Neptune's Car | Holly Hanson and Steve Hayes | Contemporary Folk Music, Alt-Country

Drinking to Distraction - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:18:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, drum machine. A homemade recording.

Drinking to Distraction written by Holly Hanson

Well, I should have heard you rev your ride
When you pulled your engine up beside
In your silver hubcap hot-rod ride that day.
Stars blinking on to be my guide.
Technicolor sky stretched out so wide.
I never saw you steal my heart away.

Pre-Chorus:
Now, I sit here in this country bar
Instead of in the back seat of your dream car
Fogging up my brain -- instead of windows.

Chorus:
Been drinking to distraction.
Losing all my traction.
Folding like a suitcase full of worn-out clothes.
Can't let go, oh.

And, it's that speeding, hollow highway sound
Travlin' through my tires on the ground.
We're always lost before we're found, my friend.
And, I've been known to fool around
On that roller coaster ride of rebound.
But, I never leave those heart strings as loose ends.

Pre-Chorus:
Now, I sit here in this country bar
Instead of in the back seat of your dream car
Fogging up my brain -- instead of windows.

Chorus:
Been drinking to distraction.
Losing all my traction.
Folding like a suitcase full of worn-out clothes.
Can't let go, oh.

[solo over verse chords]

Well, somewhere in this heart of mine
Or in the bottom of this glass of wine
I'll find another reason to stop missing you.
Can't keep waiting for you to ring my line.
It's the middle of the night says the clock with its chime.
(It's) that lonely witching hour when I let those memories through-oo.

Chorus:
Drinking to distraction.
Losing all my traction.
Can't let go.
Drinking to distraction.
Losing all my traction.
Can't let go, oh.

One Less a Day (Might Make You Stay) - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:16:00 +0000

Steve Hayes: lead vocals, guitar, Nashville-strung guitar
Holly Hanson: harmony vocals, accordion

This song was written as part of a Writer's Challenge as proposed by Angela Page of WJFF radio 90.5FM Jeffersonville, New York. Angela gave Steve the phrase "One Less a Day." Here is Angela's description of the Writer's Challenge:

The songs on today's show are by writers that asked for a challenge. When my show aired last week, what they will be singing didn't exist. They wrote it in the past few days after asking for and accepting a challenge. Anyone interested was asked to contact me. I gave the word out to songwriters who asked and would be willing to take a phrase or subject assignment, then whatever they came up with I would air on my next show . . . as time permitted.

This is my next show. These folks accepted a challenge to write after hearing a given word or phrase and send it to me so that I could air them on my show today. So what you are going to listen to is not polished finished products. Some are not even a full song. They will continue to be honed and edited. What you are getting to peek at is the writing process. It's not about the drum track or the harmony. This is raw writing in response to a line. This is what writers do. With the assignment of a phrase, I can be surer that the song is new. I wasn't sure what to expect, wasn't sure what the show would turn out like for an hour of this, but here goes.

One Less a Day (Might Make You Stay) written and performed by Steve Hayes

I pulled into the drive when I got home from New York.
The leaves on the trees were all dead and gone.
I thought about the day, and I thought about you.
Then, I sat down to write this song.

Chorus:
One less drink a day.
Think I'll keep it on the shelf.
One less smoke break.
I'll be good to myself.
One less broken heart.
It's the only place to start.
One less a day might make you stay.

I'd rather feel your lips pressed against mine
than another burning cigarette.
I'd rather win your heart time after time
than to wage another losing bet.

Chorus:
One less drink a day.
Think I'll keep it on the shelf.
One less smoke break.
I'll be good to myself.
One less broken heart.
It's the only place to start.
One less a day might make you stay.

Whiskey is much harder than wine
and more trouble if you're drinkin' all the time.
Tobacco is like old black gold
takes your last breath and leaves you cold.

Chorus:
One less drink a day.
Think I'll keep it on the shelf.
One less smoke break.
I'll be good to myself.
One less broken heart.
It's the only place to start.
One less a day might make you stay.

(instrumental solo)

Chorus:
One less drink a day.
Think I'll keep it on the shelf.
One less smoke break.
I'll be good to myself.
One less broken heart.
It's the only place to start.
One less a day might make you stay.
One less a day might make you stay.

The 43 (USS Tappahannock)

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +0000

The 43 (USS Tappahannock)
Written by Steve Hayes.

I received your long, long letter today,
and I was glad to hear you're doing okay.
I left Virginia 'round the middle of August,
found myself at Aruba Bay.

We took a load of oil and headed for Colon,
through the blue Pacific's great unknown.
With a stop in Panama, and through the canal,
wishing all the while I was home.

(Chorus)
Your kid brother helped the wounded,
stood watch over twenty-five dead,
saw U.S. blood spilled on U.S. decks,
in the battle at Espirito Santo.

We dropped the hook, New Cadelonia Island,
and there we fueled the fleet.
Then off to Aukland for another load,
after two days this trip was complete.

Pago Pago to the Fiji Islands,
our crew made many long trips.
The merchant tankers filled the 43,
then we gave our fuel to the fighting ships.

(Chorus)
Your kid brother helped the wounded,
stood watch over twenty-five dead,
saw U.S. blood spilled on U.S. decks,
in the battle at Espirito Santo.

Late October and our big moment came,
we were sent up to New Hebrides.
We met the U.S.S. San Francisco,
the best to ever sail the seas.

We took a load of oil and headed for Colon,
through the blue Pacific's great unknown.
With a stop in Panama, and through the canal,
Wishing all the while I was home.

