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Song A Week, Volume 7

by James Tristan Redding

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Ahniwa Ferrari
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Ahniwa Ferrari One of my favorite songwriters! I'm excited to hear all the new songs that 2022 has waiting in the wings.
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1.
It's always kind of weird The ending of a year Like the turning of a page Wonder what we'll see As the hours turn to weeks Three hundred some odd days Something happened something's up Something tells me I'm in luck Something's leaving or left undone Something wicked this way comes Something's right but something's wrong Something's missing it's all but gone Something borrowed from someone blue Something bittersweet and something new Look at all these lights We're lighting up tonight Brighter than the moon Each one makes it feel A little more surreal Our very own cartoon
2.
Well I know that the weight of the world Is too much we can't do it alone Lemme' give you some words in a song And a reason for you to keep goin' Reach up in the sky pull down a star It'll never be as bright as you are Well this world is made for you 'cause you're worth it Heart made of gold baby you deserve it Bottom of your soul up to the surface Ain't no shame in the truth That just by being you you're already perfect Well sometimes we get stuck in the past And we carry those chains all around But we can't move ahead looking back And what matters is what you do now Reach up in the sky pull down a star It'll never be as bright as you are Well this world is made for you 'cause you're worth it Heart made of gold baby you deserve it Bottom of your soul up to the surface Ain't no shame in the truth That just by being you you're already perfect
3.
I never did enjoy vacation Too much free time freaks me out Some people seem to strike a balance I never could quite figure how The rope I need to climb a mountain Is plenty long to hang myself And there's somethin' 'bout just standin' In the doorway between heaven and hell Standing in the doorway with one foot either side Could go either way it's gettin' hard to see the line Tryin' to see the future but it's still to soon to tell Standin' in the doorway in between heaven and hell When it's midnight at the crossroads There's one train headed south Another's racin' off the iron One last chance to turn around Where the point of no return is Probably anybody's guess I keep watchin' from the doorway But I haven't seen it yet
4.
You be you and I’ll be me Never mind who we used to be The script has changed All except the names Tragedy to comedy Forget the lines we memorized Laugh them off and improvise The world’s a stage It ain’t on the page Curtains up, hit the lights It’s opening night wonderful and frightening Everything is happening right now No costumes and no make-up no hiding and no faking Take a bow it’s opening night It was easier in a way When the words we used to say Seemed to be Something neither you or me Could ever hope to change It’s opening night wonderful and frightening Everything is happening right now No costumes and no make-up no hiding and no faking Take a bow it’s opening night The critics are waiting for their cue But they're just actors playing me and you
5.
Told me when you left you were searching For what you didn't know You seem to think the answer's running So I let you go Sure I been wondering what you're seeing Out there flying down the road Won't you tell me what you're thinking And if you're thinking 'bout coming home They say go big or go home Well this home's pretty big in here alone And when you left I didn't chase you This was something you had to do So I just want you to know That I want you to come home Read about how you can breathe again In the last line of your letter Mountain air goes down easy Seemed like you're doing better Passing pine trees and gas stations And beaten down old farms Getting lost in all that silence While you're staring at the stars
6.
Maybe I've been wrong about some things I can see that now And maybe when the telephone won't ring It's never been so loud Or maybe I'm still dreaming and if the dream comes true I'll find everything I've lost Maybe sorry's not the same thing as I love you I used to think it was For the longest time there's been hurting Where I wish there was none And too many names where I've determined There should be only one Forever I sought mercy on demand No matter what the cost But a highway isn't any kind of friend I used to think it was Used to be so sure God I could have sworn There was nothing I could do But there's some things I'd change if I could do it all again Just between me and you Last night I saw the moon rise through the trees In a drunk and lonely sky Spent the morning getting on my knees Waiting for a sign Something's changed I can't say the reason Maybe it's because This is not the only road to freedom I used to think it was
7.
My father built this place Using just his hands He said the things we make They're the measure of a man So why's there nothing here Just a clearing in the woods Lived here forty years Before I understood No windows and no walls No 2x4s at all This place ain't made of sand or stone Nowhere to park my car The roof is all just stars But it sure feels like a home And I love to see the view my father made With no windows in the way The neighbors all stop by Impressed by what he did Somehow turned the dirt Into a place to live So easy to get lost Living like a king That's why I'm so lucky I don't own a thing No doors or chest of drawers No polished hardwood floors Outshine the house I'm livin' in After all it's where I was born One bright and chilly mornin' Just stuck around here ever since Nothing like the view my father made With no windows in the way
8.
