Lyrics I Wrote to a Song by my Rock and Roll Band; Sons of Our Fathers

Thunder echoes across the hills
Chimes warble in the wind
Dark night lit up by a crack of lightning
Branches they crack and bend

While safe inside we watch through the window
Telling stories ‘bout days gone by
And I’m loving every thing you do
Each word, every laugh and sigh

I know you’ve got your heart set on another
But I can’t help but pray
That perhaps you and I
Could be the wind and the ran someday.

Even as I work and toil
You’re still upon my mind
I manage to hear your name
In each song the radio finds

And as I watch the dark clouds gather
I think, what a sight
Wishing you’d be watching them with me
Wishing I could hold you tight.

I know you belong to another
But I can’t help but say
That I’d love for you and I
To be the wind and the rain someday.

-Tyler Woodbridge (6-12-10)

Lyrics I Wrote to a Song by my Rock and Roll Band; Sons of Our Fathers

Give me a secret to keep
I’ll stay mum and let it grow

Tether and bond all you like

Soon signs will start to show

Show me the way to your heart
But I’ll chart a different course
Find my path there in the end
Take you back to the source

It’s a great day to begin again
Just like we’ve never met
I shall fall for you at first sight
Let go of my regret

Lightning comes, lightning goes
The wind stops, and then it blows
Trust me with all you think I can hold
Make up your mind and then break the mold

Friends first and now to here
Memories made will be so clear
In my mind, and in my dreams
Open my soul at its seams.

Show me the way to your heart
But I’ll chart a different course
Find my path there in the end
Take you back to the source.

-Tyler Woodbridge (6-12-10)

Lyrics I Wrote to a Song by my Rock and Roll Band; Sons of Our Fathers

Dance with me through the last starlight
Before the day breaks to the sound of
People stirring to lay waste to their dreams
Wander with with me, wonder what it all means

As Christs blood spilled would He know
That so many would forget His gift
Yet it flows through to this day
Come up through as I pray

Laying pen to paper and putting music to song
Bards and minstrels disappear with centuries
Every song has a start, an inspiration
Dreams are born through frustration

Cut down by fates worst reckoning
Stars snuffed out before they can shine
Fortune favors the bold or so I’m told
My fire’s gonna shine ‘til I grow old

Sons of our fathers
Cradle to the grave
Can’t promise tomorrow
So embrace the day
Sons of our fathers
Products of the past
Before we fade away
Make this moment last

Watch as time goes by
Passing us as we breathe (It’s gone)
Gasp as family falls
Taking away what we need (It’s gone)

Blink before you see
Clear away your fears (AWAY)
What are you here for?

Think before you move
Preserve your life today (TODAY)
Know, YOU’RE NO GOOD DEAD!

Sons of our fathers
Cradle to the grave
Can’t promise tomorrow
So embrace the day
Sons of our fathers
Products of the past
Before we fade away
Make this moment last

Lie down beside me and tell me that it’s okay
Take my hand and promise that you’ll be fine
Gather my accomplishments and the seeds I’ve sown
Water them, treat them well, see through that they’ve grown

I know a better place awaits me in the end
I’ve lived a dynamic life, I truly can’t complain
But as the lights grow dim all else becomes clear
My life flashes before me as that one last breath draws near

I wouldn’t be where I was if not for those before
Now I know how my father felt as his father too
I will be joining them in the arms of God
Pave my life’s course, chart where I’ve trod

Share with everyone exactly what I did
Kneel before the altar and pray that I’m safe
I’ll be around to bless you as my fathers bless me still
Never stop chasing dreams, fight for that thrill

Sons of our fathers
Cradle to the grave
Can’t promise tomorrow
So embrace the day
Sons of our fathers
Products of the past
Before we fade away
Make this moment last

-Tyler Woodbridge (6-12-10)

Rising bright and early just to race the dawn
Testing his strength just to say he’s that strong
Braving torrid summers and ice cold winters
Time-torched hands and metal splinters
Just another part of that big machine
But his crooked smile still has a sheen
That says he’s fine with just where he stays
And that’s where he will be until the end of days

The young ones come and the old ones go
The leaves will fall and the streams will flow
Through the years one man will stand
Without a seal, stamp or brand
He will never be rich but he’ll never be alone
He won’t gamble with dice he’s never thrown
And as the world continues to change around him
He will just adjust those chains that bound him

He’s a heartland hero
Persevering through the roughest times
A strong man here to
Prove that in the end it’s all just fine
The heartland hero