One More Glass of Wine - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:38:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar. A homemade recording.

"One More Glass of Wine" written and performed by Holly Hanson.

There are no lights along the road.
This river rolls to the sea, I'm told.
Pull on your coat. It's getting cold.
The leaves have turned from green to gold.

Hear that wind blow through the pines.
I like to cross the yellow lines.
Tell all my friends I'm doin' fine.
So many hills left to climb.

Chorus:
Let's have another glass of wine.
Before we fall and rise in time.
Another glass before I pull your heart to mine.

You could have me for a Country song.
Play your guitar, and I'll sing along.
Can't remember why this love is wrong.
I was home one day. Then, I was gone.

This candle burns like the Northern Lights.
I used to sleep all through the night.
I could drift off without a fight.
Now, these old ghosts don't leave my sight.

Chorus:
Let's have another glass of wine.
Before we fall and rise in time.
Another glass before I pull your heart to mine.

[solo]

Chorus:
Let's have another glass of wine.
Before we fall and rise in time.
Another glass before I pull your heart to mine.
Let's have another glass of wine.
Before we fall and rise in time.
One more glass before I pull your heart to mine.

Flashing in the Dark (The Rose Island Lighthouse Song) - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:38:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar. A homemade recording.

Read about my experience as the lighthouse keeper of the Rose Island Lighthouse.

In this song, I am the island, Rose Island, and I am singing to Africa.

"The rocks on Rose Island and Africa and the east central portion of South America, are identical matches for age and mineral composition. In other words the rocks in these areas of the two continents were produced at the same time and in the same place. This tells us that Rose Island and Africa were connected at one time!" - from the Teacher Resources page of the Rose Island Lighthouse Web site

"Flashing in the Dark (The Rose Island Lighthouse Song)" written and performed by Holly Hanson.

I'm 18 acres of wild country here
With wild summer roses in my hair.
I weathered the winter in wind and snow.
Oh, that old North wind did blow.

I'm swaying with the rockweed in this liquid frontier.
I can hear the buzz of boats humming in my ears.
There are those who care for me
In this bay near the mouth of the sea.

Chorus:
But, I've been flashing in the dark.
Sending out a signal to another heart.
Got messages in bottles floating over waves.
But, there's miles and miles of ocean,
And I'm just another soul looking to be saved.

Solo [pretend you can hear Steve's guitar solo here]

My edges are ragged and rougher than most
But I fit just like a puzzle piece into your coast.
Well, the water is wide, and the currents are swift.
(I'm) just another casualty of the continental drift.

Chorus:
Just flashing in the dark.
Sending out a signal to another heart.
Got messages in bottles floating over waves.
But, there's miles and miles of ocean,
And I'm just another soul looking to be saved.
Another soul looking to be saved.

Work with Us to Plan and Create the Second Album

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sun, 22 May 2011 10:37:00 +0000

Here is a list of songs that might appear on the second album:

Black Cat Cafe
Boxcar Betty
Canyon Moon
Drinking to Distraction
Flashing in the Dark (The Rose Island Lighthouse Song)
In the Blue Room
The Last Orange
Letters from the Road
Lover's Leap (The Purgatory Chasm Song)
One More Glass of Wine
River Street (written and sung by Steve Hayes)
The Rock and the Echo
The Snow Globe Song
Sweet Celia Ann (aka Mattie Earp)
The 43 (USS Tappahannock) (written and sung by Steve Hayes)
PLUS: a mystery duet cover . . .

As I continue to write more songs, I might swap out some of the songs on the list with the newer ones.

My favorite new songs are "The Rock and the Echo" and "Letters from the Road." My favorite older song is "In the Blue Room," which is a lullaby I wrote for my two boys. We ran out of studio time and didn't get to include that on the first album. So, I feel sure about including at least those five songs on the next album. I'd like to hear any thoughts you might have on shaping the second album.

Lately, I've been writing about heartache. I didn't think I could do it. But, I kept at it, and I'm really happy with how the new songs are working out. It's not easy to write about love in new ways or to even write about love at all. But, I've gotten more feedback on the heartache songs than on any other songs, and I feel encouraged to keep exploring this subject and sharing my stories.

I'm searching for a duet for Steve and I to cover. Do you have any suggestions? I've been digging through Steve's old Country records, but nothing is calling out to me. It doesn't have to be Country. I just decided to start looking there.

I've also been thinking of how I want the album to sound overall. And, I hear drums and electric guitars on some of the tracks. I hear the sound I grew up with. But, this might be a great, spooky mix of instruments to incorporate on a song like "The Rock and the Echo."

I created a donation page on our Web site. I wish I didn't have to ask for help. I didn't ask for help for creating the first album. I paid for everything with my credit card but that charge is still sitting on my card -- there isn't room on the card to charge the second album on it. I also started a Kickstarter campaign, but I haven't launched it yet. It needs a creative video, and I don't have one yet. Any aspiring filmmakers out there?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas about shaping the next record. Leave your comments below. And, a huge thank you to those people who have already donated. Thank you soooo much!

The Last Orange - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 14 May 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Read the lyrics and listen to the song.

The One Who Got Away

There was a girl. There was a boy. It was the end of the 80s. He was love and light. And, I (who had been wounded by a previous love) was despair and darkness. Ugh! Totally rotten emotional timing to meet "the one." He was finally standing right in front of me, and even though I couldn't go to sleep at night without talking to him on my rotary-dial telephone, I didn't realize how I really felt until he needed to leave. I had been holding onto the "L" word like I was never going to say it ever again (because of the last love), and when he was letting go, I just couldn't say it enough.

