I love to talk about how/where/when/why I came up with song ideas! (If you want to keep me talking at a cocktail party, ask me about my lyrics!) BUT FIRST – I must say that my lyrics would be sad little jumbles of alphabet letters if Mike Gridley didn’t create such wonderful music for them!
Comfort Me
This song was written during a time that I felt very, very uncertain & torn about a choice I had to make. It includes a line about “a lifeboat with no oars” I really needed an answer or solution (“lifeboat”) that was clear, strong, and obvious. In reality, real life doesn’t happen that way. The protagonist in this song wants comfort, guidance, and….to be left alone.
“…comfort me, baby won’t you comfort me…I need time with better company.
… cover me, baby won’t you cover me…don’t let no one share my sympathies”
Blame The Horizon
We wrote the words and music to this song (and 13 others!!) during the month of February as a part of the FAWM (Feb Album Writing Month) Challenge! It was stressful, fun, and challenging. Here’s a link to our FAWM site: (I will write a future blog about that experience) http://fawm.org/fawmers/harmonicdirt/
“Blame The Horizon” has an extra-long chorus. Sometimes I forget that 2nd part to the chorus when I’m playing the bass. Sorry in advance. The chorus starts “blaming” big things….the horizon….birds at dawn….a pregnancy…and ends with blaming the tiniest things (dirt on the floor.) Why all the blame? ….for false hope….and for ruining things.
“Blame the horizon, blame the birds at break of dawn. When they promised the day and the sky touches down. Blame the flutter of the baby, and the clothes in the drawer, and you in your stockings and dirt on the floor.”
I guess it’s kind of sad…. sorry.
Blue Moon Atlas
Another FAWM song! Because of the jangly, catchy music Mike put to this song, it quickly became my favorite of the batch. This song is not sad (whew!) — it is about taking chances on things that come around rarely (like….a blue moon!) and also about remembering the path you took to get those experiences! Here are some lines that illustrate those themes:
“Chance the bad encounter for something sweet, keep a little room for hotcakes and tea. (Read: Will you be spending the night & sharing breakfast?)
A killer whale with a killer smile dragging me home that last bloody mile.
Bruise on my heart match the one on my knees, begging for something I don’t really need.
Throw down the covers, the suitcase out the door, many days behind, room for many more.
A blue-moon atlas shows where you’ve been, fold back the pages where you found all your friends.”