Sunday, June 12, 2011

Maria's song





Maria’s Song
©2011 Dan Sullivan

There's a howling wind
There's a storm outside
There's a knocking on the door
"Please let me in" a voice does cry 
From a far off foreign  shore

I hear the small voice of a child
Pleading once more
"Please let me in"
The poor boy cries 
But no one answers the door

Won’t you spare his life, sweet Jesus
But if it’s not your plan for him
He’ll be knocking on Heaven’s door tonight
Won’t you please let him in

In a barrio 
In a border town
80 passengers are squeezed
Into the back of a tractor-trailer
Along with Maria Ruiz

Well, the Border Patrol
Saved most of them
But there among the deceased
They find Maria with her fingers
Still clutching her rosary beads

Won’t you hear her prayers, sweet Jesus
For she’s left this world of sin
She’ll be knocking on Heaven’s door tonight
Won’t you please let her in



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

16th Ave. (Song of the) South

It's been quite awhile since I posted anything here.   Not that there have been any complaints from anyone.   But I came up with a new song, so I thought I'd post it here.
The song was written in my living room and is loosely based on Richard M. Nixon's little known attempt to become a Music Row songwriter following his resignation from office in 1974. Like scores of thousands of other aspiring country songwriters, things didn't work out for the former president on 16th Avenue South. And after a few weeks in town, he returned to San Clemente to begin working on his memoirs. copyright 2011 Dan Sullivan

You hear a song on iTunes
You wish that it was yours
You wish you knew somebody
Who’d unlock the door
Who’d show you where the key is
Well I’ll tell you something kid
For a hundred dollar bill
I’ll show you where it’s hid

You hear all the stories
About Music Row
All of them are true
Streets are lined with gold
But none of it’s for you
If you leave it up to fate
For wide is the pathway
And narrow is the gate

If it was just up to me
I’d lend a helping hand
Seeking nothing in return
But I am a working man
I think you’ll find my fee
Well within your means
Not that I’d ever
Put a price on your dreams

It’s not who you know
It’s who knows you
You’ll need introductions
And I can make a few
We’ll co-write songs
For a few dollars more
Then a couple of open mics
To get your foot in the door

I’ll teach you all I know
‘Cause that’s what I do
I’ll get the word around town
The rest is up to you
This town is full of lies
And broken promises
Don’t listen to the cynics
Or the Doubting Thomases