Screw City Nights

Back in 1999 my bro called me
He needed help with Expediting
From what he said, I got excited
He was baiting and I was biting

So I gave 2 weeks at the Hotel
And headed to the Midwest
Qualified for that fast freight job
Then I didn’t get much rest

Pre-Chorus:
Cause we were on the go
We were headed everywhere
But I wanted to go back home
Cause I loved the scene there

Chorus:
Screw City Nights
At the Office
Screw City Nights
At Uncle Nick’s
Screw City Nights
With my co-workers
Screw City Nights
It was the time of my life
Screw City Nights
Searchin’ for a wife

A part time job in retail
Was the better fit for me
I quit my job with my brother
Cause I wanted to feel free

Pre Chorus 2:
I wanted to drink ‘n dance
Remember it was 1999
I wanted to find romance
Make a girl mine all mine

Screw City Nights
At the Office
Screw City Nights
At Uncle Nick’s
Screw City Nights
With my co-workers
Screw City Nights
It was the time of my life
Screw City Nights
Searchin’ for a wife

Screw City Nights
Searchin’ for a wife

May 9, 2021

Lyric Notes:
Inspired by Weezer, The Cars and Cheap Trick!
Screw City is the nickname for Rockford, IL.

Why Are You Afraid of Me (Baby)

I brought you 50 red balloons right before Prom
It was the the craziest thing I’ve done for anyone
I turned up one day to ask you to go on a walk
I think that’s why you decided you were done

Why
Oh why
Oh why
Oh why
Why are you afraid of me
Of me
Of me
Of me
Baby

I saw you between classes, and you looked away
Then turned around and headed down the hall
Babe I had so many things I needed to say
And you also didn’t answer all my phone calls

Why
Oh why
Oh why
Oh why
Why are you afraid of me
Of me
Of me
Of me
Baby

Was it something I did
Was it something I said
Or was it something I didn’t do
Girl, I really wish I knew

Was there something I could have said
Was there something I could have tried
Or were you just passing time
And I didn’t commit a crime, so

Why
Oh why
Oh why
Oh why
Why are you afraid of me
Of me
Of me
Of me
Baby

Baby, ooooooooooooh
Baby, ooooooooooooh
Baby, ooooooooooooh
Baby

May 4, 2021

If You Walk Away

If you walk away
Don’t expect me to chase after you
Don’t expect me to fight for a dream
Deep in your heart won’t come true

If you walk away
Don’t think I’m gonna negotiate
I’m gonna trust the hands of fate
And know that deeply, you knew

It was time for you to go
It was time for you decide
To show me what you felt inside
You had to swallow your pride
Know it’s the right thing to do
It was time for you to make
A break for it away from me
So you could finally be free
Cause I was makin’ you so blue
And if you walk away, walk away
Cause I’d do the same thing, too

If you walk away
Pack up and leave my things
You can keep all those rings
I gave you on your special days

If you walk away
Don’t look back, you’ll be surprised
Tears won’t be falling from my eyes
My blood pressure won’t be raised

I’ll know it was time for you to go
It was time you stood up to me
Rather than tolerate my b.s.
This ain’t what love is meant to be
Just move on, protect yourself
Leave me alone and do it fast
If you think this isn’t gonna last
Cause baby, we’d be happier apart
So if you walk away, walk away
Know you won’t be breaking my heart

Oh no… Babe I love you,
but you won’t be breaking my heart

April 27, 2021

Maui

Mom and Dad took a trip to Maui
I was all alone for a few days
Gary said we’d throw a party
And for it, I’d get high praise

Don’t know how many were invited
But it got out of hand pretty fast
Word of mouth was how it got out
Everyone but me had a blast

Our dog Joey got out of our yard
Our rotary phone disappeared
A plant fell off the microwave
And that’s when things got weird

I found some girl in my parents room
Trying on Mom’s dresses and shoes
Someone got into my brother’s records
Everyone drank all the booze

It smelled funny in the main bath
The fire poker walked out the door
Someone was locked in my bedroom
There was trash all over the floor

Cops showed up and were speechless
I was ashamed by how bad it looked
They didn’t charge anyone with anything
But I was sure my goose was cooked

My parents got home from Maui
They grounded me for a little while
It was the craziest thing I’ve ever done
But when I think about it now, I smile

MKG

When She Looks Back

There’s a friend of mine
She’s got kids and a home
But the guy is gone
And she doesn’t understand why
She’s got a good job
At a big ol’ company
She has a close-knit family
She can’t see why he said goodbye

And when she looks back
She sees the white picket fence
She sees her incredible parents
Who were married for years and years
And when she looks back
She sees she was raised up right
She’s into forgiving after a fight
Loves laughing instead of tears
She can’t figure out what she did wrong
As she listens to her favorite song
When she looks back

I don’t know her that well, really
She’s my social media friend
And I will sometimes pretend
I knew her back in High School
And she’s in the same year as me
Class of 87, named University
Studied Communication & Speech
While I was just a quiet pining fool

And when I see her smile
As I check her Instagram
I don’t see imperfection
Oh, I think, “Hot Damn”

And when she looks back
I know it’s not me she sees, it’s him
Who played on that team in the gym
Who she fell for so long ago
And when she looks back
I can’t help but look back too
And see the hell he put her through
There’s so much I want her to know
Cause when she looks back,
It’s not a place that she should go

Cause when she looks back
She sees the white picket fence
She sees her incredible parents
Who were married for years and years
And when she looks back
She sees she was raised up right
She’s into forgiving after a fight
Loves laughing instead of tears
She can’t figure out what she did wrong
As she listens to her favorite song
But there’s so much in front of her on the road
As she looks back, As she looks back
Oh, she don’t have to look back no more

April 23, 2021

A Patriot’s Poem

Dedicated our our Armed Forces who have unselfishly served America through so many wars.
Thank you for your service. – MKG

If you want to say you can’t stand for the flag
In a classroom or sporting event, cause it’s wrong
And should we really pledge allegiance to a symbol
Why can’t we kneel as we sing a patriotic song?

