Mar 2022 alt-country collab nashville from-the-heart
I was impressed with the emotional depth of Doug's lyrics and having recently moved to the Nashville area, I was interested in composing some music for them. He must have something good going on since I'm the 4th one to write music for these lyrics.
This music was composed and recorded literally somewhere (~24 miles) East of Nashville.
I made a point not to listen to any of the other versions of this song until after I post mine.
One of the reasons I came to Nashville was to live my dream of being a full-time musician so I couldn't let the story end where Doug's lyrics stopped. Hence the hopeful reprise.
Doug: I'm glad you added the upbeat reprise, since you are there living your dream. Thank you for a very cool song!
I’ve pulled the car to the side of the road
Somewhere east of Nashville
It’s blazing hot and the A/C’s off
And still I’m feeling frozen
And a voice inside my head just said
“You really should turn around”
But I’ve taken stock and know if I knock
On any more doors that just aren’t gonna open
A tender part of my once-brave heart
Will stop
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
There’s no one who can say I didn’t try
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
To leave behind a dream that hasn’t died
I’m taking deep breaths on the side of the road
Somewhere east of Nashville
I picture Ma and the star she saw
I don’t know what I’ll tell her
On the day I left, car pointed west
Her eyes had lit up with pride
A smile so big, imagining gigs
Me living like Elvis rather than in a cellar
What will she do when I walk on through
Her door?
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
There’s no one who can say I didn’t try
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
To leave behind a dream that hasn’t died
Tears might be falling on the side of the road
Somewhere east of Nashville
Pawned my guitar to gas up the car
I almost wish I hadn’t
When I look ahead, I feel half dead
I swore I’d outshine the sun
Need to come to grips with this total eclipse
When even one ray of sunlight leaves me saddened
I won’t be king, not of anything
At all
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
There’s no one who can say I didn’t try
It’s harder than I ever could imagine
To leave behind a dream that hasn’t died
I’ve pulled the car to the side of the road
Somewhere east of Nashville
[Reprise]
Wipe your tears
Keep it here
Somewhere East of Nashville
Start the car
You'll go far
Somewhere East of Nashville
@berni1954 Mar 2022
These are really fabulous lyrics. Four Versions? What a tribute to them!
Every version brings something else to the table. You make the narrator sound a little more hopeful and that helps us accept the more positive addition at the end. So he won't make it in clique driven Nashville - but somewhere else someone will recognise his talent and his dream will come true!
@dreamscuba Mar 2022
I love this song...loads of lovely acoustic guitars and great vocals. I dig the interpretation of the lyrics. Great song.
@sheilerk Mar 2022
I always heard Nashville is a ten year town. If you can't put in the ten years of writing, playing, getting to know and support others in the community, you probably won't make it in Nashville. But, ten years is a long time, and many people don't have that kind of time, and have to leave. The sad thing of course is, there's so much talent there, but it's not all about talent, it's also about putting in the time. This song reminded me about that. Some of the lines that really hit me were,"Pawned my guitar to gas up the car, almost wish I hadn't", and, "Need to come to grips with this total eclipse When even one ray of sunlight leaves me saddened." The thing is, eclipses bring total darkness, but they never last long. Which is why I really liked the uplifting ending. Battered but not broken.
@jeff9 Mar 2022
Well done! So amazing to hear all these different interpretations and musical renditions of Doug's appealing lyric. Great flow to this one, which I can testify was not all that easy to do given the length, structure and rhyme scheme of the verses
@cheslain Mar 2022
Great work! Nicely flowing vocal melody and a pleasantly laid back delivery. Cool arrangement where new elements are introduced gradually. Loving those sus4 (I think) chords. Wonderful to hear so many versions of these great lyrics. The optimistic ending was a nice touch.