FAWM 2024 - Demos

Liner Notes:
This is my first song for the month.  I loved this skirmish prompt from  and Liz's take on it resonated with me deeply. (FYI, a "Skirmish" is a group songwriting sprint. A time is announced, a prompt given, and then everyone has 1 HOUR to write a song.)

Liz says: I’m so grateful that Tara brought her beautiful music and insightful sensibility to create this moving gorgeous song from lyrics I quickly wrote for a skirmish. Her tweaks and nuanced delivery elevated the poignancy I was trying to convey.

Lyrics
If That Were To Happen 
©️Liz Petty and Tara Craig 2024 

C 
when I dream about the future 
I dream about us 
about growing old together 
with deep lasting love…. 
but then I wake up and wonder 
if that will be enough 
it’s not you it's the future 
that I can't trust… 

V1 
maybe I’ll grow more hair 
on my chin than my head 
if that were to happen 
would you still love me then? 

maybe I’ll forget that 
you were ever my wife 
if that were to happen 
what would become of our life? 

PC 
maybe oh maybe 
we were meant to be 
but baby oh baby 
that’s not up to me 

C 
when I dream about the future 
I dream about us 
about growing old together 
with deep lasting love…. 
but then I wake up and wonder 
if that will be enough 
it’s not you it's the future 
that I don't trust… 

V1 
maybe I’ll stumble 
into the depths of despair 
if that were to happen 
would you ever find me there? 

maybe I’ll see you out 
in another’s arms 
if that were to happen 
would I live without warmth? 

PC 
maybe oh maybe 
we were meant to be 
but baby oh baby 
that’s not up to me 

C 
when I dream about the future 
I dream about us 
about growing old together 
with deep lasting love…. 
but then I wake up and wonder 
if love will be enough 
it’s not you it's future 
that I don't trust… 

B 
maybe we’ll grow old together 
with deep and lasting love 
but even if that doesn’t happen 
 I’ll know this love was enough 

  OUTRO 
 oh even if that doesn’t happen   
I know this love was enough 
I know this was enough

The Future - FAWM 2024 demo

A reminder to get out of my head, have fun and play!

Skirmish prompt: Play

(A "Skirmish" is a group songwriting sprint. A time is announced, a prompt given, and then everyone has 1 HOUR to write a song.)

Get Outta Your Way - FAWM 2024 demo

TW: sexual assault, violence 

Liz's original liner notes: 
I saw the forum thread “give me a title” and ran with a title I just saw by @miltz as it made me a remember the dark and traumatic night of my high school graduation party…. Lots of truth to the story but the river name has been changed and no one died. There is a Killsnake River in Wisconsin. 


Tara's notes: I almost didn't write for these lyrics because the subject matter felt too heavy. Then I realized that's exactly why I needed to write. Stories like this should not be carried alone. 

Killsnake River
©️Liz Petty and Tara Craig 2024

borrowed kisses in a stolen car 
on the bank of the Killsnake River 
as cold rain was pouring down 
ominous clouds grew thicker 

stolen pistol on a borrowed breast 
on the bank of the Killsnake River 
as his body pressed hard against her 
he ripped open her zipper 

borrowed hours in a stolen night 
on the bank of the Killsnake River 
as she struggled he bit her deep 
she cried with fear and shivered 

stolen chances on the borrowed land 
on the bank of the Killsnake River 
as the car rolled through mud when 
she pushed the clutch and shifter 

borrowed dangers of a stolen time 
on the bank of the Killsnake River 
as the car plunged in the water 
she was the only strong swimmer

Killsnake River - FAWM 2024 demo

This is a 30min write based on the prompt: The Missing Socks Lament". I had so much fun with this one.  I was literally laughing out loud while writing it.  Hope you enjoy this one.

Anythings, Nothings and Underthings
©️Tara Craig 2024

He came to,  didn’t know where he was
It smelled like forgotten things
He stumbled to his foot 
And got his bearings 
He was in the  land of anythings, nothing’s and underthings 

He was in the  land of anythings, nothing’s and underthings 

Where few have gone and fewer still returned
Needless to say he was extremely concerned 
He checked his seams which promptly confirmed
His world as he knew was completely upturned

He was in the  land of anythings, nothing’s and underthings  

He cried aloud, “why this torment, 
Has mine not been a knit well spent? 
Without me my pair has no choice but reinvent”
This is the missing socks lament

He was in the  land of anythings, nothing’s and underthings

Anythings, Nothings, And Underthings -  FAWM 2024 demo

The prompt for this write was "out of the gutter". The first thing I thought of when I heard the prompt was something pulling peanut butter out of a rain gutter. What could that something be? Big Foot or Sasquatch of course! I I started brainstorming the story I realized I should do some research on Big Foot sightings. I came across an interview with a guy who claims to have seen Sasquatch in 2014 in Big Thicket National Park in Texas. The details about Sasquatch in the song are based on his descriptions, except I made the thing a little taller. I based the chorus on this quote, "And then when this thing walked into view, it obviously didn’t look like anybody I knew. And so it kind of threw me for a loop."

