My year doesn't move from New Year to New Year. It moves from Song School to Song School. I meet up with my friends. I get inspired. We camp, we jam, we sing songs, talk about songs, dream of new songs, cry over songs and music careers and cheer each other on about songs and music careers beside the St. Vrain buzzed on good beer and that Colorado August that feels so so so so good.
I keep a count of how many songs I write in between the weeks spent in Lyons. This year I tried to write more. I wrote 22. It's not my biggest year, but I think the work was pretty solid. Of the 22, I'd say I sing most of them out at gigs. Here's the list:
My last hit- about a hit man, music careers and gun violence
Jeneane- about a guy trying to win back his old girlfriend
Renegade Crown- A "Hangover" type song inspired by Folk Alliance International
The Facebook Song- about my facebook feed
Every day after Today- coping with grief and loss
She keeps going- About a mother raising her kids after losing her husband
That time of year again- About the time of year between Christmas and New Year
Leap- About Timmy falling a well without Lassie to rescue him.
Thy Will be Done- About not winning the Power Ball
Revolver- About a battered woman deciding to end the abuse
Doc, I don't think these pills are working- about depression and feeling unloveable
Riverside- A song for peace
The shooter- about mass shooting violence
Lilly Pond- About Claude Monet
Nothing at all- Looking back on past relationship and seeing how stupid they were
We're not kids anymore- About fairy tales and stuff
I write in the morning- A true to life song about the every day life of my music career
Seven Sisters- a Song commission for P.E.O.
Hard to Love- Written after the death of my brother
In these 40 days- A song for Lent
Daniel Clark- A song about a cad who deflowers a farm girl.
Pretty soon the community will all assemble in the Wildflower and kick off another year of reflecting and laughing and singing and dreaming and goal setting. I'm really excited. I'll tell you all about it when I get home. Love, Hope