Category Archives: Inspired by High School

Amesti Angel

We met back in High School
She was in Madrigal and Choir
She sang like no one’s business
She had a certain special fire

But she loved to ride horses
At her parents’ ranch for hours
Bought her a rose on Valentines Day
But she never liked gettin’ flowers

She liked goin’ out to the Seacliff beach
She liked goin’ to drive-in picture shows
I’d see her with her group of friends
We never dated but that’s how it goes
She had this big ol’ heart for us all
And she never stopped supporting me
My special and sweet Amesti Angel
Who wanted me to be what I wanted to be

As the college years rushed by
She got her degree and met a man
They found a simple kind of love and
They made the most of our God’s plan

They had a full house of daughters
And a life they carefully designed
Gone was that teenaged crazy girl
Who I never got to wine and dine

But I’d go out to the Seacliff Beach
I’d go to the drive-in picture shows
I’d see her out with her group of friends
We never dated but that’s how it goes
She had this big o’ heart for us all
She was my pal through thick and thin
My special & sweet Amesti Angel
Who I know I’ll visit again and again

I see her life on Instagram now
And I know she’s happier there
With her kids & handsome husband
Goin’ ev’ry year to the County Fair

Now I’m no longer goin’ to Seacliff Beach
Or any of those drive-in picture shows
And all of our friends have scattered
We’re living our lives, that’s how it goes
She still keeps in touch with everyone
With really funny Facebook updates
Our special & sweet Amesti Angel
Who cheered us on to do our dream
Our sweet Amesti Angel
Cool as Driscoll’s strawberries & cream

December 3, 2020

If I Had More Money

She didn’t break up with me
Cause I said the wrong thing
She didn’t cut me off permanently
Cause she didn’t like the songs I’d sing
when I’d serenade her from her lawn
And the neighbors would sing along
No, she said if I had more money
Things wouldn’t have turned out wrong

She liked all our date nights
and parking out by the shore
She didn’t stop seeing me cause I never
walked her up to her parents’ front door
She said the kisses we shared there
Made her tingle and filled her with joy
She just said if I had more money
I’d absolutely be the right boy

So, I worked and worked
At my parents’ Hallmark Store
And I asked her out again
But unfortunately,
Since she was free
And dated older men
Who had nicer cars and clothing,
They’d go dancing and get meals
Like Steakburgers and fries
Or whatever she desired
When her parents told mine
I was bothering her all the time
They took away my car
And I got fired…. Fired….

So, as I sit here in my bedroom
Feeling sorry for my crime
I dream about that one sweet day
When I will make that girl mine
I’ll get good grades in school
Sure, it’ll take a little while
But when I have more money
I’ll be at the front of the line
And I’ll qualify to be her Valentine

Yes, I’ll qualify to be her Valentine

May 19, 2020

A Reunion Tale

A wave of nausea hit him as he walked through the halls
He remembered their mocking and physical abuse
They teased him heartlessly & kicked him in the balls
But he knew they changed and he’s different too
He sauntered into the reunion in his suit and tie
His gorgeous girlfriend was holding his hand
She knew how hard High School was, his inner why
She was the manager of his Western Swing Band

And oh, he knows he’s no longer that boy
With the thrift store bought guitar
And oh, he knew that girl who was by herself
and drinking shots of tequila at the bar
So, he walked up and said, “How’ve you been?”
She said her guilt consumed her from within
He looked into her honest, caring eyes
He forgave her with a hug, stayed civilized

An old bully of his shot over and split them apart
He said, “Get your hands off her you creep”
Instead of being defensive and guarding his heart
He said the words that cut that bully deep
“I’m not that wounded teen anymore,
I’m consoling her, can’t you see she feels so bad
For the way she treated me, she knows it was wrong
The fact that you haven’t changed is so, so sad.”

And oh, what that bitter bully swiftly did
Was throw a sucker punch in his face
Then he quickly but quietly walked away
To the entrance of that crowded place
A couple classmates called immediately
for a soon as possible ambulance
The bully’s victim was attended to
Like he was some kind of honorable prince

He sauntered into the reunion in his suit and tie
His gorgeous girlfriend was holding his hand
She knew his inner why, how hard High School was
She was the manager of his Western Swing band
But he left the party alone and she stayed behind
Took the time to write down the witnesses’ names
She said she’d get his attorneys in contact with them
Cause gone were those teenaged fun and games

They sued that bitter broken bully and they won
Then that female classmate shot him with her gun

May 17, 2020

Foolish Expectations

I thought in you, I found a friend
One who would be there until death
We fought like good friends do
So I began holding my breath

