“Rocks In His Boots” - a song about fraying
Recorded at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia, MI.
Story Pairing
This is one of the older tunes I have. There is a little digital backup of all the songs I’ve written, and this one is the 6th on that list.
The story of the song is yours to make, but what I do want to talk about is more craft related with this one.
I have this feeling that some of my older songs are my best. Not to say I think this is one of my best songs, that is subjective really, but more so I found songwriting at a time when I had a lot of feelings and a lot of searching was going on. There is a point where songs become more like an answer to a question or a particular unknown, and when you have a lot of that “unknown” I think that potency comes out in the way you channel art.
How many times have you heard a fan of a particular writer mentions that the early works are their favorite? There are no hard and fast rules with any of this, it’s all creative work, meaning it is all interpreted however the current consumer wants to. That said, I think that super fans of certain artists become so because they feel a kindred spirit with that maker. I know personally I love Townes Van Zandt and Roger Miller. I think when I listen to their older work or their songs that hadn’t been touched by others as much, I find that more of the writer seems to still be in there, and that means something to me.
As I continue to write, I only fall more in love with it, but I have fewer personal experiences that need a home in song and more tunes that are coming from an observational nudge. It’s fun to notice that and to find ways to dig in deeper to what you see or have experienced to see what more you can uncover. It’s endless and amazing that we get to do this as songwriters.
It feels like my rambling is leading up to a homework assignment or something annoying. It isn’t. Unless you want it to be… then go write a song.
Song Structure
Verse: C - Am - F - C - C - Am - F - C - G
Chorus: Am - F - C - G - G7
Voice Memos
No Notebook Page
March 2018
Lyrics
If you ask him, which road he prefers
Hed say the one, that crosses over hers
She’s my guiding star, only thing by far
Worth living for
If you ask him to flash a broken smile
He’d say take my shoes walk in them a mile
If you’re grinning then
I’ll join on in
He’s got them rocks in his boots, got them rocks in his boots
And his hands and his feet, they are both feeling bruised
And hes weighing down, weighing down
He’s growing tired
And she’s just out of reach, yea she’s just out of reach
But he’s true to her trail, like a hound on a leash
And hes weighing down, weighing down
He’s growing tired
Always growing tired
Take the time to look into his eyes
You’ll see somthing there you probably recognize
A bit of you a bit of me
A bit of everyone he sees
A grown man shouldn’t shed a tear
But a tear is all he constantly leaves here
As he walks away
Trades a year for a day
He’s got them rocks in his boots, got them rocks in his boots
And his hands and his feet, they are both feeling bruised
And hes weighing down, weighing down
He’s growing tired
And she’s just out of reach, yea she’s just out of reach
But he’s true to her trail, like a hound on a leash
And hes weighing down, weighing down
He’s growing tired
Always growing tired
Break
Chorus