Day 12: This Crooked Highway (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 12: This Crooked Highway
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

This crooked highway takes me home
The sky retreats behind its leafy dome
Shadows shimmer on a crosshatch road
My destination to remain unknown

This crooked highway bends like this
My only guide being the will o' the wisp
A hidden brook or an old foot bridge
Who knows what lies there beyond the ridge

This crooked highway spins me 'round
Leaves me stranded in an empty town
No telephone, no gas to be found
No better place for me to stand my ground

This crooked highway
This crooked highway

***

Details:

This song is a day late and was written to the 7th prompt of Timmy Riordan's Fearless Songwriter program. The prompt was "This Crooked Road". I decided to use the prompt straight up this time.

I really, really wanted to write something quickly, but often times the simple songs are the hardest to finish. Poetry has been a theme this week, and I wanted to try my hand at it again. I can do snarky and clever fairly easily, or even just rhyme, but coming up with something beautiful takes some work. I wanted to capture the simple pleasures of driving aimlessly through the countryside. Then I kind of copped out with the last verse, which... well, I'm not sure what it means. It's kind of a mystery; a cliff hanger, even.

Musically, I was once again trying to do something I hadn't yet done this month, and this kind of slow, meditative guitar riff seemed to fit the bill. Definitely a mood I haven't capture yet. As simple as it sounds, it was actually a pain in the ass to play. Once again, simple is hard.

This is my last piece written for the Fearless Songwriter program. It's always fun to participate, and having the prompts really breaks things up. Thanks, Timmy!

Day 11: Speaking in Tongues (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 11: Speaking In Tongues
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

You speak in broken English
My grammar kind of sucks
If we need a common language, though
I think we're still in luck

My lips still whistle
And my chest still hums
Let's start a new sentence
And see what it becomes

A subject, a predicate
Two nouns and a verb
Maybe an adjective
That's sure to strike a nerve

If you're looking for poetry
I've got nothing to report
But if you're looking for romance
Well, I'm a linguist of a sort

We can still communicate
But we don't need no words
'Cause it's so fun, yeah it's so fun
Speaking in tongues with you

When you ask me a question
I stammer and I stumble
I can't enunciate
Can't navigate the syllables

But I know you know the word
That I've been thinking of
Between and "I" and an "you"
It's fits just like a glove

Enchanted by your accent
I'm enthralled by your drawl
If you whisper my name
I'm gonna answer the call

I think I understand
I think I've made the translation
When you pull me in your arms
It's a sweet articulation

We can still communicate
But we don't need no words
'Cause it's so fun, yeah it's so fun
Speaking in tongues with you

***

Details:

A couple days ago, I was writing to the prompt "The Song of a Poet" and I had considered writing about a bad poet trying to get laid... but ultimately didn't. Today's prompt (well, yesterday's prompt-- I'm a day behind because I did a co-write yesterday) from Timmy Riordan's Fearless Songwriter program was "Tongues All Broken". For whatever reason, I decided to recycle the horny poet theme.

When I'm writing so many songs in a short period of time, my method for differentiating the songs is to try different rhythms. I don't think I've used this rhythm yet this year, and it led to a jaunty song. At first, it was sounding like "American Music" by the Violent Femmes or "Have I The Right" by the Honeycombs, but I got around that by talk singing the verses. Then the chorus melody emerged naturally from that.

I like what I call "Jargon Songs". These are songs where I can open up a glossary on some topic and use it as a primary source for lyrics. This is like that, in that there were specific words about language that I wanted to use; though, of course, I know most of these words already. But I was hoping to do some clever wordplay, and I kept referring to grammar guides hoping to stumble upon the right thing.

This is a corny song, but I like it!

Day 9: From The Mouths Of Babes (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 9: From The Mouths Of Babes
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

"Stay young at heart," is what they say
But my back is acting up again
And popping pills used to be so edgy
Not so much when my dealer is a CNA
And now I hear it everyday
From the mouths of babes

They say we squandered all the money
But I wasn't given handouts on the way
Hold on, now, I 'm looking for my checkbook
'Cause I don't know how to use ApplePay
And now I hear it everyday
From the mouths of babes

And they don't know what we fought for
And they don't know what we bled for
And they don't know what we yearn for
To this day
And they don't know what the bill is
How the future makes us villains
All the burdens that the children
Will erase

Now I don't claim that I've got wisdom
But, hey, I still got something to say
From my lips to their virgin ears
Listen here, pal, I wasn't born yesterday
But now I hear it everyday
From the mouths of babes

***

Details:

Today is Day Five of Timmy Riordan's Fearless Songwriter program, where he challenges participants to write a new song everyday for a week. Each day, he provides a prompt. Today's prompt was "hands of children".

