Miracle Girl

In my family, I have developed a tradition. With the arrival of each grandchild, I write a song. Whitney arrived nearly five months ago in November. So, I am a little behind on getting her song written. Her parents, Lauren and Dean, have been very patient. So, I give you "Miracle Girl."

Miracle Girl

A miracle even before she was born

Coming into their life, it soon was clear

She would be one who would change their world

Always keep growing, and lead us from here

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when God is near

Light in her eyes, as this little one grew

Her face had a charm that welcomed you

More than the trait of eyes of blue

You knew that this was a Godly hue

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when He is near

Her life won’t be easy, time takes a toll

There will be moments, of scoffs from the crowd

The Spirit inside gives her strength to stay whole

Determined to keep living her faith out loud

Hey, Miracle Girl, you’re a wonder to see

And you are bringing miracles to be

Follow her, and you will soon believe

Supernatural things are easy to see

As the years wear on and life takes its course

Her face will always stay tuned to the light

She’ll take each moment for better, for worse

Leading many to change wrongs to right

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I meet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles always happen when He is near

Hello Cruel World

I just discovered the Essentials album by Gretchen Peters. She has written songs for Bryan Adams, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, and many others. "Hello Cruel World" is one of my favourite songs on the album. It is full of angst and tensions of good and evil. It makes one think about the struggles of this world and the struggle of light and darkness, Jesus and the devil. The piano and strings are beautiful, she sings one of the sweetest "oohs" in all of pop music, and the bass line is melancholic. Enjoy this song and meditate upon the goodness of creation and The Fall.

Hello Cruel World

(Words and Music by Gretchen Peters)
(Listen to the song here)

haven’t done as well as I thought I would

I’m not dead but I’m damaged goods

and it’s gettin’ late

I’m a rusty hinge, a squeaky wheel

at the bad end of a shaky deal

cursed by the hand of fate

and ooooooh – I’m a very lucky girl

yeah ooooooh – hello cruel world

I’m a ticking clock, a losing bet

a girl without a safety net

I’m a cause for some concern

you don’t live this long without regrets

telephone calls you don’t wanna get

stones you’d rather leave unturned

but ooooooh – the grain of sand becomes the pearl

yeah ooooooh – hello cruel world

some folks go the easy route

numb the pain or put the lights out

either way they got to go

me I’m gonna stick around

in for a penny in for a pound

cause I hate to miss the show

and ooooooh – I’m a very stubborn girl

yeah ooooooh – hello cruel world

hello cruel world

©2011 Circus Girl Music, administered by Carnival Music (ASCAP)

Coals and Water

Coals and Water

(Performed by Angel Snow)

(Music and Lyrics by Angel Snow)

(Listen here)

Fortune tellers dancin' 'round inside my head
I'm tryin' not to lose everything she said

Even so in standing at the foot of my bed last night
This mountains gettin' higher with every step
I'm trying not to lose everything I've kept

Captured by the fortune tellers in my mind


Ooohh, they always come back again
Every time freedom tries to pull me out
They suck me back in
Oooohh, we gonna' let that fire burn you
Tell me how you’re gonna' walk on coals and water too

Can you taste these words fallin' from my mouth
"Ain't old fashioned love what it's all about?"
I heard an old black man shout Christmas eve

Should've known better than to run to you
My heart started talking to me way to soon

Damn those fortune tellers in my mind

Oooohh, they always come back again
Every time freedom tries to pull me out
They suck me back in
Oooohh, we gonna' let that fire burn you
Tell me how your gonna' walk on coals and water too

Tell me how you gonna’ walk on coals and water too

Two Weeks

The band known as The East Pointers just released an album called What We Leave Behind. On that album is a song to which many will be able to relate. It is called “Two Weeks” and deals with the emotions of leaving home to work at a job in a far-off province for “two weeks on” and “two weeks off.”

