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SW​:​S Retreat January 2018

by SongwritingWith:Soldiers

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    Our retreats pair professional songwriters with veterans, military families and couples, and active-duty service members to write songs about their military experiences and returning home.

    The following veterans participated in the January 2018 retreat:

    Marcin Budnik, Joshua Hall, Brett Hannum, John “PK” Kelly, Richard Loza, Michael Schlitz

    These are songs recorded on site at retreats. They capture a song just hours after being written, like the song taking its first breath.
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1.
Michael Schlitz / Will Kimbrough I've been a hellion full of rebellion Banging around my one story town I looked for a way out I found my escape route I made mistakes until I found someone to guide me It was a moment in time I've been a leader, I became a teacher I let down my armor so I could connect with others who needed the guidance I had The good life was easy and I found myself satisfied It was a moment in time I found myself in the thick of the darkness The shit all around me was blocking the light I couldn't get up, but I wouldn't give up I'm what a bad day looks like to you In the blink of an eye I went charging on In that moment in time I've known the struggle and it made me stronger And tougher than I ever knew I could be I have found courage and a new sense of purpose in people around and I find it in me So I'm looking forward into the light at the end of the tunnel its right there in sight Yes I'm looking forward To the next moment in time Yeah I'm looking forward To every moment in time Will Kimbrough Music (BMI) Admin. Bluewater Music Inc / SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP)
2.
Richard Loza / Jay Clementi Packed like sardines kitted up in a C-130 My back is hurting I wanna get there in a hurry The door opens up and I drop into the pitch black With my wooby and my brothers and my over stuffed ruck sack Falling falling from the sky Flying through the darkness through tracers of light Falling falling from the sky Want to say a prayer but you don’t have the time When you’re falling, falling from the sky We cleared out the air strip objective called road runner We were loading up supplies to leave when the ground shook like thunder When a mortar drops there’s a shot of adrenaline We loaded up and flew out as they were zeroing in Falling falling from the sky Flying through the darkness through tracers of lighta Falling falling from the sky Want to say a prayer but you don’t have the time When they’re falling, falling from the sky I’m back home now safe and sound But still feel the earth shake, hear those legs breaking See the illumination rounds Falling falling from the sky Flying through the darkness through tracers of light Falling falling from the sky Want to say a prayer but you don’t have the time When your falling, falling from the sky Sony ATV Cross Keys (ASCAP) / SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP)
3.
Brett Hannum / James House Desert sun beats down on your soul A million miles from home All eyes are on you if you go in in the day Never go out alone But we owned the night Ghosts with green eyes We owned the night Someday I’ll be back in the light But now We owned the night They think they’re safe behind their walls But we know who they are We can see into the shadows There’s no place too far But we owned the night Ghosts with green eyes We owned the night Someday I’ll be back in the light But now We owned the night And when I make it back home someday I will remember The quiet before the storm Then the rattle and shake of the thunder I’m back home now safe and sound Wife and daughters by my side Fought em over there so we don’t have to fight over here Left em no place to hide Cause we owned the night Ghosts with green eyes We owned the night Now I’m back in the light Cause We owned the night SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP) / James Andrew House Music (BMI)
4.
THESE BOOTS 03:18
Joshua Hall / James House I enlisted in the army when I was seventeen To be a ranger meant everything to me Like my daddy before me felt like it’s what I had to do Proud to wear the uniform lace up the boots Next thing i knew I was in the middle of hell Bullets flying everywhere raining down shells Didn’t care if i lived or died had nothing to lose But I made it out of there wearing a bloody pair of boots Sent me home said you’ll be fine Home in my room but I was back there in my mind War wasn’t over yet, still some fighting left to do Put the uniform back on start lacing up the boots These boots have gotten me in and out of hell I keep replacing the soles from every time I fell Doesn’t matter where I go or what I do I keep putting on these boots I finally traded in my saw for a badge and Glock Worked a small Texas town laying down the law But I was still at war fighting my way through The ground keeps shifting underneath these boots Driven by courage fueled by fire If I said I wasn’t scared you can call me a liar The only mission now is to conquer these blues I’m still putting on these boots These boots have gotten me in and out of hell I keep replacing the soles from every time I fell Doesn’t matter where I go or what I do I’ll keep putting on these boots SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP) / James Andrew House Music (BMI)
5.
