Forgot to post this song last week – a fun one I did with Nathan after we spent a day at Wild River State Park and swam in the St. Croix River (whose other shore belongs to Wisconsin).
Soonwego
I took a couple weeks off of songwriting and social media and a lot of other things to pile into a van with my husband, kids, and dog and drive across the west. It was an amazing road trip and inspired this song for week 28 of #songaweek2021.
It gets a little relationally hard-hitting and frank in the second verse. My songs aren’t always autobiographical but in this case it is. I hesitated to make the song public at all because of this, but after sharing it first with Nathan and asking for his go-ahead, I’m putting it out there. I’ve always been a bit of a drama queen and so all kinds of things cross my mind, especially in hard moments – and I think it’s helpful to be honest about this so other dramatic souls out there can maybe feel a little less afraid of what goes on in their own inner worlds.
The old neighbors are packing it up
and the new coffee shop is hopping with hipsters
It’s a beautiful day in this mountain town
and I don’t miss living here
I didn’t leave my heart in Loveland
It’s been traveling a long long time
so on we go
The Great Salt Lake was all around us
when I was crying a river cause I couldn’t feel your love
while you were searching for the perfect words
and the quiet lied to me
I didn’t leave you there in Utah
though I surely did think of it
so on we go
Everywhere and everyone I take my heart to
leaves a mark
and it hurts
from the love
or the lack thereof
and it stings
and it sings
like every precious thing
The Golden Gate is red
the Redwoods are a national treasure
on the mountain of the devil
we touched the face of God
I didn’t leave my heart in San Francisco
I was only just passing through
so on we go
Let’s Stay Up All Summer
These lyrics really need some entirely different-sounding music, I’ve decided, after writing and recording and posting the thing in a couple hours this evening. With the mood of this song, I don’t think there’s much chance of anyone staying up for long. And it certainly doesn’t feel “highly caffeinated.” More like, I just finished weeding the garden in the hot sun and then had a beer on the patio and then cobbled together a song with little lyric idea scraps I had been saving.
Still, I made a song this week! Not sure I’ll be meeting the song-a-week challenge every week this summer, because we’re planning to do some more serious road tripping and fun-having with our kids before our oldest starts senior year (!) in the fall.
Let’s stay up all summer
Let’s stay up all night
You can be my lover
We can kiss and fight
There’s not a valid reason
for holding back this time
there’s nothing like this season
To slightly lose your mind
Let’s stay up all summer
You and me
I’m highly caffeinated
Did you see my text?
I’m fully vaccinated
Ready for what’s next
There’s lots of roads for tripping
So many stars to watch
There’s cold drinks for the sipping
And loads of summer squash
Let’s stay up all summer
You and me
Might As Well Love It
It’s always an extra-fun songwriting week when Nathan has time to join in the process! I had this song mostly written last week. On Monday Nathan and I spent some time with it, finishing up the writing and arranging, and the next few days we recorded bits and pieces as we had time. I sang and played acoustic guitar. Nathan did EVERYTHING else, which never ceases to amaze me!
This old world well it’s not that bad
I guess I’m not afraid to stay till I know it’s time to go
Might put down roots, put up my feet
Lower the lights, enjoy the show
Or what I can of it cause there’s a lot that I can’t
Unspeakable horrors, untouchable hurts
Some people talk about hell, talk about hand baskets
First world problems and last-ditch efforts
It’s a bright beach ball alone in the ocean
Have the time of our lives right here right now
It’s a disco strobe in an empty room
And we’re on it doggone it till the house burns down
And we love it we love it
We might as well love it
You and me dear well we’re not all good
Still we’re brave enough to stay till we have to let go
We’re digging out of old ruts, breaking new ground
Making glacial progress at taking it slow
We were drafted to fight in this eternal war
But conscientiously, I object
So damn the torpedoes and melt down the guns
And kiss me tenderly when I stick out my neck
On this bright beach ball alone in the ocean
Have the time of our lives right here right now
It’s a disco strobe in an empty room
And we’re on it doggone it till the house burns down
And I love you I love you
I might as well love you
I Am Love
“I don’t even know how to talk to people anymore,” I heard someone say recently. And I feel that so much too. Not that I ever really knew how to talk to people! But whatever progress I had made in 45 years feels stunted after one year of social distancing.
Emerging from pandemic life, I feel awkward and unsure and even afraid, a little like I did back in junior high – what will people think of me? What if I say the wrong thing? Practically any time spent on social media these days only amplifies those feelings for me.
There’s a lot more I could (try to!) say about how and why I wrote this song, but to sum up, this was one of the few songs I’ve written that felt mostly like a complete gift from the blue – the comforting words I needed just showing up in my thoughts when I most needed them.
You don’t have to be right, you don’t have to be smart
You don’t have to be what you are, you don’t have to be what you aren’t
You are completely loved, you’re forever forgiven
My great heart is enlarged by your wondrous existence
I’m the last to judge
I’m the first to love
I always was, I always will be
I am who I am
You don’t have to make sense, you can tell me what’s on your mind
You can never offend one who sees you from every side
And I love who I see and you’re not the only one
Take a look around, oh I feel this for everyone
I’m the last to judge
I’m the first to love
I always was, I always will be
I am who I am
In the end all that it comes down to is love in everything
And that’s what the world needs, that’s what everyone’s wanting
It feels impossible but with me nothing
Is impossible, no it’s never been easy
but it’s simple enough for a child to see
I’m the last to judge
I’m the first to love
I always was, I always will be
I am who I am
Julia Bloom 