To most of us, the idea of working for a mere two weeks and having two weeks off from work sounds appealing. But, as the song-writers say, “Nobody warned me, nobody told me I’d leave there so broken, come back so lonely.” The reality of leaving a wife and family behind to find employment in another place is a necessity for many in Canada and particularly for those who live in economically depressed areas such as Newfoundland and the Maritimes (YYG is the Charlottetown airport code). The song goes on to speak of the losses felt from being away for two weeks. Marriages and relationships with children suffer in this situation, and depression and reliance on alcohol or drugs may also contribute to the loss of money, friends, and a future. The song is one person’s haunting account of a life lived in fragments - two weeks at a time.

The East Pointers is an up-and-coming band from whom we can expect to hear a lot more. The majority of their music is East-Coast Traditional Celtic fare that appeals to those with twitchy feet, who can’t wait to get up and dance. Their ballads are filled with a sense of mournfulness that will tug at the heart-strings of all. Watch for one of their shows at a venue near you. 

Two Weeks
(Words and music by T. Chaisson, K. Chaisson, J. Charron, G. Sampson)
(From the album, What We Leave Behind, http://eastpointers.ca) 

Monday morning minus 18
Another West Jet YYG to Calgary
I always knew she’d get used to me leaving someday

A lot less words now her tears have run dry
I can tell by the way she doesn’t hold me as tight
That she’s thinking maybe she’s better off alone

Nobody warned me
Nobody told me
I’d leave there so broken and come back so lonely
I’m killing my soul for the life that I’m leaving behind
Two weeks on
Two weeks off
My blood is wearing thin and my stomach’s in knots
Too much thinking about the time you’ve lost
When it’s two weeks on and two weeks off

I punch in hide the whiskey on my breathe
By the time the night comes I take whatever I can get
Blowing black gold money I shoulda sent home

Two more days and I’m east coast bound
I’ll be praying she’s there when the wheels touch down
Maybe there’s a job home that’ll keep me this time

Nobody warned me

Nobody told me

I’d leave there so broken and come back so lonely

I’m killing my soul for the life that I’m leaving behind

Two weeks on

Two weeks off

My blood is wearing thin and my stomach’s in knots

Too much thinking about the time you’ve lost

When it’s two weeks on and two weeks off 

Nobody warned me

Nobody told me

I’d leave there so broken and come back so lonely

I’m killing my soul for the life that I’m leaving behind

Two weeks on

Two weeks off

My blood is wearing thin and my stomach’s in knots

Too much thinking about the time you’ve lost

When it’s two weeks on and two weeks off 

Monday morning minus eighteen, another West Jet YYG to Calgary

(I am sending out a special thanks to CBC Music and to my daughter, Twila, for introducing me to this amazing band.)

  

America

I love rediscovering great songs. Listening once again to the song “America” written by Paul Simon, and performed by Simon and Garfunkel, I was struck by the genius of this song. The chord structures, time signatures, and poetry are beautiful. It paints stunning pictures in my mind.

The song tells a story of two young people finding their way in the world. It captures the angst of a whole generation of people in the 1960s and 70s. There is the optimism of youth and the emptiness that seems to stem from a generation not knowing who they are or for what purpose they exist. Paul Simon was asking good questions about life. I wonder if he ever found his answers.

"America"
(Listen to the song) 

Let us be lovers,
We'll marry our fortunes together.
I've got some real estate
Here in my bag.

So we bought a pack of cigarettes,
And Mrs. Wagner's pies,
And walked off
To look for America.
"Kathy", I said,
As we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh,
Michigan seems like a dream to me now.

It took me four days
To hitch-hike from Saginaw.
"I've come to look for America."

Laughing on the bus,
Playing games with the faces,
She said the man in the gabardine suit
Was a spy.

I said, "Be careful,
His bow tie is really a camera."
"Toss me a cigarette,
I think there's one in my raincoat."
We smoked the last one
An hour ago.

So I looked at the scenery,
She read her magazine;
And the moon rose over an open field.
"Kathy, I'm lost", I said,
Though I knew she was sleeping.
"I'm empty and aching and
I don't know why."

Counting the cars
On the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all come
To look for America,
All come to look for America,
All come to look for America.

Songwriter: Paul Simon, Published by Universal Music Publishing Group