I've been dreaming kaleidoscope dreams Every evening and I don't know what it means It's like memories but they're things I've never seen Can't change the channel and I can't look away I've been waking each morning soaking wet Filled with pictures too vivid to forget I keep thinking it'll pass but it hasn't yet And I haven't told a soul until today What does it say about my soul If something's moving that I cannot control Been letting go but I still wonder what it means To dream all these kaleidoscope dreams So can anybody tell me where's the line Are they nightmares or just castles in the sky Either way I better shutter all the blinds Make the shadows look so tall Like the moment Judy Garland can't ignore She and Toto aren't in Kansas anymore When the world was black and white we could have sworn Until these colors changed it all
9.
Tell you nine times what I'm thinking Say it nine times to your face Hear it nine times and ignore it I ain't gonna' say it again Asked you nine times if you love me Begged you nine times on my knees Cried out nine times it's the last time You'll ever hear it from me Nine times nine is eighty one Nine times I guess we had some fun Nine times probably do it again Nine times you wanna' try for ten Kissed you nine times on a Sunday Held you nine times in my arms Whispered nine times on that Monday It shouldn't be this hard Left you nine times and I meant it Called you nine times from the road Broke down nine times and quit running And that was nine years go
10.
You didn't mean to meet me I didn't mean to meet you too Just 'cause it's right don't mean it's easy No one knows that more than you I know life is complicated Sometimes downright upside down But something hit me and I need to say it Just to hear how it sounds Whatever we are apart let us be those things together A couple weathered hearts marking time in equal measure You were midnight and a spark lit up the sky like buried treasure Shining under all of those stars Making us whatever we are I'm not sure what's going down here You've just been on my mind And I get the feeling what we found here Is pretty hard to find You got things you must attend to Well the same is true for me I wanna' be your lover and your friend too And everything in between
11.
She's been saying she's gonna' leave me for years I dare you To hit the highway and kidnap all my beers I dare you I dare you look up from your phone I dare you to tell me a joke I dare you to quack like a duck I dare you to gimme' a buck Dog keeps threatenin' to tinkle on the floor I dare you Get me down there cleanin' on all fours I dare you I dare you to touch your toes I dare you to strike a pose I dare you to straight your collar I dare you to gimme' a dollar I dare you to gimme' five I dare you to look alive I dare you to start buying organic ketchup I dare you to gimme' a buck One more sick day and the boss man says I'm through I dare you Wreck my paycheck and my reputation too I dare you I dare you to play air guitar I dare you to eat lunch in the park I dare you to admit that Rubber Soul is better than Revolver I dare you to gimme' a dollar I.R.S. makin' noise 'bout legal action I dare you Take the house and send my broke ass packin' I dare you I dare you to call your mama I dare you to bring back Obama I dare you to give yourself a haircut I dare you to gimme' a buck I dare you to write a song I dare you to sing along I dare you to get your CDL and learn how to drive a truck I dare you to gimme' a buck I dare you to crack a smile I dare you to leapfrog that guy I dare you to check out the complete works of Gustav Mahler I dare you to gimme' a dollar
12.
A dog like me needs something to chew on Only asking for a little Ignore the fact I may have put a few on For a canine I got quite a figure Of all the treats I wanna' be given None rivals the chocolate rabbit Every April I beg for a nibble I just gotta' have it Gimme' that chocolate rabbit Come on don't make me beg Gimme' the chocolate rabbit Or I'll go peepee on your leg Easter Sunday they snuck me some chicken When they filled up my bowl But that chocolate rabbit it's still in the kitchen I feel it in my bones Gimme' that chocolate rabbit Come on don't make me beg Gimme' the chocolate rabbit Or I'll go peepee on your leg
13.
I got just three words for you And I wonder if you can guess the ones I'll choose Judging by our history it might not be a mystery Which string of syllables will do I love you or dreams come true Win a bronze or mow the lawn Hold my hand or I don't understand No this song is to tell you I was wrong So did you see the punchline comin' Like a verbal hitchhiker thumbin' Along the highway just prayin' it won't go sideways Before he says a certain somethin' Return to sender or hey big spender Dusk 'til dawn or too far gone All is well or give 'em hell Well this song is just to tell you I was wrong Don't look back or no strings attached Proverbs and psalms bed bath beyond Life is messy or count your blessings That's not this song, all I'm saying is I was wrong Make me proud or over and out Drain the swamp or tout la monde Live laugh love or I've had enough I wrote this song just to tell you I was wrong
14.
