Featuring… A Reader's Music

Featuring… A Reader's Music March 26, 2014

A gentleman named Judson Hair left a nice comment on one of my songwriting posts recently, inviting me to check out his own site and songwriting work. I was very glad that I did. Mr. Hair calls himself a “late bloomer,” trying his hand at songwriting later than most folks first pick up the pen, but seeing that as no excuse not to create. Here is one of his most recent compositions, “Learning to See.” As you know, I’m a pretty merciless song critic, but this one arrested me from verse one. Aspiring writers should study the lyrics carefully (although I believe there are a couple grammatical slips in the final stanza).

I pleased Judson greatly by instantly naming three artists I suspected (rightly) had influenced him: Gordon Lightfoot, Don McLean and Dan Fogelberg. Check out his site Footprints in the Sand here.
When he left her standin’ there he could see it all so clear
A year away would do ’em both some good
She couldn’t understand when he let go of her hand
And probably she never really would
If you go and leave, are you ever comin’ back?
Will I ever see you anymore?
He slowly walked away and she saw him disappear
Then she turned and very gently closed the door
Read on for full lyrics.

“Learning To See”
When he finally settled down back in his old hometown
With the weight of all the past inside his head
He woke up that first day with his spirit in decay
Over something he recalled that she had said
She said comin’ back home won’t be easy for you boy
Once you think you’ve left it all behind
Learnin’ how to see will be harder than it seems
Once you have discovered you’ve been blind
When he left her standin’ there he could see it all so clear
A year away would do ‘em both some good
She couldn’t understand when he let go of her hand
And probably she never really would
If you go and leave, are you ever comin’ back?
Will I ever see you anymore?
He slowly walked away and she saw him disappear
Then she turned and very gently closed the door
Time is a healer or so somebody said
Time makes the heart grow fonder yet
Time spent running from the things that matter most of all
Is something we’re not likely to forget
Filled with deep remorse when the day had run its course
He traced his footsteps from a year before
He said a silent prayer as he lingered on the stair
Then reached to gently tap upon her door
He thought, comin’ back home sure ain’t easy is it boy?
Once you thought you’d left it all behind
Learnin’ how to see can be harder than it seems
Once you have discovered you’ve been blind
Frozen into place as she stared into the face
Of the one who walked away a year ago
The gift that she’d been blessed she held closely to her breast
Mirror image of the man she still loved so
She said, welcome back home we’ve been waitin’ for you boy
We prayed you wouldn’t leave us both behind
Open up your eyes, it’s not so hard to do
Once you have discovered you’ve been blind
Time is a healer or so somebody said
Time makes the heart grow fonder yet.
Comin’ back home to all the things that matter most of all
Is something you’re not likely to regret.


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