As some of you may know, I have a little secret songwriting hobby. I'm no Carole King, but I have alot of fun doing it and my kids do, too. We love rhyming together and every now and again a tune comes to mind that sticks. Mostly, it's just me wandering around the house making up silly songs while doing laundry or driving from here to there.
But with this one, I couldn't help but send it off to my good friend Claire, an amazing ukelele and harmonica player with a heartfelt, folksy voice. And last night, after a great dinner with friends at her Mama's house I asked if she'd sing my song so I could hear a real musician's take. Instead, she suggested we sing it together and just there, out of the blue, she harmonized! What a talent, and what a thrill for me. We may not make it to Nashville, but who cares. That's what YouTube's for. Enjoy!
You promised you’d take care of me
As long as I
could honestly
Be mindful
of your rules that I should change
But grass
will always grow in need
And you and
I could not agree
If leaving
was the way to rearrange
My longing
for the sea and
Your
willingness to love
My aching
for some sunlight on my face
You promised
me protection in
The shackles
of your shade
Never
knowing that my going meant your heart would have to break.
It’s years
from now I’m asking you
If why I
left was worth it;
You tell me
that your love was meant to last
So you found
yourself a quiet girl whose
Loveliness
won’t tire you
While I
write rules for change and looking back.
My longing
for the sea and
Your
willingness to love.
My aching
for that place of yes and no….
But there’s
never inbetween when you’re
Longing for
a dream
And fields
are always greener when what’s wild is left to grow.