The last thing I remember Walking slowly up the beach Faded shorts the shade of sherbert Clouds the color of a peach Hobble over to the tiki Plan to heed their expertise Somethin' called a pink coral sand dune To wash away these memories In a glass as tall as Fuji With thicker ice than yet remains Up there in the Artic circle Hopin' this'll numb the pain Sipping all my worries westward Off into the setting sun Bottoms up and sweet surrender Pink coral sand dune here I come All my failures are behind me Only promise up ahead Tradin' all my reservations For oblivion instead No more thinkin' 'bout tomorrow This here's my fantasy du jour A rainbow flavored daydream What I was always lookin' for
15.
There's a hundred one expressions About things gone wrong I don't got room for half of 'em To fit in this here song But I got little good news About life's little fluctuations I've yet to see it all come tumblin' down Despite our limitations When we didn't break it and we can't fix it If we didn't start it and we cannot make it stop Though we lack the power to 86 it And we can't even guarantee we'll always be on top Popular wisdom is I hear again and again It'll be alright before the lights go down So if it ain't alright yet then it's not the end And we still got plenty of time to turn it around We've all had that moment Something's on the fritz It all goes pear-shaped And you get the yips Things go sideways You're at your wits' end In dire straits Remember my friend
16.
Boxes in the attic been there for years Filled up with t-shirts and memories and tears Stack of papers and a couple busted chairs I could cry anywhere so why not there Don't matter who's wrong don't matter who's right All that matters is this dust in a beam of light Noise out in the world is deafening Try to listen but I can't hear a thing Were there words I coulda' said to make you stay Anything so you'd still be here today Well the door is locked and the only thing inside Is me and some dust in a beam of light Someday I'll make my way far away from here Try to make all these ghosts disappear No more strands of blonde when I vaccuum the floor No more holdin' on if that's what I'm holdin' on for Tax returns and phone bills we never paid Books I didn't read but couldn't throw away Dreams about a life that I'll never have Wanna' see the future just look at the past Focus on the one thing shining bright A cloud of dust in a beam of light Only thing that's real right before my eyes Is just some dust in a beam of light
17.
They oughtta' make a movie or write a book about me What with all my superpowers and feats that I've achieved Move over Batman and forget all about The Flash I can fold a map Oh that's not all there is, no I'm just gettin' started I can remember everything I need at the supermarket Yep I can eat just one Pringle and leave the rest in the pack Hell I can even fold a map I can get customer service on the line without breaking a sweat Or buy 10 avocados and keep 'em all equally fresh And I can solve a crossword puzzle with both hands tied behind my back So maybe I can't forget about you but I can fold a map Now I can put Humpty Dumpty back together again Without hardly tryin' I can catch that gingerbread man I can put a shirt on without getting deodorant on the back And that's not all I can fold a map Well I can believe it's not butter I can have my cake and eat it too I could put baby in a corner, but that's something I'd never do And I can teach an old dog new tricks you bet I can Sure and I can even fold a map I can split a cupcake in two perfect halves to share Or walk into the kitchen and remember exactly why I'm there And I can make the sound of someone clapping with just one hand So maybe I can't forget about you least I can fold a map
18.
I gave up on leavin' you Back in ninety nine Every failed escape from jail Was only wasted time I am resigned to stickin' around Until you break these ties Well I'd do myself But I couldn't if I tried You're the only thing I found That always hurt so good I kept wishin' for another way out But I knew I never could There's just somethin' 'bout you Seems to make me walk that line Well I would run for the door But I couldn't if I tried Shouldn't be so hard To leave it all behind Maybe now I've hurt enough I'll try again tonight Proved beyond a doubt Long as you want me All these chains you've put me in Reach far as the eye can see You'll never let me go There ain't no reason to fight Anybody else would hate your guts But I couldn't if I tried
19.
If it was easy everyone would do it If it were always fun they wouldn't call it work If it was simple we wouldn't help each other through it But we do for better or worse If the world was perfect we'd need no grain of salt If nobody ever sinned then who would go to church If nothing went sideways we wouldn't need good luck at all But we do for better or worse Seems to come naturally to caregivers and healers Even when everything's a blur Instead of running away we dig a little deeper We double down for better or worse Yeah we put each other first for better or worse I've heard it said blood is thicker than H20 And family's where you turn to when it hurts Well you didn't ask to be my family I suppose But you are for better or worse Seems to come naturally to caregivers and healers Even when everything's a blur Instead of running away we dig a little deeper We double down for better or worse Yeah we put each other first for better or worse Sure has been a long weird road And when the gravel runs out we drive on the dirt Looks like there's still plenty more miles to go Fair weather or foul for better or worse
20.
The first time she showed up You couldn't believe it She gave you such comfort You could barely receive it She covered your limbs The next time you met And you noticed her holes Had no fixin' yet Unlucky corduroy soul Brown like the color of copper Losing all sense of control Gone and you can't even stop her She's the one she's the only She's the softest one you've ever known She's half torn and half mended From the start to the end She's your unlucky corduroy soul The last time she left You locked the door Now you're worried that she She ain't got the keys anymore
21.
