Songs & Stories: Wood floors & Heartaches

About a year ago I wrote about wanting to dedicate more creative energy to my song writing. A goal I've set for this year (as a teacher, years start for me in September, really) to record and share one original song a month. So here is my September song, Wood floors & Heartaches.

The "song" is all there, but I've had a bit of a head scratcher trying to get the "story" across. I wrote this song when I was 16 or 17. It doesn't have a crystal clear meaning or story, it captures more of a feeling or aesthetic. The mood of seasons changing and the uncertainty that brings, apprehensiveness about a relationship and not knowing where it's headed, the concept of how we hope things are versus our worries about how they actually are.



Two lines stand out to me. One that certainly does have a story is a line in the first chorus, "if I could fix everything then I can now".  In the midst of the stress and worries described in the song I remember my mom comforting me, and me sharing with her that when I was little I could just sit with her and it would fix everything. She told me that if she could fix everything then, she could now too. There's lines about hope that things will be better, that tomorrow might not be hard, that we'll have good days. The next chorus swaps that line out for a Wizard of Oz reference, randomly enough.

The other stand out line is "horned rim glasses, ashes to ashes" and that is only because I was trying to fit that line into a song for years. In fact I think it makes it's way into a song I wrote about three years later. I think it works in this one.

As far as the wood floors... I grew up with some beautiful wood floors in my house, and I think I always associated those confusing, down days with laying on the floor, just being, trying to find even ground.

Those few thoughts together tell you how nonlinear this song is, but I hope as you listen you feel the mood of seasons changing, being on the unknown edge of a relationship, and the hope and fear that occurs when we are all too wrapped up in our feelings.

Wood floors & Heartaches

I don't know what it is

but your voice has an edge

that sometimes makes me stop and listen in

move a little bit closer

leaves fall down and you're still standing there

it's raining now

and I don't know how this is gonna come out

Wood floors and heartaches

September brings a sense of warning

telling me to change my ways

and wake up in the morning 

saying 'if I could fix everything then I can now'

I promise you there will be a day you won't fall down

Benches and beaches

Sunshine and warmth

I'd be there with you in my head

but it's not over yet

Horn rimmed glasses

Ashes to ashes

You're falling down

Wood floors and heartaches

September brings a sense of warning

telling me to change my ways

and wake up in the morning 

saying 'if birds can fly then why can't I'

I promise you there will be a day you won't fall down

And I know that nothing's gonna end right now

There's so much left to figure out

I'll sit on the stairs and hear you out

Help me up now 

Wood floors and heartaches

September wakes me up some mornings

to sunshine in my face

it's hard to get through the day 

hearing what you have to say 

I promise you there will be a day you won't fall down