Tag Archives: lyrics

I have words.

Posted on
3

Yes, there’s a melody, too. But it’s wacky. Surreal. And I don’t have my equipment set up (yet – see post below) to generously record it. So, well, all I can give you is a half a song worth of words:

I’m on the dark side of the earth
longing for life
You’re an exception to my solitude
You’re everything so right
those mass mistakes my own disease
not collected not protected by time
for an extension of my everything
surrounding light
My own exception
My mass depression
you are
you are
You know how sometimes songwriters will say that a song sorta took on it’s own form? It grabbed a hold of its own future and stepped forward? It knew all along where it wanted to go and the songwriter just followed?
That’s how I feel about this one.
So… Where do YOU think it’s going?

The song.

Posted on
76

Y’all asked for it – the one I submitted to the competition. #35 out of this year’s 100 goal… Special thanks to Sandra Cofield, Cindy Beall, Tam Hodge, & Drew Thompson.

Here it is:

Forty More Falls – copyright Mandy Thompson, ASCAP, 2009

They got married in September of nineteen sixty-nine.
They were too young to remember much of life before that time,
but they dreamed and they planned and they lived
and they loved that fall.

And looking back on forty years of love behind them now
they can’t believe all these years of keeping every vow.
He looks at her still beautiful – still his young bride -
and he smiles as he says… He smiles as he says…

(He’ll take)
40 more falls
40 more years
40 more with laughter
40 more with tears
40 more dreams
40 more highs
40 more of all the lows
40 more falls

There were days filled with nothing but empty bank accounts.
They never thought they’d make it when they lost their first child.
And they’ve both buried parents, but they still feel like kids
with so much life to live.

Laughing at their daughter playin’ soccer – she won’t stop wavin’ at the stands.
If he hadn’t lost that job, they wouldn’t have that second chance.
And just like she promised she’s still by his side,
and she cries when she says… she cries when she says…

(She’ll take)

From fall to fall the leaves change their colors,
But their love will stay the same when they hold on to each other.

(They’ll take)

24: So Far From Home

Posted on
31

So. I’ve got some dummy verses (which I’m working on re-writing) and a chorus. But that’s it. The song stops short.

Wanna write a bridge with me?
Bridges usually either summarize the point of the song… Or, they take us somewhere else – adding a surprising twist to the main point.
With that in mind, this bridge can really be whatever. Depends on what you think this song is about. I have no personal interest in where this is headed – it’s just words and tones that I think fit together.
So we can go wherever you want to take this thing.
Give me some great words, tones, feelings, thoughts, lyrics…

And let’s see what we can do with this one:

These places – they don’t look the same -
they don’t smell the same – they don’t feel the same.
These faces – they don’t look the same -
they don’t smile the same – they don’t speak the same.
Is this where I lay my head?

I’m so far from home…

These city streets – they don’t wind the same -
they don’t drive the same – they don’t look the same.
Is this where I find myself?

I’m so far from home…

Music Monday: la la la lyrics

Posted on
12

The biggest challenge in lyric writing is finding catchy/creative ways to communicate something within the bounds of rhythm and rhyme…

Nashville music on the radio
singing songs about the heartland and all the stories I know.
Will these sights show
if you’re right where you belong.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
filled with these places. With you here with me.
Back then it seemed
you were right where you belong.

But now what would I bring?
And what would you gain
that you haven’t found in another place?
Your happiness
won’t give me the chance
to say forever
& stay forever.

City lights on the one way roads
Saying goodbye to everything I love
This time I know
you are right where you belong

I have a specific message in mind, but I’m not sure if it’s coming across in these words… What do these lyrics say to you? Story. Images. Whatever… Tell me as much as you can.

Too Hard to Fall

Posted on
7

I’m studying verses, and how each one should bring a new message/perspective to the refrain or chorus of a song. The refrain I worked with is “Too Hard to Fall.”

TOO HARD TO FALL – 10.31.08

She cried until she won’t cry no more.
She doesn’t even hurt, it’s easy to ignore.
Seems crazy to stay.
She’s gonna walk away.
She knows her heart is too hard too fall.

He won’t apologize no more.
Walks away from her after slamming every door.
He don’t care about mistakes
When all inside is rage.
He knows his head is too hard to fall.

Life bends until it finally breaks.
Life gives a little, just in time to take.
With the dark of night
comes heartbreak of day.
Life makes it too hard to fall.

It’s not perfect, but it got me through the exercise quite effectively. This book is really raising the bar for me (see “Writing Better Lyrics” for more). I’m challenged. I’m motivated. I’m growing.

Is there anything in your life that is challenging and growing you right now?  If we’re not growing, we’re not really living…