You walk outside and what do you see See the whole world crumblin' down Hear the people callin' Whatcha' got whatcha' gonna' do When despair is the only sound See an ambulance rollin' by Your sweet mama lyin' inside Run back in and pack a little bag Grab a few bucks lyin' on the sink You better hurry now Deafening noise planes fallin' from the sky Ain't got a second to blink We's in some kinda' fix Everybody the bricks Cracks in the bridge Sinkholes in the dirt You know what we did baby Now it's startin' to hurt We got no cement Too late to fix it all up It's gonna' come crashin' down on toppa' your Brand new Dodge Ram truck Half a million leavin' Runnin' outta' Eden Something's gotta' give Cracks in the bridge Gotta' reckon' with the changin' times Too poor to pass the buck It's all a gamble now Karma's comin' and she's mad as hell Like a Colt .45 to your head pow pow Win lose live or die Ran outta' tears to cry
22.
You're so F5ing a new perspective Forget F11 no need for exits Don't wanna' F6 tonight let's keep it wide open Hit a little F12 least here's to hopin' You're so F5ing Yeah I've F3ed all the livelong day But no F9s made the blues go away So I asked for F1 then you appeared And I felt F8 loud and clear You're so F5ing I ditched F6 and found a little F2 Goodbye Turn The Page hello Deja Vu If F10 were my options F7 explored them But you totally F4ed 'em You're so F5ing
23.
I decided love was like a garden I decided that I would tend to ours I decided you were more than worth it By far the sweetest of all the flowers I decided I would give you water I decided your place was in the sun I decided that I'd protect your petals From anything I could protect them from I built a house of glass Around you where you stood I never thought to ask Anybody if I should I decided when the thunder clapped above us I decided when the lightning split the sky I decided when the greenhouse started leaking That I need a place to hide I decided that I would run for cover I decided I'd be better off alone I decided we should have seen this coming So I started throwing stones I broke that house of glass Around you where you stood I never thought to ask Anybody if I should I decided when the storm was over I decided I'd clean the mess I made I decided that I would try to find you But the storm washed you away
24.
We always wondered if they're out there Little green men from outer space For all the hype around first contact Shoulda' seen the looks on each little green face Guess we're not what they expected In the search for intelligent life Sure didn't expect their little green anger We barely made out alive Little green war on the humans Little green soldiers from Mars Little green anger because their lives Little green look different from ours Maybe they hate us 'cause they ain't us Maybe it's a jealousy thing I got no clue in the faintest But earth won't never be the same Took them light years just to get here On their futuristic ship Call my crazy but I would be nicer After such a cosmic trip
25.
Swore I'd never leave your side Through good and bad thick and thin Love can outlast any fight I'm no fairweather friend Forget about who's right who's wrong Just let those brilliant blue eyes cry 'Cause like a thief the moment's gone But I'm still standing by your side Love me or hate me Build me up or break me Pretend it's all so black and white I know you're hurtin' But one thing's for certain After we turn out the lights I'll be yours night after night Side by side It's hard enough to be a man Modern world ain't got a clue So I can't begin to understand What it must be like for you We don't pick the cards we're dealt Don't even pick who's dealin' A little time beneath this belt Tells me pain is made for healin' Yes honey we're gonna' fight the good fight Side by side
26.
Complicated starts Hyphenated names Constipated heart Saturated blame Dissipated lives Activated fears Nauseated nights Elongated years Demonstrated hate Irritated mouths Medicated state Separated out Fabricated truth Isolated facts Subjugated youth Aggravated acts Underrated plan Elevated rate Unrelated hands Consummated dates Motivated moves Simulated hurt Concentrated clues Corrugated words
27.
There was a hole in my back yard And it was filled up with dead stars I grabbed a shovel and a flashlight It's gettin' deeper every night Dig dig dig in in in I'm diggin' it Bring bring bring it it it I'm bringin' it Hit hit hit this this this I'm hittin' this Dig dig dig in in in Dig in dig in dig in dig in And so I walk over next door I brought my shovel of course My neighbor he was amazed And then we dug and star gazed Check your own back yard It could be filled with dead stars You never know what you're gonna' find Down in the back yard mines
28.
Sometimes a question is not just a question Words have the power to change Somewhere between sin and confession I started believing again She asked me how many ways does He love me From His throne up there in the sky I said can you count the stars up above me To be honest she paused I've never tried What's the largest number Would that be enough And which words we could wonder Come anywhere close to describing His love A lot unconditional Real unprovisional We all gotta' feel it ourselves A hundred a million Six times one gazillion Tens of thousands that's as close as anything else Where can I go to find Him who made me She said I'd walk to the ends of the earth I said He's been here since you were a baby Best place to look is inside your heart first
29.