Like with yesterday's prompt, I was struggling to find a good angle. My first thought was to do something like "I believe the children are our future," but I'm too cynical for that.

For whatever reason, I kept thinking about The Replacements, a huge college rock band from the 80s. Their music represented young people at the time, even though now it's decidedly old fashioned. They have a song called "Alex Chilton" that I really like-- it's a tribute to their musical hero, the front man of the 70s power-pop band, Big Star. I tried to imagine a comparable hero, but who was a kid, and maybe not musical. I dabbled with writing a song about the young environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, but the American pronunciation of her name is awful, and the native pronunciation confounds me. So I gave up on that.

Then I concentrated on coming up with a Replacements-esque guitar riff. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it's got a similar energy. The "hands of children" prompt made me think of the phrases "from the mouths of babes, and "virgin ears," which quickly turned into "from my lips to your virgin ears."

From there, I wanted to explore how it can seem like the younger generation wants to erase the older generation. We've witnessed the boomer-millennial divide over the last decade, so there are echoes of that. But I've always been fascinated with how folks who seem like heroes at one point in time can become villains later on after a cultural shift. I imagine it's tough to get older and see all the victories you've had suddenly get discounted.

Anyway, I like the topic of this song, but it's a very rough draft. I think there's a much more nuanced version to come from the revision process.

Day 8: Break Your Heart (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 8: Break Your Heart
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

These broken verses
These awkward rhymes
They are in service
Of my designs

They'll win you over
And given time
They'll break your heart

Our common language
Familiar terms
Will have new meaning
Will be relearned

Some may escape you
But they'll return
To break your heart

Some words are best written down
Some words are best when said out loud
Some will amuse you
Some will accuse you
Some will confuse you
Yeah

I wrote some lyrics
Put them to song
I think you'll like them
I could be wrong

And if you're weakened
If you're not strong
If you're not ready
To sing along
They'll break your heart

***

Details:

This was written for Day 4 of Timmy Riordan's January Fearless Songwriter program, in which he challenges participants to write a song everyday for a week. He provides a writing prompt each day, and today's prompt was "The Song of a Poet".

I wasn't thrilled with the poetry angle, so I immediately tried to see if there was a way to work around it. My first thought was to lampoon it; I came up with the line "I'm gonna rhyme like a mime working overtime," and it was gonna be a bunch of bad rhymes by a wannabe poet looking to get laid. But I wasn't in the mood to write another comedy song.

So then I thought about doing a song about an accomplished poet who couldn't find the words to express his love for someone, so he writes a melody to be whistled. It still felt too much like a joke.

I ended up playing around on the guitar until I came up with this chord progression and rhythm, then wrote something to fit the mood. I did manage to avoid writing actual poetry by making the song about someone who's writing poetry (and putting it to song).

I like the vibe and the groove of the song. It's harder to write lyrics for long, drawn out syllables, I think, because there are fewer words and they have to be just right (I'm not sure I got them just right). Also, this song is surprisingly hard to sing. I'm not a trained singer, so I'm not sure why. It doesn't seem to have a broad range, but maybe there's something about the intervals. I tried singing it in several keys, but higher or lower didn't help. If any of you trained vocalists can explain to me why this might be hard to sing, please let me know...