You know that song "Missing" by Everything But the Girl? I became that girl in that song. I was driving by his old address and convincing myself that he could walk out the front door at any moment. But, it had been years since he lived there.

Missing by Everything But the Girl

I step off the train
I'm walkin' down your street again
And pass your door
But you don't live there anymore
It's years since you've been there
And now you've disappeared somewhere
Like outer space
You've found some better place

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you
Oh
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Could you be dead?
You always were two steps ahead
Of ev'ryone
We'd walk behind while you would run
I look up at your house
And I can almost hear you shout, down to me
Where I always used to be

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Back on the train
I ask why did I come again
Can I confess?
I've been hangin' 'round your old address
And the years have proved
To offer nothin' since you moved
You're long gone
But I can't move on

And I miss you
Oh-oh (Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain) And I miss you

I step off the train
I'm walkin' down your street again
Pass your door
I guess you don't live there anymore
It's years since you've been there
And now you've disappeared somewhere
Like outer space
You've found some better place

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, and I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Deserts miss the rain
(Like the deserts miss the rain) Like the deserts miss the rain
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

While I'm writing this, I have Pandora Radio on. Toto just came on. "I'll Be Over You." As soon as forever is through, I'll be over you. . . . So fitting, right? What songs make you think of the one who got away?

Oh, Asia just came on. "Heat of the Moment." Instantly transporting me back to a high school dance where no one would ask me to dance except my best girlfriends and I had glitter in my hair. But, that's another song I need to write. . . .

All That's Left Are Some Random Photos and a Tape Cassette
My first round of this song was filled with the best memories of our time together. The time he walked all the way across town in a snow storm just to see me. A cold, stormy day when he said he forgot his gloves inside a record store, and when he came back to the car, he surprised me with the cassette tape that I wanted, American Pie by Don McLean. Strange how these memories have storms behind them. . . . But, the year leading up to meeting this person had been one of the darkest points of my life and had really affected my outlook on the world. It seems the storms were again riding on my heels and about to catch up with me.

Here's a song that so captures me during this time and "how I painted everything a certain shade that looked like black." It's called, "Never Coming Back" by Lynn Miles off of Love Sweet Love.

I Was a Black Hole Being Born
I wonder if he appeared in my life at that moment to save me. . . . I think he did. And, when I realized it, it was too late. So, in writing the final version of this song, I instead focused on what happened to me after the relationship was over. I researched how a black hole is born -- the core of a star turns to iron and the force is so powerful that the star explodes forming a black hole. This is what happened to me.

The Things I Used to Treasure About You
The years have rolled on -- more than twenty. We both have families and children of our own. I'm a very lucky person to have known and to still know such a warm, bright soul. We've met up with each other over the years, and he hasn't changed. He is still love and light. This sounds too neatly summed up. I need to find a better way to express this. And, maybe, you're wondering how I am. Am I still the same?

We used to drive around in my car, and I loved listening to this song while we drove the dusty backroads in the summer. It expresses the sweetness of that time, and it's still relevant today.

Winterwood by Don McLean

No one can take your place with me,
And time has proven that I'm right.
There's no place I'd rather be,
Than at your place for the night.

No time can pass your sight unseen.
No moment steals away unfound.
Lifetime lived in such a dream,
Floats like a feather to the ground.

(Chorus)
And for the first time I've been seeing
The things I'd never notice, without you.
And for the first time I'm discovering
The things I used to treasure, about you.

The birds like leaves on Winterwood,
Sing hopeful songs on dismal days.
They've learned to live life as they should.
They are at peace with nature's ways.

You are as natural as the night,
And all that springs from you is good.
And the children born beneath your light,
Are like the birds on Winterwood.

(Chorus)
And for the first time I've been seeing
The things I'd never notice, without you.
And for the first time I'm discovering
The things I used to treasure, about you.

The Last Orange - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 07 May 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, and a drum machine. A home recording.

Read the story behind the song.

Because breaking up is hard to do but moving on is even harder.

The Last Orange written and performed by Holly Hanson.

Well, I was ruined in this dark. They say once I had a heart.
Now, it's just some broken, mixed up part.
This is how the heart works.
A ticking time bomb under our shirts.
Wired to the get-away car.

Chorus:
So, my core turned to iron. My heart exploded like a star.
I could not hold myself against these forces. (I) was a black hole being born,
A tall building in a thunderstorm,
A dark soul that you can't reform. This is how the heart works.

You have such a pull on me. Please remember me.
At least something's calling me even if it's only the road.
We keep orbiting each other. Like a planet and its moon.
But, I knew you once. We shared these rooms.

[Solo - imagine Steve's twangy guitar solo here . . . ]

Chorus:
So, my core turned to iron. My heart exploded like a star.
I could not hold myself against these forces. (I) was a black hole being born,
A tall building in a thunderstorm,
A dark soul that you can't reform. This is how the heart works.

Bridge:
All that's left are some random pictures and a tape cassette,
The last orange, and empty rooms chock-full of regret.
And, who am I kidding? It's time to start liv'n outside my mind.
Twenty years later, gonna hop that freighter, leave it all behind.

Chorus:
And, my core turned to iron. My heart exploded like a star.
I could not hold myself against these forces. (I) was a black hole being born,
A tall building in a thunderstorm,
A dark soul that you can't reform. This is how the heart works.
This is how the heart works.

