A tree, standing by the road
Scarred and weathered, many stories untold
Just a tree, I pass by everyday
But now it haunts me and I pray
Did you ever get the chance to kiss a girl?
Did you wish that you could fly?
Or travel the whole world?
Did you dream a lot of dreams?
Did you reach up for the sky?
Did you get the chance to say goodbye?
A cross, placed against the tree
A faded photo, for the world to see
Many flowers, gathered all around
As skid marks trace along the ground, and
Did you ever get the chance to kiss a girl?
Did you wish that you could fly?
Or travel the whole world?
Did you dream a lot of dreams?
Did you reach up for the sky?
Did you get the chance to say goodbye?
Did you think you couldn't bleed?
Did you think you'd never die?
Were you being reckless?
Or was it someone else's crime?
Did you have something to drink?
Was it some other kind of high?
Did you think about your family?
Did you get to say goodbye?
A tree, standing by the road
Scarred and weathered, many stories untold
Just a face, a face I never knew
But still I shed a tear, I'll cry for you, but
Did you ever get the chance to kiss a girl?
Did you wish that you could fly?
Or travel the whole world?
Did you dream a lot of dreams?
Did you reach up for the sky?
Did you get the chance to say goodbye?
Did you get the chance to say goodbye?
Now its just too late to say goodbye!
http://www.box.net/shared/opevy4bzui
Every day I drive to and from work on the same road. One day there were flowers, a laminated photo and a cross on a tree that I had never paid attention to before. The photo was of a teenage boy and I started thinking about this young guy who had had this whole world ahead of him. I starting wondering what had happened? How it happened? And what he'd seen or done in his life before it was cut short. This song was what resulted from that questioning.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Written in the Stars
He said for better, she said for worse
He'll take her with an empty purse
They'll weather what the god's may send
They'll love and cherish till the end
And every rose that ever blooms
Will be for them, this bride and groom
For this love will make their dreams come true
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
A boy with hope, a girl with dreams
Their love is everything it seems
The sun will rise, the sun will set
It has each day since they first met
The ocean blue won't touch the sky
Cause there's no need for fish to fly
But this love will make their dreams come true
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
You could search a lifetime
And never find a love like this
A love that's kind, a love devine
A love that's heaven's kiss
Two become a lock
And only two will have the key
These two will build a lifetime
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
Of happy memories
http://www.box.net/shared/tf56df0y9j
My cousin was getting married and they asked me to write a song to sing during the ceremony.
I have lots of close friends and family getting engaged at the moment, so it seemed an appropriate time to write a wedding song. I tried to think about a song that would work in a Disney movie as I wrote this.
He'll take her with an empty purse
They'll weather what the god's may send
They'll love and cherish till the end
And every rose that ever blooms
Will be for them, this bride and groom
For this love will make their dreams come true
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
A boy with hope, a girl with dreams
Their love is everything it seems
The sun will rise, the sun will set
It has each day since they first met
The ocean blue won't touch the sky
Cause there's no need for fish to fly
But this love will make their dreams come true
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
You could search a lifetime
And never find a love like this
A love that's kind, a love devine
A love that's heaven's kiss
Two become a lock
And only two will have the key
These two will build a lifetime
And their love will never die
You can see it in their eyes
As two hearts become
Joined as one
They can't be torn apart
It's been a long journey, strong and true
To finally say 'I Do'
Now their hearts will sing in harmony
It was written in the stars
Of happy memories
http://www.box.net/shared/tf56df0y9j
My cousin was getting married and they asked me to write a song to sing during the ceremony.
I have lots of close friends and family getting engaged at the moment, so it seemed an appropriate time to write a wedding song. I tried to think about a song that would work in a Disney movie as I wrote this.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A Grain of Salt
Caught up with you the other day
Hadn't seen you for a while
You asked me what's been going on
I said 'it's just the same old grind,
Got nothing to complain about
Nothing special to report;
So over to you, spill the beans
Any progress on your multitude of dreams?'
But first I'll need a grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime
Don't dilute my margarita
The lies you call news
I can only excuse
With a trusty grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
So works been going very well
You're employee of the year
But you still make time for other things
Outside of your career
Swam the channel, learnt to fly
Got a Grammy on your shelf
Stopped climate change, cured disease
And of course, your still working on world peace
I'll take that with a grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime
Don't dilute my margarita
The lies you call news
I can only excuse
With a trusty grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
You don't let truth get in the way
Of a good story, you prefer those shades of grey
I don't trust a word you say
But we're still mates, at the end of the day...