Day 7: Nobody's Listening (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 7: Nobody’s Listening
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody
Nobody's listening

There's no one listening to the words I say
There's no one listening to my mind at play
There's nobody listening, there's nobody listening

There's no one listening to the radio
There's no one listening to my manifesto
There's nobody listening, there's nobody listening

There's no one listening on this frequency
There's no one listening to this prophecy
There's nobody listening
Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody
Nobody's listening

There's no one listening, but they have their taste
They turn up their noses at the human waste
But nobody's listening, there's nobody listening

There's no one listening, but they all can see
We're out of touch with our humanity
And nobody's listening, there's nobody listening

There's no one listening to reverberations
There's no one listening to the declination
There's nobody listening
Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody
Nobody's listening

I want you to listen, gonna bend your ears
To tell you a story full of joy and tears
But nobody's listening, there's nobody listening

In the tone-deaf kingdom there's a one-eared king
No message for you, he just keeps on laughing
And nobody's listening, there's nobody listening

Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody...

***

Details: This is from day three of Timmy Riordan's Fearless Songwriter challenge (the first of six week-long challenges where he gives a writing prompt everyday). The prompt for today was "Nobody Listening". This made me wonder, "if nobody's listening, what would I play?"

My first thought was writing an instrumental, but I wasn't feeling that technical today. Then I started imagining a DJ at a college radio late at night on a holiday when all the students are away-- what would they play? Probably something a bit experimental or off-kilter. So I see this as such a DJ that's playing esoteric music and spouting off their theories on politics and culture.

I've also been writing songs to contrast all the previous songs written this month. I was lacking something with a drone, so that's what I went for with this tune. The vocals are a growling whisper, which is really hard on my voice, so I'm glad I got this recorded in one take.

Day 6: Dancing On Your Grave (Song-a-day January)

 

Day 6: Dancing On Your Grave
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:

Speak no ill of the dead
Sing their praises in eulogy
We can heal in community
Holding hands

Now's the time for grieving
Time for mourning and sorrow
But come this time tomorrow
I've got plans

I'll be dancing on your grave
I'll do a two-step on your tomb
Gonna reel on your remains
Do a tango 'round your headstone
Electric boogaloo, mashed potato, too
We might start a conga line
Just to do a dance
You know that it's the chance
Of a lifetime

That which is left unsaid
Cannot tarnish a legacy
Let's not sully your memory
With regrets

To forgive is a virtue
Give the departed some latitude
Well, all I have is gratitude
You're at rest

I'll be dancing on your grave
I'll do a two-step on your tomb
Gonna reel on your remains
Do a tango 'round your headstone
Electric boogaloo, mashed potato, too
We might start a conga line
Just to do a dance
You know that it's the chance
Of a lifetime

This is my last goodbye
This is my final farewell
And on the day that I die
You better bet that
I'll see you in Hell

I'll be dancing on your grave
I'll do a two-step on your tomb
Gonna reel on your remains
Do tango 'round your headstone
Electric boogaloo, mashed potato, too
We might start a conga line
Just to do a dance
You know that it's the chance
Of a lifetime
Of a lifetime

***

Details:

Believe it or not, this is my second song about dancing in a cemetery. The other one is both creepier and more joyous, and it was intended as a Halloween song. This one is just a nasty put-down.

It's the second day of Timmy Riordan's Fearless Songwriter program for January (he does it 5 other weeks during the year). Today's prompt was "Mouth of a Graveyard". I wasn't thrilled by the theme, and I tried to go another direction, but I decided to embrace it and just try to jazz it up a bit. The "mouth" part of the prompt stuck out to me, and it led to the line "speak no ill of the dead". Then I thought of ways to disrespect the dead without saying anything, and, of course, "Dancing of your Grave" is a well-known phrase. I then looked up a glossary of cemetery terms and types of dances, hoping to find some good combos for the lyrics.

I enjoyed writing this. I've indulged my dark sense of humor the last couple songs. We'll see where we go from here...

Day 5: Until The Wave Crashes (Song-a-day January)

Day 5: Until The Wave Crashes
By David Coile

Part of my daily songwriting project for January 2025

Lyrics:
Jenny and James were walking on the beach
They thought that true love was ever out of reach
Their kiss was interrupted as they each made demands
And now they've wandered off to live in separate lands

They thought it was the worst when they burnt it all to ashes
You never quench your thirst until the wave crashes

Carl spent his life savings on a soybean cafe
He didn't anticipate revolution in Uruguay
Now he finds himself selling dollar bills by the dime
His favorite liquidation is drinking cheap wine

They thought it was the worst when they burnt it all to ashes
You never quench your thirst until the wave crashes

Sally had a platform, she campaigned on law and order
On rounding up aliens she claimed had crossed the border
When kickbacks came to light, it upset her constituency
Now she spends her nights at the state penitentiary

They thought it was the worst when they burnt it all to ashes
You never quench your thirst until the wave crashes

***

Details:
Heya! This is the first song this year that I've really had fun writing. Possibly because I was a given a prompt. My Song-a-day January project dovetails with one of the Fearless Songwriter programs, which is a week long daily writing challenge organized by Timmy Riordan; he gives you a new writing prompt everyday. Today's prompt was "The Roar of a Wave".