Keeper of the Rose Island Lighthouse

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Riding the Waves
I've just returned from an incredible week as the lighthouse keeper of the Rose Island Lighthouse just off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island. The experience brought back so many good feelings from the past that I've been missing: spending all day with my boys and learning new things with them (like our homeschool days), keeping a fire burning in the wood stove, composting, conscientiously conserving water, taking care of "real" things that matter. All last week, I knew what time the sun rose and when it set. I knew the speed of the wind. I knew the height of the waves. I've been trying to be ok under the fluorescent lights in the artificially heated and cooled atmosphere of my new world, but. . . .

The Weather Girl
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may have come across my song "Lighthouse Keeper." It's a song about the daily life and tasks of a lighthouse keeper. I was inspired to write it after reading about female lighthouse keepers Abbie Burgess, Ida Lewis, and Katherine "Katie" Walker. I would have loved to live at the lighthouse before I wrote the song, but this trip took quite a bit of arranging in my own life. So, as I've sometimes had to do, I went to experience the sights, sounds, and feelings after writing the song. I kept a logbook of my daily activities as the lighthouse keeper of the Rose Island Lighthouse. The logbook is filled with photos, movies of me talking about the weather and the island, movies of some of the sights, and short posts reflecting on each day. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to start from the first entry: March 26, 2011.

Now, that I'm back on the mainland, I'm working on a new lighthouse song. I've come across many, many lighthouse-related songs in the past few days. What's your favorite lighthouse song?

Three Ghosts in a Lighthouse
The video below is The Hush Sound with "Lighthouse." Just off the siren/mermaid mindset of my last song and having just stayed at a haunted lighthouse (Yes. The Rose Island Lighthouse is haunted. You can learn more about that by watching this Ghost Hunters episode.), this lighthouse song really piqued my interest.

"Lighthouse" by The Hush Sound

Take what you need while there's time
The city will be earth in a short while
If I'm not mistaken, it's been in flames
You and I will escape to the seaside

There is a storm in the distance
The wind breathing warning of its imminence
There is a lighthouse, five hundred yards down
You and I will be safe there

There is a girl who haunts that lighthouse
She saved me, I was swimming
So young I almost drowned
Under the water, she sang a story
Of losing her lover, she calls a warning

Love, you are foolish, you're tired
Your sleeplessness makes you a liar
The city is burning
The ocean is turning
Our only chance is the lighthouse

Her lover was a sailor
She went and she waited there
The door locked from the outside
Lover never arrived so she sings there
Soft as a siren, luring the ships off their course
How alarming

We went in, we climbed up and looked out
The door locked from the outside
Three ghosts in a lighthouse

The Rock and the Echo - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, and a drum machine. A home recording.

Read the lyrics.

I've returned to my old poems lately for inspiration. Here's one that was published in Women Artists News Book Review II in the Spring of 1994.

Weeds Beneath the Black Water
You've worn away
the very skin from my bones,
in the way
that water carves deep caverns out
of rough stone.
Slowly and over a long span of time.
But steady.
Always flowing.

My shoulders, curved inward.
A channel,
that empties into the gulf of my lower back.
My hair sways
like weeds beneath the black water.

I took the last line of this poem and worked it into a song that I was working on about heartache. Visions of floating in the water brought mermaids to mind. I specifically started thinking about the Rhinemaidens from Wagner's Ring Cycle which led me to the story of the mermaid Lorelei.

The Lorelei story is often mistakenly identified as an old myth but dates back to an 1801 poem by German author Clemens Brentano. Here is a summary via Wikipedia:

The beautiful Lore Lay is falsely accused of maliciously bewitching men and driving them to ruin; later pardoned and on the way to a nunnery she passes and climbs the Lorelei rock, watching out for the lover who abandoned her, and falls to her death.

Many authors were inspired to write their own versions of the Lorelei story. The most well-known is The Lore-Ley by Heinrich Heine.

Seems I'm not the first musician to come across Lorelei, but I'm in some great, fun company with Styx, Roxy Music, and here is Luka Bloom with "I Hear Her, Like Lorelei." Beautiful!!!!!!!!!

I Hear Her, Like Lorelei by Luka Bloom

It catches me unaware
A voice out of nowhere
A vision of long dark hair
And I'm back there

Sunbeams warm and kind
Men working down the Rhine
Patchouli throws my mind
Back to our time

I hear her, like Lorelei
I hear her, like Lorelei

The boatman knows his way
He navigates every day
Sometimes in misty grey
The mind is led astray

I hear her, like Lorelei
I hear her, like Lorelei
Lorelei, Lorelei...
I hear her, like Lorelei

A voice he's heard before
A tone so soft and sure
He thought he'd hurt no more.....

I hear her, like Lorelei
I hear her, like Lorelei
Lorelei, Lorelei...
I hear her, like Lorelei

I hear her.....
I hear her.....

The Rock and the Echo - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:37:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, and a drum machine. A home recording.

Read the story behind the song.

The Rock and the Echo written and performed by Holly Hanson

Deep waves are breaking.
Must have seemed I had a heart worth taking.
Here with the weeds under the water,
I am the mermaid's daughter, and . . .

I'll pull you in by your heart.
I'll pull you in by your heart.

Caught between the rock and the echo,
I'm the climber from so long ago-oh.
Looking out for the lover.
Ever caught in currents and the mist below. Oh, . . .

I'll pull you in by your heart.
I'll pull you in by your heart.

Oh, I'll sing you the sweetest song.
Slip you visions as you row along.
We could swim with the river to the sea.
As long as you give your love to me.

Lost all my reason.
This river keeps flowing season after season.
Bring on the weather.
Wash every trace of love from this place. And, . . .

