When You Call

“When You Call” was written several years ago when my daughter was a teen and out past curfew. Pacing the floor via my guitar, I finger-picked three chords and started singing “If you call, I will come.” Thankfully, my daughter arrived home safe and sound. And I had the beginning to a song. John Prine said he didn’t name songs until they were done because he never knew where they were going to go, and it’s true. It’s hard to say how you get there sometimes. But love and commitment stay at the heart of this one.

When you call
I will come
When you call
I will come
If you’re laughing
Or in pain
In the sunshine
Through pouring rain
When I hear
Your voice
I’ll run
When you call
I will come

When we dance
We are one
When we dance
We are one
When I stumble
Even fall
Your arms around me
Through it all
More than two
We become
When we dance
We are one

In our love
There is life
In our love
There is life
Though the days
Get short and cold
Spring will arrive
Flowers unfold
In the darkness
There is a light
In our love
There is life
And when you call
I will come

The Fence

"The Fence" is a bit of a send-up about time and change. It used to be so hard, but now just type in your question and get an answer. A hundred of them. And, it’s true, a fence my dad built really did fall down. But the one on the other side of the house is still standing strong.

By God’s grace and Google I’m in this place at last
Answers to my questions they come and they come fast
The things that I don’t understand they’re given to me now
By all the brains connected to the internet somehow

Searching for a secret chord to play on my guitar
The man said you just make a face and play right where you are
I looked up in the mirror and it came as no surprise
I can’t make that kind of face unless I close my eyes

Well, some things they last and last
Others, they get swallowed up so fast
In the past, and they’re gone
Just you wait and you’re gonna see
That you, yes even you, you can be free
You've got to believe, and hold on

That’s the fence my daddy built in 1992
He could do most anything he set his mind to do
He built it for my mother and last night there came a wind
Blew that old fence over and now it won’t stand again

Well, some things they last and last
Others, they get swallowed up so fast
In the past, and they’re gone
Just you wait and you’re gonna see
That you, yes even you, you can be free
You've got to believe, and hold on

Well just you wait and we're gonna see
That you, even you and I can be free
We've got to believe, and hold on

How Are Ya?

We’re all gonna struggle sometimes, and the people that love you always want to help. But sometimes there’s just nothing they can do. And there seems like nothing you can do. It’s easy to get lost, easy to get mean. How are ya? Who wants to know?

What’s on your mind, the doctor said
I said here inside my head
Some things are better left unsaid
How are ya?
They’re rattlin’ all around my brain
It could make a man insane
I hear we’re gonna get more rain
How are ya?
I’m causing folks a lot of pain
How are ya?

Well now don’t think twice about tonight
I think I finally saw the light
Some things still don’t feel just right
How are ya?
And maybe when we meet next
By then I’ll be much more meek
Mildly you’ll begin to speak
How are ya?
I’ve got a secret that you can keep
How are ya?

Temper tantrums, clocks and bells
Fancy words and fairy tales
Narcissus looking down a well uh huh

Don’t call it responsibility
I able to respond you see
It’s still there inside of me
How are ya?
And now this looks like quite a leap
I really can’t get in too deep
I promised promises to keep
How are ya?
Maybe I just need more sleep
How are ya?

Your tomahawks against my guns
Sometimes there’s just nowhere to run
Right now I’d like to feel the sun uh huh

Just how blind can one man be
To have his sight and still not see
She’s right there in front of me
How are ya?
Never mind the circumstance
I believe in our romance
Maybe I can learn to dance
How are ya?
I just need another chance
How are ya?

Temper tantrums, clocks and bells
Fancy words and fairy tales
Narcissus looking down a well uh huh
Your tomahawks against my guns
Sometimes there’s just nowhere to run
Right now I’d like to feel the sun uh huh
Right now I’d like to feel the sun uh huh
Right now I’d like to feel the sun

I’ve Never Had a Better Day

My dad lived 96 years and he would always tell you that he had no regrets, and had enjoyed a good life. He and my mother had indeed made themselves a good life, though, like life is, it was not always easy. If you asked my dad how he was doing, he had two responses. Sometimes he’d say, “Sitting on top of the world.” But most of the time you would hear, “I’ve never had a better day.”

All is well, things are good
Life has changed in ways
I never thought it could
Well, you ask me and I will say
I’ve never had a better day

Burning sun, cold darkness, too
Sometimes it seems like
There’s just nothing you can do
Well, I’ve been there, and I can say
I’ve never had a better day

You ask the question
And I answer the same way
You are free
To believe
It’s not a matter
Of the price you have to pay
You believe
you are free

Don’t give up, and don’t stay down
When trouble comes along
And knocks you on the ground
The healing starts when you can say
I’ve never had a better day
That’s right

You ask the question
And I answer the same way
You are free
To believe
It’s not a matter
Of the price you have to pay
You believe
you are free

All is well and things are good
Life has changed in ways
I never thought it could
Well you ask me, and I will say
I’ve never had a better day
I will say
I’ve never had a better day

I’ll Say It Simply

This song started out as a challenge. I wanted to write more, get intentional about it, inspired by the masters like Prine and McCartney. So, I thought, let’s write a love song, keep it simple...hmmm, I like that... One of those that just "fall out you" as Tom Petty said.

When I’m falling down you’re there to catch me
You help me up when I’ve hit the ground
And when I’m lost you know right where to find me
You know when I don’t want to be found

Your love light is always shining on me
Leading me away from fear and strife
Showing me a way out of the darkness
Sharing in your peaceful way of life

Nobody loves me like you love me
Nobody loves me like you do
Words cannot describe what you mean to me
And so I’ll say it simply I love you

I’ve got both ends of the rainbow
But you can’t count this gold
The kind of joy that I know
It can’t be bought or sold

And when I stop and think about it
I stop and think about this life we live
There can be no mIstake about it
Your love is a most precious gift

Nobody loves me like you love me
Nobody loves me like you do
Words cannot describe what you mean to me
And so I’ll say it simply I love you
I’ll say it simply I love you

I’ve got both ends of the rainbow
But you can’t count this gold
The kind of joy that I know
It can’t be bought or sold

Time and Again

They say you can’t live in the past but when you’ve been here a long time you have a lot of memories, and they’re precious. Ups, downs, joy, pain, they’re all part of an incredible journey that we get to spend together.

Every once in a while
I look and I smile
Is that me?
It is I reply
In the blink of an eye
Can it be?
I’m gonna go for a walk
And gather my thoughts
And we’ll see
Every once in a while
I look and I smile
Is that me?

I would if I could
But it would do me no good
For today
So I’m taking no bets
As far as regrets
You could say
You can add it all up
And mark it all down
To repay
I would if I could
But it would do me no good
For today

‘Cause I’m southbound to North Carolina
Or headed north to DC
We are so young and having some fun
You and me
Time has its own way of moving
Time keeps a secret or two
Time and again
I’m glad I can spend it with you

Sometimes here at night
I turn off the light
And I dream
I don’t got to bed
Replay in my head
Certain scenes
Good times and bad
Tomorrows we’ve had
Things we’ve seen
Sometimes here at night
I turn off the light
And I dream

And we’re southbound to North Carolina
Or headed north to DC
The kids are still young
And it’s family fun
You and me
And time has its own way of moving
And time keeps a secret or two
Time and again
I’m glad I can spend it
With you
Yes, time and again
I’m glad I can spend it
With you
Time and again
I’m glad we can spend it
We two