I heard a joke on NPR Must a been a week ago I can't recall the way it starts But the end that much I know It started with a simple phrase When Person A says, "under there" And Person B not one bit phased Takes the bait saying, "under where?" And then we laugh until we cry And finally we're young again That's all it takes to press rewind On the clock my friend Now every day I tell a joke To someone in my life It's not world peace but even so Seems to make me feel alright I feel alright
30.
Look out teeth look out gums Something wicked this way comes My pride is medium medium rare Still pink enough I should be scared So many things that I could choose For all my hungry teeth to chew What was the last thing on my mind Looks like it's cooked up fresh tonight How many fears must I ingest With my compliments to the chef And how much ego's on my plate More than steak and baked potates So when can I stop eating crow Seems like nobody knows And how much pride must I bite into Let's just say more than you can chew I don't believe in skipping meals And low blood sugar that shit's real So here go all my doubts and fears Spiced up nice and lightly seared
31.
Baby I love you more than anybody More than that 1st cup of coffee And baby who'da' thought a year ago I’d forget about all the pain Baby you were worth the wait The sleepless nights and the feeling all alone I know I’ll make it through the ups and downs But there’s a couple things no one ever talks about Like the peanut butter in your arm pits How a mouth full of dirt is happiness Spaghetti in your hair toys everywhere And I’m just doin’ my best I know it'll go real quick and someday I'll miss The peanut butter in your arm pits Baby you mean so much to me You’re worth more than a full night’s sleep I wanna hold you close but first you need a bath Wouldn’t trade you for anyone else But I’d kill to use the bathroom by myself Someone tell me how long does teething last I know I’ll make it through the ups and downs But there’s a couple things no one ever talks about Crayon and handprints on the walls Cleaning up don’t help at all Pickin’ your nose watching you grow It’s hard to stand and let you fall I know it'll go real quick and someday I'll miss The peanut butter in your arm pits Cryin’ in the shower sometimes it’s hard to breathe Lookin’ in the mirror don’t recognize me No clue what I’m doin’ somehow we’re doin’ fine Thank God for everything heavy there’s somethin’ light How could I have such big love for someone so small
32.
With a tin foil badge On a safety pin I was the meanest sheriff This block’s ever seen From the cardboard spurs And my corduroy chaps I commanded respect Under my half gallon hat I was armed and dangerous Kickin’ butt takin’ names Only kid on the playground Who wasn’t playin’ no games I was short dark and handsome Where did I go wrong Once armed and so dangerous Now I’m just writing songs Had the fastest draw This side of the park In my size 5 footsteps A trail of broken hearts Don’t you gimme’ no ice Juice box straight no chaser All the grown ups reply “Whatever you say, sir!”
33.
There was a fine vessel well gilded in gold With far away shores in her sights A decade has passed now only the ghosts Can retell the tale of that night Boo who to the sailors Boo who to the sails Boo who to the depths Of the ocean's betrayal Boo who off the bow As we sink or we float With a prayer to be free And may God save our souls She set forth one morning to cast off the coast With one hundred men in brigade Not one of them noticed the storm clouds approach Until it was all but too late Boo who to the captain Boo who to the crew Boo who to the sirens With salty perfume Boo who off the bow As we sink or we float With a prayer to be free And may God save our souls She weathered the first night and part of the next Until something cracked down below Then fishes and water poured in from the depths And pulled down the weight like a stone Boo who to the starboard Boo who to the port Boo who to the lifeboat With its two broken oars Boo who off the bow As we sink or we float With a prayer to be free And may God save our souls Words can't describe that night ten years ago I shudder to think how it felt The story so goes to this day no one knows If any aboard lived to tell Boo who to the rudder Boo who to the deck Boo who to the divers Who fled from the wreck Boo who off the bow As we sink or we float With a prayer to be free And may God save our souls
34.
She didn't leave no foot prints No finger prints either There was nothing out of place And nobody said they'd seen her She didn't break the window Or bust the deadbolt in There's no way I can prove it But I know where she's been My neighbors think I'm crazy Full of paranoia But there's some kinds of danger That don't respond to lawyers What gave away her visit Entry and exit clean She left no sights or sounds Just the smell of gasoline
35.
