7in7, Day Four: Ten Year Reunion

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I know, I know, I just posted day one yesterday. But it’s really day five and I’m really working on a song called Found In You. But here’s the one from yesterday. I went in a different direction. Yesterday was a country song. Yes, really. And yes, it actually started out as a joke. I mean, I intended to write the song, but it was just supposed to be funny. But it actually turned out all right. Anyway, feel free to laugh if you want to.

TEN YEAR REUNION

I haven’t worn a cummerbund in a decade
And I’m afraid what everyone will think
Will they notice that I’ve gained a few or maybe…
What if no one’s left who remembers me
I still feel like I’m 15 at the dance

But it’s a ten year reunion
Turns out beauty fades
But intelligence and kindness
Seem to bloom with age
It’s a ten year reunion
The math geeks and the prom queens
Look different in the rearview mirror
We might have missed a few things
These are the truths you’ll find
At your ten year reunion

I never knew one of the cheerleaders was funny
Or that angry kid had grown up without a dad
My biology partner grew up to be stunning
And even some of the jocks aren’t half-bad
Time is a great equalizer

A ten year reunion
Turns out beauty fades
But intelligence and kindness
Seem to bloom with age
It’s a ten year reunion
The math geeks and the prom queens
Look different in the rearview mirror
We might have missed a few things
These are the truths you’ll find
At your ten year reunion

The life I have is better than the dreams I had back then
I won’t be voted most popular but I’m loved by real friends
I have found a freedom in the miles I’ve walked since then
Some of you have walked my way too
I recognize the dirt on your shoes

At the ten year reunion
Turns out beauty fades
But intelligence and kindness
Seem to bloom with age
It’s a ten year reunion
The math geeks and the prom queens
Look different in the rearview mirror
We might have missed a few things
These are the truths you’ll find
At your ten year reunion

Or you can just listen here: http://soundcloud.com/agnewsdei/ten-year-reunion

7in7 Day Six

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Well, I’ve hit the wall. Creatively that is. I hope you guys are doing better. But actually considering that fact, today went pretty well. I spent a few hours with Chris Collins today. I think we’re both pretty fried from 7in7, but it is always good to be with him. We came up with a great guitar part to write a song over. I think we are both kind of spent lyrically. It tried to be about Jesus healing the blind man at the pool of Bethesda. I kind of thought we might be writing about Paul. Needless to say, it needs some work. But the guitar stuff is awesome.

I spent the rest of the day in worship mode. I finished most of the lyric to “Satisfy”. I really like it. It’s a very strong worship tune for me personally. And Chris and I started on one based on an old Fannie Crosby lyric:

All crowns be on His sacred head
All worlds be at His feet
All scepters in His mighty hand
All tongues His praise repeat

Powerful stuff. Tonight I added some verses from the raising of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus. Good day.

I might try to get something done tomorrow, but it’s my wife’s birthday. And I’ve written seven songs already. So we’ll see how the day goes.

Todd

7in7, Day Four

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Well, yesterday was my first unsuccessful day. Of songwriting that is. It was my first day home so, I spent it with my wife, my kids, and my church. Church was incredible yesterday morning. We talked about the sin that we go to such great lengths to hide, but that God is actively working to expose our sin. He knows that it is best for us to live in the light. We were in Genesis 20, such as strange story of Abraham pretending Sarah is his sister, and preserving his life while losing his wife. Sorry for the rhyme there.

Anyway, great day with the family. But as we moved into bookreading time, which is right before the kids’ bedtime, I started falling asleep in my chair. The exhaustion from the past few days was sinking in. After the kids were in bed, my lovely wife stepped in as my caretaker and said no late night work, it was time for bed. So I didn’t get to finish what I had started that morning.

But I got some more lyrics done on the Villain song (as it’s already come to be known in my brain). And I got started on a new worship song about being satisfied in Christ. Looking forward to trying to finish that today.

Todd

7in7 Day Two

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Totally finished two songs, one great, one still being evaluated, and got all but the bridge on another.  So I count that as 2 & 3/4.  Which brings my two day total to about 4 & 5/12 songs.  Pretty good.  

Started today with the Big Boy Breakfast from Athens Restaurant in Nashville.  Then headed to write with Jason Ingram.  Love that guy.  Really enjoyed working with him today.  We wrote a song called “The One You Want”.  It’s about feeling undeserving of God’s love.  Which I am.  Undeserving, that is.  First line of the chorus is: “It’s hard for me to believe, I could be lovely in Your eyes.”  (The comma was there so you could feel the break in the melody.  I realize that it is grammatically incorrect.  Just in case, I have any red ink English teachers among my blog community.)

Second session today was with Chad Cates and Tony Wood.  Great guys.  We went a completely different direction.  Actually it was even a different direction from where I started the song.  I learn so much from these guys.  They know so much about songwriting.  About melodies, about structure, about lyric choices.  I just sing whatever comes out.  But I’m learning a ton from them.  We wrote a song called “I Need You”.  It’s about how the difficult times remind me that I really need God every moment of every day, not just the tough ones.  I really loved the bridge, as we turned from my need to how He supplies out of His character: “You are my Creator, You are my Redeemer, You are my Sustainer, O God”.  Very worshipful.  I worshipped at least.

Hope your songs went well today.  And by the way, if you’re a part of #7in7, I’ve totally been cheating.  I’ve been writing with the pros in Nashville for two days.  But tomorrow I have to pay my dues and write one new songs while driving the van back to Austin.  

If you’re not doing #7in7, then do something creative today anyway.  Write a story.  Take a picture.  Make a diorama in a shoebox.

Todd

7in7 Day One

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Well, day one is over and I’m exhausted.  I don’t know if i can take a week of this.  But I have two mostly completed songs and one great guitar part to write over.  I’m really grateful for Andrew Osenga today.  He’s a new friend and incredible musician who really pulled a difficult song out of me today.  Right now it’s called “House of Boxes”.  It starts with packing the truck to move back to Texas, to get married, to become a father.  Andy said he was really interested in what makes people move.  Not necessarily move to a new house, but to move their live into action.  Cool thought.

Second song today was much more planned and purposeful.  Its called “Loved”.  It starts with the idea of breakups and what they do to our idea of ourselves as lovable.  Then we spend the rest of our lives, often in relationships where true love exists, and we are trying to believe someone could love us.  We are trying to break the chains of hopelessness that cause us to be self-destructive and self-defeating. We are learning how to be loved.

Okay, I have to go to sleep.  Or there will be no songs tomorrow.  

Todd

7in7

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Well, here we go. Most of you have never heard of 7in7 and that’s completely understandable. It is a week for songwriters, many of us friends from here in Austin, where everyone writes one song a day for seven days. So, that’s 7 songs in 7 days. 7in7. Today is day one. I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t do a lot of writing on a schedule, so this is going to be a different experience for me. I plan on posting pieces of what I’m working on throughout the week, so stay tuned. You can keep up with some of what is going on through Twitter using the hash tag #7in7. And if there are any songwriters out there, you’re welcome to jump into the journey with us. I’m looking forward to hearing new songs from Aaron Ivey, Miranda Dodson, Chris Collins, and even Chris Martin! (I didn’t even know Coldplay’s singer was from Denver. Okay, so maybe it’s a different Chris Martin, but we can pretend.)

So I’d appreciate your prayers over the next week. Well, I always appreciate your prayers, but over the next week, you can pray specifically for this. We’re about to start work on the next record, so some of these songs could even end up there. Either way, it’s definitely going to be a challenge. I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned.

Todd

P.S. If anyone has any great song ideas, you can let me know. Just don’t tell the other guys!