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Where Were You?
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Where were you when I went to the senior prom With the son of my mother’s best friend? Why did you never come into my life, Except at my life’s very end?
I strove for success, Worked for my happiness, But, throughout it all, Where were you?
At college, with gusto, I studied and played; Yet, the lack of romance left me blue. And, in spite of the honors I earned for myself, I now have to ask, “Where were you?”
I struggled in grad school and thought I had found The ultimate love of my life. My professor and I were so happy in bed Till he introduced me to his wife.
I strove for success, Worked for my happiness, But, throughout it all, Where were you?
Then I slept around in a faraway town, And I had a baby or two. I was married a while, never living in style, Never knowing somewhere, there was you.
My kids are all grown, and my body is tired; My bodily pleasures are few. I’ll not let regret dismay me today, For, at last, dearest love, I’ve met you.
I strove for success, Worked for my happiness, But, throughout it all, Where were you?
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| I was feeling nostalgic and listening to a
Tom Paxton album when I decided I had to write a poem. My notes for the
project begin with “Nostalgia, Early PCs, Spring,” but it was
“Where Were You?” that emerged. I quickly decided that I wanted to
write song lyrics, but the decision to write from a woman’s point of
view was made while composing the first verse because “son” has only
one syllable, whereas “daughter” has two. The poem was written 4/13/2002. I revised the text and wrote a tune 4/13/2002. Eleven years later, I was reading about writing lyrics and about the difference between poetry and lyrics. (I remain more a poet than a lyricist.) I even took an on-line songwriting course. When performing maintenance on my Web site, “Where Were You?” drew my attention, and I thought it would be worthwhile to revise my music. When I looked closely at the text, I realized that not all verses fit the music equally well. Moreover, my tune was less imaginative than it could be. Thus began a laborious revision process. In the revision, the text changed very little. I eliminated a comma in the penultimate verse, and I changed the final verse a good deal. Originally, it was My kids are now grown, and my body is tired; My pleasures in life are quite few. My regret I’ll not let my future becloud For, at last, my love, I’ve met you. I hope the replacement seems conspicuously better. I changed the rhythm of the tune and customized it to each verse. The result is, I think, acceptable. I am not much of a composer, however, and am not an arranger at all. Thus, the available music lacks an introduction and an accompaniment.
— LED, 12/1/2013 |
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