I'll pull you in by your heart.
I'll pull you in by your heart.
I'll pull you in by your heart.

Letters from the Road - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:29:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, and a drum machine . . . in the living room

Read the lyrics.

I never would have guessed that the distance between me and Nashville was only a two-lane highway. . . .

Okay, there were 1,100 miles in between, but, to me, that was part of the adventure. I hadn't really been on a road trip since I was kid, so I was really geared up and ready to go. I left my driveway dreaming of old Country music, CB radios, and truck stops in the middle of the highway. But, fast-forward thirty-something years, and I discovered a different road altogether.

Where Were All the Truckstops?
Steve Hayes was in the passenger seat, and by the middle of the first night, we were both hungry. I tried to explain why I kept driving past everything. Where were all the truck stops? Every sign said the same thing: Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, and Subway. Luckily, I had packed a home-cooked ham AND a home-cooked turkey in the cooler. But, still, how was I going to be inspired to write a new song, if I never got out of the car along the way? I remember driving past a truck stop in Pennsylvania -- it just seemed too soon to stop.

Steve and I spent the first night sleeping (sort of) in a rest area in Virginia. That was the first moment I realized that I forgot to bring a blanket. In my glove compartment, I found one of those emergency survival blankets. Every time I moved, it crinkled like tinfoil -- not very sleep-friendly!

After a couple hours of lying there, we hit the road again. No more driving past any more truck stops. What ever lay ahead on the road would be the one. And, then, just like that, there it was -- White's Truck Stop off I-81 in Virginia. I read somewhere never to take pictures of food and post them online, so I'll spare you the plate of eggs, hash browns, toast, bacon, and coffee.

Almost There . . .
I'm so glad we drove through Virginia in the daylight hours. We could see the Appalachian Mountains beside us. I found this on Wikipedia: "The Appalachians are believed to have been the highest mountains on earth roughly 466 million years ago during the Ordovician Period, much like (but higher than) the Himalayas today, when all of today's continents were joined as the supercontinent Pangaea." Higher than the Himalayas!

In one night and one day, Steve and I drove 1,100 miles and finally got a hotel room in Nashville on the night before New Year's Eve. The next day (New Year's Eve) would be our only day in the music city, so we packed it full of adventure in the old downtown. I had the most fantastic cheddar cheese grits at B.B. King's Blues Club (ha, ha -- again sparing you the food pictures). I found my dream guitar and my dream banjo in a guitar shop downtown, but with price tags in the high four-digits, I'll just have to play them at night in my dreams. I also realized I had driven all the way to Nashville without my cowboy boots -- not hugely important -- but it would have been more fun to walk around in them in Nashville than at my day job. "I've been walking on concrete in cowboy boots . . . Well, I toughen up my soul like a turquoise bead . . . Don't worry about me." Love that song! It's called Deadlines and Dollar Signs by Patty Larkin.

New Year's Eve with Old Crow Medicine Show

Steve and I spent the afternoon exploring the backstage of the Ryman and listening to Old Crow Medicine Show's sound check. Steve's brother, Kevin Hayes, is the guit-jo player in OCMS. I snapped a nice picture of Kevin and Steve on the back-stage steps of the Ryman. Steve introduced me to the band. And, then we discovered the third thing we forgot -- our CD! Who drives all the way to Nashville and forgets to bring their debut CD?

Later that day, we had a nice visit at Kevin's house -- until I took out his mailbox with my driver's side mirror. Sorry Kevin. I should come with a warning label. I guess when anyone sees me approaching in my dented car, they will be warned!

The weather in Nashville was in the high 50s and beautiful during the day. But, Steve and I had to walk to the Ryman in the rain that night. We just barely beat the heaviest part of the storm! OCMS put on a great, high-energy show on New Year's Eve at the Ryman. We heard many new songs that will be on their next CD, including a fantastic song written by Kevin that pulled in many classic Country references like the Opry and Hank Williams. After the show, Kevin drove us back to the hotel. Thank goodness because the torrential rain made it a crazy scene out there.

The Road Home

On New Year's Day, Steve and I hit the road again. The first task was to find an open store and replace my mirror. This went better than expected and didn't take up too much time. We both had to get back for work on Monday! I have to give my ten-year-old minivan a shout-out here. It did amazingly well on gas and was pretty comfortable. I've written three songs featuring my minivan. It plays the role of my chestnut mare in two of my cowboy songs: Roll with the Tumbleweeds and Canyon Moon. In Letters from the Road, my minivan and all of its parts (wheels, wipers, radio) power the whole song.

"Letters from the Road" picks up right where Lover's Leap leaves off. I had always wanted to write one song that referenced another. One day, I plan on referencing the Black Cat Cafe in another song. I love when novelists do that -- reference past characters and/or places. I feel like I noticed something that new readers of an author will miss and that this Easter egg was hidden there just for me. I guess my minivan/chestnut mare is my "Easter egg" for you.

Ever since I returned from Nashville, I've been feeling kind of dreamy and inspired about the future. Nashville had seemed like an impossible place to get to -- in another world or something. So did standing on the stage of the Ryman. But, it's a wooden floor that I got to by driving down a two-lane highway. One mile at a time. One song at a time. Keep on truckin'.

Letters from the Road - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Credits: Holly Hanson, vocals, guitar, and a drum machine . . . in the living room

Read the story behind the song.

"Letters from the Road" written and performed by Holly Hanson.

I'll send you letters from the road
And postcards from motels.
This heart beats out S.O.S in code.
In the Winter light, I skid through
snow.