We're living in a mixed up world There's never a dull moment Lots of folks got a couple screws loose And don't I know it We got lovers and fighters, punks and posers Plus way more jerks than we deserve But yesterday someone called ME a jerk Do you believe the nerve... Who me, jerk? Couldn't be, jerk. Just you wait and see, jerk... How much of a jerk I can be. But is this a he jerk, Or is it a she jerk? Worse, beware, mon frere: This one's a knee jerk. Now someone told me it's a compliment Said somethin' 'bout Steve Martin I just slapped him upside his head And said, "I beg your pardon" I may be stupid slow and silly But ain't nothin' wrong with my knees So before you start telling me what kinda' jerk You think I'm supposed to be
36.
You were smooth You were smiling You were sending me signals all night You were sweet You were silly You were shining beneath all those lights And I wished And I wondered And I pinched myself more than one time And I fell And I knew it And I wondered if you could be mine Twice as nice and three times as funny So much prettier with lips made of honey Drunk on hope you are all you seem Twice as nice at least in my dreams You were faint You were fading You were something I saw in my mind You were gone You were history You were everything I hoped to find And I cried And I called out And I bent every ear I could bend And I lay And I slumbered And I prayed I might hold you again
37.
Empty glasses on the counter Dirty dishes in the sink If you could see the mess I’m in Imagine what you’d think Evening sunlight in the window Shadows stretched out on the wall Looking back I can only wonder Was it worth anything at all I don’t want to break somebody’s heart I don’t want to be another bad story Leave my mess behind me for anybody else To clean it up I can do that myself Hand of cards sits on the table A jack a queen a king One for lovin’ one for losin’ And one don’t mean a thing
38.
On your front there is a logo Round the back another logo Up your sleeves what can I find That's right another logo Can't tell what you're made of Not vinyl, definitely not cotton That's less important than those logos And making sure they're not forgotten Promotional sweatshirt I remember where you're from Promotional sweatshirt for Nutrition Dot Com Promotional sweatshirt keep me warm and advertise Promotional sweatshirt you didn't cost a dime A little of scratchy round the neck With a shape that's kind of awkward But you're perfect for moving day Or when I'm doing laundry You're smaller than a large But bigger than a medium In that no man's land Where you only fit a mannequin
39.
Gather 'round ye pilgrims if you want to hear a tale So chilling it could haunt a ghost or beneath its cotton veil Beware be scared be careful dare we listen lest we hear A cautionary story filled with terror truth and fear The legend is there was a man a long long time ago As mean as any cowboy and as crooked as a bow But worse by far than any trait one might consider sin He couldn't seem to stop himself from wrecking everything Imagine if you will a man so hapless so inept That even evil fled away as far as it could get He would go down in history as darkness reincarnate But after each act deemed so dark he cried out "Oh gorsh darn it" No doubt you've heard of Jesse James and probably Wild Bill And then there's Old Butch Cassidy and that Sundance Kid Well here's a name you need to know a man so lost it hurts He messed the west up something fierce and they called him Wyatt Derp
40.
One man's hell is another man's heaven One day losin' is another day's lesson First step taken leads into a second But you're right on the line Good and bad sometimes they're Irish cousins Flip a coin 50/50 you'll get lucky Sometimes the sun comes out sometimes it doesn't And you're right on the line In between safe and sorry In between now and then In between what is and what could be Well there's somethin' in the air And I can't deny it's there In between you and me Drugs don't kill people broken hearts do It's a shame but that don't mean it isn't true Sometimes I wanna' be the only drug you use Right there on the line Who's to say which side is light and which is dark What cannot be and what's been written in the cards We leave tonight you don't need nothin' but your heart Meet me at the line
41.
Hey lego my eggo unhand my bran Don't take my cornflakes I'm serious man Quit takin' my bacon and mits off my grits And discard my pop tarts don't play with that shit Don't risk the biscuit release that sausage and cheese Better not lick my benedict I'm countin' to three Don't touch my donuts don't go for my toast Step away from the pastries don't test me bro Lego my eggo Don't steal my oatmeal or take my pancakes Please ditch the eggwich I'll do whatever it takes Don't bogart my yogurt don't tool with my gruel Forget my hot pockets I ain't kidding fool Lego my eggo
42.
You heard that expression "too good to be true" Of which we hear people bein' accused But what's the right amount of good, how much'll do? A man could understandably be confused Let's why not try and dig a little deeper To these expressions about short falls and exceeders Really use these noggins from lobes to peepers And figure out which ones are throw aways and which are keepers Can you be too real too weird or too funny Never seen nothin' too cute or too much money I say no such thing and I just calls it like I sees it But maybe "too soon" ok yeah I believe it Maybe we're really just talkin' 'bout moderation And alluding at allegoric alliteration By this point it might be semantic masturbation Frankly that train done left the station Even so was it right on time too late or too early Too manly or too childish or a little too girly So much lingistic twisting and I'm gettin' squirrely And if I keep it up I may pay dearly
43.
