Congratulations to all our Sept/Oct 2021 Lyric Contest winners! CLICK HERE to enter the November/December contest, deadline September 15 @ 11:59 PM CST.
1st place “Road That Coal Made Black” By Ryan T. Miller (Read Q&A) Verse 1 The mountain took my momma when I was nearly 17 And I don’t recall it making any kind of apology It was dark and cold and heartless and free of any sound And the stone was unrelenting as I laid her in the ground The mountain took my momma just like it took hers too And with daddy gone now 16 years, there was nothing left to do Chorus I walked on down the mountain and I left her bones behind Along with every winter, every hardship, every lie I walked on down the mountain on a road that coal made black I walked on down the mountain with no plans of going back Verse 2 My daddy left that mountain soon as I had come along Said he wasn’t built for staying, said his heart had got it wrong Never heard my momma crying, nor talking in her sleep She had every right to hate him, just not the energy My daddy left that mountain as a coward and a cheat But he was smart enough to know that mountain often can’t be beat Chorus I walked on down the mountain like my daddy done before With no hope that I might find him. No questions anymore I walked on down the mountain on a road that coal made black I walked on down the mountain with no plans of going back Verse 3 The mountain lies behind me, but I feel the mountain still The poison in the sandstone, the power in the shale It had a way of breaking down what momma wanted most Instead of loving whispers all she got was daddy’s ghost The mountain took my momma, but I took it all in stride And I’ll be damned if that dark mountain takes what’s left of her boy’s/girl’s pride Chorus I walked on down that mountain knocking dust off from my shoes With a chance to find some comfort on a path that I can choose
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2nd Place “When We Get Old” By Roy Dufrain Do you remember Those early days The old folks said We’d never last One room apartment Two broke down cars And all the lovin’ A man could ask (Chorus) The years rush by The lows and highs The tears we cried The songs we sung But we’re still laughing And love’s still fun When we get old We’ll still be young When we get old We’ll still be young The middle years We worked so hard The graveyard shifts The overtime Nose to the grindstone No paid vacations But I was yours and You were mine (Repeat Chorus) We bought that big house That Cadillac Then times got hard We lost it all Now we’ve been downsized But we don’t mind Same wedding pictures Hang on the wall (Bridge) Time ain’t nothing but an unpaid loan Love ain’t measured by the rooms it fills You can’t buy happy with a bitter heart Age ain’t nothing but a tale to tell Now we’re the old folks The kids are grown Ain’t got no mortgage Ain’t got no job Come by on Sunday Drinks on the front porch Steaks on the grill and Corn on the cob (Repeat Chorus) 3rd Place “Free Piano” By Tom McMahon I’m looking for a free piano I think it’s time I learned to play the three chord songs that I write on guitar are sounding all the same 88 keys don’t need no pick can’t be that hard to come up with a lick I’m looking for a free piano what I really need is a truck I’m looking for a cheap old truck so I can move my free piano square body Chevy will do maybe an El Camino ’75 or older so I don’t gotta get it smogged I’m looking for a cheap old truck what I really need is a job I’m looking for a decent job so I can buy a cheap old truck maybe something in the arts with people that don’t suck my three chord songs don’t provide much dough they might sound better with a free piano I’m lookin for a decent job so I can buy a cheap old truck I go on craigslist and I do a search there’s 20 free pianos in Los Angeles just gotta show up in my truck and haul that piano away and then I’ll drive it to my decent job with people that don’t suck I’m looking for a piano that’s free I’m hopin some of it’ll rub off on me sometimes life can feel like a trap a locked door without a key but a free piano’s got 88 same as one that cost an arm and a leg I’m looking for a piano that’s free i know there’s one lookin for me 4th Place “If” By Rod Young If war was a flower Then there'd be blooms everywhere If peace was a shower Then It wouldn't rain over here If hate was a diamond Then we'd have more than our share If love was a destination Then some of us wouldn't make it there Such a tragedy That we live so hard But we work so much And it's painful to see When we love so hard But we hurt so much Where do we go from here How do we make the ifs go away What will it take To make the ifs go away If pain cured hunger Then no one starving could be found If joy was thunder Then the clouds wouldn't make a sound If greed was a mountain Then the Banks would sit high If faith was a river Then the seas would be dry Such a tragedy That we live so hard But we work so much And it's painful to see When we love so hard But we hurt so much Tell me where do we go from here What will it take To make the ifs go away What will it take To make the ifs go away Honorable Mention “Better Man Than Me” By Lane Findlay & Jaxson Findlay “Nobody Gets Out” By Kevin Broadrick “I’ll See You Again” By Bryan Truitt “Hard On My Heart” By Lauren Smith “American Love” By Lana Love “Coffee With You” By Bob Meagher “Drip” By Brad Mays “It Helps” By Raquel Telfer “One More Game of Texas Hold ‘Em” By Mark Stepakoff “A Kiss In The Dark” By Brenden Friel
Really? Is this an elaborate scheme. Can I get a refund?
I heard the bimonthly winners for August 15th deadline would be announced today. Is that true? Thanks :).
Many beautiful souls still doin’ their lives through hard times and good!
Songs from the heart and soul help make life worth living. For those blessed to write, and those blessed to listen, music makes life worth giving!