• From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Topic: "Something to Hold"

This is a song of mourning.  It is a slow waltz.
I shall record this tomorrow when I have the house all to myself for a few minutes.

Something to HoldJames McCormick, July 13, 2008


6/8 time, an elegiac waltz


Dedicated to Andreas Galanis (9/9/79 to 3/7/08)


[C]Staring at nothing, nothing stares back


[G]I'm [F]having another [G]nothing at-[G7]tack


They [C]say there is reason, say there is rhyme


I'm [C]looking, I'm looking, but I just can't [C7]find


[F]Something to hold, something to [C]hold.


I'm [G]looking for something, something to [C]hold . . . [G] . . .


[C]Nothing to give, got nothing to trade


[G]Just [F]want to forget the [G]price I have [G7]paid


[C]Memory dims, images fade


My [C]anchors are gone, I'm drifting a-[C7]way


repeat chorus


Pa-[C]rade rolls by, I lost my place


[G]Can't [F]feel the beat, can't [G]find the [G7]pace


They [C]say it takes courage, they say it takes pride


I'm [C]stumbling, stumbling, can't find my [C7]stride


Some [F]hold to love, some [Em]hold to what gleams


[Dm]Some hold the past or to [G7]desperate dreams


[F]Cruelty and greed have [Em]taken their toll


My [Dm]heart's in pieces, [Em]never be [G]whole


[C]Day runs to night, night runs to day


[G]The [F]color's all gone, [G]everything's [G7]grey


They [C]say there's tomorrow, say I will heal



But [C]nothing I know seems to be [C7]real


repeat chorus


[C]TIred of thinking, tired of lies


[G]My [F]chalice is empty, my [G]well has gone [G7]dry


They [C]say it'll work out, say it will pass


I'm [C]waiting, wondering if I'm gonna [C7]last


Some [F]hold to theory, some [Em]hold onto myth


[Dm]Some hold strangers they [G7]find themselves with


[F]Some hold to pleasure, [Em]some hold to pain


[Dm]Some hold to piety, some [Em]go in-[G]sane


I [C]used to see beauty, I used to see grace


[G]Now [F]sparkle and wonder have [G]all been e-[G7]rased


[C]Numb to the world, no pleasure no pain


[C]Can't feel sunshine, can't feel [C7]rain


repeat chorus


[C]Nothing to tell, nothing to hide


[G]The [F]stories I know are [G]probably [G7]lies


They [C]say to be patient, they say to be strong


I'm [C]trying to change, it's taking so [C7]long


repeat chorus


[C]Staring at nothing, nothing stares back


[G]I'm [F]having another [G]nothing at-[G7]tack


They [C]say there is reason, say there is rhyme


I'm [C]looking, I'm looking, but I just can't [C7]find


repeat chorus



"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: derbyshire
  • Registered: 2007-05-17
  • Posts: 2,844

Re: "Something to Hold"

hi james a lovely sad song,well done...stay cool

love is life ,life is for love,keep a true heart and live life to the full....stay cool

daddycool's Website

  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: "Something to Hold"

This is an excellent piece of writing James as always from you.

What a sad zone though! I hope its just your gift for getting into those places to write about? and not how your feeling!

For every loss there is compansation in the making!.

Take a bow! you clever man.

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: "Something to Hold"

I have just posted a raw & flawed recording of "Something to Hold" to my 'Songs for Human and Autoharp' page at MySpace Music.

http://www.myspace.com/r200james

Please give it a listen.  Thanks, James

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: "Something to Hold"

Good one JAmes! (as usual)...
I picture this one painfully slow, alone with a guitar at 4 in the morning, sung like there's nobody to hear....
Anyway I loved it,
LR

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: "Something to Hold"

Wonderful song James,

I may be wrong but I think that you have used a greater vocal range in this song than you normaly do and it really adds to the performance.

I am sure that Andreas will be looking down on you, with a smile on his face, at the moving  song that you have dedicated to him.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: "Something to Hold"

What a beautiful song James!

Beautifully sung, It brought tears to my eyes, Perhaps knowing the story behind same makes it even sadder,

All the links are great, I thank you for taking the time Sir to do this for me!.

Wonderful !

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: "Something to Hold"

Thanks for listening, folks!  This song sat in pieces in my notebook for about 4 months.  I finally just had to finish it so that I could move on to other ideas.

Roger, I guess this melody does go lower and higher than usual . . . it certainly gets louder! I didn't intend for it to be such a howler - but that's the way it turned out.  I am certainly over my mic shyness now.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • KAP54
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: London Ontario Canada
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,746

Re: "Something to Hold"

Well done James smile
You managed to hit a spot in my life where pretty much every line applied.
Good to hear your over the dreaded Mic psych.
Thanks Again
KAP54

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)
  • Registered: 2006-12-14
  • Posts: 104

Re: "Something to Hold"

This is an amazing song, James. I found it at a time when I was staring at a hole, willing myself not to fall in. Thanks for writing the song that got me out.

[url]www.freerice.com[/url]

ShadyWilbury's Website

  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: "Something to Hold"

I really enjoyed your song... with only one listen, I wanted to be singing along.  I will be back again for sure to hear it and make an attempt at playing it.  Very good!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website