SAC Final challenge in the 4 x 4 Songwriting and Blogging challenge

The challenge is over.....what a month!!!

I joined the Songwriters Association of Canada, so I could participate in the S.A.C. Summer Songwriting and Blogging Challenge: 4 songs in 4 weeks.

This forced me to take my songs out of my basement, and out in front of other songwriters, professionals, mentors, family and friends. I loved the stress of writing to a specific theme, and to a fixed deadline.

To the four challengers...Murray Daigle, Bryan Potvin, Michael Perlmutter, and Emma-Lee thank you for pushing us, and recognizing the subtle things that encourage growth and better songs.

To the two Challenge Facilitator/Moderator/Mentors North Easton, and Rosanne Baker Thornley...I say WOW. You listened to my demos, my worries, and anxieties in putting myself out there. The support and constructive critiques were invaluable, and considering that you did this for everyone in the challenge, and fit the time into your own songwriting, performing careers...not to mention family, and all other activities. (I received many emails stamped with middle of the night timelines)

To my new friends, and fellow songwriters, I say thank you as well for sharing your hearts, words, and music. Many of your songs moved me to tears, made me play them in my car over and over...and pushed me to try and up my game.

I also want to say a quick word about my collaboration partner Kristine St. Pierre. She is an amazing songwriter, artist, and friend. I love her songs... the way she writes with emotion and spirit. I knew that when we would get together to write it would be enlightening.

Thank you Kristine...I look forward to more songs and music being written together.

This last song of the challenge was to take two existing songs, or unfinished bits of songs and combine them together to make a new creation.

I struggled with this, because, I found it easier to write something new than go back to something that was left behind.

That formed some of my thinking with this song. Where do we go? what do we leave behind?...how are people affected by being left behind? My question was... are we wandering souls, or flesh and bones...or both.

Lyrics

Flesh & Bones

Words and music – David Shackleton 2016

Stars are shining, they’re lighting up the night

Some are falling out of sight

The world keeps turning the same old way

Sun wakes up to push the dark away

Chorus

We are only wandering souls

We are only flesh and bones

The sea is rolling, it pulls at the tide

Knows the secrets we keep inside

Remember me, when you sing my songs

Doesn’t matter if you sing them wrong

Chorus

Bridge

Storm will lift, and the sky will clear

Burdens of this day

All the troubles that we know

Will slowly fade away

Chorus

We are only wandering souls; we are only flesh and bones

We are only wandering souls - Put all those tears away

We are only flesh and bones - don’t want to ruin this day

We are only wandering souls - blue skies

We are only flesh and bones - all them clouds

We are only wandering souls

We are only flesh and bones