Down South Sisters- Gift and Thrift

“Chasing Bobby to Birmingham”

© deb charles 2007

BOBBY LEFT HER

AT 3:25

ON THAT OLD HARLEY HIS DADDY BOUGHT IN ‘65

BOBBY TOLD HER, GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE

BUT AT 4:02 JENNY’S PACKED AND PEELIN’ OUTA’ THE DRIVE

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

on three bald tires and a donut spare

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

She can’t be here, if he’s there

Twenty dollars

in the pocket of her jeans

This old Camaro loves every Exxon that it sees

Mama told her “girl just let him go”

but Mama never kissed him, so how would Mama know

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

on three bald tires and donut spare

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

She can’t be here, if he’s there

She closes her eyes and says a prayer for these four wheels

She’s got to find him and tell him how she feels

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

on three bald tires and a donut spare

Chasing Bobby to Birmingham

She can’t be here, if he’s there

She can’t be here, if he’s there

Chasing Bobby  click to listen

“Who I am, is where I’ve been”

            © debcharles 2007

I won’t apologize for the choices that I’ve made

I offer no excuses for even one mistake

I’m not saying everything I did was right

I’m saying everything I did brought me here tonight

and Who I am, is where I’ve been

the lessons learned from losing, taught me how to win

I can’t regret a single road that I’ve gone down

‘cause where I’ve been is who I am

It takes some rain and pain to make us understand

what we can’t live without and what we surely can

I’m not saying that I’ve led the perfect life

I’m saying that the life I’ve led is perfectly alright

‘cause Who I am, is where I’ve been

all those lessons learned from losing, taught me how to win

I can’t regret a single road that I’ve gone down

‘cause where I’ve been is who I am

repeat chorus and tag line

Who I Am   Click to listen

 “Without Emily”

© deb charles 2006

He’s standing at the curtain, absolutely certain

that his life will never be the same

The sky poured down as they laid her in the ground

but Jesse never felt a drop of rain

Without Emily he just can’t see

how the world keeps spinning

how he can even breathe

He knows she’s gone, but still he can’t believe

that the sun could still come up

without Emily

He’s sitting at the dresser looking at her pictures

knowing only God can understand

how the hopes and the plans, and the heart of this man

rested in her tiny hands

Without Emily he just can’t see

how the world keeps spinning

how he can even breathe

He knows she’s gone, but still he can’t believe

that the sun could still come up

without Emily

From her very first step

until she took her last breath

Jesse held her safe in his arms

and Heaven is oh so far

Without Emily he just can’t see

how the world keeps spinning

how he can even breathe

He knows she’s gone, but still he can’t believe

that the sun could still come up

without Emily

He won’t let the sun come up

without Emily

debcharleswithoutemilydemo.mp3

“Good Hard Look”

© deb charles 2007

This time they’ll throw away the key

I guess he’ll finally pay for the life he leads

and she won’t be there, pickin’ up the pieces

like she’s always done, she’s had enough

and what’s he gonna do now that she’s gone

What’s he gonna do when he’s alone

There’s nobody left in this cold, dark cell

so I guess he’ll take a good hard look at himself

She was his umbrella in the storm

Somewhere safe, somewhere warm

but she got tired of holdin’ on to nothin’

and left him with his pain, in the pouring rain

so what’s he gonna do now that she’s gone

What’s he gonna do when he’s alone

There’s nobody left in this cold, dark cell

so I guess he’ll take a good hard look at himself

When he’s marking the days off that cold, concrete wall

Will he finally see, he’s the reason for it all

What’s he gonna do now that she’s gone

What’s he gonna do when he’s alone

There’s nobody left in this cold, dark Hell

so I guess he’ll take a good hard look at himself

He’ll finally take a good hard look at himself

good-hard-look-male.mp3

“Full Circle”