700 miles 700 miles Drivin' like it's goin' outta' style Spent all my change and a couple of days Driving 700 miles 700 miles 700 miles Been holdin' it in for a good long while Should have stopped to piss opportunity missed 700 miles Burning daylight making good time Up ahead saw a rest stop sign Outrunnin' the law like a bat outta' hell Am I comin' or goin' it's hard to tell 700 miles 700 miles Aimin' for a bottle but hit the radio dial Runnin' down Jackson Browne 700 miles
44.
A million little insect legs Marching through the leaves Crinkling in unison Woven in a beat Neon glowing frogs Sit on lily pads Thump a thumping bass From within their core Dancing with the elephants To the rhythm of the earth Sun and moon are passing While the colors start to turn Howling harmonies Electromagnetic tides Waves flowing backwards Midnight silver shine Orchestrated like Hypnotizing dance Perfectly designed Perfectly by chance
45.
Sometimes it’s hard to be this honest Gotta' get this off my chest Part of me wants to put it off Won’t make it hurt any less You ain't always been there for me Loved me for who I am Nobody loves me the way you love me Or hurts me like you can I keep hoping all these words will just come pouring out But it sure seems like they won’t Don’t know where don’t know when don't know how About the only thing I know Is someday I might regret The words I left unsaid I may not want to admit it But there were good times with the bad Makes it harder to speak my troubled mind And I held back what I shouldn’t have You could laugh say you already knew this Or I might open up my mouth And not be able to do this
46.
Save me a seat when the time has come Save me a seat on that ride Save me a seat when it calls you home Save me a seat in the sky Days get shorter as the years grow long Wishin' that I could hold on If you're near then I can't go wrong We'll ride it out until the dawn Save me a seat when the time has come Save me a seat on that ride Save me a seat when it calls you home Save me a seat in the sky I wanna' ride that golden freight line down Through a risin' cloud of steam In the mornin' she'll be leavin' town I've seen it in my dreams Save me a seat when the time has come Save me a seat on that ride Save me a seat when it calls you home Save me a seat in the sky
47.
Fire is burning ever so slow Valley is covered in fresh fallen snow Porch light is glowing guiding you home When morning breaks I won't be alone Cold winter wind bringing me down The sky is darker when you're not around Every night must come to an end The sun always rises again When you left all the trees were gold Now they're silver and the weather is cold Dreaming of the day when you're with me again I've been missing my best friend Cold winter wind bringing me down The sky is darker when you're not around Every night must come to an end The sun always rises again Every star up in the sky Wants you back here by my side
48.
I've been tryin' to learn all the rules Words like an iron crown without a jewel They say spell it like this rhyme it like that Now I might say it wrong but I know the facts There's no gold where the rainbow ends Only wet wet ground Sometimes when you lose a friend Ain't nowhere to be found There's no face in the moon London bridge ain't fallin' And the tooth fairy isn't real So what if nothing rhymes with orange I'm gonna' tell you how I feel You've been givin' me new ideas Night times full of silence mornings bright and clear If I break some law they can lock me up Only key I got is honesty and that's enough
49.
Are there any true two chord songs Someone said Get Back but I think they're wrong You know there's that riff right there in the chorus I do believe that counts as the third chord Someone else told me Jane Says qualifies And I will admit I want to empathize With just caveat they do only play A and G But it's really in the key of D Blurred Lines just has two according to the internet And we all know the internet's about as smart as it gets Except he stole somebody else's bass line Legal trouble boom disqualified Is this the world's first two chord song? Not even close Not even the first two chord song I've wrote However this song does have only two chords And that's because my friend that all I could afford
50.
They both did everything that they could Rings vows and honeymoon in Hollywood He made that girl the center of his very world But just cause you can it don't mean you should Life isn't easy and love isn't blind And sometimes the lost are the first ones to find There are some hearts that were made for falling apart Sometimes to love means to leave it behind But somewhere in Idaho he clocks into work He don't never say it but it always hurts Twelve hours a day just tryin' to pay For two kids from a lifetime ago That don't even know His heart made of gold Is somewhere in Idaho (Verse #2 omitted so the listener has a chance To place themselves gently into the story Without any details from other people's lives Distracting them from what's real and true)
51.