Sean Bode / Marcin Budnik / John “PK” Kelly / Jay Clementi It’s your daddy son, yeah I’m right here I never went away I’m always near You can talk to me when you’re feeling down When your heart is hurting or your scared I’ll be around I never got to talk about faith, life or love The good the bad the ugly that’s all a part of growing up We never got to play catch, so charge the ball Give your best Never start a fight but never back down Sometimes walking away is standing your ground If your heart pounds to a rockabilly song If your hair stands up when someone’s being wronged And you wonder where all that comes from It’s your daddy son When it comes to girls, there’s gonna be some drama Don’t forget to show respect just like I did your momma And when it comes to her, you gotta pour on those kisses It’s gotta be enough for the both of us for all the ones I’m missing Always do your best son I’ll be proud of you Prove things to yourself it’s all you gotta do We never got to play catch, so charge the ball Give your best Never start a fight but never back down Sometimes walking away is standing your ground If your heart pounds to a rockabilly song If your hair stands up when some ones being wronged And you wonder where all that comes from It’s your daddy son One day you’ll search for meaning for what your life has in store The secret is finding something that’s worth dying for We never got to play catch, so charge the ball Give your best Never start a fight but never back down Sometimes walking away is standing your ground If your heart pounds to a rockabilly song If your hair stands up when some ones being wronged You have the spirit of a warrior the heart of a gentleman You’re your daddy’s son Sony ATV Cross Keys (ASCAP) / SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP)
6.
Joshua Hall / Brett Hannum / Richard Loza / Michael Schlitz / James House / Will Kimbrough He seemed ok yesterday Told me everything was fine But he would never really say What's on his mind But when it's her name on the phone I know he's out there all alone And maybe finally had enough this time Had enough of the demons Had enough of the shame Had enough of the silence He couldn’t take it one more day When you get that midnight call You know the sky's about to fall It's gonna rain, rain, rain all night long You know there's nothing you can do Always a bolt out of the blue It's always the same Midnight Call I better put some coffee on I'll be calling brothers until dawn This time the torch has been passed down to me You always think you could do more Man, I guess that's what guilt is for To show you the hope and light He could not see And we'll get together And say our goodbye Welcome another Airborne Ranger in the Sky SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP) / James Andrew House Music (BMI) / Will Kimbrough Music (BMI) Admin. Bluewater Music Inc
7.
WILDFLOWER 02:50
John “PK” Kelley / Jay Clementi I’m a storm that comes and goes I can be as cold, as the north wind blows I can rain, for days on end Flooding everything in the path I’m in The good lord only knows how anything can grow In a world that’s raging like this Baby your my beauty my grace your my color and my strength Sweet light in a sunset hour My wildflower I can get heated as the desert sun Steal your trust like a bandit on the run You never waiver never give up Relentlessly unspoken never-ending love The good lord only knows how anything can grow In a world that’s raging like this Baby your my beauty my grace your my color and my strength Sweet light in a sunset hour My wildflower You’re my perfection inspiration your my bliss I see it in your eyes and feel it in your kiss The good lord only knows how anything can grow In a world that’s raging like this Baby your my beauty my grace your my color and my strength Sweet light in a sunset hour My wildflower Sony ATV Cross Keys (ASCAP) / SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP)
8.
MY THERAPY 03:40
Marcin Budnik / Will Kimbrough My dad and me we're both so stubborn Maybe cause we're just alike We fought like dogs I threw a fist He kicked me out that very night So I went through hell with my ranger brothers Fought so hard to stay alive And we felt helpless all together As we watched our brothers die I felt anger I felt pain I blocked my sorrow and my shame And in that moment I’m to blame But I won't give in, I won't complain My heart and soul was with my daughter To be with her I left my past At first I felt so isolated But raising her…I’m home at last And she just might be The biggest part of my therapy And in that moment I feel free All her love surrounding me Then I met a girl who understands me I knew it from the very start She put them all right back together The pieces of my broken heart And she just might be The biggest part of my therapy And in that moment i feel free All the love surrounding me My dad and me we're still so stubborn Maybe cause we're just alike He loves my girls as much as i do That's why our bond has grown so tight Now they will always be The biggest part of my therapy And in that moment I feel free With their love surrounding me Yeah they will always be The biggest part of my therapy And in that moment I feel free With their love surrounding me SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP) Will Kimbrough Music (BMI) Admin. Bluewater Music Inc
9.
BROTHERHOOD 02:26
Marcin Budnik / Joshua Hall / Brett Hannum / John “PK” Kelly / Richard Loza / Michael Schlitz / Jay Clementi Brotherhood brotherhood We got each other’s back just like we should Brotherhood Brotherhood It’s rare to find and what we have is dam good Brotherhood The guys beside you are there to pick you up When life throws a curve and your down on your luck They’re gonna be there to talk you off the ledge They’re gonna be there to drag you from the edge Brotherhood brotherhood We got each other’s back just like we should Brotherhood Brotherhood It’s rare to find and what we have is dam good Brotherhood They don’t understand the depth of our camaraderie Unspoken bonds of our triumphs and our misery They’ll keep you in line, all for one, one for all Be the first to raise a beer and the first to bust your balls Brotherhood brotherhood We got each other’s back just like we should Brotherhood brotherhood It’s rare and you know its dam good Brotherhood Sony ATV Cross Keys (ASCAP) / SongwritingWith:Soldiers Music (ASCAP)

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released February 8, 2018

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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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