He had his dreams when he was young
But he was quick to learn that under this sun
Not everything will grow to be how it was planted
And the decisions he made can’t be recanted
Just like his father’s father and those before they
There’s a code to follow and a law to obey
Family comes first and the world comes second
So work for them, love with reckless abandon

He ain’t been out of this valley for a decade or more
He’s grown numb to the pain, he’s no longer sore
His purpose is clear and his mind is devoted
He’s never bragged and he has never gloated
The world may look at him like he’s a common man
But there’s one thing they won’t understand
His wisdom comes not through books but through years
His face is dirty, never cleansed by tears

He’s a heartland hero
One of the few proud to be
A strong man here to
Work hard without sympathy
The heartland hero

The sun will set and that last bell will ring
He’ll hang his hat, listen to ol’ Bruce sing
Smile to himself and have a last sip of joe
He may not be rich but he will always know
That when the sun sets in the very end
His legacy will never break nor bend
For while he may never be well known
He will be proud that the world was shown

You don’t need a degree to be well-learned
And money made is always money earned
You don’t need a mansion to be right at home
And as long as you’ve got your pride you’re never alone
You don’t need to be wealthy to feel like you’re blessed
And you don’t need an “A” to pass the test
Though the world does not know your name
You’ve made a mark, so don’t feel no shame….

The heartland hero.

-Tyler Woodbridge

11/17/08

It’s been some time since I’ve seen you
I know you watch over me every day
It seems my whole world’s come apart
Since you’ve went away

But I know it’s for the better
I can’t question how or why
I can still make you proud
All you asked is that I try

And I will still wear your quilt
No matter how old I grow
I will always think of you
When I see cardinals in the snow

It’s been some time since I’ve known you
I realize we could’ve been close
The more stories I hear about you
I find I resemble you the most

You always made me laugh and smile
No matter what I wanted or done
It’s a legacy of cheer and charity
You’ve given the gift of fun

And I will still turn the pages
Whether it be fast or slow
I will always think of you
When I hear the train whistle blow

I thank God you’re still around
Lord knows you’ve been through the thick
Whenever I see your smile
I pray you never grow sick

Your art has always intrigued me
Your hugs have given me hope
Your laugh rings through my ears
And your words help me cope

I will be there for you
In your times of sorrow and need
I will always think of you
When hummingbirds come to feed

A rock and a pillar of comfort
Holding up my dreams
You’re a friend and my biggest fan
At least that’s how it seems

Whether telling stories or sharing meals
You’re a fresh piece of humanity
Durable, solid, and strong
A shield from the insanity

I owe you much for your gifts
And how you’ve been so tough
All of you have been amazing
I can’t think of you enough

Giving so thanklessly
Taking so little in return
Through your examples
You’ve helped me learn

Whether you’re here or gone
Whether I’m right or wrong
Whether it’s dusk or dawn
Whether I’m weak or strong
You’re a part of me, and I smile
Every step of every mile
What you’ve done has paved the way
For me to be who I am today

Thank you.

Read between the lines
You’ll be sure to see your reflection
Listen to the silence in my song
That’s the sound of your rejection

Try to block out your memories
I’ll just keep coming back through
Even in an abstract dimension
I’ll find my way back to you

We’ve been apart for awhile now
Barely seen you nor heard your voice
I’ve been missing you more than youth
We all know feeling is not a choice

I can’t explain my love for you
How it grew, or how it was shown
However dark you may be at times
You were that bright sun that shone

Call me tonight on the phone my dear
I’d love to hear you say my name
Comfort me with your courtesy
Strike me down with your blame

Even if in anger or in sadness
Hold nothing back, I insist
I just want to know you’re there
I want to know that you exist

Fall into my arms, let yourself go
We’ll summon another day and age
Your words are the key to my essence
Help me break this rusty cage

You’ve woven yourself into my life
Both the knitter and the thread
Sustained me with your love
Both the water and the bread

I cannot help but feel
That if we give this one more go
Every minute of our life
Will feel like that kiss in the snow

Time may erase some wounds
But time chips away at health
Come together with me soon
The heart’s where to find the wealth

And the warmth to keep us well
The shelter to keep us from harm
I’ll provide all for you, my dear
So long as you provide the charm

Now twirl like you know you want to
Dance as if you lack the care
You know I know the girl within
Life’s short; do as you dare

Free will makes us human
Humans are a wink and a shimmer
You’re here, I’m here, we’re alive
Let’s let this love glimmer.