I'll take you with a grain of salt and a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime, don't dilute my margarita...
Acoustic Version:
http://www.box.net/shared/da4tfv09en
Band Version:
http://www.box.net/shared/z2vx3s1l47
(c) Renee Jonas/Elizabeth Usher
I went over to Elizabeth's place for a co-writing session and we were chatting about random things and got talking about the type of people that you may like, but you have to take everything they say with a grain of salt (and a bottle of tequila) this song grew out of that.
We recently recorded a 'scratch demo' with Steve Manovski at Origami Studios in Kirrawee; at one of the regular songwriting sessions they have there.
Check out the links above to listen to the 2 rough demos we put down in the studio
www.origamistudios.com.au
Hadn't seen you for a while
You asked me what's been going on
I said 'it's just the same old grind,
Got nothing to complain about
Nothing special to report;
So over to you, spill the beans
Any progress on your multitude of dreams?'
But first I'll need a grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime
Don't dilute my margarita
The lies you call news
I can only excuse
With a trusty grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
So works been going very well
You're employee of the year
But you still make time for other things
Outside of your career
Swam the channel, learnt to fly
Got a Grammy on your shelf
Stopped climate change, cured disease
And of course, your still working on world peace
I'll take that with a grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime
Don't dilute my margarita
The lies you call news
I can only excuse
With a trusty grain of salt
And a bottle of tequila
You don't let truth get in the way
Of a good story, you prefer those shades of grey
I don't trust a word you say
But we're still mates, at the end of the day...
I'll take you with a grain of salt and a bottle of tequila
Leave aside the squeeze of lime, don't dilute my margarita...
Acoustic Version:
http://www.box.net/shared/da4tfv09en
Band Version:
http://www.box.net/shared/z2vx3s1l47
(c) Renee Jonas/Elizabeth Usher
I went over to Elizabeth's place for a co-writing session and we were chatting about random things and got talking about the type of people that you may like, but you have to take everything they say with a grain of salt (and a bottle of tequila) this song grew out of that.
We recently recorded a 'scratch demo' with Steve Manovski at Origami Studios in Kirrawee; at one of the regular songwriting sessions they have there.
Check out the links above to listen to the 2 rough demos we put down in the studio
www.origamistudios.com.au
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I Believe
Ooh Ooh Ooh
Sun in the sky, silver clouds floating on by
Bring tender rain, trying to heal the pain yeah
Soaked to the skin as i'm washed clean, oh yeah
Erasing the past what i've see, where i've been
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, and find the peace and justice within
But one day we'll win
Ahh Ahh Ooh
Fire in your eyes, as you see, a world of hypocrisy
Fighting for truth, is fighting age old youth
Chilled to the bone, on a grave diggers throne, oh yeah
Fighting the fear, i'd outgrown, that i'm all alone
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, and find the peace and justice within
But one day we'll win
Ahh Ooh
The horizon is dark, but hope ripples
Like a tiny white lightening spark
A new dawn everyday
Showing us another way
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, fight for the peace and justice within
I believe in a future, I believe, I believe, I believe, Oh Yeah
That one day we'll win
http://www.box.net/shared/7pjggcfyb7
(c) Renee Jonas/Connor Cleary
This song was co-written with a good friend, who is a guitarist. I was at his place and we were jamming and chatting and he started playing the first few chords of the song and we were laughing about how they sounded like 'happy clouds' this song had the working title of 'Happy Cloud Song' for a long time, and started the lyrics off.
He basically put down the entire backing track in a couple of hours and I took the song home and wrote a melody and lyrics over the top of it - some things melodically and lyrically were influenced by the backing track - for example the final chorus - there wasn't enough space to sing a double chorus, but it needed something, which is why I looped it as I did - The 3rd verse is shorter for similar reasons, and where there were sections that I was unsure of what to do with (in between chorus and verse) I sang Ahh's and Ooh's - It's just got a chilled, laid back summer vibe to it.