The wipers are my soundtrack.
I'm just looking for a little love back.
But, the road ahead is coal black.
Held on here by gravity.
Do you ever think of me?

Chorus:
And, it's a long way
to drive in one day.
Two-lane highways
and truck-stops, "Hey,
are you going my way?"
"What do you say?"

This road is never ending.
Do you feel the love I'm sending?
This heart of mine needs tending.
I'm fading like the station, oh
playing on my radio.

[solo]

Chorus:
And, it's a long way
to drive in one day.
Two-lane highways
and truck-stops, "Hey,
are you going my way?"
"What do you say?"

Chorus:
It's a long way
to drive in one day.
Two-lane highways
and truck-stops, "Hey,
are you going my way?"
"What do you say?"

A Song for Emily - lyrics sample and MP3 sample

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:38:00 +0000

An early sharing of a work in progress for Emily Dickinson's birthday. I haven't even decided on the title yet.

White Dress or Love’s Oven or A Letter to “Master” written by Holly Hanson

You ask of my companions, Sir.
Hills and the sundown — and a dog
Who strolls along with me
In woods and fields — thick with fog.

I do not cross my father’s ground
To any house or any town.
My friendships are in letters, Sir,
for this is what I most prefer.

Chorus:
Open me carefully.
For I am only stardust.
And, you are the wind that rocked the grass
And, you are the one who
brought down all the leaves,
And blew straight through this cotton dress
With the buttons on the sleeves.

Upstairs in my corner room,
I have a table with a drawer.
Here I write of life and death
While all around us is the War.

I’ve tended flowers all my life
And pressed them in this heavy book.
And labeled each with Latin names —
These plants that grow beside the brook.

Chorus:
Open me carefully.
For I am only stardust.
And, you are the wind that rocked the grass
And, you are the one who
brought down all the leaves,
And blew straight through this cotton dress
With the buttons on the sleeves.

more verses to come . . .

Boxcar Betty - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:18:00 +0000

. . . but my hands are warm from carving pictures on these coins. . . . ~ A Hobo Nickel Collection

Written and performed by Holly Hanson

Da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da-da-da-da-da

I’ve slipped into the boxcar
with my rucksack and some wine.
There sounds the highball whistle,
and we’re rushing down the line.

Cold steel’s creeping through
my clothes into my loins,
but my hands are warm from
carving pictures on these coins.

Pre-chorus:
There’s a cross on the signal post.
Gonna find some “angel food.”
And, the sign of the cat
maybe get me in the mood.

It’s a code that you learn
when you’re riding on the rails,
when you’re squatting down in boxcars,
and following the trails.

Chorus:
Well, I’m no Boxcar Betty,
but don’t wish me no harm.
I’ve got no home or fam’ly.
I’m just trying to stay warm.

Da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da-da-da-da-da

Gonna sleep on the beach
with a fire at my side —
feel the pull and the release
of the endless ocean tide.

At the first light of the morning,
I’ll be on my way again —
slipping into boxcars
and sleeping now and then.

Pre-chorus:
There’s a cross on the signal post.
Gonna find some “angel food.”
And, the sign of the cat
maybe get me in the mood.

It’s a code that you learn
when you’re riding on the rails,
when you’re squatting down in boxcars,
and following the trails.

Chorus:
Well, I’m not tough like Betty,
but don’t give me no grief.
My aim is strong and steady,
and I’m full of faith and belief.

No, I’m no Boxcar Betty,
but don’t wish me no harm.
I’ve got no home or fam’ly.
I’m just trying to stay warm.

Da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da Da-da-da Da-da-da-da-da-da-da

Holly Hanson, guitar and vocals

Lover's Leap (The Purgatory Chasm Song) - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:22:00 +0000

Read the lyrics.
Watch the video.

Purgatory Chasm is in Sutton, Massachusetts. One of the rock formations in the chasm is called Lover's Leap. Last Spring, I was hiking in the chasm frequently and gathering details for a song. The song is about being lonely but getting by. It's also about being afraid to commit and take that "Lover's Leap" -- yeah, digging deep into personal terrain again (See "Roll with the Tumbleweeds.").

I was talking to a friend one day about the chasm, and he recalled visiting the area some forty-eight years earlier as a nine-year-old. He and some friends had carved their initials in a tree. Recently, he had been back to the chasm and found the tree with the initials now far above his head. I liked this image and asked him if I could use this event from his life in my song. I thought about how these initials linked him to this event and these people forever.

"Lover's Leap" is the prequel to Letters from the Road. I reference "Lover's Leap" in the opening lines of "Letter's from the Road."

Lover's Leap (The Purgatory Chasm Song) - lyrics and video

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:49:00 +0000

How Lover's Leap was created.

Written by Holly Hanson.

Between the boulders and the blues,
It's such a long way down.
These dusty trails fill up my shoes.
A soul could get lost in this town.

Well, I took a gamble and went on a ramble,
But the chasm between us is wide.
Our names on this tree are now taller than me
But, they link us across this divide.
Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo

Chorus:
So, I'm a little bit damaged, but I've been able to manage
This heart in a lonesome town.
Rocks and water all around. Don't look
down. Don't look down.

Bridge:
All these boulders weigh upon my shoulders.
Each year this old place gets older.
I'll send you letters from the road
and postcards . . . .

I keep shying away
from this Lover's Leap.
So easy to slip off the ledge.
But, this heart has a chasm so hollow and deep
I'm trailing along that jagged edge.

