Girls Gone Fishin'

For those who know me personally, you know I love to fish. For those who don't know me personally...I LOVE TO FISH! It's one of my favorite hobbies, especially after a long week. When you're at your wit's end there's nothing like chilling by the lake with a cooler of ice cold sweet tea and some snacks, while hoping to reel in a big one. I usually zen out and work on tunes as well! A few months ago I was in a fishing mood and thought it'd be fun to write a fishing song. Unlike some songs that just flow from the start, this one came in bits and pieces, one or two lines at a time. I wanted it to be a fun and lighthearted song, with some references that aren't quite what you think at first listen. So head out to the lake, wet a line and take a listen to "Girls Gone Fishin'"

Girls Gone Fishin'
© 2020 Chelsey Layton

Hightailing it out of a long, hard week
It's giggles and smiles in a top-down Jeep
Ponytails, Ray Ban sunglasses
Hands up with the radio blastin'
Bound to blow up the Instagram
But likes ain't the only thing they'll land
Hook, line and sinker, reel them bad boys in
With a can in a koozie and a "gotcha" grin

Igloo slushin' with a case of
Saturday's are best when wasted
Lathered up in Coppertone
And waitin' for the right one to take home
Lettin' go of all inhibitions
Crackin' jokes, comparin' inches
Couple cuties out on a mission
Talkin' girls gone, girls gone, girls gone fishin'

Always a party when their bobber's bump-bumpin'
But that look in their eyes says 'you ain't seen nothin' "
Watch 'em wiggle and a jiggle, puttin' on a show
Workin' all their magic in those pink Zebcos
Love it when they play a little hard to get
'Cause a one-way tango, where's the fun in it?
Dash of devil's charm, with an angel's touch
In a sweet little package of won't give up

Igloo slushin' with a case of
Saturday's are best when wasted
Lathered up in Coppertone
And waitin' for the right one to take home
Lettin' go of all inhibitions
Crackin' jokes, comparin' inches
Couple cuties out on a mission
Talkin' girls gone, girls gone, girls gone fishing'

When the stars come out, you know it don't stop 'em
Droppin' low, low, low, down to the bottom

Igloo slushin' with a case of
Saturday's are best when wasted
Lathered up in Coppertone
And waitin' for the right one to take home
Lettin' go of all inhibitions
Crackin' jokes, comparin' inches
Couple cuties out on a mission
Talkin' girls gone, girls gone, girls gone fishin'

Tattoo

I've been promising a sassy song for weeks so here it is! I wrote this several months ago, inspired by one of my bestie's love of tattoos and a line from my MLD Thesis presentation when I described myself as a "financial professional with a rockstar complex". I thought those two concepts would mesh well and this song just came flooding through. Then I picked up my guitar and within a few minutes it was done. I've played it out once and can't wait for things to open back up so I can play it out again, and hopefully sing into the mic better this time around.

Tattoo
© Chelsey Layton 2019

Been a puppet, a savior and a scapegoat
A lot of things to a lot of folks
Who all tell me I'm right on track
To climb the ladder, shatter glass
But rung by rung, it becomes clearer
That ceiling ain't nothing but a circus mirror
Made of rules, and long long lists
About their box, and how I'll fit

They've got me dotting T's, Crossing I's
But they ain't calling the shots tonight

I need a tattoo and a stiff drink
Where nobody cares, nobody thinks
Pretty little girls don't act like that
They're made to be seen, not heard, oh yeah
Need an ounce of screw this for my cup of ambition
To break the mold that I don't fit in
If I ain't got nothin', I ain't got nothin' to lose
Yeah I need a tattoo

May look prim and proper all dolled up
But don't judge a book by power pumps
Give me two-for-ones and an old jukebox
My country 's out and all bets are off
When my wheels start to wobble out of control
That double buzz, it soothes the soul
Find a leather jacket kind of crowd
With some fresh new ink, I'll let my hair down

It's the good Lord's temple and I'm sure he'll hate it
If it ain't properly decorated

I need a tattoo and a stiff drink
Where nobody cares, nobody thinks
Pretty little girls don't act like that
They're made to be seen, not heard, oh yeah
Need an ounce of screw this for my cup of ambition
To break the mold that I don't fit in
If I ain't got nothin', I ain't got nothin' to lose
Yeah I need a tattoo

I'm sure jaws will drop and heads will spin
When the boss asks 'how was your weekend?'