Sun in the sky, silver clouds floating on by
Bring tender rain, trying to heal the pain yeah
Soaked to the skin as i'm washed clean, oh yeah
Erasing the past what i've see, where i've been
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, and find the peace and justice within
But one day we'll win
Ahh Ahh Ooh
Fire in your eyes, as you see, a world of hypocrisy
Fighting for truth, is fighting age old youth
Chilled to the bone, on a grave diggers throne, oh yeah
Fighting the fear, i'd outgrown, that i'm all alone
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, and find the peace and justice within
But one day we'll win
Ahh Ooh
The horizon is dark, but hope ripples
Like a tiny white lightening spark
A new dawn everyday
Showing us another way
And I believe in a future, where we all can be free
Where we're living and loving, and we learn to agree
Well maybe its hard to try to understand,
Make our plans, fight for the peace and justice within
I believe in a future, I believe, I believe, I believe, Oh Yeah
That one day we'll win
http://www.box.net/shared/7pjggcfyb7
(c) Renee Jonas/Connor Cleary
This song was co-written with a good friend, who is a guitarist. I was at his place and we were jamming and chatting and he started playing the first few chords of the song and we were laughing about how they sounded like 'happy clouds' this song had the working title of 'Happy Cloud Song' for a long time, and started the lyrics off.
He basically put down the entire backing track in a couple of hours and I took the song home and wrote a melody and lyrics over the top of it - some things melodically and lyrically were influenced by the backing track - for example the final chorus - there wasn't enough space to sing a double chorus, but it needed something, which is why I looped it as I did - The 3rd verse is shorter for similar reasons, and where there were sections that I was unsure of what to do with (in between chorus and verse) I sang Ahh's and Ooh's - It's just got a chilled, laid back summer vibe to it.
Please tell me what we're doing here
You used to make me laugh,
Now you just make me cry
Yeah i'm still holding on
But now i'm wondering why
Give me a reason
So my mind can stop questioning my heart
You say you love me too, but I know
That we are probably better off apart
But for now you're mine, most the time - and that's ok
I used to feel your joy,
Now I can see your pain
And most our dreams have gone
Now we aren't dreaming the same
Please let me in there
So I can try to awaken up the spark
I promise to tread carefully
Cause I am now afraid of the dark
Don't wanna be alone, not on my own
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
We used to fuel the fire,
And never get burnt
Now we're both a bit singed
Though the fire's gone out
Why wont you let me
Walk away and try to make a new start
Is it cause you fear that i'll take,
With me a piece of your heart
Mine is broken too - a piece with you
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
http://www.box.net/shared/94cb27uoib
This song I wrote in the last 6 months of my relationship with my first boyfriend and although I don't usually write about personal situations and feelings, this one sort of just came out, as a form of self counseling, as I struggled with the decision of whether to end the relationship or not - and how to end it.
(on a personal note - I realized boyfriend #2's time was up when I started relating to and feeling like I was living in this song again)
This song was a cathartic release for me and at the end of writing it, I knew that whether I liked it or not - the decision had been made and it was just a matter of when and how.
Now you just make me cry
Yeah i'm still holding on
But now i'm wondering why
Give me a reason
So my mind can stop questioning my heart
You say you love me too, but I know
That we are probably better off apart
But for now you're mine, most the time - and that's ok
I used to feel your joy,
Now I can see your pain
And most our dreams have gone
Now we aren't dreaming the same
Please let me in there
So I can try to awaken up the spark
I promise to tread carefully
Cause I am now afraid of the dark
Don't wanna be alone, not on my own
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
We used to fuel the fire,
And never get burnt
Now we're both a bit singed
Though the fire's gone out
Why wont you let me
Walk away and try to make a new start
Is it cause you fear that i'll take,
With me a piece of your heart
Mine is broken too - a piece with you
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
Please tell me what we're doing here
I don't understand
How'd it go so wrong, get out of hand
Thought a love like ours would never die
But now I know - that that's a lie
http://www.box.net/shared/94cb27uoib
This song I wrote in the last 6 months of my relationship with my first boyfriend and although I don't usually write about personal situations and feelings, this one sort of just came out, as a form of self counseling, as I struggled with the decision of whether to end the relationship or not - and how to end it.
(on a personal note - I realized boyfriend #2's time was up when I started relating to and feeling like I was living in this song again)
This song was a cathartic release for me and at the end of writing it, I knew that whether I liked it or not - the decision had been made and it was just a matter of when and how.