When everybody knows your name That's a blessing and a curse Love is such fickle game And we both had our share of hurt We were so hot it went to hell And when you left my heart was broke It may seem I'm doin' swell But there's some things you ought to know If you figured I was livin' large Sleepin' late to party hard all night Well you'd be right If you thought I's probly doin' shots Wearin' out my blue suede dancin' shoes Yep that's right too If you guessed I won the lottery And all this cash is goin' to my head Well you've me pegged If you see right through my lies And realize that I'm broke down without a friend Right again I wonder if you feel a thing When you see me passin' through There's some places I can't go Unless I want to think of you Course I miss the time we shared A part of me still wants you back But just in case you really care No speculatin' here's the facts
52.
Well I'm just a mouse in a world of men And someone's moved my cheese again I should run away but I think instead Gonna' chase him down and kill him dead I'm lookin' for the man who moved my cheese Right straight out from under me Just one thing on earth I need To find the man who moved my cheese Well I'm just a mouse in a world of men Gonna' stretch my claws then count to ten Somewhere out there a man shall pay Because he moved my cheese today I'm lookin' for the man who moved my cheese Right straight out from under me Just one thing on earth I need To find the man who moved my cheese How dare they steal my dairy stuff 'Bout to prove to you this mouse is tough
53.
There's a voice inside my head Let me tell you what it said You're gonna' worry all day long That you're doin' it all wrong The voice says I look bad I'm short fat and oh so sad I told the voice inside my head It's as good as it's gonna 'get So if you hear this voice Know that you have a choice 'Cause when the sun has set It's as good as it's gonna' get You know it's kinda' funny How we always chase the money Wish we could laugh away the debt But it's as good as it's gonna' get When you're strivin' to be the boss Just know what that will cost Maybe ditch the private jet 'Cause it's as good as it's gonna' get
54.
Sometimes we were lovers The nights would never end Other times we wondered Where the magic went So close to going under Closer than I’ll ever be again Thought I must be dreamin' And I wondered what it meant I woke up south of Eden Lost without a friend Between true love and freedom Closer than I’ll ever be again If you'll hold me tight And turn out all the lights Then maybe we could just pretend We didn't fall apart God bless our broken hearts Hallelujah and amen You're the best there's ever been Closer than I’ll ever be again Drew you in a picture In yellows blues and reds Prayed you'll reconsider Or that I could just forget Gentle as a whisper Closer than I’ll ever be again
55.
Oh little town in Tennessee, how much has rent increased Above thy little GNP inflation ain't so sweet Yet to thy streets and suburbs, the writers still do flock With hopes and fears and cans of beer to sing their country rock Hank III was born of Junior, Bocephus some might say And Willie Waylon Johnny we name check to this day But what about Rob Stanley or young John Allingham Well praises sing at Water Spring, 'cause we still give a damn Oh little town in Tennessee, how much has rent increased Above thy little GNP inflation ain't so sweet Yet to thy streets and suburbs, the writers still do flock With hopes and fears and cans of beer to sing their country rock
56.
It came upon WSM That glorious song of old From one weird dude with long white hair Named David Allan Coe C7 on earth and G and F Just simple cowboy chords Steve Goodman helped or so Dave says And we trust his word of course It Came Upon WSM Another classic play It's Silver Wings by Merle himself From way way back in day And yae the heavenly music floats O'er all the weary gulch Chock full of songs by Gen-Z dudes That make me lose my lunch
57.
I'm dreaming of a broke Christmas Just like the ones I've always known Where the songs I'm pitching Get zero listens 'Cause I've been banned from Music Row I said, I'm dreaming of a broke Christmas With every collect call I dial May your songs be better than mine And read that contract in between the lines I said, I'm dreaming of a broke Christmas Just like so many gone before Where the A&R guys Told A&R lies So we the writers all stayed poor I'm dreaming of a broke Christmas With every strange Springwater show May I avoid bro country radio And may all my Christmas' be broke
58.
Workin’ overtime for minimum wage Long nights, even longer days Kinda’ lost so it’s kinda’ strange It felt so right in Coeur d'Alene Morning sun streaming through your hair Feeling lucky to be layin’ there Pockets empty except for a prayer Two steps into a thousand yard stare I’ve been searching high and low For what I still don’t know Never mind how much I’ve changed Or how good things are today It’s still not Coeur d'Alene Light a candle burn one down Take a hit, hit the ground All the ways I've never found To fill a hole the size of that town

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released February 12, 2023

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James Tristan Redding Nashville, Tennessee

British-American songwriter, singer, audiobook narrator, studio player, Godin Guitars official artist.

Founded global collective www.SongAWeek.org, performance art experience The Under Over: tinyurl.com/uoxuo (song circle underneath a highway) and writing retreat www.TheNashville24.com (annual challenge: write 24 songs in 24 hours).

Cuts by Sarah Harralson, Eli Alger, Emma Gale, David Easterling
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