-Tyler Woodbridge

01/20/10

I always have this vision of who I want to be
And I try to fulfill my expectations
But often I come up far too short
And I put my goals out to sea

I always have this dream I want to come true
It comes to me in the night
But as I’m forced into the prison of reality
The spectrum’s colors all turn blue

It’s a common occurence these days
For me to to drop the ball
And all the metaphors I write
Cannot get me through life’s maze

So listen to me if you have a ear
And read my words if you have eyes
Every one of us have those fears
And people that we despise
We all struggle with failing
Ending up desperate in the end
When we’re not prevailing
Our columns creak, then bend

I’m good at one thing
You excel at another
Hatred is tiring
Let us all be brothers
And help us through this life
So we can be enlightened
It’s worth forgetting the strife
If our nights are brightened

I thought about time travel one time
Imagined the possibilities
Going back in time and righting my wrongs
Adding proper meter to my rhyme

Once I wanted to let myself fade and burn
I was eager to find what comes next
But why leave this world so early
When I still have so much to learn?

I could count on every finger
And toe, every grudge I’ve held
Hatred doesn’t burn calories
It just makes the bad blood linger

So listen to me if you have a ear
And read my words if you have eyes
Every one of us have those fears
And people that we despise
We all struggle with failing
Ending up desperate in the end
When we’re not prevailing
Our columns creak, then bend

I’m good at one thing
You excel at another
Hatred is tiring
Let us all be brothers
And help us through this life
So we can be enlightened
It’s worth forgetting the strife
If our nights are brightened

Let’s say you deny my olive branch
And we go on like this forever
One day you’re standing on the ledge
All your ties have been severed
Just one hand could’ve helped
Keep you on your feet
But instead you’d tumble over the edge
Rendering yourself obsolete

If I could be that helping hand
Could I expect the same from you?
Is this worth me taking a stand
And offering to work this through?
I’ve fucked up a lot of things I know
I struggle to confront my fate
Tragic if my last words to you
Were words filled with hate

We are many colors, we are one
And who says we can’t all mix?
Sure as the morning brings the sun
Burned bridges can be fixed

Yeah, burned bridges can be fixed.

-Tyler Woodbridge

4/9/08

Tied down chained up
Refusing to budge
Friends are letting go
Hard not to hold a grudge

Mind made up
Praying for that chance to fly
I’m a lonely man
Too fed up to lie

No refuge to be found
Stuck in place for days
Life’s gotten ahead of me
I sure hope patience pays

Biding my time with music
Trying new food and drink
Taking walks and making talk
Too much time to think

Making the most of my freedom
‘Til freedom makes the most of me
Feel so small looking at the sky
Living footnote of history

I find meaning in each melody
Purpose in sight and taste
Goals in my thoughts and dreams
Too bad they go to waste

In the end we’re all the same
Humans with minds and souls
The difference between me and them
Is that I don’t think I’m whole.

-Tyler Woodbridge

1/12/10

I’d go about my day as always
Come home a life past death
Lay my head down to rest
And pray for my last breath

I’d live my life like clockwork
What comes already came before
I’d be well off sleeping on a bed
Well off sleeping on a floor

‘Til days started to come and go
That I’d actually want to see
Something to look forward to
I found sweet love’s relief

Let me raise my eyes
To a South Carolina sunrise
Let me live my life
With you by my side
Let me go down to sleep
Knowing that when I wake
You’d be right there waiting
Steady me when I shake

South Carolina sunrise

I’d awaken late at night
To waves breaking ‘cross shore
My thoughts would wander off
To the places I’ve been before

I’ve traveled far and wide
Across barren lands
Long stays in factory towns
Farm country one night stands

Now that I’ve come this far
And I reflect on where I’ve been
Is it any wonder to you
That I love the touch of your skin

Let me raise my eyes
To a South Carolina sunrise
Let me live my life
With you by my side
Let me go down to sleep
Knowing that when I wake
You’d be right there waiting
Steady me when I shake

South Carolina sunrise

And now the clouds come to gather
The mist rises from the water
Lightning strikes in the morning gloom
Humid days just get hotter

I hear the road calling me
I know it’s time to go
But I want to drown at sea
Get taken by the flow

There will be another day
When I come to this shore
I will return to you
Where memories soar

One day I’ll raise my eyes
To a South Carolina sunrise
And I will live my life
With you by my side
I will go down to sleep
Knowing that when I wake
You’d be right there waiting
Steady me when I shake

South Carolina sunrise

But what’s to be is what to be
There’s the chance I won’t come back
Without the light that you gave me
My world’s been washed in black

South Carolina sunrise.