Stormy Weather Blues
I got the blues this morning, had the blues all day
When I woke up and discovered that the sky was grey
My mama tried to tell me it would be ok
But my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I had the blues this morning, had them yesterday
And tomorrows looking like its heading the same way
The doctor tried to tell me it is so cliche
But my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I got the blues, the stormy weather blues
Morning, night or noon, I got the real bad blues
One moment i'm fine, while the sun's in the sky
Then a cloud comes over and I start to cry
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I feel the blues this morning and to my dismay
I gotta feeling they won't leave me till i'm old and grey
My friends they tried to tell me, they will leave some day
But I know my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
Yeah my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
No my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
http://www.box.net/shared/x9muxcmyn5
I wrote this song, very quickly one day - after I had already written one song and just thought I'd write a quick blues song - so this is my token 'blues song'
When I woke up and discovered that the sky was grey
My mama tried to tell me it would be ok
But my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I had the blues this morning, had them yesterday
And tomorrows looking like its heading the same way
The doctor tried to tell me it is so cliche
But my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I got the blues, the stormy weather blues
Morning, night or noon, I got the real bad blues
One moment i'm fine, while the sun's in the sky
Then a cloud comes over and I start to cry
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
I feel the blues this morning and to my dismay
I gotta feeling they won't leave me till i'm old and grey
My friends they tried to tell me, they will leave some day
But I know my stormy weather blues have settled into stay
I need blue skies above me, need the sun in the sky
To put a smile on my face and keep my spirits high
The weather man he told me, that the rain would clear today
But my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
Yeah my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
No my blues they aint leaving they're here to stay
http://www.box.net/shared/x9muxcmyn5
I wrote this song, very quickly one day - after I had already written one song and just thought I'd write a quick blues song - so this is my token 'blues song'
Saying Goodbye
We both know that its long been over
We're moving on now, day by day, but
I'm still looking back over my shoulder
Can't shake the feeling that, I lost something great
Time keeps drifting by
I stop and wonder why
Why its easier to keep on holding to the past
No mistakes yeah, that can't be left there
Just gotta let it go, gotta make this moment really last
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
Sometimes when I am all alone in bed
I remember those heated words we said
Well you're in my dreams and you promise me things
But now I know the truth I'm better off without you
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
We both know that its long been over
We're moving on now, day by day, but
I'm still looking back over my shoulder
Can't shake the feeling that, I lost something great
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
http://www.box.net/shared/z92gmp595q
This song was written about 6 months after I broke up with my first boyfriend; we'd been together for a long time and I was surprised that I hadn't had any regrets or moments where I wondered if breaking up with him was the right thing to do. As at the time I broke up with him I assumed it would be difficult for me to do and would haunt me for some time to come - which led me to thinking about people that do end a relationship knowing the relationship is bad and that ending it is the right thing to do, but have regrets or question their decision later on, when they get lonely, its also about relationships that are on again off again for the same uncertainty. This song was written from the perspective of someone who is still clinging to a relationship that has ended and is yet to really say goodbye in their heart and move on. Through the story of the song, they are finally realizing its over and this song is the final goodbye (tinged with a slight sorrow) - their moment of emancipation!
We're moving on now, day by day, but
I'm still looking back over my shoulder
Can't shake the feeling that, I lost something great
Time keeps drifting by
I stop and wonder why
Why its easier to keep on holding to the past
No mistakes yeah, that can't be left there
Just gotta let it go, gotta make this moment really last
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
Sometimes when I am all alone in bed
I remember those heated words we said
Well you're in my dreams and you promise me things
But now I know the truth I'm better off without you
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
We both know that its long been over
We're moving on now, day by day, but
I'm still looking back over my shoulder
Can't shake the feeling that, I lost something great
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye
And I forgive you and all the lies too
It's time to say goodbye, gonna walk right out of your life
That's the last time i'll kiss you,
That's the last time i'm gonna miss you
Cause this time we're saying goodbye,
Yeah this time we're saying goodbye
Oh my love goodbye
http://www.box.net/shared/z92gmp595q
This song was written about 6 months after I broke up with my first boyfriend; we'd been together for a long time and I was surprised that I hadn't had any regrets or moments where I wondered if breaking up with him was the right thing to do. As at the time I broke up with him I assumed it would be difficult for me to do and would haunt me for some time to come - which led me to thinking about people that do end a relationship knowing the relationship is bad and that ending it is the right thing to do, but have regrets or question their decision later on, when they get lonely, its also about relationships that are on again off again for the same uncertainty. This song was written from the perspective of someone who is still clinging to a relationship that has ended and is yet to really say goodbye in their heart and move on. Through the story of the song, they are finally realizing its over and this song is the final goodbye (tinged with a slight sorrow) - their moment of emancipation!
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