This is another one where Wyatt (me) takes the microphone. I have been musical my entire life. From my earliest memories, music has helped me to express feelings, mark time, and form beliefs. I started writing this song about the artists whose songs had lasting impact, but the list of artists became too long. I decided to focus on four: one living – the timeless Bob Dylan – who has endured fifty years of change and is America’s poet laureat , and three who are no longer with us. Of those three I followed Toby Keith’s music the least, but his song titled “Don’t let the Old Man In” meant a lot to me as I have aged. He was taken, not by age, but by disease, much too soon. John Prine is in my opinion, the best lyricist who ever lived. His songs can make you smile even if you’re in pain. It’s hard to be in a bad mood after listening to John. Tom Petty harkens back to younger years and to a rebellious spirit that still lives in me and probably in many. All of them mark time in my life and carry me away.
Bob, I went to see your concert
Back in seventy-nine,
You said a slow train was comin’,
And I said, that’s fine.
I had my ticket in my pocket,
Standin’ restless in the line,
Over forty years gone by
Put my ear on the tracks,
But there’s still no sign.
[Chorus]
Prophets and sages,
Voices through ages,
Cut to the bone,
Markin’ the stages.
The young man in me
Still hears what they say,
Their songs carry me far away.
And John, I miss you bad,
We had a thing, you and me,
Ten and ten were numbers
We carved on that old tree.
But you carved your last notch
Too early in time,
The world seems lonely,
Without John Prine.
Prophets and sages,
Voices through ages,
Cut to the bone,
Markin’ the stages.
The young man in me
Still hears what they say,
Their songs carry me far away.
And I know death has to come,
But Toby it came too soon,
When the Old Man knocked,
He walked right past your room.
Instead he left a cruel joke,
Cut you straight through,
Tore up your body,
But he couldn’t take you.
Man, Tom, when you left,
The heartbreak was mine
But I still see you runnin’
With the wind at your side.
Chasin’ down a dream,
Goin’ where it leads,
Now my free fallin’ soul
Is the one that grieves.
Prophets and sages,
Voices through ages,
Cut to the bone,
Markin’ the stages.
The young man in me
Still hears what they say,
Their songs carry me far away.
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