(C)deb charles 2007

Looks like I’ve come full circle

back at your door again

and I really wouldn’t blame you

if you didn’t let me in

I was feeling sad and lonely

I didn’t know what to do

I needed someone to hold me

then, I thought of you

I’ve had so many heartaches

since I walked out your door

and I think I understand you

better than I did before

I know I really love you

and I think I always knew

I’d end up back where I started

when, I thought of you

So many roads led me far away from you

A foolish child off in search of something new

and now I find it was here all the time

right before my very eyes

Looks like I’ve come full circle

back at your door again

and I really wouldn’t blame you

if you didn’t let me in

I was feeling sad and lonely

I didn’t know what to do

I needed someone to hold me

then, oh then

I needed someone to hold me

then, I thought of you

fullcircle.mp3

Sun in California

© debcharles 2007

Freedom’s a 747

headed straight from hell to heaven

Jesse left her truck at the “seven-eleven”

She won’t be coming home again

She won’t be the same scared little girl she’s been

Leaving behind all her sorrow

headed straight into tomorrow

There’s got to be some sun in California

Mama never saw it coming

Jesse hit the front door running

got tired of hearing how she’d never be nothing

Deep inside she always saw the truth

God knew more than Mama knew

She’ll take the chance that she’s been given

got to leave to keep on living

There’s got to be some sun in California

As that bird soars over Tennesee

the little girl inside Jesse flys free

Leaving behind all her sorrow

headed straight into tomorrow

There’s got to be some sun in California

There’s got to be some sun in California

sun-in-california.mp3

“See Me”

© debcharles 2008

Invisible

is how she feels

Barely there

Hardly real

Tiny fingers write a name

on a dirty window pane

silent prayer, silent scream

See Me

Impossible

is how it seems

Tenderness

just a little girl’s dream

The only love she’s ever known

is that teddy bear she holds

He feels her pain, shares her dream

See Me

Just once she’d like to feel somebody’s arms around her tight

Just once she’d like to hear somebody say

It’s gonna’ be alright

Invisible

is how she feels

Barely there

Hardly real

One more day the world goes ‘round

One more day that she’ll be found

up against that window begging please

See Me

See Me

See Me

See Me

see-me-.mp3

I Can’t believe, How Easily, You’re Leaving Me

(c)deb charles 2010

Oh no crying, no wishing you could turn time back

No denying, say “it’s over” and just pack

I don’t know what I expected you to say

but I never thought we’d end this way

Oh and I can’t believe

how easily

you’re leaving me

No excuses, I guess that’s how it oughta be

Lies are useless, but somehow that’s what I need

I don’t know what I expected you to feel

but this cold goodbye don’t seem real

Oh and I can’t believe

how easily

you’re leaving me

I’m not a fool, I know it’s not working

but I never thought you’d smile while I was hurting

God how I’m hurting

oh and I can’t believe

how easily

you’re leaving me

leavinme.mp3

“Love Somebody Home”

© debcharles 2007

She looks at the phone booth

through the dirty window pane

Her only wish is that she could call her mama

It seems she’s used up all her second chances

Where she is, is what she’s chosen

how could she know

that mama still, thinks about her baby

mama still, wonders where she is

Every night, she’s down on her knees to Jesus

If you can love somebody home

mama will

She touches the  locket

that she keeps close to her heart

She closes her eyes and says a silent prayer

It seems she’s taken every wrong road there is

She’s lost, and cold, and afraid

If she could only see

that mama still, thinks about her baby

mama still, wonders where she is

Every night, she’s down on her knees to Jesus

If you can love somebody home

mama will

She’s standing in the phone booth

fumbling with the change

As she dials the number, she’s shaking

When mama’s sweet voice comes on the line

somehow she knows everything’s alright

it’s gonna’ be alright

‘Cause mama still, thinks about her baby

and mama still, wonders where she is

Every night, she’s on her knees to Jesus, yes she is

If you can love somebody home

mama will

You can love somebody home

‘cause mama did

lovesomebodyhome.mp3