Well let me tell you

I got a tattoo, had a stiff drink
Where nobody cares, nobody thinks
Pretty little girls don't act like that
They're made to be seen, not heard, oh yeah
Here's an ounce of screw this for my cup of ambition
To break your mold that I don't fit in
If I ain't got nothin', I ain't got nothin' to lose
Yeah I got a tattoo

Room with a View

I sat down once more to post one of my sassy ones and out of nowhere this tune popped into my head. I wrote it over a year ago and had forgotten about it until yesterday. This one came together after an artist on Facebook reached out to me about possibly pitching him something for his next album. He told me what he was looking for and I did't have anything, but I kept the themes in the back of my mind and this song just happened. I was actually channeling some emotions, as I wrote it, about how I wished my Grandmother and Great Grandfather could be at our wedding. I started thinking about the little moments that we all wished our loved ones could see and this song came together so quickly that it just felt like it was meant to be. It was sent off and he liked it, then I didn't hear anything. I followed up and he acted like he had no idea what I was talking about. He asked me to send it again and I did, but he never opened the message so I took that as my sign that he wasn't interested. Therefore I figured I'd share it with y'all!

Room With a View
© 2019 Chelsey Layton

Some moments that come and go are harder than the rest
Dreams don't feel as big without you sharing them
The good, the bad, the happy, sad, and all the in-between
Nothin has been the same since you gained your wings

But since the good Lord 's called you back
I know not a second's passed
That you haven't look to see
All the things that you're missing
And from that mansion in the clouds
I can feel you smiling down
Grinning ear to ear because you
Found a room with a view

I know you're watching, wishing you were by my side
The day I graduated, when I first saw my bride
The morning that my little girl took those tiny steps
Bet you were beaming brighter than that halo on your head

I know you found the best seat
Where you could catch everything
With the breeze blowing, curtains drawn
So proud of everything you saw
And from that mansion in the clouds
I can feel you smiling down
Grinning ear to ear because you
Found a room with a few

And when it comes my time, I can only pray
That there is room for two in that window bay

So my kids and their kids will know
Even though I have gone home
I will always be glancing
With the best of company
And from that mansion in the clouds
They will feel us smiling down
Grinning, ear to ear, me and you
From our room with a view

Memoir of a Rambler

Holy cow I didn't realize that it'd been so long since I've posted anything! Let's just say it's about darn time that I get back to the blog. So let's get to the back story. I wrote this last year when Aaron and I visited my folks and we went to the Gary Allan show. Our seats weren't the greatest but since there were no opportunities to really take any photos, we just danced, sang along and enjoyed the music. Perhaps it was getting lost in the music, perhaps it was a fangirl high after getting our fan club pic signed, perhaps it was Gary coming out on stage in a duster and a cowboy hat....it was totally Gary coming out on stage in a duster and cowboy hat (and the line "chapters, pages, stained an torn" references when he passed his lyric notebook around the audience at the 2019 fan club party. Yes, this girl geeeeeked ooouuutttt!). I felt so inspired on the drive home and this lyric just happened. I did a quick search on the hook and didn't see anything...at least I don't remember seeing anything, this was last fall so the details are a little fuzzy, but I do remember sitting in the back seat of my mom's Jeep (my folks went to gamble while we were in the concert so we rode together) , trying hard not to get carsick as I was typing furiously into the notes on my phone. The melody played in my head as I tried so hard not to hum it because I think Aaron was sleeping, but when we came back to Nashville I sat down with a guitar and put some music to it. I'd planned for more finger-picking, but we all know that my skills aren't the best so I gave up and stuck with strumming. It's not your typical commercial format but y'all know I like to push the envelope and color outside of the lines. Check out the video above and read the lyrics below!

Memoir of a Rambler
© 2019 Chelsey Layton

The memoir of a rambler it's a crushed and dusty black
Seen a hundred-thousand miles, won't hang up cowboy hat
The memoir of a rambler is a pair of rattlesnake
Boots that have danced bar rooms from New York to L.A.
That's the Memoir of a Rambler

The memoir of a rambler it's been carved and etched
Countless stars and tattoos, a map of where he's been
The memoir of a rambler is soaked in 80 proof
By an old friend who's never far in his black labeled suit
That's the Memoir of a Rambler

The memoir of a rambler lies in six rusty strings
Three chords and a first hand count of mistakes and memories
Chapters, pages stained and torn, old dreams and regrets scattered
Amidst the bass, kick drums and highway hums, that's the Memoir of a Rambler

The memoir of a rambler is a dozen lost goodbyes
Shouted out into the wind, drowned by the sands of time
The memoir of a rambler is an angel's broken heart
Who believed his forevers like she believes in God
That's the Memoir of a Rambler

The memoir of a rambler lies in six rusty strings
Three chords and a first hand count of mistakes and memories
Chapters, pages stained and torn, old dreams and regrets scattered
Amidst the bass, kick drums and highway hums

The memoir of a rambler lies in these rusty strings
Three chords and a first hand count of mistakes and memories
Chapters, pages stained and torn, my dreams and regrets scattered
Amidst the bass, kick drums and highway hums, that's the Memoir of a Rambler

The memoir of a rambler is a crushed and dusty black
Seen a hundred-thousand miles, won't hang up cowboy hat