Original Song: In Dirt We’ll Play

September has certainly been a big month: three family birthdays, fathers day, school holidays, a five-day motorcycle trip, crazy busy at work, and I ended up in hospital for a few days. Despite all that the original song streak continues: In Dirt We’ll Play is the latest one, although it’s got more of an unfinished feel than usual (that’s saying something!) given the challenge of finding time to work on it around everything else.

The lyrics come, not surprisingly, from the motorbike trip out to central New South Wales and came together very easily. The chord progression actually came from my daughter Makenzie who was mucking around on the keys one night with me and nailed a great progression.

Musically, this one is extremely simple – Roland FP7 for the keyboards and…nothing else! All the rest happened inside the magic of Garageband. There’s really not a lot else to say about this one other than I hope I find a bit more time to fine tune whatever October brings!

In Dirt We’ll Play
© 2014 Chuck Smeeton

Bb       Am
Open every door
Gm               F
‘Cos one will be the way
Bb         Am
Take it to the end
Gm                   F
Cos the end is where you’ll stay

(Chorus)
Dm                   C
Don’t seal the surface
G                         Dm
Don’t mark the way
Dm                C
Don’t plan ahead
Bb                 F
In dirt we’ll play

It’s time to change the tread
Keep the rubber on the road
Preparation is the key
Time to get what you are owed

The signpost at the corner
Another choice to make
Destination changes
To get what you can take

(Chorus)

(Bridge)
Gm
Adventures are determined
F
By you and you alone
Gm
It’s not about the distance
F
But revealing the unknown
Gm
The often bumpy road
F
Leads to a better place
Bb
It’s all about the journey
C
It’s never been a race

Of all the roads you travel
Make sure a few are dirt
Never miss a chance
Even though you may get hurt

(Repeat verse 1)

(Chorus)

About the original songs
In January 2012 I commenced a goal of trying to write and record at least one song from scratch each month – sometimes it comes easily, sometimes it’s a real challenge, but I love the discipline it creates. I managed to complete the year, but it was so much fun that I’ve decided to keep it rolling for as long as I can.