Waves made me think of surf rock, and though I can't exactly play surf guitar, I thought I could get a surf rock groove together. I imagined tidal waves and how they will cause the water to recede from the beaches before they hit. Sometimes people will wander in to grab fishes or whatever. It struck me as a metaphor for self-destructive tendencies, so I wrote three short vignettes on that theme.

It's not a perfect song by any means, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. 

Writing Prompts! (T Brodzinski edition)

Looking for some inspiration? Here are some writing prompts I threw at T Brodzinski for her episode of the Raw Songwriting podcast. Which one would you choose? Find out what we chose by listening to the episode on your favorite podcasting platform, or by clicking here. 

T Brodzinski - Raw Songwriting Challenge

T Brodzinski - S5E5, Raw Songwriting Challenge

Ohio born T Brodzinski was given a child-sized guitar in the 1st grade and took lessons for several years before taking up the trumpet and joining the school band. T was captivated by her father’s 8-track player, taking in the sounds of doo wop, Janice Joplin and Bob Dylan. But it wasn’t until she turned 30 that she wrote her first song, and then, after founding a women’s collaborative music night, she formed her first band, the non-denominational string trio, Lois and the Lantern. And once the pandemic hit, she formed Ruthless Ginsberg, a band that seeks to sweep aside mistrust and grief with their anti-establishment melodies and tear-down-the-patriarchy harmonies.

Now residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, T Brodzinski crafts heartfelt narratives through her song lyrics. With a soulful voice and expressive guitar playing, her songs are poignant reflections on life's journey and her personal experiences —honest, introspective tales that weave a musical tapestry which captures the essence of both the Midwest and the Rockies, from small-town roots to the majestic landscapes surrounding her chosen home and travels beyond. Her latest collection of original songs explores themes of loss, forgiveness and gratitude, while addressing social issues and calling for activism. T Brodzinski's performances overflow with authenticity as she invites listeners into a world of musical emotion, a space in which song and strings resonate with the universal human experience.

To hear more of T's music, check out:

https://soundcloud.com/theresa-brodzinski

https://www.loisandthelantern.com/

https://ruthlessginsburg.bandcamp.com/

Raw Songwriting Writing Prompts: Ruby Ross Edition

Which prompt would you choose? 

Find out which one Ruby Ross chose on the most recent episode of the Raw Songwriting podcast!

Ruby Ross - Raw Songwriting Interview

Ruby Ross - Raw Songwriting Interview

 

Ruby Ross grew up singing and harmonizing along to doo wop and the Beatles on long car rides with her parents. Growing up in central Virginia, she was exposed to Bluegrass, Old Time and Appalachian music, then started exploring world music at Wesleyan University. After touring with some eclectic singing groups, Ross dipped her toes in songwriting, spending some time in Boston’s open mic scene, then moving to New Orleans where she spent 12 years as a singer-songwriter and in various bands.

Ruby won first place at the Bay Saint Louis ArtsAlive Singer-Songwriter Showcase in 2014, has had her music featured on Buffa Lounge’s “Live From the Back Room”, and has been a member of bands such as Trendafilka, Blato Zato, and Crossing Canal among others, and has performed at JazzFest, Lotus Fest and Tipitina. 

Ruby Ross crafts poignant stories of life, longing and love, set to melodies that refuse to leave your head. Her music will leave you feeling introspective and wanting more.

Lissa Scheckenburger - S5E3, Raw Songwriting Challenge!

