30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 8

It's starting to get tough, boys and girls.  I had to actually tune my guitar to open D to find inspiration tonight.  Tomorrow I may take a different angle to fire some creative sparks.  In any event, tonight's song is slightly different than the other tunes.  Hope you enjoy it.

Lyrics:

He's sitting on the ground at the hometown football game
Waiting for the sound, a sound that never came
And now what's he waiting for?
And now what's he asking for?

Met her by the pier, she said her name was Jane
Said they'd meet up here, but Jane she never came
And now what's he waiting for?
And now what's he asking for?

All things come and all things go
What's to come here no one knows before
We go headlong to the unknown and hope the best
So keep on seeking your heart
Keep on seeking your heart, you'll find your rest

He finally stands to go as the hometown bleachers cheer
His heart's a heavy load and his eyes are wet with tears
But now heart begins to heal
And now he begins to feel

30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 7

Day 7 is here! One full week of writing, and I'm pleased with how things are going. I feel like all the songs are at least serviceable, so that's very good.

Today's song is actually one of my favorites so far, but I'm not terribly pleased with the performance on the video. My first take had the guitar turned up too loud so you couldn't hear the words.  I'm afraid that I turned it down too far, particularly for the 2 note chords. In any event, this very well might be one that makes its way onto an album, perhaps even onto Lovelight.

Lyrics:

Bending, breaking, stuck in this mess I'm making
Wondering how to escape the things I've done
Then I found you and the love that's all around you
Called me to something more than I'd become

I'm moving on, I'm moving on
Everything that tied me here is gone
I once was weak but now I'm strong
As I march through I sing my song
Feeling I belonged here all along
I'm moving on, I'm moving on
I'm moving on, I'm moving on

Twisted, broken, following the voice that's spoken
I know that you'll love me any way I am
One step then another you say, "come weary runner."
You take me, embrace me, then hold my shaking hand

30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 6

Good news!  I got my HD camera back, so future posts will be in high(er) definition.  Here's Day 6 for you.  This is another one that I had an idea about before the challenge even began.  Don't know that I'm satisfied with the first go at the lyrics, though.

Lyrics:

Hello, my name is unimportant
I know the pain of a world distorted
Beyond the game off kill or be killed
Can't be the same, I'm from another world

Like a traveler lost in a strange land
Speaking a language I don't even understaand
Traveling the planet that's still slave to sin
I'm a stranger here, I'm an alien

Hello my face is not quite like yours
Follow my gaze, it's well beyond your shores
I've got a gift, so you will disconnect
A savior lifted high, it's time that we met

Status report - 30 day writing challenge

5 days and 5 songs down.  Figured I'd stop and take a look back for a moment.

Back in July, the goal I set was to simply write three new songs, record a six song EP, and have a band to spend two weeks on the road with in summer 2015.  It was a pretty worthy goal, considering I'd only written 1 song in the previous two years and hadn't been in a band since 2011.

Since then, though, God has been blessing me abundantly.  He blessed me with a band that has the potential of being the best group of musicians I've ever had the pleasure of performing with.  He's blessed me with creativity- my goal of three new songs and an EP has blossomed into six new songs for the Lovelight album, four brand new songs for a Christmas musical (including the one DKG just recorded for the community CD), and I'm five songs in to a 30 day challenge.  These fifteen songs represent the most production I've had in my entire life, and I will be looking at FORTY SONGS by Halloween.

This has me seriously considering pulling some worship tunes off of Lovelight to make room for some of these 30 day challenge tunes and recording a separate worship album... but that's not the point.

The point is that God is faithful.  If we can pray and live boldly and go after our dreams, God will be faithful in going before us to prepare the way.

So what's your bold goal?  What dream has God laid on your heart but you've been too unsure to really go for it?  Psalm 34 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."  So are you ready to dive in and take your taste?

30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 5

Here's day 5. This is a guitar riff I've jammed on for a while, so I'm glad to finally have put it in a song.

Lyrics:

Finding a way, finding a way back home
Finding a way, finding a way back home
Who-o-oh, who-o-oah
Who-o-oh, who-o-oah

When I was leaving, how could I have known
That what had left behind is what most feels like home?

When I moved in closer I didn't expect to find
A way to better know you, leaving the rest behind

I'm running down that road, heading back to you, I don't know what to say
What I didn't know is just what you would do but you're running back to me

30 Day Songwriting Challenge - Day 4

Today's song was kind of a battle.  I had no clues, no inspiration all day.  I got to spend the entire day hanging out with my wife and daughters- going to a birthday party, visiting an apple orchard, and eating good food together as a family.  It was a perfect Saturday.

So when I sat down tonight strumming on the guitar, totally clueless, I decided to write the story of three sets of people also having their perfect Saturday.  Enjoy.

Lyrics:

The day is warm, the sky is blue
The trees adorned with golden hues and he breathes it in
The clouds are white above his head
It seems alright to smile instead as she looks back at him
And all they want to do is be together for the day... it's a perfect Saturday

The sun is high, the sky is grey
It seems tonight may bring the rain but he just sees the girl
She's two years old and running now
Young and bold, she shows him how to be, she's his world
And all they want to do is be together for the day... it's a perfect Saturday

The evening yawns, the day is done
The light is but a trace of sun, and she holds his hand
These forty years become a blur
Through joy and tears, heart drums for her as he thinks this life was grand
And all they want to do is be together for the day... it's a perfect Saturday



Please remember to also check out my wife's 30 Day challenge at http://arkladybug.wpnomad.com.

30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 3

This was an interesting one today. It started off as a gospel concept, and morphed into a blues rock tune.  Kind of cool.  The tune is called "Change."

And yes, I know it's technically the 4th, but Alicia and I agreed that it would still count if we submitted before going to bed. The blog will show two entries today, and that's ok.

If you haven't done so, go visit Alicia's 30 Day Writing Challenge at arkladybug.wpnomad.com.


Lyrics:

Hey, you're talking about a revolution

Hey, as if we could stay the same

Hey, you say you want a revolution

Hey, the only thing that stays the same is change

We're singing, "I surrender," but we don't

We cry, "send me," but we don't go

Stuck in our own reflection, we don't understand

We need an intervention, change at hand

Cause when things grow, they're always changing

The Spirit moves, can't stay the same

This world we know is rearranging

Its nature proves it's time to change