There was a day when I knew
You didn’t want me to know you
It was after many things you said
hammered at once inside my head

Foolish expectations
I knew you well enough to know
One day you’d break out of here
And wouldn’t call before you’d go
Foolish expectations
Made messes of you & me
But l knew I’d be cut free
Cause It was less than you
assumed it would ever be
My lack of clarity vanished when
I pulled an apple from the tree
Once I saw there was no me in we

If I was such an awful teenager
If I was a heartless reckless nerd
and you knew I wasn’t changing
You didn’t say a single word

There was an attack via silence
The tell was in your secret plans
And years later you bitched that
You left with nothing in your hands

Foolish expectations
You knew me enough to know
You’d break out of here one day
You wouldn’t call before you’d go
Foolish expectations
Made messes of you & me
But I knew you’d cut me free
Cause it was less than you
assumed it would ever be
My lack of clarity vanished when
I pulled that apple from the tree
Once I saw there was no me in we

Once I saw there was no me in we

April 16, 2020

Where’s My Veronica?

She’s the girl on my street
She’s light on her feet
She knows me all too well
I like her so, so much
Though our lips never touched
And her secrets I won’t tell

And if she’s my Betty
Then where’s my Veronica?
Yeah if she’s my Betty
Then where’s my Veronica?
If she’s not who I’m meant for
Then there’s someone else for me
Yeah, if she’s my Betty
Then I know I’ll be
Veronica’s cup of tea

Ronnie won’t be demure
Oh yeah, she’ll be the cure
For this hunger inside my heart
And she’ll deeply know
I won’t ever let her go
Even if one day, we part

But if Betty’s here
And Veronica is found
A girl like Cherry Blossom
Will most likely be around
She’ll be judging us all
Making us feel so small
I’ll want to save her as well
Cause she’s going through hell
Her family life is hell

Jughead Jones is my friend
Betty would be good for him
Opposites though, they are
Maybe if I write a great song
Ronnie will want to sing along
and we’ll double date in my car

So if Betty‘s across the street
Then where’s my Veronica?
Yeah if Betty’s across the street
Then where’s my Veronica?
If Betty’s not who I’m meant for
And I can’t be with Miss Grundy
who lives far away & too old for me
Then I know I’ll be
Veronica’s cup of tea
Yes I know I’ll be
Veronica’s cup of tea

April 9, 2020

Lyric Notes: This is the second song lyric I’ve written that was inspired by Riverdale. Songs inspired by Pop Culture isn’t new and I’m slowly figuring out that it’s a really great way to step inside various characters. In this case, it’s a teen character who is empathizing with Archie Andrews from Riverdale because a girl who is good friends with lives on his street and he figures out people in his life there in town could be just like those in the show!

To the Lake and Back

I had a few dollars in my wallet
And I asked her for a walk into town
She went upstairs to get her sweater
And said to me she’d be right down

Then she walked down the staircase
She was showin’ those pearly whites
She winked at me & said she was happy
I could tell it was one of those nights

I told her I loved her to the lake and back
I’d say she was the one I wanted forever
I’d paint her dreams with my sincere words
Each day with her got better & better
I felt so fine with her hand in mine
As I told her my truth line after line
When we got to the sign by the track
She said she loved me to the lake and back

We dated all through my Senior Year
Even though we went to different schools
Our parents thought it was just puppy love
Acting like a couple of lovesick fools

On Graduation Day, she sat with Momma
They didn’t know each other very well
But from what I saw, they got along
A good sign for us as far as I could tell

She said she loved me to the lake and back
She said I was the one she wanted forever
Momma knew those were heartfelt words
She said “You’re good for him, you better”
It felt so good to me that they got along
I knew everything would be just fine
I felt like I was a big winner of blackjack
Man, I loved her to the lake and back

We married in a chapel out in the country
And we promised “Til death do us part”
Every early evening we would take a walk
To this day she still has my devoted heart

But now my love has gone away to Heaven
And I’m raising our daughter best I can
I pray to God she will one day fall in love
With someone who’s honest & has a plan

He’ll say he loves her to the lake and back
Tell her she’s the one he wants forever
Paint her dreams with his sincere words
And each day will get better & better
He’ll feel so fine with her hand in his
As I he tells his truth line after line
And when they get to the sign by the track
She’ll say she loves him to the lake and back

She’ll say she loves him to the lake and back

July 17, 2019

Luck

She knew my story likely a little too well
It was the kind of tale I couldn’t quite sell
I was a bunch of basic for someone like her
She was the same age, but more mature

