The Power of Friends

Sometimes I feel like I have the most active social life when I'm sitting at home alone on the 4th of July because the person I thought I had plans with told me otherwise with one days' notice.  Ever have that happen?  Don't get me wrong, I have lots of friends, but when you have not much time it's hard to make much plan (yes, I know how that sounds). I decided to at least be a little productive and actually post at least twice in a single summer month!  Look at me being all wise with my time (I say after having just turned off Food Network following a three hour stint)!

To those who actually read and comment on things, that really helps me out a great deal.  Obviously if my goal is to write a musical, even if it never hits broadway, I want to at least know what people are thinking of the rough drafts I develop.  I still wish I could actually get some live recordings with vocals of some of this stuff so it's not all so lackluster, but c'est la vie ("La vie!" :))

Earlier in March I posted a rough draft of a song I named "Call Me" from this same musical Pride I've been working on.  I finally got around to playing around with some ideas for lyrics.  I mentioned in the original post that the song idea and melody came to me when I was half asleep, well that included lyrics as well.  Unfortunately even the next morning I forgot nearly all the lyrics that had come to my head.  They may not have even been that interesting anyway - I was half unconscious at the time, for crying out loud!  The only things that stuck were the first two lines of the chorus, which is why they repeat.  Keep in mind also that this is a rough draft, so don't be too harsh.

One thing I've noticed is that I'm not that good at creating stories (unless they're stories like Lewis Carroll would write, because I'm really good at nonsense stories - maybe one day I'll post "The Adventures of the Peach and the Apricot"), however I'm decent at satirizing my own life or reworking experiences I am highly familiar with.  Lyrics sort of follow the same suit.  This is one reason why it can be hard for me to share things because, when it comes to stuff for this show, it's automatically kind of personal.  I just want to help others out from the things that I've learned, and this song is meant to give the sort of advice I received from many great friends in my life.

When life hits us hard we often just see all the bad.
It leaves us so frightened, bitter, so angry and sad.
Sometimes when that hits
It's easy to give up,
To throw in the towel,
But, buddy, please don't shut me out.
I'm reaching out.

Call me, call me when the sun goes down.
Call me, call me when the lights go out.
I know you're feeling alone,
You're feeling lost and depressed,
Just know I'm here by your side
And that I'll never rest
To see you safely home.
No, you're not alone.

I've watched you so long, I've seen you have courage, be strong.
To see you like this, I have to admit - it seems wrong.
What happened to joy?
What happened to laughter?
Denying yourself,
Ignoring our pleas and our shouts,
Please just reach out.

Call me, call me when the sun goes down.
Call me, call me when the lights go out.
I know you're feeling alone,
But that's so far from what's real.
You have your friends by your side,
And if you'll just kneel
And ask Him for that peace,
You'll feel that happy release.

Call me, I'll be there by your side.
Never surrender.
Keep smiling through.
Call me.


These are a few pictures of some of my amazing friends who have given this sort of advice to me in the last couple of years.  Yes, I'm aware the pictures aren't the greatest, but I suppose that can also protect the identities of the innocent! :)