Songwritingly Challenged

Happy Groundhog Day!

Wiarton Willie predicts an early spring. so are we skipping winter?

i was walking home from work the other night, with a few things in my head. my friend Susan had alerted me to a crazy idea: February Album Writing Month. that's right - the challenge is to write fourteen songs in twenty-eight days.

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i was also thinking, as i always am, that i need to find an idea for a new songwriting project.

i also had a topical phrase in my head which i thought might become a song: "There hasn't been a winter yet".

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that day we had snow, something we haven't seen much of so far. i got home and shovelled the drive, with the new song growing in my head. when i entered the house, Deb had a cd on - Fred Eaglesmith's "Dusty", one of my very favourite albums. and hers: "I love it because it's about old guys".

Ka-Ching! the world conspires to bring these things together: my new project would be "Still Dusty", an album of songs inspired by my love for Fred's album.

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so i'm right on track - one song, two days - for how long, no one knows.

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I'll Be Ready

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There hasn't been a winter yet / the pattern is on hold

I'm doing what i can / i will until i'm cold

There hasn't been a winter yet / i don't feel it coming on

The evening wind is empty / but it pulls another dawn

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refrain: When winter comes, i'll be ready

When temperatures are low, and steady

Life goes underground

Snow contains the sound

When silence comes around, i'll be ready

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There hasn't been a winter yet / the ponies are getting soft

The old wolf can't hide / when they go running off

There hasn't been a winter yet / the trails ain't open

Thin ice on the lake / begging to be broken

refrain

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There hasn't been a winter yet / but time does not stand still

It marches on 'til March is gone / and the sun hits the hills

There hasn't been a winter yet / i'm watching from the porch

The creeping south will soon engage / the armies of the north

refrain

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There hasn't been a winter yet / we're suspended in fall

The colour-scented season / beneath it all

There hasn't been a winter yet / that didn't end in spring

Cemetery flowers / you won't have to bring

refrain