Chorus:
I'm a little bit damaged, but I've been able to manage
This heart in a lonesome town.
Rocks and water all around. Don't look
down. Don't look down.
I'm a little bit damaged, but I've been able to manage
This heart in a lonesome town. . . .

Canyon Moon - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:31:00 +0000

Written and performed by Holly Hanson.

By the side of this winding river,
I spent my days in search of treasure --
Striped Jasper 'neath bits of bone,
I found meaning in those stones.

On turquoise quilts on rich, red earth, I'd
study maps and plan my travels. I'd
journey far from twisting canyons --
A chestnut horse as my companion.

I blew across this great big world like sand on desert winds.
Met a cowboy under foreign skies. And, oh, he had the darkest eyes.

But, the canyon moon when it was full
brought me back with its strong pull.
Where sagebrush grows and wild, wild horses roam,
this is where I made my home.

Hardened my heart like a river stone
(And) skipped it 'cross the waiting water.
Now, it rests on the rocky floor just
like his letters in the drawer.

But, like glacier lilies that bloom as snows recede,
like when forests fall and light sparks the fireweed,
I remembered how to breathe,
how to breathe.

Made a fire in the canyon
with my trusty, old companion.
Read your letters from across the blue
and mapped out an ocean route to you

I blew across this great big world like sand on desert winds.
Met a cowboy under foreign skies. And, oh, he had the darkest eyes.

But, the canyon moon when it was full
brought me back with its strong pull.
Where sagebrush grows and wild, wild horses roam,
this is where we made our home.

The Snow Globe Song - lyrics and video

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sun, 30 May 2010 20:31:00 +0000

Written by Holly Hanson.

The Snow Globe Song

Under street lamps in the trailer park, moths flicker in the light.
Looks like glitter in a snow globe, white wings in flight.

Silver key beneath a coffee can. Your vinyl blinds are drawn.
A glowing night light on the table, greets me while you're gone.

There's a record on the player. It's from nineteen forty-four.
"You Always Hurt the One You Love." From a road-side thrift store.

Chorus:
You know the sky used to be a brighter blue.
I had another life before I first met you.
And, sometimes, there's no moon at all.
Can't see far enough to break your fall.
Every now and then, a second moon comes through
When love comes round again, they call it true-oo

There are blankets on the windows to help keep out the light.
Climb into this "tent" with me, and hold me through the night.

There are pictures on the ledges that have faded through the years.
Your grandpa with his ukulele. Sentimental souvenirs.

Chorus:
You know the sky used to be a brighter blue.
I had another life before I first met you.
And, sometimes, there's no moon at all.
Can't see far enough to break your fall.
Every now and then, a second moon comes through
When love comes round again, they call it true-oo

Here, the river winds around us. It's more than fifty-miles long.
It rises in a place called Meadow Lake, the rapids here are strong.

And, as we walk along the shoreline, I take your hand in mine.
The night is falling all around us. The moon is resting in the pines.

Chorus:
You know the sky used to be a brighter blue.
I had another life before I first met you.
And, sometimes, there's no moon at all.
Can't see far enough to break your fall.
Every now and then, a second moon comes through
When love comes round again, they call it true-oo
Every now and then, a second moon comes through
When love comes round again, they call it true-oo-oo

Sweet Celia Ann (aka Mattie Earp) - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Read the lyrics.

DJ-friendly summary with theme-based ideas: A historical biography of the life of Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock, the romantic companion of Wyatt Earp.

Themes: Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock, Wyatt Earp, historical biographies, Wild West, prostitutes, gamblers, cowboys

Important date(s):

The date of Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock's death is July 3, 1888.
The birth date of Wyatt Earp is March 19, 1848.
The date of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is October 26, 1881.
The date of Wyatt Earp's death is January 13, 1929.

While researching ideas for a Wild West-inspired song, I came across the tragic story of Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock, the romantic companion of Wyatt Earp. After reading her story, I was inspired to write a song about her life.

Here is a brief overview of her story from the Web site, Legends of America:

Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock (1850-1888) - Born in Wisconsin, Mattie was raised in Fairfax, Iowa until she ran away from home at the age of 16. She then made her way to Kansas where she first worked as a prostitute in Scott City before moving on to Dodge City. There, she met Wyatt Earp around 1873 and soon became his romantic companion. She continued to work as a prostitute during their early years together. Living and working together, Mattie utilized the last name of "Earp" and by the time they moved on to Tombstone, Arizona in 1879, she would have been considered his "common-law" wife. She allegedly suffered from severe headaches and became addicted to laudanum, which was commonly used as a pain killer at the time. As her addiction became worse, Wyatt's eyes began to stray in Tombstone and started up an affair with Josephine Marcus. After Morgan Earp was killed in March, 1882, Virgil, along with the Earp women, escorted his body home to Colton, California. Wyatt sent Mattie along with the others while he and Warren stayed to begin the Earp Vendetta Ride. Mattie waited for Wyatt's telegraph that she should return to Tombstone, but it never arrived. In the meantime, Wyatt was getting more and more involved with Josephine, who he would later marry. Finally, Mattie left California and moved to Globe, Arizona, where she returned to prostitution. On July 3, 1888, she took a lethal dose of laudanum in Pinal City, Arizona. Her death was ruled suicide. She was laid to rest in the cemetery about one mile from the old town site.

Sweet Celia Ann (aka Mattie Earp) - lyrics and full MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 29 May 2010 19:50:00 +0000

A historical biography of the life of Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock, the romantic companion of Wyatt Earp. Written by Holly Hanson.

How Sweet Celia Ann (aka Mattie Earp) was created.

