That Song

I wrote this the other day while sitting in class. I was looking out the window as it started to rain and I began thinking about how I wanted to go for a drive and turn the radio up. That got me thinking about music and how everyone has a song that speaks to them. Currently, Colder Weather from the Zac Brown Band is the song that is speaking to me. This sounds a bit ridiculous, but I wrote this song about how that song makes me feel when it comes on the radio. I can't help but hum along and think about the story, and place myself in the scenario. The following lyric is the result of my rainy-day-dream.

That Song
© Chelsey Sears 2011

I had to run through the rain
To get to my car
As soon as I turned the key
The radio came on

The DJ said "hey y'all
Here's somethin' new"
By the time it reached the chorus
I was wonderin' if you

Have heard that song
With the wailing steel guitar
And that soulful fiddle player
That can tug at your heart
Did that sweet harmony
Make you want to hum along
Honey have you heard that song

It's climbing the charts
I guess everyone relates
Maybe that's why I stop and listen
When it hits the radio waves

It's funny how that story
Sure sounds a lot like us
Next time it comes on
Baby you should turn it up

Have you heard that song
With the wailing steel guitar
And that soulful fiddle player
That can tug at your heart
Did that sweet harmony
Make you want to hum along
Honey have you heard that song

Have you heard that song
With the wailing steel guitar
And that soulful fiddle player
That can tug at your heart
Did that sweet harmony
Make you want to hum along
Honey have you heard that song

Does that sweet harmony
Make you want to hum along
Honey have you heard that song

What If

On Valentines day, I bought myself a rose. This isn't the first year I've done it, which is sad. But I found myself the prettiest rose in the bin at Walmart, dug it out, and grabbed some chocolates. It was the first time in a while that I had celebrated Singles Awareness Day, so I decided to do it in style. When I got to my room I put that rose in some water in a mason jar and placed it on my bedside table. I slowly watched that rose wilt, admiring how something so dead could still be beautiful. It was that rose that inspired this next lyric. This is another song about a lost love, which is kind of like a dead rose sitting in a mason jar. Even though the joy it brings is gone, it's still hard sometimes to throw it away and act like it never existed. There is a beauty even in its end.


What If
© Chelsey Sears 2011
Female Country

There's a dead rose on the counter
It's been there a couple days
I know that I should
Pro'lly throw it away

But everytime I pick it up
And take it to the trash
There's somethin' inside of me
That makes me put it back

'Cause what if you're really comin' home
I said I wouldn't hold my breath
But what happens if you return
To find there's nothing left
You told me to move on
And that I should just forget
That we might've been in love
But I'm holdin' onto what if

You said it was over
In that letter that you wrote
I tried to throw it in the fire
But I couldn't let it go

Cause way down at the bottom
Under "P.S" I read
Maybe someday, if you want to
We can try this again

What if you're really comin' home
I said I wouldn't hold my breath
But what happens if you return
To find there's nothing left
You told me to move on
And that I should just forget
That we might've been in love
But I'm holdin' onto what if

What if at this very minute
You're slammin' on the brakes
And pullin' that u-turn
You didn't think you'd make

What if you're really comin' home
I said I wouldn't hold my breath
But what happens if you return
To find there's nothing left
You told me to move on
And that I should just forget
That we might've been in love
But I'm holdin' onto what if
Yeah, I think it might've been love
So I'll hold on to what if
Baby, what if

Bein' Me

I don't know if it's because I've been stressed out for the past week, but for some reason I have not been able to lay down a lyric. Well, the other day I was reflecting on all the things I wish I could do, but I can't. The first line of this came from a chat conversation on an (don't judge me) online dating site, when a guy said he was looking for someone who was more attractive. My first response was that I'm not the kind of girl who will turn heads but I'm good at being me. As soon as I sent that message, I closed the chat, blocked the guy, and grabbed my pencil and paper.