It's a new episode of the Raw Songwriting Podcast! I got to interview the wonderfully talented and accomplished singer-songwriter Lissa Schneckenburger. We had an insightful conversation about how to incorporate politics into your music, how simple ideas can inspire the richest songs, and much more! Plus, two brand new songs written just for the show!

https://redcircle.com/shows/a37f00e9-9da9-4bc3-84b5-cd306fd2a5b9/ep/c2c42a88-00bd-4929-8be5-e691f6e5b3ab

Tim Ostdiek - S5E1 Raw Songwriting

Tim Ostdiek - E5S1 Raw Songwriting

Originally from Nebraska, Tim Ostdiek was inspired by his father’s passion for music, especially for the Beatles and Paul Simon. Tim picked up the guitar in middle school, started writing songs, and quickly progressed to doing open mics. Once he realized he could get paid to perform several nights a week, there was no turning back from the singer-songwriter lifestyle. 

Now based in Colorado, Tim has been a finalist in esteemed songwriting events such as the Telluride Troubadour and Folksfest Songwriting Showcases. Tim has also had his song “Goodbye” featured in the TV show “Road Trip Nation” and has opened for national touring acts such as Sarah Jarosz. 

Playful, uplifting, and engaging as a singer, songwriter and performer, he writes feel-good, big-hearted folk with a drop of something funky. Tim doesn't shy away from the deep and heavy, but aims to deliver songs with purpose and hope. Tim Ostdiek’s uplifting folk encapsulates the soul of the Heartland.

Check out more of his music at https://timostdiek.com

Song-a-day January Recap!

Song-a-day January Playlist

Song-a-day January is my favorite recurring project, and this year's edition was just as much fun as the last! Big thanks to my collaborators, Jordan Bass, Theresa Brodzinski, Edee Gail, Robby Layton, Joel Terrell, Cheyenne Dane, Karen Finch, Todd Hawkins, HL Howells, Karen Horan and Leah Casper, for sharing their talents with me. Everybody has a slightly different process, and I learned something from each of them. 

And huge thanks to all of you who listened to some or all of the songs!

If you haven't told me already, I'd love to know which songs really stood out to you. It's always a surprise to see which songs move people. Often times the ones that mean the most to me don't register, but then I toss something off and it really moves people. I've attached a link to the YouTube playlist, which makes it easy to listen to the tunes again or for the first time. 

I plan to keep working on these and other songs from previous writing projects as the year progresses, so be on the look out for more polished versions.


Thanks again, everybody!

Day 28: There's A Hole In The Roof

 

Day 28: There’s A Hole In The Roof

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024

Lyrics:

There's a hole in the roof
A hole in the roof again
There's a hole in the roof
A hole in the roof again
Thank God it isn't raining
On this Godforsaken cottage I'm in

There's a crack in the window
A crack in the window once more
There's a creak in the hinge
A creak in the hinge on the door
Thank God nobody's knocking
I don't know what I'm locking it for

And the faucet is leaking
The faucet is leaking, oh dear
And the foundation's sinking
The foundation's been sinking all year
Thank God the walls don't crumble
And bury me in rubble down here

There's a vacancy in heaven
A vacancy in heaven, I've heard
And if you want some company
Dear God, you know you can always
Say the word

***

Details: I'm really struggling to write at this point. Waited all day, then had a total blank when I got started. I decided to look back for one of the Fearless Songwriting prompts that I skipped earlier this month. The prompt I picked was "Tile on the roof".

As it happens, we've been looking to get some roof repairs done after last year's big hail storm, so I could relate. I mean, there are no actual leaks, but I've lived in places where there were, so I went there. There are also a lot of little repair jobs that need to be done, and it leaves me a little depressed at times. I've been a lifelong renter and have always asked the property owner to fix things. Unfortunately, the landlady passed away a year ago, so I'm more in charge of that sort of thing.

But that affected the tone of the song. I spent a lot of time grieving last year, and this song kind of captures that, just using the mounting maintenance issues as a metaphor for being down.

I wanted to just whip out a song. I'm tired and need a break from writing (almost done!). So there's no bridge here. I honestly don't think the song needs a bridge. So there you go...