-Tyler Woodbridge

1/4/10

New years’ blue moon shrouded by a wreath of white
White flag flown high for I have no will to fight
This will long gone, I know naught what to do
Icy wind licking me, fingers slowly turning blue

Concrete jungle native man will never understand
The ins and the outs of Gods’ ever-changing plan
Every person that we know is a piece, is a pawn
Discarded easily even yet as we grow fond

Life happens too fast; no time to react
Words that linger in the air, are they myth or are they fact?
Hurtful statements made we all wish we could retract
The pain remains, the blood stains, blue fingers give way to black

We got here together
We said it was forever
Still it may not be
Though you held on to me
You helped me here with your heart
You helped me from the start
Now you need your time
And I sure need mine
Know this always, know this ‘til the end
We can’t be tailors
Of hearts we can’t mend

Blanket of lights under a roof of stars
Crawling smoke and idling cars
Music falling upon our ears
Your embrace snuffing out my fears

I meant every promise that I gave
I savor each moment
But your love I couldn’t save
Two different people from two different pasts
It was a long time
It went by much too fast

I have no clue where my life will go
Weathermen can’t tell where the wind will blow
So how am I supposed to predict
Will progress be slow? Will you fade too quick?

You are a part of me
No matter how far you flee.

We got here together
We said it was forever
Still it may not be
Though you held on to me
You helped me here with your heart
You helped me from the start
Now you need your time
And I sure need mine
Know this always, know this ‘til the end
We can’t be tailors
Of hearts we can’t mend

This time was supposed to be different
This was to be the year of change
Your kiss is sustenance
This night’s cold and strange
Cover me up and keep me warm
I reach, but my blanket is torn…

-Tyler Woodbridge

1/1/10

So I find myself back right where I began
Fallen behind all the others who ran
Surrounded by places that are too familiar
Ash-covered roads lined with broken mirrors

You can do anything that you dream
At least that’s how they make it seem
But I’m caught in Hell right when it gets hotter
Stuck here in this forsaken backwater

Oh, what a wonderful world
It’s just too bad I can’t see it
Yes, ’tis a beautiful life
You can’t make a fool believe it

Oh, such bright skies
Endless, infinite in scope
Yes, blue and wide
Gives us all false hope

Angels fly among us all or so they say
I hope to meet one someday
Why they aren’t here isn’t hard to tell
Angels just don’t belong in Hell

Now and then I’ll spy one flying low
Yet out of the range of Cupid’s bow
I reach too far then stumble and fall
And I tell myself through it all

Oh, what a wonderful world
It’s just too bad I can’t see it
Yes, ’tis a beautiful life
You can’t make a fool believe it

Oh, such bright skies
Endless, infinite in scope
Yes, blue and wide
Gives us all false hope

The ones who fled are too wise to return
I’d love nothing more but to join them on the run
Tough are these trials that I endure
My troubles don’t set with the sun
Friends have grown apart, grown older
Changed and discovered new desires
If only I had been a little bolder
I’d be flying ahead of the fire

Oh, what a wonderful world
It’s just too bad I can’t see it
Yes, ’tis a beautiful life
You can’t make a fool believe it

Oh, such bright skies
Endless, infinite in scope
Yes, blue and wide
Gives us all false hope

And on the chance that the hope was true
I’ll find my way back to you
If only for a moment we’ll relive the past
But we all know life slips away too fast….

-Tyler Woodbridge

4/10/08

Look down your nose at me if you dare
My will and words will lay you bare
I defy those who tell me to stay hush
You may have pull, but I have push

Hittin’ it lucky can make you for life
Then others are dogs who die in strife
I’m straddling what’s in between
Writing the song of souls unseen

You stand atop a pedestal you built yourself
A beautiful ogre, an impeccable fraud
Remember this before you talk down
We’re all human, we’re all flawed

Flaunt your wealth and not what you’ve earned
The other way around, you’d find yourself spurned
What are you really gonna leave behind?
What will future generations find?

