Category Archives: Inspired by People

Adult Themes, Americana, Autobiographical, Ballad, Growing Up, Inspired by High School, Inspired by People, Introspective, Lyrics, No Music Yet, Nostalgia, Rites of Passage

Friends Live On In You

Tonight we’re like the teens we were
years after we faced our fears
All sitting around at this reunion
Laughing and in our eyes are tears

There’s no one out to get us now
There’s nobody we can blame
For how our lives all turned out
At least nothing stayed the same

I look back on those days knowing
We all made it through in one piece
We got through the rites of passage
Our squeaky wheels got the grease
And it feels so good to be here
It’s like no time has passed, it’s true
You can move away from everyone
But your old friends live on in you

Memories are still inside of me
Of life here in our little big town
I remember how Patty beamed as she
got her Football Homecoming crown

All the fun we had just hanging out
Eating our burgers & chicken strips
I’ll always remember how it felt
That kiss from my first girl’s lips

I look back on those days knowing
We all made it through in one piece
We got through the rites of passage
Our squeaky wheels got the grease
And it feels so good to be here
It’s like no time has passed, it’s true
You can move away from everyone
But your old friends live on in you

There are ones who couldn’t be here
But that’s OK, they’re safe and well
They’ll stay alive in all the stories
That we’ll always think of and tell

It feels so good to be with you all
It’s like no time has passed, it’s true
You can move away from everyone
But your old friends live in you

Oh, you can move away from everyone
But your old friends live on in you.

January 20, 2022

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About Family, Americana, Ballad, Growing Up, Inspired by a Place, Inspired by Outdoors, Inspired by People, Introspective, Lyrics, Nostalgia, Poem, Verse Poetry, Wistful

Santa Cruz Young

Dedicated to my brothers, Russell Gray & Jeff Gray

Just to ride down that trail again
To see the whole Monterey Bay
And to feel that strong breeze
Against my golden brown face
Just to walk in that neighborhood
To Westlake with my schoolmates
And not have too worry about
What was on our dinner plates

When we were Santa Cruz young
We didn’t think too much about
Things our parents were doing
Like who they were countersuing
Or who had extra special clout
We only cared about each other
Fitting in and good sportsmanship
Riding our bikes around UCSC
We were wild and oh so crazy
As we’d go to the beach for a dip

I remember playing capture the flag
I remember how it all was and felt
And I remember my first crushes
How I thought my heart would melt
I remember my first childhood kiss
With a girl from down the block
And how my Daddy worked so hard
While Mom stayed in and was his rock

Just to be in my old room again
Just to listen to that old record play
And to be around my older brothers
So the mem’ries wouldn’t fade
If I could go back in to Calvin Place
Or hike to the bottom of the hill
I’d want to also go and visit
Ron, Shirley, Christine & Bill

When we were Santa Cruz young
We didn’t think too much about
Things our parents were doing
Like who they were countersuing
Or who had extra special clout
We only cared about each other
Baseball cards and Harvey West
Fitting in and real good manners
Visiting with the Catletts & Danners
And making sure we did our best

Just to ride down that trail again
To see the whole Monterey Bay
And to feel that strong breeze
Against my golden brown face

And to feel that strong breeze
Against my golden brown face

When we were Santa Cruz young
Oh, when we were Santa Cruz young.

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About a Friend, Adult Themes, Autobiographical, Inspired by People, Inspired By Situations, Introspective, Lyrics, No Music Yet, Nostalgia, Old Wounds, Optimism, Piano Song, Wistful

The Last Time You See Me

The last time you see me
I hope I’m best that I can be
I hope I’m not stuck in a tree
The last time you see me

The last time that we talk
I hope it’s after a nice walk
Hope I’m not watchin’ the clock
The last time that we talk

I pray I’m not mean or filled with spite
I wish for a healthy exchange of words
Even if we’re out for a quick drink or bite
I hope we’re joyful like a couple of birds

The last time you look in my eyes
I would prefer it wasn’t a surprise
I hope we hug before our goodbyes
The last time you look in my eyes

I pray we’re not angry, instead at peace
I wish we’ll be pleasant and get along
I hope you know I’ve changed since then
And deep inside I know I was wrong

The last time you see me
I hope you’re happy and smile
I hope my friend, we reconcile
The last time you see me

The last time you see me.

