The first song that I am re-doing a musing of. I will of course keep writing new songs, but I think enough alone time has passed by for many of these tunes while my attention has been placed elsewhere. It’s time to revisit songs and see how playing them has changed and what the song might mean to now.

(The original musing for this tune is here).

Story Pairing

I’ve had this odd guilt nagging at the back of my mind the last few months or so. It’s around my relationship with songs that I’ve written and how they only get to see the light of day if I play them. Otherwise they stay put in my head or frozen on whatever page I scratched the words into. That has me feeling almost guilty, like a guy who gets another dog every week but only walks the newest one.

I always want to be writing that next song, the one that will make the biggest splash, or get snatched up by a hot shot producer or recording artist, the song that will reach the most people, the song that means the most. The music industry has made artists view their songs as keys, and you have to make as many as you can to open all the right doors in life, one key just won’t do.

Well I hate that I’ve fallen into that belief, and I hate that I haven’t walked my old dogs.

This is a song I wrote towards the beginning of my solo musical career, when I was carrying around feelings of never being able to do music by myself. I wasn’t good enough in comparison to who has come before. While that’s not not true, it’s not really apples to apples, and it’s not really the point. I’m a songwriter because it’s badass, it’s challenging, fun, artistic, and checks all the boxes in my world. I love that I get to drive around and share tunes with people, all the while talking about songs and getting ideas for new ones. Surrounding myself with this craft is amazing.

I don’t want to compare myself to someone else and I especially don’t want my songs doing that with each other. So I’ll keep writing new ones, but I’m going to make a point to go back and sit with more I’ve already written (even if they are a little bit ugly, I still love them). It will be fun to see what new ramblings come from the visits and how maybe the songs have changes over the years.

Song Structure

In the original recording I capo on the 5, but I like how it sounds here just playing in open standard.

Verse: G - C - D - G - D - G - C - G

Chorus: Em - D - G - Em - D - G - C - G

Bridge: Am - D - C

Voice Memos

**Paired Pic**

Since this is a repeated song, I will use this space to pair a picture that pairs with the song. This is one of my pooch I recently took, and believe it or not he loves chasing things up into trees. He got into a tussle with a young raccoon this summer (dog is fine, raccoon got away), so this song made me think of little Otis (or Oti as we say around these parts)

Lyrics

You’ve got that sweat upon your brow

Just keep climbing and you won’t come down

Branches bare since the leaves are on the ground

You’ve got that sweat upon your brow

You’re chasing every light you’ve ever saw

In the darkness you always feel too small

Come the morning you will not care at all

You’re chasing every light you’ve ever saw

I know the dogs are barking at your heels

Chase you over rocks and streams and fields

Always felt the need to retreat here

You say that time it moves too slow

A pocket full of years has got you feeling old

Faces fade to memory when they’ve got nowhere to go

You say that time it moves too slow

I know the dogs are barking at your heels

Chase you over rocks and streams and fields

Always felt the need to retreat here

I’ll keep you safe, I’ll keep you sound

You lost the dream that you’re looking towards

Play each note with your back against the door

Falling short of the legends that came before

You lost the dream that you’re looking towards

I know the dogs are barking at your heels

Chase you over rocks and streams and fields

Always felt the need to retreat here

Thank you to my Patreon folks that help fund the time and equipment that goes into making these songs and publishing the process. If you believe in original music and would like to be a part of it, feel free to join us here.

“Looking Towards” - a song about refuge

Story Pairing

Song Structure

Voice Memos

Lyrics

“Invest Your Son” - a song about inveigling