The one you’re rude to has got a soul too
Tryin’ to see his life’s goal through
How do you feel standing in his way?
It’ll come back to you one day

People with hearts, not tools you discard
We’ve all wept, we’ve all bawled
Think before acting with no regard
We’re all human, we’re all flawed

Show some love to one and all
Treat them like your brother
You know you’ve been there before
So take it easy on one another

We all live, we all die
We all sin, we break the law
We all love, we all cry
We’re all human, we’re all flawed

We’re all flawed

-Tyler Woodbridge

12/22/09

As the smoke collects against the stained sky
I look to the trees through drained eyes
I realize that life can’t be faked
But it’s damn easy to forsake

We all have something others would die for
Let alone cheat, steal, and lie for
In our desire for more we tend to lose sight
Of the things we need to hold tight

In this small town
Where we were all born
We could fall down
Or stand to see another morn

Just like the sun always rises
Our lives are filled with surprises
Wrong answers can be corrected
Lost love can be redirected

Think twice, once won’t cut it
There’s no other way to put it
Take advantage of what you’ve been given
You can’t die if you don’t stop livin’
So live
And try
To smile

I complain because God won’t throw me a bone
But He just nurtures the seeds I’ve sown
Maybe if I took the time to return the deed
Then I’d reap the fortunes I need

I may think life’s been a test
One walk through the city puts that to rest
I see others who can’t even walk
And I ask myself, who am I to talk?

In this daydream
That we all drift to
You ask why it may seem
That no one can lift you?

Just like the sun always rises
Our lives are filled with surprises
Wrong answers can be corrected
Lost love can be redirected

Think twice, once won’t cut it
There’s no other way to put it
Take advantage of what you’ve been given
You can’t die if you don’t stop livin’
So live
And try
To smile

Each river started as a stream
Each giver has started a dream
Every cloud started as a drop
Every leap started as a hop
Take ahold
Be bold
Your future’s only dark if you close your eyes

-Tyler Woodbridge

07/04/08

Traveling through time and space
Wandering about with no set pace
Not running, for there’s no race
These were the early days

When inside me something stirred
I wiped away the blur
I was unaware of the dirt
That had gathered on my shirt

Is it too late to change?
Have too many already seen?
Have I really ever felt pain?
Is this how it’s always been?

Now I can hear them calling
There’s no time for stalling
I can no longer accept
Feeling the need to redirect

All the people and places, the people in places
I cannot compare
Tither and yon, it’s tether and bond
I want to be scared

Face me with my fears
Force out the deepest tears
Send me out of control
Realize I have a soul

I wished
I could live those days again
Can never go back, can never go back
I hear
The call of the doves
When I wanna go back, can’t ever
Go back

We remember the first time we heard our favorite song
We remember the first time, oh we felt so wrong
We remember the first time we felt that lost
We remember the first time we went out and tossed
Those dreams, these dreams, our dreams, life’s dreams
All away

You never forgive the last to forsake you
You never hear the sound that wakes you
You never forget the first to take you
But you never hear hear the sound that wakes you

Awakened by the fitful dreams
Soaring on the melody
Eyes opening to something new
Drinking up the morning dew
Looking to the sky with brightened eyes
Letting out lightened sighs
Forgetting those spent bribes
Telling yourself innocent lies

You never hear the sound that wakes you
You never hear the sound that wakes you
You never hear the sound that wakes you

And when you do..

-Tyler Woodbridge

9/14/08

The streetlights shine in the distance, a cloak of light
Shielding the city from the darkness of outer plight
Visible from valley and dale, meadow and hill
A land of chaos but yet time stands still

Beckoning for all to come from far and wide
Losers and loners coming like waves on the tide
Searching for solace in the comfort of the limits
Not caring for the outside just as long as they ain’t in it

And they’re all alone

The peaks tower in the distance, a row of beauty
Standing sentinel like it’s their age old duty
Visible from every window and door, building and street
Sweeping dreams out from under our feet

Calling for us all, drawing out our eyes
Coaxing us out of our strongest disguise
We seek solace in the shadows of the summit
Wanting comfort so long as we don’t become it

And yet it’s never shown

The stars blanket the sky, kissing the day goodbye
And now the dawning of twilight is nigh
They see all below whether or not they can be seen
Even beyond the clouds they continue to gleam

No matter what they provoke our mind
Always there through space and time
Gliding listlessly through the atmosphere
Enjoying their distance as we wish ourselves near

And yet it’s never known

Just how far we’d go
And what risks we’ll take
What we’d sacrifice
And what we’d forsake

If it just means one chance
At living out our ambition
One little mistake
Can bring about perdition

If we could only be as rich as the city
If as the hills we could stand tall
And if we shone like the stars
We’d have no worries at all

-Tyler Woodbridge

11/16/08