Bein' Me
© Chelsey Sears 2011

I ain't the kind of girl who will turn heads
Just walkin' down the street
I ain't no blond bombshell but
I'm good at bein' me

I don't have a frame up on the wall
With a doctoral degree
I'm not going to save the world
But I'm good at being me

I work hard every day
I pray every night
I may not be pullin' ahead
But I'm doin' alright
I may not be on the cover
Of people magazine
But I'm good at bein' me

I might only pick a few
easy chords on my six string
I'm no guitar hero
But I'm good at bein' me

I work hard every day
I pray every night
I may not be pullin' ahead
But I'm doin' alright
I may not be on the cover
Of people magazine
But I'm good at bein' me

I'll never be on the cover
Of people magazine
But I'm good at bein me
Yeah, I'm good at bein' me

I'm good at bein' me

Straight

Although I seem to have greater success with leaving songs, I love party songs. There's nothing more appealing to me, from a songwriting point of view, than grabbing a pencil and writing something fast and fun. In recent months I have been a bit stuck on ballads. So, as I began to tap my toe in an environmental seminar yesterday, the I decided it was time for something fun. The following lyric is the result.

Straight
© Chelsey Sears 2011


Found myself an empty stool
As I slid up to the bar
To the sound of endless chatter
And the tunes of a steel guitar

He popped up out of nowhere
Offered me a round
Said "Darlin' pick your poison"
As he laid the money down

I said "Give it to me straight.
I like it rough
It's gonna be long night so
Let's get things started up
Boys don't even try to send
No fruity cocktails my way
Just give it to me straight"

The bartender's face lit up
As he got a clean glass
With a little wink he
Pulled out his secret stash

Grinnin' as he asked me
"how 'bout some liquid dynomite?
I can tone it down a bit"
I laughed and said "I'll be alright

Give it to me straight.
I like it rough
It's gonna be long night so
Let's get things started up
Boys don't even try to send
No fruity cocktails my way
Just give it to me straight"

Soon enough, the man who bought my drink
Went down to the floor
So that cute bartender grabbed his keys
And we headed for the door

Give it to me straight.
I like it rough
It's gonna be wild night so
Let's get things started up
Boys don't even try to send
No fruity cocktails my way
Just give it to me straight

More Than Enough

Once again, I was sitting in church, armed with a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. Soon the paper was covered in scratched out lines as the service carried on. Feeling a vibration in my pocket, I looked to see who had called or texted me only to find out that my phone had gone bonkers. And when I mean bonkers, I mean I pressed the Facebook application and it sent me to my voicemail. Frustrated, I wrote the line "I just want a cell phone that works" ... the following lyric is based off of that line

More Than Enough
© Chelsey Sears 2011

I just want a truck that runs
Gets me from A to B
With a solid gooseneck hitch
That's all I need

I just want a cell-phone that works
No more "can you hear me now?"
The bells and whistles don't mean a thing
If I can't call out

I'd like to think I'm a simple girl
And even though I like to dream
You can't spend your whole life wantin
What's behind curtain three
Even though there are days
That this road gets a little rough
I'm still getting by
And that's more than enough

I want to enjoy my job
When I lay down my head at night
I want to do it with a sense
Of dignity and pride

I just want an honest man
He doesn't have to be a saint
He just has to hold me tight
At the end of everyday

I'd like to think I'm a simple girl
And even though I like to dream
You can't spend your whole life wantin
What's behind curtain three
Even though there are days
That this road gets a little rough
I'm still getting by
And that's more than enough

I just want some country music
That's simple and soft
Just pick that old guitar until
I close my eyes and get lost

I'd like to think I'm a simple girl
And even though I like to dream
You can't spend your whole life wantin
What's behind curtain three
Even though there are days
That this road gets a little rough
I'm still getting by
And that's more than enough

Yeah, there are days
When the road gets rough
But I'm still getting by
And that's more than enough

California

So...isn't it funny how your best ideas either come as you are standing in the shower, or as you are almost about to fall asleep. Well, mine do. And most times I forget about them pretty quick , only remembering "I had a great idea...although I can't recall what it was". Well, I was in the process of washing my hair when I started humming, then singing. Then...about three minutes later, I had a song. However, it was one of those songs that sticks with you because it strikes a nerve and really hits you hard.  This is a very personal lyric for me. I think everyone can relate to having a special connection with someone and losing them. But if life were fair, it wouldn't be as exciting.

