Some songs have a “real life” experience backing them up. This one doesn’t.

Those who know me know that I am “almost” a teetotaler. I drink a glass of wine every other night, maybe. Sort of funny when the bar you play music at gives you free drinks and you are ordering Arnold Palmers – that is my mixed beverage of choice.

This sort of came about as a phrase through some rapid random thoughts.

We had a bottle of wine on the counter next to some cheerios – and I thought.. “wine and cheerios.. breakfast of champions.” Then I thought, “It’s too early for wine and cheerios – so dump the cheerios and go for the wine.”

Almost immediately, the idea of this song arrived. I thought it would be too early for hard liquor and some heartbroken guy could choose wine instead. Hence:
“It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine.”

I liked it!

I wrote the chorus before I ever picked up my guitar but I knew immediately that it was a honkytonk – simple sort of tune. I’ve played it once before for my band and they like it – although, we’ve yet to adopt it.

CHORUS:
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine
Too late for forgiveness, she’s made up her mind
I should be heartbroken but you know I feel fine
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine

In my mind I created a scenario – a simple scene played over and over again.  The woman, finally fed up, leaves. In the song, I have her leave her wine so that my anti-hero can drink it the next morning. Rather than “drink it down” he “drunk it down” – which is a purposeful grammatical mishap.

I wrote the chorus, sang it for about 2 weeks before writing the rest of the song. I had the chorus written first, so I usually sing it starting with the chorus.

Here is the song in it’s entirety. Enjoy!

Too Early For Whiskey (so I’m starting with wine)

Copyright © Matthew Moran – 2010

CHORUS:

It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine
Too late for forgiveness, she’s made up her mind
I should be heartbroken but you know I feel fine
It’s too early for whiskey so I’m starting with wine

VERSE:

The sun comes up and the sorrow starts to make me think
That what I want for breakfast is a long tall drink
But my friends tell me that morning and Jack don’t mix
So this bottle of cheap red wine had better do the trick
(chorus)

VERSE

She finally got the nerve to say she’d had enough
Put her glass of wine down, packed her bags and threw them in the trunk
When I woke the next morning she was nowhere to be found
I took that half-finished glass of wine and I drunk it down
(chorus)

Let me know what you think.

Here is the video, with lyrics, from a recent performance with the band.

All I Want Is Everything

In 2009 I was making what felt like great strides musically, with consulting work, and in some writing projects. One of these was the formation of a band.

I had moved back to California, Rebecca was in Arizona. We were having our nightly phone conversation and I was complaining about how all these projects were taking too long to get moving.

In true self-centered fashion, I was ranting, “I just want everything! I want everything right now!” (don’t call me Veruca)  I’m sure my language and tone was colored with frustration.

When I took a moment to breath, Rebecca said quietly, “All I want is you.”

Come on everyone, in unison, “Awwww. . . . .”

It stopped me in my tracks. I told her that was one of the sweetest things I’d ever heard. What happened next is subject to debate.

My perspective:
I told Rebecca I thought there was a song in there; the phrase. We ended our conversation, said our goodbye’s and I love you’s and retired for the evening.

Rebecca’s perspective:
I said excitedly, “There is a song in there. Talk to you tomorrow.” At which point I quickly hung up!

You’ll have to make your determination as to which story is most accurate.

I woke early the next morning – about 4:30 or so. By 6:30 I had recorded and uploaded a rough version of this song. I proceeded to text Becky, finally waking her up, and asked her to check her email. I had sent her the song. (I told you I am impatient)

It has become a favorite for both the band and the audience.

LYRICS:

All I Want Is Everything
Copyright © 2009 – Matthew Moran

VERSE:
She said, Baby I must confess
I’m missing you, yeah I’m a mess
I reach out for you and your not here
I call for you and your not there

CHORUS
I hear you saying that you just want everything
Don’t you know I want the same thing too
She said, All I want is everything and baby that means
All I want is you

VERSE:
I want the sunlight on your face
to be your storm, your sea, your resting place
To kiss you awake, to kiss you to bed
and a brand new day to start it all again

I want passion that won’t ever end
To be your every lover and your one true friend
I want to fill your mind with fantasy
I want to chain you down, I want to set you free
(chorus)

VERSE:
I want to be your morning & be your night
Be there to make up after every fight
I want the best of you and I want your worst
I want to feed your hunger and quench your thirst

I want your 10 cent and 4-letter words
I want your rational and I want your absurd
I want love that burns hot to the touch
Yeah I want everything, is that too much
(chorus)

We added Slam Shut to the set list. I wrote it a few years back and have played it off and on live. In fact, I played it with a house band in Arizona and that is what prompted me to put my band together.

Origins

A couple years ago my son hitchhiked around the US. He chronicles some of that journey and its spiritual impact here. While dropping him at a bus station I saw a young lady getting off or on a bus. Bus stops seem to be hard luck story breeding grounds so, although I only saw the young girl briefly, I started filling in back story.

