1st Place | “Magnets”

WRITTEN BY JOHN ALLAIRE
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
WWW.SONICBIDS.COM/JOHNALLAIRE

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I see a stare with weary eyes,
a boat moves in across the bay
The sand upon your feet is golden brown
the air is thick as thieves today
Then you cast upon my face for some expression
And I turn and look away
An angel flies by in the wind,
a ghost is lying on the shore
I’m telling people I have yet to meet
That we were supposed to me some time before
And I’ve got steel in the soles of my boots
And you’ve got magnets in the floors
So I surrender, see my flag
made up from all the sheets we tore
Something’s living in the insulation
In-between my heart and your front door
But I’ve got steel in the soles of my boots
And you’ve got magnets in the floors
So if what they say is true
if you pay homage to the lore
Your heart beats three times to my twice
and six times to my four
But I’ve got steel in the soles of my boots
And you’ve got magnets in the floors

13 Comments

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  1. My first time on the site looking around… Went first to the latest half dozen submissions and read over all of them… Nothing even remotely looked like it would make a decent song to me… Saw the link to contest winners, so naturally clicked on this one because, and afterall, it was listed as the 1st place winner… I wanted to see what kind of lyrics win a contest here… I’m with Hank49, no offense but, I have no clue what anyone sees in these lyrics for a song… I won’t go further “down” the list of runners up etc. If this is it, someone needs to do more homework on songwriting around here… Lot’s of luck to all you…

  2. I don’t see how they are “winner” material. I have to listen to the song. Not that my opinion matters all that much, but i don’t see how these lyrics are all that special.

  3. I disagree with the others who say there’s nothing special about the words, but I do feel it’s more poetry than lyric. What’s a verse? What’s a chorus? What’s a middle 8 or lift? Might work as a country-blues/folk thing I guess. Sure there’s a hint of a chorus with the 2 lines about magnets, that could be maybe repeated, but it’s poetry. And you can take any bit of poetry and make a song with it, but in a site/contest like this I would think the idea is to write pure lyrics, particularly to win a contest. Ok, there are some really good lines and images, quite musical in themselves, so it shouldn’t be dismissed as ‘nothing special’.

  4. You’ve got to be kidding! How can “Magnets”
    ever be made into a song? I really DON’T get it ! Who are the
    judges for your contests? Very seldom do I read what I consider
    excellent lyrics. I’m always pretty much disappointed in the
    outcome of your so-called “winners.” Do you EVEN read and give thoughtful consideration to ALL the entries that are submitted? I wonder.

  5. No offense, but I truly am amazed on how they would consider this a “song” and then win first place. Wow, that’s just plain crazy!!! “Magnets” hahahaha …Horrible!!!

  6. Wow. Anyone who can illicit this much emotion must be doing something right! Think of all the writers we love, Dylan, Lennon, Waits, Costello, all wrote lyrics that have conjured criticism, or ones that people just plain didn’t get. The images in Magnets are strong and the cadence is entrancing. The metaphorical “pull” of the imagery is very inviting indeed. You have a new fan in me Mr. Allaire!

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2nd Place | “Heaven When It’s Right”