She had admirers who were older than me
Who I’d get to know and like reluctantly
I was jealous of those guys who she dated
She’d treat me like she and I were related

Sometimes we’d hug and I’d look in her eyes
Like at the County Fair when I won her a prize
And I thought eventually I’d have a chance
Like the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance
We had a great time, everything was right
And we sat on the bed of my pickup truck
But we never kissed and I was outta luck

She had light Auburn wavy hair & freckled face
We’d spend time together just about everyplace
I’d pick her up in my Chevy I bought from my Dad
And I’d spend every last nickel, everything I had

The more I did with her, more boys came around
Guess they wanted some of the happiness I found

Cause
Sometimes we’d hug and I’d look in her eyes
Like at the County Fair when I won her a prize
One night she asked me what was wrong
I told her she and I felt like a great song
I said, I felt like everything was going right
As we sat on the bed of my pickup truck
But we didn’t kiss then and I was outta luck

Years later I ran into her at the local corner bar
She was promoting alcohol & looked like a star
And I asked if she could go out after her shift
Turns out she wanted to give me a special gift

That night we hugged and I looked in her eyes
She was beaming like when I won her that prize
She said she was sorry for how she treated me
She just felt like we were better as like family
But then she switched and kissed my lips
As we sat on the bed of my Silverado truck
Suddenly I had that girl and a lifetime of luck

Oh, suddenly,
I had that girl
and a lifetime of luck.

April 5, 2019

That Kind of Wrong That’s Right

We met in high school
She was trouble for me
She lived across town
In a broken family

I was really lucky
I had some stability
That attracted her
To her I was somebody

We split at least twice
The fights weren’t nice
We’d make up very fast
I didn’t think we would last
Now at the end of every night
I turn off my bedside light
And I shut my eyes
Knowing we’re that kind
That kind of wrong that’s right
That kind of wrong that’s right

She’s doesn’t cook or clean
At least she isn’t mean
She can balance our books
And has great hygeine

She’s got a blazing heart
And is stubborn as can be
But when her hand’s on my cheek
She’s all I’ll ever want or need

We split at least twice
The fights weren’t nice
We’d make up very fast
I didn’t think we would last
Now at the end of every night
I turn off my bedside light
And I shut my sleepy eyes
Knowing we’re that kind
That kind of wrong that’s right
That kind of wrong that’s right

Her parents don’t like me at all
That just makes her love me more
If they start yelling in our place
She quickly shows them to the door
They say I’m too easy on her
They say they’re deeply worried
We just look over at each other
The tell ’em we love our journey

We split at least twice
The fights weren’t nice
We’d make up very fast
I didn’t think we would last
Now at the end of every night
I turn off my bedside light
And I shut my sleepy eyes
Knowing we’re that kind
That kind of wrong that’s right

That kind of wrong that’s right

March 1, 2019

There’s No Shame In Being A Country Boy

You can be ashamed of being a rich kid
’cause your parents give you what you want
You can be ashamed of being middle class
and of Uncle Jeb who’s a chef at a restaurant
You can be ashamed of your hand-me-downs
and your little baby brother named Roy
You can be ashamed of all your relatives
but there’s no shame in being a country boy

You can be ashamed of your troubled Ma
who treats waiters like they did her wrong
You can be ashamed that David Allen Coe
wrote your favorite Outlaw Towering Song
You can be ashamed of Granddaddy’s cabin
You can be ashamed of all your cheap toys
You can be ashamed of your unworn boots
but there’s no shame in being a country boy

‘Cause you wake up in the morning
and you feed the animals we own
And you’ll take pride in raising them
‘Cause it’s due to you they’ve grown
You were taught to do these chores for us
to build your heart with compassion & gold
There’s no shame in being a country boy, son
Life’s not what’s your image or in your billfold

You can be ashamed you don’t say things right
You can be ashamed of that beater you drive
You can be ashamed of our three-legged dog
and old gray mare out there who’s still alive
You can be ashamed of this old farmhouse
Here in the smack dab center of Illinois
But son, I know one day you’ll remember us
and say you liked growing up as a country boy

‘Cause country boys end up with country girls
and know how to raise a hardworking family
We make damn sure you’re never hungry
This old farm is worth more than a degree
You want to go off to a hoity-toity college
But son, don’t forget everything I’ve said
There’s no shame in being a country boy
Don’t let the big time get to your head

Son, there’s no shame in being a country boy
Don’t let the big time get to your head

February 10, 2019