Day 24: Metropolis Optometrist

 

Day 24: Metropolis Optometrist

I’m a little embarrassed to say that this is part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024. But hey, it’s a song…

Lyrics:

I am the optometrist
And I live in Metropolis
And I contend
That this Clark Kent
Has made a fool of all of us

His famous pair of glasses
Just frames that have no lenses
And when he stares
At Miss Lane's rear
Her pants have no defenses

His X-ray eyes
Can see her thighs
And then he flies away
What does he do
In the solitude
Of his fortress, I can't say

I am the examiner
Of ocular parameters
And I can see
How he deceives
Young Jimmy Olsen's camera

No one seems suspicious
Even Perry White's oblivious
To his star reporter's
Fondness for
Miss Catherine Grant's new minidress

His X-ray eyes
Can see her thighs
And then he flies away
What does he do
In the solitude
Of his fortress, I can't say

Mister Luther, I need your aid
For my solution to end his charade
I know his secret, I know I'm right
Please help me give him rims
Of green kryptonite

The Daily Planet's healthcare plan
Will be the end of Superman
And once addressed
His vision test
Will surely be his last exam

I am the Optometrist
Eye doctor of Metropolis
I will protect all of us
I am the Optometrist

***

Details: This is a convoluted one. I challenged a friend of mine to paint a picture to the same prompt I was going to write a song to. The prompt was "Hide in Plain Sight" and was from the Fearless Songwriting challenge from a couple weeks ago, but I didn't use it at the time. So that was the theme I was working with tonight.

Earlier in the day I heard a version of "One More Day" from Les Miserables, and I thought about doing some sort of theatrical song a la stage musicals. I don't generally like stage musicals, though I can appreciate the artistry behind them. But that got me thinking about this compilation of Disney songs reinterpreted by popular performers, specifically Tom Waits' version of "Heigh Ho (the Dwarf's Marching Song)" which then reminded me of his original song "Singapore", which totally influenced the rhythm of my song. I was going to try to sing it like Tom Waits, but damn, that's screws up my voice pretty quickly.

On top of all that, I went to the Ophthalmologist today for a long overdue eye exam. It was a topic that jived with the "Hidden in Plain Sight" theme. I went with Optometrist over Ophthalmologist because I thought it was more musical. Then once I got going, the Clark Kent reference just popped out and I was thinking "Well, of course an optometrist would notice that Clark Kent's glasses are fake". And then I made him suspicious that Superman is pervy about using his X-ray vision.

*sigh*

Anyway, that's how it happened...

Day 15: In A Football Town In America

 

Day 15: In A Football Town In America

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024

Lyrics:

I met her on a Friday night
At halftime intermission
We talked in line, forgot the time
And left without concessions

A safety down, a field goal missed
The home team found no glory
While we were bound in a backseat kiss
And so began our story

In a football town in America...

At training camp we hung around
Huddled in the bleachers
At the bowl, on every down
We cheered the wide receivers

Come one fall, I would confide
That I had season tickets
She pulled me tight and chose that night
To tell me she was pregnant

In a football town in America...

And then
When she dropped the bomb
I fell upon my knee
And swore that I would help
Her carry on

She thought of spirals on the drive
To the pediatric clinic
Her water snapped, and then she passed
A quarterback and kicker

We raised them on our favorite sport
Two redshirts well sought after
And so began the story's end
Happily ever after

In a football town in America...

***

Okay, this is a weird one. I do a podcast called "Raw Songwriting" and I'll be recording an episode this Wednesday for a February release. The show involves the guest and I each writing a song in one week based on a prompt; This song was written to the prompt for that episode. The weird part is that the prompt was to write a song in the style of Taylor Swift.

I spent much of the day listening to Taylor Swift, particularly her poppier period of the early 2010's, which I'm most familiar with. I had heard recently that she favored using a I V Vi IV chord progression, so that had to be the basis of my song, too. She writes a lot about relationship drama, so I wanted to use that as a topic. What's more, she's dating a football player, so that's when I brought in the football theme.

Of course, right off the bat, I start finger picking, which took the song completely out of Taylor Swift territory. But I liked it, so I kept going. The melody isn't very Taylor Swift. The story is about a romantic relationship, but it's actually devoid of any drama-- they just live happily ever after. It's a weird song. I wouldn't usually have a happy ending like that.

