Complicated – written by Jeremiah Rooks 
(co-written with Nathan Trueb as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG) 

Eighteen years old 
Wish I said hello
My eyes stayed real low 
I love you more than you know 

It’s complicated that you and I was fated 
You took me higher and then you lit a fire 
Now you got me blazing your love is so amazing 
Wrote you a song but I don’t know how to play it

Hate that I cheated on you
Hate that I left you so blue 
Hate not seeing you every day 
Hate that I left your clouds so gray

It’s complicated that you and I was fated 
You took me higher and then you lit a fire 
Now you got me blazing your love is so amazing 
Wrote you a song but I don’t know how to play it 
I took a hit of your love 
It feels like a heaven above 
I took a hit of your love 
It feels like heaven above

Complicated
Vocals - Jeremiah Rooks
Guitars - Nathan Trueb
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Complicated - Jeremiah Rooks

Like We Used To – written by Mira Caldwell 
(co-written with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG) 

On the surface it’s like you’re drowning 
Drowning is a comfort sorrow is what you know 
On the surface it’s like you’re drowning 
Drowning is a comfort sorrow is what you know 

I wish we could laugh just like we used 
Just like we used to
This time’s forever all that we didn’t do 
Just like we used to 

Been asleep for many years 
Vision or a daydream sorry is what I’ve known 
Been asleep for many years 
Vision or a daydream sorry is what I’ve known 

I wish we could laugh just like we used 
Just like we used to
This time’s forever all that we didn’t do 
Just like we used to 
I wish we could laugh just like we used 
Just like we used to
This time’s forever all that we didn’t do 
Just like we used to 
On the surface it’s like you’re drowning 
Drowning is a comfort sorrow is what you know

Like We Use To
Vocals - Mira Caldwell
Electric Guitar and Background Vocals - Stephanie Schneiderman
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Like We Used To - Mira Calderon

Never Goodbye – written by Josh Stump
(co-arranged with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG) 


All I remember are flashes of you and then white

A summer December that ransomed a mountain from sight

I was burning alive as I froze in a blizzard of fright

You held strong and reminded me I could survive with a fight.


And you were there...

To gather me up from the pain

And shelter me in from my shame

And hold me till I couldn’t die

So why are you saying goodbye

Ooooooo


All I recall is the fall and you saving my life.

And betting it all on forever with you as my wife

We were promise fulfilled and the strength of our will was our might

We were laughter and love and had sons that carried that light.

And you were there....

Ooooooo


All I remember is seeing myself in your eyes

The third of September my world was as big as the skies

We were 3 and then 4 and the fourth would suffer no lies.

Now the story is yours and I’ll sing in your chorus of life


And I am here...

To gather you up from the pain

And shelter you in from your shame

And hold you till you couldn’t die

And I’m never saying goodbye

Gather me up....

Tell me it’s never goodbye.

Never Goodbye
Vocals - Josh Stump
Acoustic Guitar - Stephanie Schneiderman
Background Vocals - Stephanie Schneiderman
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Never Goodbye - Joshua Stump

Hot Air Balloon – written by Bethany Shetterly Thomas 
(co-written with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG) 

I kept two feet on the ground 
Every chance calculated 
Each risk mitigated
Didn’t know how to slow down
Had to hustle and hurry
In order to feel I was worthy

You make my heart fly like a hot air balloon
The roar of its flame heat rippling the air
You make a gray sky seem easy and blue 
Take me where the wind blows 
I’d go anywhere with you
With you

You live above all the noise 
There’s an ease in your struggles 
Confidence subtle 
You reminded me how to feel joy
You gave uncertainty 
A strange tranquility 

You make my heart fly like a hot air balloon
The roar of its flame heat rippling the air
You make a gray sky seem easy and blue 
Take me where the wind blows 
I’d go anywhere with you
With you
With you

I’ve always been afraid 
Afraid of falling 
Your eyes meet mine 
And I feel like I’m soaring 

You make my heart fly like a hot air balloon
The roar of its flame heat rippling the air
You make a gray sky seem easy and blue 
Take me where the wind blows 
I’d go anywhere with you
With you

You make my heart fly like a hot air balloon

Hot Air Balloon
Vocals and Piano - Bethany Shutterly Thomas
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Hot Air Balloon - Bethany Shetterly Thomas

Gratitude – written by Amber Geiger 
(co-written with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG)

Gratitude my gratitude 
Loving you with gratitude 
Sharing my gratitude for you

Wise man seal witnessing 
Showed us the way 
We had to run straight to the sun 
We had to run straight to the sun

Gratitude my gratitude 
Loving you with gratitude 
Sharing my gratitude for you

I don’t want to war anymore 
Our heart friends not enemies 
Eyes of love not contempt 
Eyes of love not contempt
Black locks thick curls 
Surround my heart 
Ready to love 
Show yourself to me and let’s be free 

Gratitude my gratitude 
Loving you with gratitude 
Sharing my gratitude for you

Spinning on the ground 
Holding hands round and round 
Spinning on the ground 
Holding hands round and round

Gratitude
Vocals - Amber Geiger
Acoustic Guitar - Stephanie Schneiderman
Background Vocals - Stephanie Schneiderman
Recorded by Anna Greer at Squirrelville
Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Gratitude - Amber Geiger