Revised, 2021

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Adult Themes, Ballad, Country Song, Inspired by People, Introspective, Lyrics, No Music Yet, Optimism, Piano Song, Relationships, Romance, Wistful, Women, Young Love

Country Girl

She’ll have bright eyes
And highlighted hair
That girl will be kind
And will treat me fair

I like a good ol’ gal
Who likes to have fun
She’ll be my best pal
But she’ll be the one

Who’ll go out on the dance floor
With her girlfriends in the bar 
In public she’ll be a sweetheart
At home she’ll be my superstar
I’ll take her anywhere for kicks
Even a carnival tilt a whirl
With a goofy grin on her face
Oh, but she’s gotta be a country girl
Yeah she’s gotta be a country girl

She’ll love her horses
At her Daddy’s farm
When we’re on the town
She’ll always take my arm

She’ll be sentimental
And share her fond memories
Of all the good times she’s had
With the sisters from her sorority

She’ll head out on the dance floor
All eyes’ll be on her from the bar 
Everywhere she’ll be a sweetheart
And she’ll be my superstar
I’ll take her anywhere for kicks
Even the Boardwalk tilt a whirl
With a goofy grin on her face
Oh, but she’s gotta be a country girl
Yeah she’s gotta be a country girl

Wearin’ those high rise jeans
And loves her broken in boots
She’s good friends with Mama
And she’s proud of her roots
Family’s important to her
And her friends are too
She’s obsessed with Leann Rimes
And her favorite song is “Blue”

She’ll out drink me at the bar
And she might be a pool shark
Everywhere she’ll be a sweetheart
But she won’t be a walk in the park
I’ll take her anywhere for kicks
Even a State Fair tilt a whirl
She’ll have a goofy grin on her face
Oh, but she’s gotta be a country girl

Yeah she’s gotta be a country girl

August 13, 2021
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Adult Themes, Ballad, Failed Relationships, Inspired by People, Inspired By Situations, Love, Lyrics, Marriage, No Music Yet, Old Wounds, Relationships, Romance, Wistful

Country Club Members

When I met her, I didn’t think I’d end up
being her boyfriend in the wings
She didn’t tell me she was married
She wasn’t wearing her wedding rings

It was out at the tennis courts
we were on a mixed doubles team
She had the scent of wild blueberries
It was like she stepped out of a dream

And boy, did I fall for her
We’d talk about everything
She listened to me
I listened to her
Thinking we’d end up to be
together for the rest of our life
I’d be her heroic husband
and she’d be my dreamy wife
as Country Club members
making bank like they all do
Then something happened
I got an urgent call from you

You knew her and her husband Jim
Turns out you were a mutual friend
I stood there while on my phone
And all I could do was think of when

We sat there in the sun getting lunch
And no one there said a damn word
Man, did I feel so hurt and taken
Man, did I feel like a big ol’ turd

Wow, did I fall for her
We’d talk about everything
She listened to me
I listened to her
Thinking we’d end up to be
together for the rest of our years
I’d be her heroic husband
through all our trials and tears
as Country Club members
like my parents and hers, too
You said you were with him
and found out he already knew

So I had a sit down with her at the club
We had a “Define the Relationship” talk
Then we kissed after it was all over
and went down to the beach for a walk

Boy, did I fall all over again
They didn’t have what we had
She was counting on me
I was counting on her
Planning out what we’d end up to be
Together for the rest of our life
I’d be her heroic husband
and she’d be my forgiven wife
as Country Club members
like my parents and hers, too
And you, Jim and her and I
could end up in love that’s true

Oh yes you, Jim and her and I
could end up in a love that’s true

August 20, 2021

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Americana, Growing Up, Hokum, Inspired by High School, Inspired by People, Inspired By Situations, No Music Yet, Power Pop, Punk Pop, Snarky

