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SW​​​:​​​S April 2023, Granville, TN

by SongwritingWith:Soldiers

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Mary London Szpara
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    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.

    Our retreats pair professional songwriters with veterans, military families and couples, and active-duty service members to write songs about their military experiences and transition home. These field recordings were recorded on-site at a SongwritingWith:Soldiers retreat and capture a song being performed just hours after it's been written, like a song capturing its first breath.

    Participant Co-Writers: 
    Jason Ditzler / John Feliciano / Jesse Frewerd / Todd Moe / Stephanie Rasbach / Erika Rose / James Salvo / Daniel York

    Singer-Songwriters:
    Will Kimbrough / Danny Myrick / Mark Nesler / Maia Sharp

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1.
More Questions 03:09
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MORE QUESTIONS James Salvo / Danny Myrick It all started when Momma died Anger filled my innocent eyes When Daddy said she’s gone God took her home Well I thought home is where we are Not some place beyond the stars I just couldn’t believe He could need her more than we do Wheels were turning in my mind All the hows and all the why’s Certainty just turned to doubt They say time will work things out I try to make it all make sense Is it just coincidence Or feathers blowing in the wind Yea, maybe that’s the lesson Life’s just way more questions than answers Summer I turned 23, a few thousand American boys and me Highlands of Viet Nam, missing home and missing mom Decades of years gone now but there’s not a day I don’t think about Those lost buddies of mine and the ones they left behind Wheels were turning in my mind All the hows and all the why’s Certainty just turned to doubt They say time will work things out I try to make it all make sense Is it just coincidence Or feathers blowing in the wind Or maybe that’s the lesson Life’s just way more questions than answers And I’ll never find out until this hourglass runs out And I’m standing face to face with the maker of this place I’ll finally get my chance to look him in the eye and ask Maybe in that moment, I’ll understand Wheels are turning in my mind All the hows and all the why’s Certainty still turns to doubt They say time will work things out I try to make it all make sense Is it just coincidence Or feathers blowing in the wind Maybe that’s the lesson Life’s just way more questions than answers
2.
Most Of All 04:32
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MOST OF ALL Daniel York / Will Kimbrough My brother looked me in the eye And asked the Lord to guide my heart I closed my eyes and I was nine When my mother died That’s the place where we began My brother said to ask God why He took me to that place of pain The thought that rang inside my head Helped me understand Most of all my need was to be loved You see, a boy was never meant to be a man Without a mother’s affirmation, a hug and helping hand I’ve lived my life trying to be strong When most of all I needed to be loved I shared the story of my life The needs and struggles with my wife The thought that rang inside my head A marriage almost dead How did two get so messed up? My brother said to ask God why He took us through this constant pain The thought that rang inside my head Helped me realize Most of all we needed to be loved You see a girl was never meant to be a woman Without a mother’s affirmation A hug and helping hand She lived her life trying to be strong When most of all she needed to be loved There’s a moral in my story In my blindness it was lost The love that God extended From the horror of a cross And God said, “I got this. Did you forget?” Most of all I needed to be loved And most of all she needed to be loved All along he loved us with his love Most of all (I love you) most of all Most of all (I love you) most of all Most of all (I love you) most of all Most of all (I love you) most of all
3.
Reborn 03:34
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REBORN Erika Rose / Danny Myrick She was a little girl sky blue eyes and heaven sent Got lost in the world and it stole away her innocence She was looking for a way not to feel alone A gypsy soul with a heart like a rolling stone It’s hard to believe that was me I learned to dance in the rain to wash away the pain and tears The crashing wave drowned the shame And redeemed those wasted years I had to stare down every dark cloud Walk right into the storm Gave up my life Cause I had to die so that I could be Reborn Her life was a deck of cards Devil held the winning hand She gambled away her heart And she swore that she would never love again She was looking for a light just a little spark Anything that could tell her she could make it out of the dark It’s still hard to believe that was me I learned to dance in the rain to wash away the pain and tears The crashing wave drowned the shame And redeemed those wasted years I had to stare down every dark cloud Walk right into the storm Gave up my life Cause I had to die so that I could be Reborn Caught my reflection saw that little girl’s face A beautiful reminder of amazing grace I learned to dance in the rain to wash away the pain and tears The crashing wave drowned the shame And redeemed those wasted years I had to stare down every dark cloud Walk right into the storm Gave up my life Cause I had to die so that I could be Reborn
4.
Horses 03:55
