If I Had Eyes

(credit to Jack Johnson.)

So as some of the world knows, I play guitar. A smaller part of the world knows I write songs, and an even smaller, minuscule part has heard me perform them. I've filled up two notebooks of songs and I've only performed two songs in front of people. Anyways, this is what this post is about; writing music.

Here's one I just wrote, it took like 15 minutes.

One of my favorite feelings in the entire world happens when I'm listening to music, and all of a sudden a sentence starts running through my head..and it won't stop until I write it down. Tonight it was "can't leave this love we couldn't start" (I know, double negative. sue me) and the rest is history. Some songs only go as far as a chorus, maybe one verse. My favorite ones fill up a page or more (like this one), and it takes less than twenty minutes. Its like my head and heart and hand are all connected in the same purpose of expressing whatever I'm feeling at that moment. Half the time these songs find themselves put to a guitar, but sometimes my inexperience in playing doesn't cut it (plus playing and singing at the same time is stinkin' hard). People ask me to sing what I write, and I pretty much always say no. Not because I'm not proud of what I wrote and not even that I'm embarrassed by my so-so voice. Whenever I finally get whatever is repeating in my head down on paper, I literally forget it. But when I go back and re-read songs I've written in the past, those emotions come back brand new. Most of them are sad, brought on by heartbreak. Some are bittersweet, few are about being happy. And its not that I'm not a happy person! Its just so happens the not-so-happiest feelings bring on the best songs.

If you've ever wanted to play the guitar just take the leap, pick one up and start learning. Its one of the best decisions I've made in my life thus far. I can't even describe how much its helped me get through difficult times. It seems silly that writing a song would help, but its does. It gets all that pent up anger/sadness/loneliness/heartbreak out of your system, and helps you direct it in a healthy way :)

I think one of my new "this boy could be the one" requisites is that I'll be comfortable enough to perform a song in front of him. Or even just let him read what I've written!

There's my midnight inspired ranting.