California
© Chelsey Sears 2011

I'm seeing someone new
Yeah he's nice
It's only been a few months
But he's got that look in his eyes

He started talking yesterday
About futures and kids
When he asked what I thought
I fought the urge to tell him

I wanna go to California
And bring you home
Yeah you said you wanted freedom
But baby we both know
There's nothing left in California
Except that job that you hate
I wanna come to California
So what do ya say?

We can talk about the weather
And that local sports team
Eventually we'll get around
To our hopes and dreams

You've been eyeballin'
A little farm in Tennessee
And it's just the right size
To raise a family

So I'm gonna come to California
And bring you home
Yeah you wanted your freedom
But baby we both know
There's nothing left in California
Except that job that you hate
I'm gonna come to California
What do you say?

I know that you're thinking
That this is crazy
Yeah it'll be tough
But just trust me baby

I'm gonna come to California
And bring you back home
Sure you wanted freedom
But we both know
There's nothing left in California
Except that job you hate
I'm gonna come to California
What do you say?

Honey come back from California
What do you say?

Five More Minutes

During the first week of FAWM 2011, the challenge was to use numbers. I sat there forever staring at a blank screen trying to come up with something that wasn't too cliche. I figured there would be a million lyrics about "The One"...so that was completely out of the questions. Well, I was chatting with a friend and it was time for me to leave and I was thinking "no, I can wait five more minutes". And suddenly I had my next hook. Here is the first draft.

Five More Minutes
© Chelsey Sears 2011
Country Ballad

She's watchin her daddy
As he holds her momma tight
That suitcase is by the door
Ready for the long drive

He looks down at her
In her little six-year old eyes
Picks her up to hold her
He's tryin not to cry

When she says
"five more minutes daddy
it's not very long
maybe I can talk you
into staying home
It's gonna be forever
'til you're back again
Just five more minutes"

She's standin there waitin
Outside the armory
He's says "babe, I gotta go
they're waitin' on me

I promise I'll be back
Sooner than you think"
She holds tightly to her hand
As he kisses her cheek

She says
"Give me five more minutes baby
It wont take very long
I'm just not ready for
You to be gone
I know they need you
And I know you've got to do this
But give me five more minutes

Sitting on the edge of her chair
Beside that hospital bed
Holdin' on to her grandpa's hand
For whatever time is left
Tears fall as she says

Just five more minutes
It wont take very long
I know that you are
ready to go home
I know that you can hear
Those angels singin'
But please give me five more minutes
Just five more minutes

Writer's Block

So, as I sat quietly in church Sunday, I realized that I have undertaken quite a challenge. I normally write my best pieces somewhere between worship and the altar call. However, as I sat there, only one tune came to mind. This was odd because it was kind of a folk tune. For those who know me, I write very modern country. However, as I sat there trying to think of a different concept, the verse kept coming to me.
Therefore, my first write on this blog is a bit of a surprise to me. With an open mind, I enter into this challenge with hopes of eventually writing something unforgettable.


Carry Me Home
© Chelsey Sears 2011

Carry me home sweet southern music
To a simpler place and time
When I'd crack open my window
And fall asleep to a cricket lullaby

Carry me home, like a storm cloud
Breaking high over the trees
Pure smell of rain, the pitter patter
As it falls down through the leaves

I've grown so tired of all this running
I'm exhausted from the road
I'll close my eyes and let sweet mem'ries
Let them carry, carry me home

Carry me home, in your strong arms
Tragic as a first real kiss
When I believed, in true love
with a childlike innocence

I've grown so tired of all this running
I'm exhausted from the road
Make me close my eyes and let sweet mem'ries
Let them carry, carry me home

Yeah I'm so tired of all this running
I'm exhausted from the road
Gonna close my eyes and let sweet mem'ries
Let them carry, carry me home

Won't you carry, carry me home