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HORSES Stephanie Rasbach / Will Kimbrough I tried running from myself But I never got away Every time I turn around I’m still there Maybe everybody’s crazy Maybe no one really knows It’s a beautiful world but it ain’t fair So I yelled at God Loud enough so God could hear I shouted from the bottom of my soul I have seen it in a seashell In the eyes of a dog You don’t have to be perfect to be whole There’s a thing about the horses They know how you feel They won’t let you in until you're real Everything about the horses Makes me feel at home I’m gonna build a ranch to call my own My life used to be One long hurricane season Wind and rain and storm all the time Longing to be me and to find myself some freedom I’m so tired of toein the line There’s a thing about the horses They know how you feel They won’t let you in until you're real Everything about the horses Makes me feel at home I’m gonna build a ranch to call my own Anyone who’s broken will be welcome Healing you with horses and love We’ll be here until the real you emerges With hope and blessings from above There’s a thing about the horses They know how you feel They won’t let you in until you're real Everything about the horses Makes me feel at home I’m gonna build a ranch to call my own There’s a thing about the horses They know how you feel They won’t let you in until you're real Everything about the horses Makes me feel at home I’m gonna build a ranch to call my own There’s a thing about the horses….
5.
I've Been Where You're Going 03:23
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I'VE BEEN WHERE YOU'RE GOING Jesse Frewerd / Maia Sharp I was the eyes and ears Scouting out the enemy Calling back the lay of the land Yeah, that was up to me Now I see you coming And the gathering storm I know all too well What you’re headed for ‘Cause I wore out that terrain, I covered that ground If you’re ready to hear it, let me tell you what I found The sleepless nights The rush you took too far The drinking and the smoking Forgetting who you are Send up a signal, throw out a line, call me anytime knowing Man, I’ve been where you’re going If you’re anything like me You gotta learn the hard way When you think no one understands I might know what to say When the world is heavy as hell No light is breaking through When you don’t trust yourself Well, I might know what to do ‘Cause I wore out that terrain, I covered that ground When you’re ready to hear it, I want to tell you what I found The sleepless nights The rush you took too far The drinking and the smoking Forgetting who you are Send up a signal, throw out a line, call me anytime knowing Man, I’ve been where you’re going And where you’re going, what you’re doing They’re just trying to love you but you’re pushing them away The isolation, the deprivation I had to hit rock bottom to know something had to change With those sleepless nights The rush I took too far The drinking and the smoking Oh, wherever you are Send up a signal, throw out a line, call me anytime knowing Man, I’ve been where you’re going I’ve already been where you’re going
6.
Walking Reflection 03:38
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WALKING REFLECTION John Feliciano / Maia Sharp What was the war about What do we have to show for it Did you get everything you need Could it have been without All of the blood we spilled for it In the name of power and greed I wish I could’ve been in the room When you made your decision Oh, but then we both know You never would have listened All I can do is what I can do I’m not letting you kill me too You don’t have my heart and soul anymore It’s gone to the lives I’m living for My friends who paid the highest price I’m a walking reflection of their sacrifice It might be on a winding road I don’t always know which way to go In the rolling hills of gratitude and pain But I don’t take for granted The time I got that they didn’t get Oh, I won’t ever let them die in vain They were driving, fighting, shaving, sleeping No glory, no glamour, whose peace were we keeping All I can do is what I can do I’m not letting you kill me too You don’t have my heart and soul anymore It’s gone to the lives I’m living for My friends who paid the highest price I’m a walking reflection of their sacrifice All I can do is what I can do I’m not letting you kill me too You don’t have my heart and soul anymore It’s gone to the lives I’m living for My friends who paid the highest price I’m a walking reflection of their sacrifice Their sacrifice
7.
The Road 03:07
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THE ROAD Todd Moe / Mark Nesler When I left Wisconsin took I-39, headed down South, had a long drive Seven hundred miles and a lot time to think As the digital noise faded away, next thing I knew I was on two lanes The prettiest country that I’ve ever seen Yeah the road’s gonna wind and carry us to Some things old and some things new With a glimpse of the future waitin’ just over the hill And there’s ruins and relics scattered every mile To build it back is gonna take a while But I know we can do it…I feel it my soul All we gotta do is keep rollin’ down the road Well the old timers got us this far, from horse and buggy to a motorized car And they did it with sweat, grit and an old John Deere Now there’s a fork up head and we gotta choose which one’ll be in our rear view It’s all up to us where we go from here Cause the road’s gonna wind and carry us to Some things old and some things new With a glimpse of the future waitin’ just over the hill There’s ruins and relics scattered every mile To build it all back is gonna take a while But I know we can do it…I feel it my soul All we gotta do is keep rollin’ down the road I fought to keep this country Somewhere between the lines And on the way to my destination I saw all the reasons why Yea the road’s gonna wind and carry us to Some things old and some things new With a glimpse of the future waitin’ just over the hill And the ruins and the relics scattered every mile To build it all back is gonna take a while But I know we can do it…I feel it my soul All we gotta do is keep rollin’ down the road