Halfway through writing it, I decided that I wanted to incorporate football jargon into the lyrics. I'm not sure if it comes off too cutesy or not cutesy enough. Football is not a sport I currently follow, so that made it somewhat tricky. I haven't really followed it in over 20 years.

Musically, I like how I sped up the chorus without abandoning the chord progression. I did deviate some from the progression during the bridge, but not by much. I'm not sure how strict Taylor Swift is about sticking to the progression all the way through, anyway.

Day 13: I'm Lucky

 

Day 13: I’m Lucky

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024. Also part of this month’s The Fearless Songwriter challenge.

Lyrics:

Well, I woke up late today
Haven't seen a paycheck since
Last year back in May
Now the mercury hangs low
Under seven feet of snow
But, hey, I got no place to go

And my car broke down again
Won't get a cab, a bus
Or even catch a train
And it's too far to the store
But I can still get liquor
Delivered to my door

'Cause I'm lucky, that's for sure
Yeah, I'm lucky, I can't ignore
That I'm lucky to have
All the blessings that I have
Yeah, I'm lucky

For a year I've been alone
Well, sure, some new friends came
But they just as soon were gone
And my family wants to use me
If I let them, they'll abuse me
But my destiny
Is not for them to choose

'Cause I'm lucky, it's plain to see
Yeah, I'm lucky that I'm me
And I'm lucky to have known
All the scoundrels that I've known
Yeah, I'm lucky

And when you're down
You buy some tickets to play
I went in for gas
Then I scratched away the grey

I was lucky that fateful day
Now I'm lucky everyday
Yeah, I'm lucky, I can't deny
I'll be lucky until the day that I die
I'm lucky

***

Details: I was supposed to have a co-write today, but it was -10 degrees this morning, and my car wouldn't start. I didn't want to risk getting stranded in Fort Collins on the way back, so we decided to reschedule. I have nowhere I need to be until Tuesday, so I used the Instacart app (that I neglected to delete) and ordered enough groceries to get me by for a few days, and just hunkered down.

The 13th is the first anniversary of my roommate's death, so that was on my mind today. That, and leaving my job in the middle of the year, made for a pretty sh!tty 2023. But the fact is, I have been damn lucky to be in a situation where I could actually grieve and take my time to get back into the swing of things. So while I was eating dinner, the "I'm lucky..." part of the chorus came to me, and the songwriting had begun.

That was going to be the theme, about how crappy things are, but how you can still be lucky if you have patient friends and family around you. But then halfway through writing, it dawned on me that the character I was singing about had won the lottery, but he was one of those cases where winning wasn't necessarily a good thing. Winning the lottery can complicate your family life, cause resentment amongst your friends (to the point of getting murdered), and some folks can't handle the change in lifestyle then go spiraling out of control, sometimes ending up broke or in the thrall of addiction.

I was running out of time (I finished this around 11:30), so the song ended up being a bit of a hybrid of those two stories. When I get to revising it, I'm going to try to do it with the lottery win in mind. I want it to be slowly revealed, but I can probably throw in more hints of what's going on in the early verses.

Musically, I think the chorus is really hooky. I started writing on the guitar and tried to come up with a fancy riff to build around, but it eluded me. The recording took longer to do than I expected, and my vocals were getting noticeably weaker each take, so I decided to just go with this one.

Day 9: Stories of You (written with Edee Gail)

 

Day 9: Stories of You (written with Edee Gail)

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024, and Day 3 of this month’s The Fearless Songwriter challenge.

Lyrics:

I grew up on an island
I was born on a suburban block
I grew up seeing ships from around the world
I fell asleep to cars running around the clock

Seven siblings in perpetual motion
One brother, and we made some noise
Horses, swim, cheer and choir practice
Watching TV and hanging with the boys

We all follow different paths
There are tunnels we all run through
We all have separate tales
They're all stories of you

You were quiet, unassuming
Hidden talents known by few
We shared your interests, your friendship
And special moments with you

We loved your book reviews
Picking sessions laced with laughter
We loved to help you search for
The wisdom you sought after

We all follow different paths
There are tunnels we all run through
We all have separate tales
They're all stories of you

Our lives are better having known you
Without you, we never would have met
Even with you gone now
We'll always be in your debt

We all follow different paths
There are tunnels we all run through
We all have separate tales
They're all stories of you

***

Details: The first anniversary of my roommate's passing is coming up, and her friend Edee Gail has been coming by to help me clear out the house. She's also a songwriter, so I asked her if she wanted to join in on my January songwriting challenge.