Sweet Celia Ann (aka Mattie Earp)

She worked the tables at the local saloon.
Made her money getting cowboys loaded in the fading light of the afternoon.
He was a law man from a frontier town.
He could settle a hoorah without ever hitting the hammer down.

She wore a feather in her long, golden hair.
Her smile could spark a fire in a holy house of common prayer.
He took her by her small hand and brought her to his home.
He promised her his true love -- His heart never more to ramble and roam.

Chorus:
Once upon a time
In the Wild, Wild West
Gamblers, rogues, and gunmen put their courage to the test.
If you woke up in the morning, you were truly blessed.
And, you lived another day in the Wild, Wild West.

They traveled off together as a husband and his wife.
They followed the cards and the chips and the money as a way of life.
But by the springtime, he had found another girl.
She had to put that feather back into those fading curls.

Chorus

She awoke one morning in a dusty, one-room shack.
Beside her was a stranger – How did her life get so off track?
So, she sipped some laudanum from a tarnished, silver spoon.
Evermore to slumber ‘neath the shadow of a golden moon.

Chorus

In the Blue Room - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Fri, 28 May 2010 10:25:00 +0000

Read the lyrics.
Watch the video.

DJ-friendly summary with theme-based ideas: A lullaby that includes several constellations that can be seen in Spring skies in the North East.

Themes: constellations, stars, Orion, Spring, New Hamsphire, lullaby, children's songs

I wrote this song for my two boys. We were studying constellations in homeschool, and our studies inspired me to write this starry lullaby for them.

The boys often ask me to sing this song for them at bedtime. They sweetly pretend to fall asleep instantly to prove that the lullaby "works."

The title of the song comes from the boys' first bedroom -- the blue room.

I sing about Orion in the chorus. I can think of two songs off the top of my head that I love in which Orion appears. (Write me with your comments if you know of others.):

"Orbiting Jupiter" by Cheryl Wheeler
"Orion" performed by Freyda and Acoustic AttaTude

Freyda was an incredible musician. And, I just adored this band and their Midnight at Cabell Hall CD. ("Today's the Day" was my wedding song.) Almost all of the songs on the CD were recorded with the AachenHead microphone system. My husband's company provided the microphone for the recordings. And, when the band had their CD release party in 1993, we drove all the way down to Virginia with the AachenHead in the back of the car, so it could be part of the event.

I miss you and your beautiful songs, Freyda.

Wherever you rest your head tonight, we are all one family let's hold tight and fill the world with dreams of harmony tonight. From Globalullabies by Freyda Epstein

Diamond Pond - how it was created

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:29:00 +0000

Read the lyrics by Steve Hayes.

DJ-friendly summary with theme-based ideas: A true-story song that recounts a winter weekend in a log cabin in northern New Hampshire.

Themes: log cabin, wood stove, Diamond Pond, Colebrook, New Hampshire, winter, songs with route numbers, snowmobilers, sledders

In February 2007, Steve Hayes introduced me to Diamond Pond in Colebrook, New Hampshire. It had been a particularly snowy winter that year, and four feet of freshly fallen snow greeted us when we arrived. We drove into the settlement as far as we could in my minivan, but it was clear, at one point, that my car was not going to be able to take us any further. We walked along the freshly plowed road to the cabin hoping that the sledders would speed around us. When we got to the site of the cabin, we hiked in through waist-deep snow while pushing our guitars across the top of it.

During our stay, I proposed the idea of Hayes and I co-writing a song about Diamond Pond. I wrote our lyrics on a slip of paper and stashed it in a book in the cabin. That version of the song never got any further than being a souvenir for future travelers to discover. But, after our return home, Hayes composed the version that appears on the Strawberry Moon CD.

Every word of the song is true and recounts our winter weekend on Diamond Pond.

. . . The fire in the woodstove turned the chimney to a glow, while the temperature outside fell to twelve below . . .

Diamond Pond - lyrics and sample MP3

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 22 May 2010 20:07:00 +0000

A true-story song that recounts a winter weekend in a log cabin in northern New Hampshire. Written by Steve Hayes.

How Diamond Pond was created.

Diamond Pond

We took historic route 3 up to 26
where the sledders from the small town
were up to their old tricks.
Along the icy road were signs of yesterday
for the snow again had fallen in its old familiar way.

We melted snow for water when supplies ran low that day,
and the frosty wind upon our cheeks could not prevent our stay.
Millie runs the yarn shop. Hamp maintains the plow.
And, when heavy snow keeps you there, he’ll tow you out somehow.

Chorus:
Up here, the air is clean,
and the black of night and its chilly bite give way to days unseen.
With the bluest skies and trees of white,
the hush of Diamond Pond leaves us breathless with delight.

The fire in the woodstove turned the chimney to a glow
while the temperature outside fell to twelve below.
The trails were neatly groomed from Whipple Ridge to Sugar Hill,
and the sledders from the small town fought back against the chill.

Chorus

When the Moon Shines on the Chrome - more information

noreply@blogger.com (Holly Hanson) — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:54:00 +0000

Read the lyrics.

DJ-friendly summary with theme-based ideas: A duet told from the point of view of a trucker on the road and the love who waits for him back home.

Themes: truckers, truck songs, on the road songs, the moon, thinking about home, love songs, Abilene, Texas

I challenged myself to write a duet in the style of a Country song. "When the Moon Shines on the Chrome" is the result of that challenge. I researched the lives of truckers and found letters online written between the truckers and the ones who loved and missed them back home. That old moon shows up again (as in many of my songs).