the Day Away
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 19
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

(ooohs for days)

time is a cruel
mistress
dragging us along like a 
controlling temptress
i don't know what i've done
to fall into her trap
but i know
i am along for
for the ride

oooh
oooh

see your life
flashing by
from the moment we are
born 'til the day
we die
we never know when it's
our time to go
oh, will we be on the
will be on the 
boat

(ooohs for days)

i'm just sitting listening
to the clock
tick-tick-ticking away
it will 
continue
to "ticks" the day

oooh

oh, it ticks it
away

19 - Ticking the Day Away - 25TNWI24

The Song Anyone Could Write
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 20
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

so you want to write a song
that anyone can sing
one that will get their toes tapping
well, all you need are three chords
at least, that's what John Prine said before
just make sure you've got the I (1), the V (5),
and the IV (4)

don't do what i just did and have a double-line
but don't worry, i made sure that they didn't look the same spelling-wise 
now i just have what we call, "an imperfect rhyme"
now i'll make it sound even better and better
all the time
(see what i did there?!)

oh, this is gonna be one of the most meta songs i write
oh, this level of self-awareness will give us a fright
but when you're doing The Nashville 24 from Wisconsin
sometimes gotta get a little creative
and this here is the song anyone could write
and i'm writing it tonight

well if you gotta capo
and you don't have the hand-width
to go up all and down the neck of
your instrument
capo will help make those strings a lil' shorter
and then the pitch will sound like this 
nice higher order

but this is the song
that anyone, oh anyone, could write
and i guarantee this is gonna be the worst,
most self-aware song of the night
and this song, it won't get me anywhere
in the limelight
oh this is the song that anyone, anyone, 
could write

here we go
we're playing weird dissonant notes
'cuz everyone loves a bridge
or a little tag or a hook
but no one could hook this in (pause)
except me tonight

oh this is the song that anyone, oh anyone, could write
'cept you've gotta sweet little jackass like me for the night
we're at song number 20 of The Nashville-Wisco 24
and maybe if i'm lucky,
i'll have better songs left in store

oh woah oh
*cackles*

20 - The Song Anyone Could Write - 25TNWI24

Break Through the Barriers
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 21
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

i learned that i can't hate
i'm uncomfortable 
and they ain't the same
i don't want to be consumed
by the flames that got you

i learned i'm not weak
i've got stregnth 
even i can't see
i can love better
than i knew i would

c'mon now
find out how
we can 
break through all the barriers
we can
break through the barriers

c'mon 
c'mon now
we can 
break through the barriers
break through the barriers

barriers

i learned i can stand 
on my own
got the strength to 
hold my own
can stop foes that have taken me
to the break

and please, c'mon
come with me
break through the barriers
wait and see

come take my hand
show you a land
where we can
break the barriers
go through the barriers

the barriers
the barriers
barriers
the barriers

21 - Break Through the Barriers - 25TNWI24

Help Me to Be Worth Anything Today
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 22
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

Help Me to Be Worth Anything Today
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 22
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

help me to find the dry side of the riverbed
you said that all the water is high
so we don't wind up dead
so help me to find in the tide so 
i may have life for my own
and do what you said and help me find
the dry riverbed

help me to find the crops i need to 
eat my fill
taking away the lands that were burning
'til they're nill
but you said that i need the food to nourish
my soul and all inside
so help me to find the crops
so that i may not die

help me to find the forest where you say
i'll find shelter a'plenty
and maybe i've just gone funny
or i've just gone wanting
you say that we need to take shelter in order
to keep a roof over our head
but these forests are disappearing
help me found a home instead

help me to find 
help me to find
help me to find
help me to find
you tell me we need all these things
to make our lives complete
so help me
help me
help me

help me to find the oil that you say is like
blackened gold
these are the tyrants and tycoons that you've
told me from old
maybe i can take a drink and have it
in my veins
and maybe the you'll think i'm worth anything
today

let me have my drink of the oil to be worth anything 
today

22 - Help Me to Be Worth Anything Today - 25TNWI24

Watch Me Burn (Requiem)
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 23
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

would you like to sing this requiem
with me
as we kiss goodbye to all the rest of
human decency
i know my jaded nature isn't something 
you're accustomed to seeing
do you wanna help me sing
this requiem

do you wanna help make one last round
before the night calls
i know it seems like we're giving up all hope
that's how it goes
you told i'm good for nothing
something i cannot repeat
so c'mon and sing with me 
one last call before the night comes

oh, don't you think i know
who you really are
don't you think that i have 
figured you out
is the reason i keep you 
at an arm's length
you are a devil 
i don't want to play with
but sometimes to defeat the fire
i play with fire
so watch me burn

you mistake my kindness for weakness
but you're digging your own grave
there's just no how to say 
all the things that i gotta say
'cuz i ain't afraid to look you in the eye
and turn the other way
and i caught all of your darkness 
it breaks through all the space

don't you think i know just who you are
and who've you been
how you think i got this far
if i wasn't willing 
to pay fire with fire
so watch me burn

watch me burn
watch me burn
ooh
watch me burn

oh no
watch me burn

do you wanna sing this requiem

23__Watch_Me_Burn_Requiem__25TNWI24

Just Fine On My Own
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 24
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

i am here on my own
in the house that i'll never own
and people think i'm lonely
but they are wrong

i used to be afraid
what i would say
didn't want to be on my own
i was afraid my shadowside

now we've united 
and we're delighted to meet one another
i have learned how to be content
with me

why's everyone so scared
i'm still here 
not going anywhere
not going anywhere

it's like they all need me
to check the boxes that they're pleading
i'm alright
i'm alright
i promise i'm fine
for real

and i've taken time to
get to know myself
this is just reprieve from the world that is
burning to hell

i'll take this moment
don'tcha wait for just a minute
'cuz i know this is a game if i win
i'll win either way just the same

so i will enjoy
just for a moment 
sitting here 
sitting here
oh, sitting here

24 - Just Fine On My Own - 25TNWI24

Running Out of Time
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 25
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

i heard i'm running out of time
running out of time tonight
almost time for curtain calls
and final bows

and i heard that what Taylor said was
the life of a show girl
but i live in the wings
i ain't the main attraction

you all know my voice
but you wouldn't put that faction
in time
in time

one step in front 
of the other
as we're making our way
back to the safe house

chains on the swings outside
are rusty
they, too, have turned
with time

and i 
i don't know
don't know

'scuse me, sir
do you ahve the time
do you know where i should go
to next

'scuse me, ma'am
where do i end 
where do you 
begin

just like Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hide
we could your true colors
and faces outside

you don't hide
as well as you think
that i could 
but i ain't scared of you

scared of 
you

25 - Running Out of Time - 25TNWI24

26 - Oh, I Don't Know - 25TNWI24

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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