Why respect a piece of cloth with stripes and stars?
Why honor a land that’s filled with so many flaws?
On top of that you cite it as your freedom to start
An Anti-United States of America cause

Let me tell you son, that flag is better than us
It will live longer than all of us here in the USA
Everything we have we owe to the protection
From soldiers who guard us night and day

They put their lives on the line to see we live
To watch our kids grow to be women and men
And when our soldiers die while on tour of duty
We see the flag cover their coffins again & again

You’re saying you feel like you never belonged
You say racism exists and you want us to pay
And you’ll burn the flag that has united us
That has been with us and shown us the way

Well I know some people won’t forgive others
And some work at it like a riddle without clues
There are those who forget who wronged them
And those who don’t want to decide or choose

I think I’d rather believe in what each of us does
To promote goodwill and peace from sea to sea
Erases every discrimination and hurt slowly
And turns this Country into what we want to be.

Matthew Kenneth Gray
April 19, 2021

Tall Drink of Water

What’s a tall drink of water doin’
With short, fat, balding me anyway?
Why does she want to be with me
Until my final dying day?

I’m not rich, handsome or suave
In fact I’m a bit of an obnoxious slob
Who likes hot dogs & corn on the cob
She stays instead of running away

What’s a tall drink of water doin’
With this stinky, disgusting man?
Does she think I’m a fixer upper, and
I’m like eggs in a pan

Who aren’t much when fryin’
They just look like they’re dyin’
Then after all the pain & cryin’
They transform as best they can

To a hearty breakfast out at Cape Cod
Where locals give each other a head nod
They say the food is amazing like the view
I mean, I’m not even well-to-do

What’s a tall drink of water doin’
With a mess like me, it’s weird
Why does she think I’m special
To me, it’s not so clear

I’m not like the men from the city
I’m far from groomed or pretty
Maybe it’s all out of pity
I’m not Brad Pitt or Richard Gere

I’m like a mix of a broke bum on a street
That red flag guy you never want to meet
Who’s bitter, and she loves me even more
What’s that tall drink of water with me for?

What’s that tall drink of water with me for?

April 13, 2021

Another lyric I think would be good for a project I’m creating called “Goomba Town.”

Soon, You’ll Have Tacos

We were driving in the middle of nowhere
With the windows open and I felt her stare
We were starving and she wanted Taco Bell
I couldn’t agree more, I wanted it as well

I said soon,
Babe, soon
Soon, Soon
Soon, Soon
You’ll have tacos
Oh yeah –
Soon, you’ll have tacos

The sign said the next town was miles away
Her hungry stomach told her it wasn’t ok
Not even a Snickers would change her mood
Cause she couldn’t wait to have Mexican food

I said soon,
Babe, soon
Soon, Soon
Soon, Soon
You’ll have tacos
Oh yeah –
Soon, you’ll have tacos

She was getting crazy
It was getting dark
But we got to the lot
She said stop the car

I said, soon,
Babe, soon
Soon, soon
Soon, Soon
You’ll have tacos
Oh yeah –
Soon, you’ll have tacos

We went to the door they locked it shut
Then she almost kicked my sorry butt
The thing that saved me was the drive thru
And it was better than a dream come true

Cause we were havin’ tacos
We were havin’ really good tacos
Instead of sayin’ soon you’ll have tacos
I said, “How did you like the tacos, dear?”
And she said,

“They were great, now let’s go to that bar
And have some ice cold American beer.”

April 9, 2021

Here’s the Good Part

Things have been shaping up
Things are really great now
Better than a year ago
I got out of the cellar somehow
It was right around the the time
When you ghosted me
And I figured out for myself
We were no baffling mystery

And here’s the good part
The part when I didn’t cry
When knew I’d move on
Cause it was all a lie
Yeah here’s the good part
You didn’t break my heart
You hit the road, really showed
Me what we couldn’t be
And here’s the good part
I don’t mind being single and free

I bought a mountain bike
And a bunch of sportswear
I started an Insta account
And posted my selfies there
I got my first batch of likes
It felt so great to just create
And nurture my yearning soul
With solid habits & better state

And here’s the good part
I fell in love with life again
I didn’t get sad and hide
Thinkin’ about way back when
And here’s the good part
It was an honest gift from you
It was the right thing to do
The catch & release,
you’re no missing piece
What we had wasn’t true
And here’s the good part
Instead of falling apart, I grew

That’s the good part
That’s the good part
Yeah that’s the good part
Instead of falling apart
I grew, I grew
and I hope you did, too
Oh, I hope, I hope
and pray you did too.

April 7, 2021