Here's a link to the article if anyone is interested: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/what-does-bigfoot-sound-like-take-a-listen/

Lyrics
A Strange Sorta Thing to Explain

On a dark soggy day in the pacific northwest
I was working on a jigsaw puzzle
The fire was crackling, reality tv was on
I was cozy in my forest cabin

When suddenly I heard all kinds of grunts, growls, huffs and barks,
I jumped off the couch startled
From the window I saw something moving down in the creek
Something was walking towards the clearing,

When this thing walked into view,
It didn’t look like anybody I knew
This thing kind of threw me for a loop
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain
Yeah It’s a strange sorta thing to explain

It was lanky and probably eight and half to nine feet tall
Its chest and face were black like an olive
The rest of it was a reddish brown
It looked like some kind of primate

It moved with ease,
Like a person strolling though a park
Oh so casually
It seemed to glide
As it made all kinds of grunts, growls, huffs and barks,
I held my breath silently

When this thing walked into view
It didn’t look like anybody I knew
This thing kind of threw me for a loop
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain

I sat frozen in fear
My eyes glued to the window
The thing leisurely shuffled onto my back deck
What really gets me is what happened next

it reached up it’s hairy arm,
Felt around and pulled something
out of the rain gutter
It was a huge gooey handful of that yummy stuff
We call peanut butter

It smiled in delight,
Then took a great big bite
then another and another
Then carefully the thing
licked it’s fingers clean
And ran back into the forest

When this thing walked into view
It didn’t look like anybody I knew
This thing kind of threw me for a loop
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain
It’s a strange sorta thing to explain

A Strange Sorta Thing To Explain - FAWM 2024 Demo

The prompt for this one was "conversation" which got me thinking about the "the conversation" of coming out as a queer person. It is such a difficult conversation to have especially with people who have strong views against it. This story is specifically about losing touch with my childhood best friend because I didn't want to face her rejection. Maybe she would have surprised me, or maybe my assumptions were correct. I'll never know.

Lyrics

My dear childhood companion
I think of you often
My dear childhood companion
Wonder if I’ll ever see you again

Sometimes I wonder if we’d still be friends today
If I had the courage to say
The thing I knew you despised
The thing you viewed as immoral
Afraid to tell you the truth
Afraid to watch you recoil

So I never gave you the chance
Instead I turned away in advance
So sure of what you’d say
I avoided the conversation
I still regret that
To this day

I moved out of town
Away from all I knew
Away from all the opinions
You held as absolutes
I stopped coming around
Stopped calling to check in
The last time we spoke was at your wedding

I never gave you the chance
Instead I turned away in advance
So sure of what you’d say
I avoided the conversation
I still regret that
To this day

The Conversation - Tara Craig - FAWM 2024 Demo

John and I were paired up for the Random Collaboration challenge.  John's lyrics are fantastic and totally not something I'd come up with on my own. Which is one of the many reasons I love collaborating with other musicians.  

Umbrella Uprising
Lyrics by John Nicholson

Rain pouring down on this dark weary street
hope's heartbeat finds its one true beat
But the winds of change begin to rise
Igniting flames that reach the skies

Welcome to the Umbrella Uprising
Where raindrops can't drown our cries
With our thoughts and hearts united
Nothing can break our ties

No longer shackled by fear's heavy chains
With every step, making solid gains
Torch held high in a symbol of might
Guiding us through the darkest night

Welcome to the Umbrella Uprising
Where raindrops can't drown our cries
With our thoughts and hearts united
Nothing can break our ties

Our voices echo through the thunder's roar
Unwavering, steadfast, forevermore
In unity, our strength, we find mission
To break down barriers, end oppression and division

Welcome to the Umbrella Uprising
Where raindrops can't drown our cries
With our thoughts and hearts united
Nothing can break our ties

Umbrella Uprising - FAWM 2024 Demo

Christoper and I were paired up for the Random Collaboration challenge.  This is my first time working with Christoper and I feel really happy with the result. 

