Song #44: What's Up Now?

"Living well is the best revenge." [George Herbert]

Earlier this year I traveled to Atlanta for an intensive three-day beat making session with musician Joe Aielli. While there we programmed several pop tracks and we've been sitting on this song ever since. This week I decided to write some fun revenge lyrics and finally produce the vocal tracks. Cheers--

LYRICS:

Thought that I wouldn't get on living?
Thought I might be down for the count?
Thought that I wouldn't find the strength to get back up on my feet?
How do you like me now?

Well it just goes to show that you didn't know
what I had inside to get on with my life,
I'm makin' them all say 'Wow!', so what's up now?
You left me behind but one day you'll find
it ain't much fun when I'm number one,
the talk all over town. So what's up now?

When push comes to shove I'm a fighter
I've been down but I got up
And I climbed to the top and I didn't stop,
all beat up, but still on top,
So, how do you like me now?

Well it just goes to show that you didn't know
What I had inside to get on with my life,
I'm makin' them all say 'Wow!', so what's up now?
You left me behind but one day you'll find
it ain't much fun when I'm number one,
the talk all over town. So what's up now?

A little bigger than life and look all the eyes are all on me now
And you thought I'd stay down but I'm back with a sound, so what's up now?
Now I hear you tell your friends that you're sad it's the end
I don't mean to offend, but honey now that you've come 'round,
that door's closed down

Well it just goes to show that you didn't know
What I had inside to get on with my life,
I'm makin' them all say 'Wow!', so what's up now?
You left me behind but one day you'll find
it ain't much fun when I'm number one,
the talk all over town. So what's up now?

Song #24: Ellipses

"It's so easy to think about love, to talk about love, to wish for love... but it's not always easy to recognize love, even when we hold it...
in our hands." [Jaka]

PLAY:

CLICK HERE to download this song for free

LYRICS:

when words become ellipses
when knowing glances become kisses
you can't miss it
when all day long you listen
to dreams that say "you'll be his Mrs."
and oh the kisses
that's when you'll know

when you come home some evening
to find that love makes life worth living
are you kidding?
that's when you'll know

when you find that your guy
is quite unlike who came before
and in his presence you are not less, you are more

when you tell all your friends about him
and well up with pride because of who he is
it may be it
that's when you'll know

when words become ellipses
when knowing glances become kisses
you can't miss it
that's when you'll know

Song #10: I See You Sitting There

"A child's spirit is like a child, you can never catch it by running after it; you must stand still, and, for love, it will soon itself come back."
(Arthur Miller)

One Saturday afternoon I was watching my five-year-old daughter playing and realized I had never written a song for her. I grabbed my guitar and a pen and "I See You Sitting There" was written right there on the spot.

NOTE: I'm cheating a bit on my rule of writing one NEW song each week, as I wrote this piece several months ago. When I initially finished this, I shared it with a few of my close friends, but am now finally releasing it publicly since I've been on vacation for the holidays.

PLAY:

CLICK HERE to download this song for free

LYRICS:

I see you sitting there
In your painted chair
You've got your dolls out
Fingers in your mouth

I see you sitting there
In your ballet tights,
it's almost time to say goodnight

And when I catch your eyes
I can see that life's worthwhile
Couldn't be more proud of you
And your precious smile

I never knew I could fall in love
so quickly, so fiercely with someone
You are my favorite blessing from God

I see you dancing there
Twirling around the chairs
It nearly makes me cry
You got your mama's eyes
And your pretty face
Is lighting up the room

I know it's cliche to say it:
But I don't know when you got so big
Makes me want to hold on to just this moment
It too will go with the wind

I never knew I could fall in love
so quickly, so fiercely with someone
You are my favorite blessing from God

Sweetheart when you get older,
I will still remember all these times

I see you lying there
You got your PJs on
One foot hanging out
From that ratty old blanket you drag along
I say a prayer for you
And kiss you on the head

I never knew I could fall in love
so quickly, so fiercely with someone
You are my favorite blessing from God

Song #1: Witness

We all want to be seen. A woman, especially, wants to be noticed, known, understood. This is ultimately the purpose of a relationship: to co-create life; to partake in life's depth of experiences with another. As Christopher McCandless said in Into the Wild:

Happiness is not real unless it is shared...

PLAY:

CLICK HERE to download this song for free

LYRICS:

there will be times
times when you cry
when find yourself alone in the night

there will be days
when your beautiful smile
will light up the night sky like a fire

there will be days
with all you hold inside
you'll long for a man      
to come along your side
and that's where you'll find me
I want to be the witness to your life

when that old movie makes you laugh
when you can't believe what you've just seen
when you have a dream that no else believes in

when your heart, it takes a hit
when you just don't give a shit
when you look at your life wonder, "Is this it?"

there will be days
with all you hold inside
you'll long for a man      
to come along your side
and that's where you'll find me
I want to be the witness to your life

you are seen
you are noticed by me
you are lovely

when you slide on that dress
and fix your hair just right
when you spend all that effort and that time

I want to be there right behind you
look in the mirror and smile too
and gently whisper, "sexy girl you're fine,
you're beautiful and I'm proud to call you mine
I'm so lucky; I get to be the witness to your life"