8.
Second Home 03:48
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SECOND HOME Jason Ditzler / Mark Nesler Just like my old Stratocaster guitar I feel a little beat up now and then I been played like hell but I believe the deeper the scars The sweeter the tone and the more the light shines in I’ve never been one to need the bright spotlight Until I’m trying to save someone in the dark I’m rocking, rolling and flirting with danger every night And come morning I just blame it on my heart Yeah I wanna be more than a voice on the phone But I’m back in the fire every time anything goes wrong I’d love to be more than a husband and a daddy that’s always gone But I can’t seem to leave my second home It’s killing me to hurt the ones I love While I’m willing to die for people I don’t know The price of being a Superman, man is getting tough But you can’t reap mercy if it’s something you can’t show Yeah I wanna be more than a voice on the phone But I’m back in the fire every time anything goes wrong I’d love to be more than a husband and a daddy that’s always gone But I can’t seem to leave my second home I ain’t perfect Though some might disagree Guess I got flaws That only I can see Yeah I wanna be more than a voice on the phone But I’m back in the fire every time anything goes wrong I’d love to be more than a husband and a daddy that’s always gone But I can’t seem to leave my second home
9.
Unstuck 03:23
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UNSTUCK Jason Ditzler / John Feliciano / Jesse Frewerd / Todd Moe / Stephanie Rasbach / Erika Rose / James Salvo / Daniel York / Will Kimbrough / Danny Myrick / Mark Nesler / Maia Sharp I’ve got questions without answers Just a picture on the wall Throwing prayers against the ceiling What’s the meaning of it all? I sure could use a new beginning Man I really need to come unstuck Find some order in the chaos All the beauty in this mess Find the words to tell the story Help somebody suffer less Guess I need a transformation To help me get unstuck There’s a song up in my head That I haven’t finished yet Of all those words I left unsaid A couple chords, A lot of love, a little luck We might get Unstuck I just want someone to hear me So I’m not so alone It’s easier to hide when the darkness feels like home That’s the battle for my soul I got to get unstuck There’s a song up in my head That I haven’t finished yet Of all those words I left unsaid A couple chords, a lot of love, a little luck We might get Unstuck Can an angel and a devil Ever call a truce Can a sheepdog be a wolf Well I’m the living proof Even for a moment can I be unstuck? There’s a song up in my head That I haven’t finished yet Of all those words I left unsaid A couple chords, A lot of love, a little luck Think of all my buddies, call em up And if we all stick together maybe We can be unstuck
10.
Gold 04:05
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GOLD Jason Ditzler / John Feliciano / Jesse Frewerd / Todd Moe / Stephanie Rasbach / Erika Rose / James Salvo / Daniel York / Will Kimbrough / Danny Myrick / Mark Nesler / Maia Sharp You told me a story now I’m gonna tell you mine For those long dark nights in the middle of the wintertime If we help each other we can find the words, before you leave here you’re gonna be heard You told me a story now I’m gonna tell you mine Write it all down with a little bit of rhythm and rhyme Looking for a way to heal this heart of mine A few new friends in a midnight choir, like putting fresh wood on dying fire Write it all down with a little bit of rhythm and rhyme It’s like magic but I know it’s real There’s no denying how good it feels Puts a little music into my soul When the weather turns spring and the grey turns green it’s gold A brand new song that being together brings Nothing binds our hearts like going through the same things Save a little sunshine for the road, so I’m ready next time the cold winds blow A brand new song that being together brings It’s like magic but I know it’s real There’s no denying how good it feels Puts a little music into my soul When the weather turns spring and the grey turns green it’s gold Just about time to pack it all up and leave What I came here with ain’t all I’m taking back with me There’s a joy and freedom in being myself and now I want to share it with everybody else Just about time to pack it all up and leave It’s like magic but I know it’s real There’s no denying how good it feels Puts a little music into my soul When the weather turns spring and the grey turns green it’s gold When the weather turns spring and the grey turns green it’s gold

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released May 10, 2023

©2023 SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP) / Will Kimbrough Music (BMI) / Songs Of Shady Grove/(BMI) / Getyasome Music (BMI) / Crooked Crown Music (BMI)

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SongwritingWith:Soldiers Nashville, Tennessee

SongwritingWith:Soldiers is a non-profit 501c (3) organization.

Our Mission: We transform lives by using collaborative songwriting to expand creativity, connections, and strengths.

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