Etiquette Nazis

There she is at the dinner party
Telling them all how to behave
There she is at the dinner party
Doin’ that Princess Wave

There she is at the dinner party
Giving orders like an Uppity Dame
Expecting everyone to be Preppy
Expecting everyone to be the same

Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazi
Somebody tell her she’s all wrong
Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazi
Somebody tell her about this song
Somebody tell her we’re all different
Somebody tell her no one cares
Tell her someone blew chunks
At the bottom of the marble stairs

There he is at the Frat mixer
Telling them to use a coaster
There he is at the Frat mixer
Acting like a covert boaster

There he is at the Frat mixer
Sippin’ on his Chardonnay
There he is at the Frat mixer
Not impressed by what we say

Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazi
Somebody tell him he’s all wrong
Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazi
Somebody tell him about this song
Somebody tell him we’re all different
Somebody tell him he’s out of place
Tell him he’s dressed too polished
And he’s got a punchable face… Hey!

We’re all wearing flannels
With worn-out denim and Vans
They don’t like the finger food
But look at them holding hands
Look at them holding hands
Look at them holding hands

Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazis
Somebody tell them they’re wrong
Somebody tell the Etiquette Nazis
Somebody tell them about this song
Somebody tell them we’re all different
Somebody tell them no one cares
Oh, and tell them someone upchucked
All over their Grandma’s chairs

Yeah, tell them someone upchucked
All over their Grandma’s chairs

July 29, 2021

Behind the Lyric: You’ll discover I’m a big fan of the website TV Tropes. It’s actually a great resource to any kind of writer’s device possible and it really provides a shortcut to ideas, which I am a fan of now. So this one is inspired by a specific trope called: Etiquette Nazi. Check it out!

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Autobiographical, Failed Relationships, Grief Song, Heartbreak, Inspired by People, Inspired By Situations, Love, Lyrics, No Music Yet, Nostalgia, Old Wounds, Relationships, Romance, Wistful, Women, Young Love

She Almost Had Me There

She met me through my father
He mentioned I liked jazz bands, too
So she got in touch with me one day
Going out seemed like the thing to do

We went to see Wally and his band
We took a day trip down to Santa Cruz
Hit the coasters, ate some corn dogs
Love seemed effortless to choose

She almost had me there
She almost tugged me closer to her chest
She almost could have been my girl now
Oh how I thought she’d stay the best
My friends were surprised and I was too
We dated longer than other girls they knew
When she said it was over, truth is I cared
Cause she almost had me there

I took her to a couple weddings
Of good friends of mine back then
I had been thinking of getting serious
It really was just a matter of when

We shared incredible chemistry
We bought each other cute little rings
To remind us of the love we shared
And we got each other things

Yeah she almost had me there
She almost tugged me closer to her chest
She almost could have been my girl now
Oh how I thought she’d stay the best
My friends were surprised and I was too
We dated longer than other girls they knew
When she said it was over, truth is I cared
Cause she almost had me there

We almost could have done it
Sealing the deal just wasn’t in the deck
And when I drove home after the breakup
I was an absolute fucking wreck

I was listening to a tape by Matthew Sweet
Singing about some fictional romance
I remembered when we saw Indigo Swing
She kissed me sweetly during that dance

Yeah she almost had me there
She almost tugged me closer to her chest
She almost could have been my girl now
Oh how I thought she’d stay the best
My friends were surprised and I was too
We dated longer than other girls they knew
When she said it was over, truth is I cared
Cause she almost had me there

Yeah she almost had me there
Yeah she almost had me there
Oh, she almost had me there
Yeah she almost had me there

May 31, 2021

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About a Friend, About Family, Americana, From The Trunk, Growing Up, Inspired by a Place, Inspired by People, Inspired By Situations, Introspective, Lyrics, Nostalgia, Poem, Verse Poetry

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

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About a Friend, Adult Themes, Autobiographical, Country Song, Failed Relationships, Heartbreak, Inspired by People, Lyrics, No Music Yet, Nostalgia, Old Wounds, Optimism, Relationships, Unrequited, Wistful, Women, Young Love

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

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