Roots Over Rain

[Intro] (instrumental) [Verse 1] [Full band enters with a relaxed, steady groove. Pedal steel weaves in and out of the vocal melody. Vocal is warm and intimate, like sharing a memory.] Friday night down at the Dairy Dip The world slows to an easy drip Of chocolate swirl and cherry rain Washing off the week's small pain Granddad's stories on the porch swing's creak Hide and seek 'til the sun grows weak A map of life drawn in county lines And the way the pines lean in the warm sunshine [Chorus] [Drums become more assertive with a solid backbeat, pedal steel plays a soaring counter-melody, feeling of joyful release.] It ain't in the skyline, it's in the soil In the hard-earned rest after the day's long toil It's the harvest moon over a rusty plow And the "welcome home" from someone right here and now It's a front-porch view and a back-road drive Feeling more alive just bein' alive Yeah, you can have your bright lights and your city rain... I'll take my roots and my given name. [Verse 2] [A clean electric guitar adds subtle arpeggios] Sunday morning, First Methodist bell Ringing out a truth it knows so well Over Mr. Clark's fresh-cut lawn And the smell of bacon carryin' on A handshake deal on a weathered wood fence A kindness done without recompense Knowing every face you pass on Main Through the joy and through the pain [Chorus] [The bass line becomes more melodic. The overall sound is bright, confident, and full of pride.] It ain't in the skyline, it's in the soil In the hard-earned rest after the day's long toil It's the harvest moon over a rusty plow And the "welcome home" from someone right here and now It's a front-porch view and a back-road drive Feelin' more alive just bein' alive Yeah, you can have your bright lights and your city rain... I'll take my roots and my given name. [Bridge] [Pedal steel plays a simple, beautiful melody. Moment of pure, sun-drenched contentment.] And maybe the grass looks greener from a plane But I know the shade of every single lane The color of the dusk on Miller's Pond The place where I belong, the ground I'm standing on It's a simple equation, a quiet little sum... This is where I'm from. [Instrumental Break] (instrumental) [Final Chorus] [The whole band swells to its biggest, brightest sound] It ain't in the skyline, it's in the SOIL! In the hard-earned rest after the day's long toil! It's the harvest moon over a rusty plow! And the "welcome home" from someone right here and now! It's a front-porch view and a back-road drive! Feelin' more alive just bein' ALIVE! Yeah, you can have your bright lights and your city rain... I'll take my roots... and my given... name. [Outro]