This is a recently written tune I rough drafted last night on my little Tascam, using its crappy built-in mic and laying it down in one straight take. 

One singer-songwriter cliche is the chord progression I’m using here, which relies on holding the top treble strings (on the guitar) constant while changing things up on the bass strings.  I would say that every songwriter has at least one tune that plays with this group of chords in some variant or other.  This is my first foray into that trite little pool. 

I’m also not sure about where this sits in my range currently.  I have this capoed on the third fret, which sticks the top notes smack in the whiniest part of my register (unless I take extreme measures to avoid that, which is not my habit).  Sometimes that works, sometimes not.  Haven’t decided in this case yet.

Finally, there’s the lyrics. As my 32nd birthday was this week, I’ve been feeling very contemplative about what it means to get older, what I’m doing with my life, where I thought I’d be by now, where I actually am, societal expectations, yada yada yada.  This song is part of what came out of that pondering.

I’d love to get feedback on any aspect of this tune, if you feel called to offer some, either here or via e-mail to TariRocks at gmail dot com.  Thanks for giving it a listen!

ETA:  Here are the lyrics:

They’re calling me “ma’am” these days
And I’m dyeing red over grays
Mis-spent youth fades into haze
Wheel turns like a record plays

I’m not as young as I used to be
There’s so many younger than me
I guess it happens naturally
But I thought I’d feel differently

Where’s the wisdom I was promised?
I have no answers if I’m honest
Time keeps passing, I can’t keep laughing
‘Cause I’m not far from where I started

My heart beats out steady pace
Moving me through time and space
Still don’t even know my own place
By now you’d think that I’d have found some grace

I’m still basically bumbling around
Trying to keep both feet on the ground
Half the time I don’t know where I’m bound
Turning up in the lost and found

Where’s the healing for this hurting?
Why the hell am I still searching?
Time keeps flying, I keep crying
‘Cause I’m not far from where I started

I don’t know why but I thought somehow
I’d be something more than I am now
It’s not like I want to take some vow
But maybe someday I could take a bow

They’re calling me “ma’am” these days
And I’m dyeing red over grays
Mis-spent youth fades into haze
Wheel turns like a record plays

Where’s the wisdom I was promised?
I have no answers if I’m honest
Time keeps flying, I keep cyring
‘Cause I’m not far from where I started

They’re calling me “ma’am” these days…