NEWSLETTERS

May .04 Goat Notes

"Quiet Me"
By: Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle: http://www.jeffandsarahonline.com/Jeff

There's a song in my soul that begs to be free
It lies there waiting sometimes whispers to me
It's a perfect mixture of love fear and sin
The song being written will come from within
It's best when kept secret never rehearsed
Each day a new chorus each moment a verse
It may never be finished it may never begin
The song being written will come from within
My head is full of static from the noise of the day
I'm drowning in details with choices to make
But I face my responsibilities
Hey I walk the line
And I strain to catch the rhythms of the passing of time
And each numbered heartbeat
Each precious breath
And each precious moment
We're closer to death
So I count my many blessings
Let the choir begin
The song being written will come from within
Quiet me
So I don't miss it
Keep me still long enough
Quiet me
So I can hear it
The sweet song of my life


It was the day before I was due to start recording my new record. I was slightly nervous as I felt the record was missing something I had been unable to express in my own writing. You see, when I record an album, I like for every song to fit the album's theme. And when I looked at the songs I had ready to go, the picture still seemed ... incomplete.

Needing to think about this, I took a long walk around my neighborhood. As my mutt Carolynn strained against her leash pulling me and Jessie (my other mutt) up the hills, I noticed tiny buds were starting to form on the limbs of the trees. Magnolias dared to blossom in spite of the threat of yet another freeze in the hill country. Anything under 75 degrees is an icebox as far as I'm concerned, and the wind was cutting through my sweatpants ... coldpants ... like an ice pick. I thought about taking a shorter route. But, I had to visit her. I had promised myself I would. Rounding a corner I finally saw her. My angel. Eight feet of solid cement, she stood tall and proud under the oaks against the gray sky. Was she waiting for me? Does she care? Was she glad I stopped and took notice?

There is this age old adage: Life is what happens when you get up and go. That just might be so. But sometimes I think I drive so fast that I miss the beauty in what I've passed. I've lived in my new *old* home for a year now. I've walked the same blocks around my neighborhood countless times and yet I didn't discover my angel until a few months ago. One day, when I saw the owner pulling the weeds around her rose bushes, I took the opportunity to ask when she'd made the angel a permanent part of her front yard. She answered, "twelve years ago." How had I missed her? I could have really used her companionship last year. These days, she brings me comfort. When I need my thoughts to quiet down, I pay her a visit. Sometimes I visit her to just say thanks. Sure, I've thought about finding one just like her for my front
yard, but something about that feels wrong. So here I was, suspiciously watching the winter storm roll in, wondering if I'd make it home before it burst through the clouds, freezing, standing in these folks' yard, talking to my angel. I think the owners of the house have grown used to me. Well, let's just say they haven't called the police just yet.

All I wanted was one more song to complete the puzzle. I had no more money or time to experiment in the studio on a song that might not fit my record. In addition, some personal matters were heavy on my heart and a friend was nearing the end of a long and difficult battle with cancer. Thinking of her made my problems seem trivial. I gave her to the angel. When I felt the first few drops of rain, I turned towards home. I barged through my front door just as the storm hit. Upon my return, I realized I had missed a call from Lloyd. I called him back and he said, "Quiet Me." I said, "I'd be glad to!" He said, "No, the song Jeff and Sarah have called 'Quiet Me.'" Within the hour, Lloyd and I were in my music room diving into pile after pile of CDs looking for the version of "Quiet Me" Jeff and Sarah had recorded on their demo CD. "Ahhhh," I screamed triumphantly when I finally found it. I quickly put it on my player. By song's end I had teared up. I about lost it when I looked over and Lloyd had too. In the past, I'd listened to that demo countless times. I mean, jeez, it was off the same disc that had "Prayer for My Friends" on it, the song I recorded for my last album. How on earth had I overlooked "Quiet Me" for so long?
That's when I thought of my angel.

Happy trails, and thanks for your support!
Terri Hendrix

© (P) THM Music February 2004
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