Lyrics by Christopher Castle
Music and performance by Tara Craig 

Lyrics
ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

V1.
When leaves are blown off the tree
Some float down the road together
Others are set free
And that's me , that's me

CHORUS
I'm on the road less travelled
I don't follow the herd
You have to go your own way
To have an opinion and say
On the road less travelled
You have the last word

V2.
To be the lead in your play
You show all those folk you mean it
But that comes with pain
I'm okay , okay

Repeat chorus

Bridge
The more I stand out
The more I fit in
When I wanna go out dancing
You're not gonna keep me in

Repeat Chorus

Road Less Traveled - FAWM 2024 Demo

Music and performance by Tara Craig 
Lyrics by Liz Petty

I Cloud Do This - FAWM 2024 demo

Lyrics
I Feel You

V1
looking at the indigo sky
watching fireflies go by
their lights ignite
sweet memories…
memories of you

feeling warmth of a summer breeze
hearing wind sing in willow trees
their leaves dance and
softly whisper…
whisper your name

PC1
but it will never be the same ….

C
in all that I see
in all that I hear
I feel you still with me
I feel your love near…

in all that I think
in all that I do
I feel you in my heart
I feel love so true …

in all…
I feel you…

V2
thinking about nights last July
seeing the moonlight in your eyes
their solace brought
heartfelt wonder…
wonder to me

doing the best I could do
saying final good byes to you
your last words dwell
deeply within…
within my soul..

PC2
your love keeps my heart full

C
in all that I see
in all that I hear
I feel you still with me
I feel your love near…

in all that I think
in all that I do
I feel you in my heart
I feel love so true …

in all I feel you…

B
while life doesn’t last forever
love never ends
I will always love you…

PC3
my soulmate, my friend …

C
in all that I see
in all that I hear
I feel you still with me
I feel your love near…

in all that I think
in all that I do
I feel you in my heart
I feel love so true …

in all I feel you…

I Feel You -  FAWM 2024 demo

Hostage 

Lyrics by Carl Borda
Music by Tara Craig 

Trapped in a cell
Deep in my mind
And the beauty locked there
Can be so unkind
Can't get out
Of where we once were
Even after you're gone
These feelings endure

I'm a hostage, a hostage
A hostage to you      
All the things you said
And the love we once knew
I'm a hostage, a hostage   
A hostage it's true
Captured by thoughts
In the past with you 

Bombs are ticking
Inside my head
With my heartbeat racing
Alone in our bed
On your side
Is an empty space
And I cannot let go
It's torture I face

I'm a hostage, a hostage
A hostage to you
All the things you said
And the love we once knew
I'm a hostage, a hostage   
A hostage it's true
Captured by thoughts
In the past with you 

There's no ransom to pay
That could free up my day
Cause I'm chained to you
With this that I say

I'm a hostage, a hostage
A hostage to you
All the things you said
And the love we once knew
I'm a hostage, a hostage   
A hostage it's true
Captured by thoughts
In the past with you

Hostage - FAWM 2024 demo

lyrics by Kell Willsen 
music by Tara Craig

What's The Catch? - FAWM 2024 demo

FAWM 2024

Breathe Like People - Daniel DeShon and Tara Craig - FAWM 2024 demo

Off the Ground

In a hotel room in Dallas
On the Fourth of July
Strumming on a rented six string
To drown out the highway noise

Your cat opens the cabinets 
and tracks litter everywhere
But I’m grateful for Hope’s company
Her and Jamison make a great pair

And I hate that I was mean 
On that night when I first got to town
But you poured gasoline 
Lit the match, burned your whole life down
And now it’s up to me
To pick what’s left of you off the ground

I drove you to the ER
At the advice of the doctor at the urgent care
Then I emptied your apartment 
Carried it down three flights of stairs 

You don’t feel like talking
And I don’t blame you at all
I get up from the window seat 
To help you change your hospital gown

And I hate that I was mean 
On that night when I first got to town
But you poured gasoline 
Lit the match, burned your whole life down
And now it’s up to me
To pick what’s left of you off the ground

Flying with hope
To our childhood home
Where you can heal 
Where you won’t be alone

And I hate that I was mean 
On that night when I first got to town
But you poured gasoline 
Lit the match, burned your whole life down
And now it’s up to you
To pick what’s left of you off the ground

Off The Ground - FAWM 2024 demo

“When you see her live there's this amazing sensation that her voice is the only instrument you need to hear, sort of now... or ever.”
— Charlie Cheney

“One of the most vibrant and pensive songwriters emerging”
— Richard May of the Songwriter's TV Series

Tara Craig captivates audiences with a huge voice that is equal parts soulful and vulnerable. Her songs drip with imagery and are delivered with palpable emotional intensity.  Her immersive, vocally-driven, indie-folk-pop songs have the ability to give a voice to the unspoken places within the heart.  

Tara Craig earned her musical chops in the "Live Music Capital of the World", Austin TX.  In 2010, she was awarded, Austin's "Best Female Musician".   

Throughout her career, Tara has played hundreds of shows in a wide variety of venues and she continues to hone her craft. Whether in a crowded bar backed by a full band or on the streets of a sleepy beach town, the strength and vulnerability Tara shares through her music resonate.