2 songs came out of this single incident.  Do It Again (which we will write about later) and this song, Slam Shut.

Below the lyrics I have a video of a simple acoustic rendition of the song. Warning: When you see this live, the band plays this MUCH LOUDER! 

Lyrics

Slam Shut
Copyright 2010 © Matthew Moran

VERSE
She said she was looking for a better life
A brand new start, a way to jump this bumpy ride
Her broken dreams and shattered faith had been tossed aside
But give her time to find herself and she’ll get by

He hitched himself a ride just south of L.A.
Wondered if it would drop him short or take him all the way
As the city receded it was begging him to stay
He had nothing to lose, he had nothing to say
(chorus)

CHORUS 
Slam shut another door
Chalk it up to just one more
Relationship that’s gone awry

You can’t hold onto to your past
Or what was never meant to last
You gotta give in if your gonna get by

VERSE
You make your bed when you make your mind
You gotta sleep in it, you gotta do the time
There’s no use second guessing what is yours and what is mine
If the truth be told you’ve been doing fine
(chorus)

In 2007 I had made a decision to be a bit more intentional with my songwriting. Rather than wait on inspiration per se – writing when the mood struck me, I would pick some general themes or stories and write to them on a schedule. Still, “American Dream” sat for awhile longer while I wrote, “South To Mexico”, “Everyday Lies”, and a few other theme – as opposed to inspiration driven – tunes.

Then I picked up a file I keep with scraps of paper with lyric ideas and American Dream was the first scrap that came out.

The song is one of the most simple musically – largely 3 chords. But it is one of the favorites for the band and one that I get a lot of comments on when performing live. People love the middle-of-America, back to basics, universal lesson.

In this version of the recording, Bill Dutcher, an Arizona guitarist, songwriter, and performer added some slide dobro and electric guitar to “flavor” to the song.

LISTEN:
DOWNLOAD

AMERICAN DREAM
Copyright © 2009 – Matthew Moran (Sounds Like Life Music)

An old yellow note read government repo
Just a sign of the times since the factory left town
The windows are dark, lonely, broken, and boarded
I see a half dozen more just a half a block down
And I can recall the tears on mama’s face
When daddy handed her the key
Just three rooms and a garden out back
But it was called the American Dream

I’ve spent half my life chasing prey so elusive
My burning desire is this dream to be free
From East Coast to West, through the soul of the heartland
Though I’m in pursuit I know it’s chasing me
And I’ve seen the look in the older men’s eyes
They shake their heads in disbelief
”Son,” they say, “don’t miss the life that you’re living.”
”Cuz that’s the American Dream”

For 20 long years I’ve been seeking asylum
My dream just a prison, my ambition a chain
Through my sacrifice I leave you this lesson
To save you this sorrow, to save you this pain
It’s love that you need to live for a life that’s worth living
Don’t trade it for some vagabond dream
It’s a heart, not a purse, that you should be filling
Because that’s the American Dream

That is where Decision Road came from.

I am unabashedly open these days about my failures. Particularly in those areas that I deemed most important to me: family, love, relationships. Not that I write a lot about them in a public forum, but with my children and close friends, I have had to eat some large helpings of humble pie.

Humble pie is a sour fare but also seems to feed the soul.

I wrote Decision Road very much top-down. The way it reads is the way it was written. I had the little 4 chord riff a couple days prior to writing the song. I was not, at the time, particularly moody or reflective but the riff seemed to drive a sort of melancholy.

The first verse is very much a feet in the sand, leave me to my own devices, I don’t need your help or criticism, perspective.

Verse two addresses doubt in the most critical area of life for most of us – our love. The relationship that seems to have the most promise and safety.

The bridge is a realization of our weakness; the inability to control much of our life.

And finally, the last verse is a call for forgiveness and help.

Enjoy!

Decision Road
Copyright 2009 © Matthew Moran – Sounds Like Life

VERSE 1
One step forward, two steps back, it seems the way I go
Navigate life’s messy path the only way I know

I don’t seek forgiveness
I don’t pray for my mortal soul
I don’t make excuses
I just keep dragging my bones down Decision Road

VERSE 2
Is love just a warm caress that time turns dark and cold
Is sugar sweet just bitterness at the final curtain call

I just wanted your soft kiss
I just wanted a hand to hold
I just wanted devotion
Now I just want to carry my heart down Decision Road

BRIDGE
& every night I face my demons
Shame & regret I can’t let go
& with the light, life and the living
One more event I can’t control

VERSE 3
With each mistake a lesson learned, I’ve filled my textbook full
With each word I’ve had to eat, I’ve swallowed that crow whole

I’m asking forgiveness
Please pray for my mortal soul
Take my excuses
& help me find me way down Decision Road