Turns out that Edee hasn't really done a co-write like this before, so we had to figure out how to proceed. She normally writes lyrics before adding music. That always makes me nervous, because I worry about how the words are going to match up with the music, but I've been writing my usual way all week; I was more than willing to try lyrics first.

Today's prompt from the Fearless Songwriting challenge was "Stories of You", and we began with that. We came up with the idea of people from different backgrounds finding common ground. Edee and I were trading off lines about our upbringings in the first verse (if she had been able to stay and record the video with me, that's how we would have sung it). Then we came up with the chorus that ended with "Stories of you" and had to figure out who the "you" was referring to.

Well, the answer was our friend BJ, my late roommate who I mentioned above. So we made a list of her attributes and tried to fit them into the second verse. The bridge was the last thing we worked on.

Then we worked on the melody. The chorus melody, at first, was too similar to the verse melody, so we switched some things around to get what we got. Edee had to leave before we really worked out the bridge melody-- it was really giving us fits. After she left, I worked out a provisional something.

This song is a little more sentimental than I usually do. I would have a hard time writing this song without peppering it with cynicism, so it was good to have Edee there to sprinkle in the sweetness.

Day 8: A Place Where You Belong (written with Theresa Brodzinski)

 

Day 8: A Place Where You Belong (written with Theresa Brodzinski)

Part of my song-a-day writing project for January 2024. Also Day 2 of this month’s The Fearless Songwriter challenge.

Lyrics:

Standing in a line
Waiting for our turn to go inside
Got a fresh piece of plastic
With a fake name in my pocket
And the doorman's been
Giving us the eye
What do a couple kids have to do
To have a good time

Rejected, turned away again
Now the car won't start
But we can pretend
There's a bus of freaky people
Lettin' loose and singin' tunes
Waiving for us to come on in
They say, "Hey, come on board, now
"Where have you been?"

We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
You belong

At the end of the washboard road
Is a place where the colors explode
Free kitchens, open doors
And bellybutton people
Eager to welcome you home
No lines, no bouncers saying
"Do as you're told"

Fire spinning all around
The dance floor is on the ground
Bonfire drums, wildlife songs
And a disco ball moon
A crescendo of a collective howl
In the echoes of the ether
The answers will be found

We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
You belong

Circles replace the lines
No need for clocks
'Cause we don't keep the time
Trade in your plastic
For a nickname and a tribe
Forget about what's yours and what's mine
Forget about what is yours and what is mine

We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
We will take you to a place
Where you belong, where you belong
You belong

***

Details: I met Theresa Brodzinski last summer/fall at the Noco Songwriters Series where she was performing, and I really enjoyed her stuff. We talked about getting together to collaborate sometime, time passed, and then Song-a-day January arrived and I asked her to join me for a co-write.

It turns out that Theresa has done the Fearless Songwriting challenge before, so I mentioned that it was happening this week, and that the prompt for today was "Open All Night". This immediately had us thinking about a dance club, but I wrote a song about a dance club situation just last night, so I didn't want to repeat that exactly.

Theresa started thinking about other things that are open all night, particularly natural settings. That got me thinking about juxtaposing a dance club with nature. Theresa also has been to Rainbow gatherings in the past, and that gave a lot of insights to what a party in nature would be like.

We spent a lot of time hashing out the story about some young adults being turned away from all the clubs because they weren't quite 21, then making their way to a Rainbow gathering in the forest.

Theresa has a very different angle on rhythmic phrasing of lyrics. I kept getting hung up on the number of syllables in the lines, but when she sings them, they all sound completely natural. My recording doesn't quite do the lyrics justice.

The verse progression was mostly hers, and the chorus progression and melody mostly mine, and we went back and forth on the lyrics quite a bit. All in all, we spent 4 hours on this song, which is a long time to ask someone to co-write, but I really like what we came up with, so I'm happy she was willing to stay that long. She did have to take off before we could record a video together, though, but that just something for the future.