“Company” - a song about hanging in there
There are some superheroes with healing powers that take the pain/wound/malady upon themselves, leaving the injured/hurt person clean and free and them on the brink of destruction. Songs do that for me, but they seem to have a never ending threshold for what they can take on.
Story Pairing
I have always considered myself to be pretty social. The idea of never having a person to share amazing moments with is scary. I know when I am on the road touring, I run into so many neat things. It’s one of the positives of social media, we can share the things we find interesting, exciting, beautiful, and find like minds (let’s just leave it there and focus on the positives…).
When I was a kid, my mom shares a story where I was perpetually lonely. I have to imagine I was an amazing child, and at two years old probably charming, funny, well read, etc. One thing that was missing was a sibling. I of course don’t remember being 2, but I also don’t remember a time where I didn’t have siblings. The idea of that is crushingly somber. Being a brother, especially a big brother, is easily one of the top joys in my life**. So when my sister Liz was born, my mom says we were pretty inseparable. I was there lending a hand (my mom is saint for that I am sure) and starting my journey into being a sibling.
I am beyond fortunate to have 6 siblings now, all that do amazing things, have some of the best personalities ever, and add so much to my life. Sure we’ve had our ups and downs, but they are a group I know has my back and I theirs. I think of my siblings almost every time I play this song, especially the second verse.
** I hated sitting next to my brother when we would go to Dairy Queen. The amount of ice cream that would get all over him and start to drip down his carseat into my space was troubling. Kids eating messy foods and then trying to touch me is my nightmare.
Song Structure
C shape walkdown through the ever lovely Am and G shapes. This is used so much in folk songs that it’s borderline ridiculous.
Personally I probably have 6+ songs that dance around this idea. I love it.
Townes and Guy Clark used this to the max and when listening and learning their tunes early on, I adopted it into my arsenal and used the crap out of it.
Case in point.
Voice Memos
Notebook Page
April 2020
Lyrics
Spring is softly singing, but you don't hear a thing
Your head it's underwater and you chose right now to drink
I'll sit here with you brother, I'll sit here if you need
We don't have a lot to do and I could use the company
Dreams are softly fading, took the train to the next town
It's hard to keep your chin up when those dreams they aren't around
I'll sit here with you sister, I'll sit here if you need
We don't have a lot to do and I could use the company
And sorrow may be dragging, muddy feet across the floor
Times like these, you and me, find what were living for
and until he gets to leavin, come in close, pull up a seat
You need to remember that you haven't lost our love
The children may have left the nest but it's home they still think of
I'll sit here with you mother, I'll sit here if you need
We don't have a lot to do and I could use the company
Them calloused hands aint working, dusty boots now clean
Don't be sad you shut the shop or you closed that cash machine
I'll sit here with you father, I'll sit here if you need
We don't have a lot to do and I could use the company
And sorrow may be dragging, muddy feet across the floor
Times like these, you and me, find what were living for
and until he gets to leavin, come in close, pull up a seat
Don't forget the sunshine, don't shy from the rain
Right now may be storming, but the birds they'll sing again
I'll sit here with you friend, I'll sit here if you need
We don't have a lot to do and I could use the company