Spinning, Dancing, Grinning

I’ve written two new songs in the past week. 🙂

That’s such a wonderful feeling, and even typing that sentence feels good.

I love writing and singing songs, and my entire world, inside and out, is a better place when I get to do those things.

Some of my colleagues are participating in #FAWM this month.  I am not, but I have started a song-a-week commitment with a group of peers.  It seems to have kicked me up even more of a notch than I thought it would!

I ranted a little bit on FB yesterday, very mildly, in response to a meme which implied that you cannot be both an adult and a musician.  I was probably already predisposed to take that a little hard, because I’d been doing tax math for my bandmates and myself all afternoon, and math makes me cranky.  I was doing adult stuff.  In support of my music career, and it wasn’t fun.  And if being an adult means you can’t play music, I think I’d better not be an adult.  But I already know that I am one, who plays music professionally.  Not everybody achieves adulthood two weeks before their 35th birthday, but I think I’m good.

There are people in every field with a work ethic.  There are people in every field with no work ethic to speak of.  There are people in every field, 9 to 5 job or not, who are somewhere in between, who do their dead level best as often as they possibly can.  The best way I see to proceed is to show each other mutual respect– I don’t judge my friends who hold corporate jobs any more than they judge me.  It’s harder to treat strangers that way, but I believe we still ought to try.  It can be as simple as not posting or sharing a meme that cuts somebody down or generalizes them for having one career path or another.

Anyhow, the good news (besides the fact that the math actually made sense and was good for us all) is that I got the cutest new song out of it all- cute to the point that I was giggling and grinning immediately, all grumpiness forgotten.

I’m hoping to put up a little video of this one soon, to balance out the seriousness of my last video song post.  Here are the lyrics, for now.

Circus Inside © S. J. Tucker 2015

I’ve got a circus inside me

that takes the edge off the world all around me.

I let the colors burn

and I can see them everywhere I turn.

I let the circus inside me

take the edge off the world all around me.

I let the song begin.

If you do the same, I bet you’ll fit right in.

Some folks can’t help but criticize

the things they’ve never thought to try,

shaking their heads, turning away.

But I believe in flying high

and making silly faces

so have it your way,

but I’ll be spinning, dancing, grinning,

loving the circus around me,

all that we can and cannot see.

Even your discard pile

might hold a thing or two to make you smile.

And please don’t ever ask

if it’s all right to dance with me.

Just step right up now!

As long as we’re here, well,

we might as well cheer

for the circus inside,

the circus inside you and me.

Some folks can’t help but criticize

the things they’ve maybe never tried.

The flying trapeze

is making ’em sneeze.

I say cut yourself a little slack and

try out holding nothing back!

There’s not much to lose,

except your fear!

It’s great out here, so

let out the circus inside you!

I know you might be afraid to,

but life is short and sweet,

so join the carnival here in the street!

You never have to ask

if it’s all right to dance with me.

Just step right up now!

If we all worked the same,

it wouldn’t be much of a game, you see.

Just take my hand now!

As long as we’re here, well,

we might as well cheer

for the circus inside. 🙂