John Shoemaker: Song Samples

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

My Aunt Jane was a rowdy gal. There was never a question as to what her opinion was on a particular subject if she was present for a conversation. She was truly a class clown of the first order. Whenever she was around she would have my Mom in stiches. I hope that her voracious appetite for life, which I greatly admired, in some way made up for its lack of length. Her lifestyle of drinking and smoking in excess eventually caught up to her and she battled for survival for about 5 years before cancer did her in. It was a long and difficult end.

Fortunately she was still alive when I wrote this, and although she never got to hear this more polished version, I was able to send her a demo which she listened to and cherished at the end of her life. I know that it helped her in her spiritual healing process because she told me so, and for that I am very grateful. This song is a story about healing, inspired by my Aunt Jane, but applicable to us all.


Lyrics:

Today they’re gonna cut Jane with a knife
Today they’re gonna try and save Aunt Jane’s life
The life she chose rode awful rough
The life she chose made her awful tough
We got two good eyes but sometimes we still don’t see
She says, “Tell that nephew of mine to write a song about me”
So I wrote…

Chorus:
We’ve come an awful long way to turn back now
I still believe through the sickness and the pain we’re gonna make it somehow

We’re all pulled apart, we’re scattered everywhere
We’re hanging on by a thread like Jane in intensive care
Looks like we’ll have to navigate through the fog
There ain’t no guarantees in this life and we’re the underdogs
I wrote this song for Aunt Jane, for myself and for humanity
I wrote this song so that when I die you can sing it for me
Sing it!

(Repeat chorus to end)