Doin’ This Right – written by Stacey Moninger 
(co-written with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG)  

They say there’s strength in showing weakness 
But that shit will get you killed 
I’m either perfect or a failure 
Scratch that out, start again 
I hear my words come out as weapons 
Aimed directly at myself 
Do I like who’s in the mirror 
Can I scratch it out and start again 
Scratch it out and start again 

Am I doing this right 
Am I doing this right 
Fake it til you make it, insecure and scared
Hit my breaking point, now I’m going down
Am I doing this right 

I’m so sick of feeling broken 
That’s not how this story ends 
Pick up the pieces and start over 
Scratch it out and start again 
I feel the flow, I think I’ve got it
Is this real or just pretend 
Can I write my new beginning 
Another chance to start again
Scratch it out and start again 

Am I doing this right 
Am I doing this right 
Fake it til you make it, insecure and scared
Hit my breaking point, now I’m going down and down and down and down 
Am I doing this right 
Am I doing this right 
Fake it til you make it, insecure and scared
Hit my breaking point, now I’m going down and down and down and down

Doin' This Right
Vocals - Stacey Moninger
Acoustic Guitar - Stephanie Schneiderman
Background vocals - Stephanie Schneiderman
Chorus - Stacey Moninger, Lina Gaylord, Kristie Marie Barry, Dan Dick, Casey Schissler, Anna Greer
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Doin' This Right - Stacey Moninger

This Joy (for Ben) – written by Evelynn McKellar
(co-written with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG) 

You were born into a world unraveling 
Five days into his second term
Dismantled scaffolding fragility baffling 
Bravery might come at halftime’s terms 
Fear fills the room as democracy’s entombed 
Heritage displaced while gender’s erased 
Greed destroys our load-bearing walls 
Steady our feet this morning calls 

All we can do is keep breathing 
This joy too belongs 

Power surfs devotions waves 
Our system’s nervous they hope we cave 
Airplanes collide he blames DEI 
Voices raise we widen our gaze 
Extracting aid breaks what collaboration made 
For our compliance buyouts are paid 
Evil wears a righteous mask 
Joy’s defiance is this moment’s task

All we can do is keep breathing 
This joy too belongs 
Let the lungs fill with air as our cells declare 
This joy too belongs 

We become the answers we’re needing 
Inhale glimmers exhale fears 
Courage sustains as hope forcasts 
You’re the good news that will last 

All we can do is keep breathing 
This joy too belongs 
Let the lungs fill with air as our cells declare 
This joy too belongs

This Joy (for Ben)
Vocals - Evelynn McKellar
Keys - Stephanie Schneiderman
Beat/Programming - Matt Greco
Background vocals - Stephanie Schneiderman
Chorus - Stephanie Schneiderman, Anna Greer, Madeleine Mader, Joelle Flegal, Evelynn McKellar, Rachel Sherrard, Laura Duyn
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

This Joy (To Ben) - Evelynn McKellar

Mother of Mine – written by Madeleine Mader
(co-composed with Stephanie Schneiderman as participant of YOU ARE THE SONG)

It was only a matter of days
Soon you would fade from this life
My hand moved over your skin
Skin that felt the fire of summer sun

The bitter air of abandonment
The cool breeze of atonement
I didn’t learn the lesson I haven’t let you go

Mother of mine
Mother of mine
Mother of mine
You sent us out into the world
Declaring you are not mine
You are just on loan
Mother of mine

We sing the fallen leaves
You are frivolous and free
I am always holding your hand
I know you know the way home

This is the feeling of grief
Fuzzy-headed wandering
Searching looking
I haven’t let you go
Mother of mine
Mother of mine
Mother of mine
You sent us out into the world
Declaring you are not mine
You sent us out into the world
Declaring you are not mine
You are just on loan

Mother of mine
Mother of mine

Mother of mine

I make my life a life by living it

Vocals – Madeleine Mader
Piano – Stephanie Schneiderman
Choir – Mike Kam, Stephanie Schneiderman, Madeleine Mader, Anna Greer
Recorded &amp; Mixed by Matt Greco at Rye Room

Mother of Mine - Madeleine Mader

YOU ARE THE SONG is a 7-week "songwriting experience" - created by award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and activist, Stephanie Schneiderman - that leads participants step-by-step through the process of lyric and melody composition to create, record, perform and finally, release an original song. Completely accessible to musicians and non-musicians alike, the purpose of this workshop is to expand courage, creativity and self-expression through the revered medium of songwriting, and to reveal yourself to yourself – in a song.

Through group sessions as well as one-on-one writing sessions, we explore creative writing techniques that lead us from gut-to-lyric. Then, we take those words and phrases and listen to their natural rhythm and inherent melodies - to create musical patterns. Finally, we grow those melodic patterns into verses and into choruses, expanding them out into the structure of a song.  The group takes an exciting trip to a world-class recording studio, The Rye Room, and with musical support + vocal coaching, each participant records their own song! At the final celebration, everyone is invited to perform their original songs for an intimate group of friends/family.

Mother of Mine - Madeleine Mader

You Are The Song

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