Saying Goodbye

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Last October, I had to say goodbye to this guy, my uncle, Ed Talaga. This guy had been part of my life as long as I can remember. He was always there to help me, guide me and encourage me.

I wrote this song while I was driving into town to catch a plane to Michigan to go to his funeral. It’s hard to say goodbye to someone you love. I’m glad he was a part of my life.

Saying Goodbye – Willy Grigg

Saying Goodbye by Willy Grigg 11/1/2021 Nemo Rd towards Saginaw Mi
I’m going back home to say goodbye
To say goodbye to someone I’ve always known
And I see where he lies, and I see him pass by
And I’m saying goodbye
And he’s leaving alone

He’s saying goodbye to the sunshine, saying goodbye to the birds
Saying goodbye to the friendly faces he’s known
He’s saying goodbye to the horses, saying goodbye to the clouds
Saying goodbye to the cowboys with their guitars

It was so long ago when we first said hello
And I knew you before, I even knew how to speak
And we worked in the field, Then we worked on your car
And I’d hand you the wrenches, Then we’d get something to eat

And I’m saying goodbye to a good man, Saying goodbye to a friend
Saying goodbye to someone, Who’s always looked out for me
I’m saying to my Uncle, saying goodbye to Ed
Wherever I travel you’ll always be a part of me

Songs from Ancient Myths 2. Cassandra

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Cassandra

Cassandra by Willy Grigg 6/23/21

You [Am] tried to make the [G] science true
You [Am] checked your methods [G] through and through
Yet, you find people treating you
Like Cassandra

You said time will bear you out
And there’ll be floods and heat and drought
But other voices drowned you out
Like Cassandra

No one [G] hears, no one [C]wants to make a change
It might [E7]hurt, It might [F] cause a little [G] pain

Someday, it’s true the blind will see
When this world’s just a memory
And they’ll be cursing you and me
And Cassandra

Songs from Ancient Myths 1. Orpheus

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Orpheus and Eurydice returning from Hades.
Willy Grigg – Coming Out of the Underworld

Coming Out of the Underworld by Willy Grigg

Just keep on moving darling
Keep moving don’t look back
We’re crawling out of the underworld

I’m right behind you darling
But keep your eyes fixed straight ahead, We’re coming..

Our future is going to get better
All you have to do is believe in me We’re crawling out of the underworld

You risked it all to save me / You went through hell to bring me back
Yes, it’s been one hell of a ride / But We’re so close to the other side

I was tied and bound down, down there
Your love cut through it like a knife. We’re crawling out of the underworld

There’s milk and honey out there, There’s milk and honey for me and you
We’re crawling out of the underworld

There’s room for you and me, there
a place where we all can grow, We’re crawling out of the underworld

It’s time to change our courses,
We can’t lose, what we never found, we’re coming

I hope you believe in me, Cause I still believe in you, we’re coming

Hold on, it’s getting better / Dawn’s breaking up ahead / we’re coming…

Real World by Willy Grigg

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12/27/2020

I (A)Don’t wanna (D/A)live in the (A) real world, I don’t want to deal with the facts
I don’t want to live in a hurry
Really I just want to relax
And if that’s[E] all right with you
Then it’s [D]all right with me
I ain’t [E]bothering you
Don’t be [D]bothering me

I don’t want to live in the real world
I want to keep all the plans that I’ve made
I want to pretend things are normal
I’ll never admit I’m afraid
And that’s just all right with me if that’s all right with you
You keep on laughing at me, cuz I’m laughing at you

This (F#m)crazy guy, he drove a bus a [A] way up in the mountains
On [F#m] one lane roads with no guard rails he was [A]speeding like a demon
The [D]passengers were [E] trembling
They [D]wanted to relieve him of his [E] job
But he said you don’t have to worry our lives are in the hands of God
And he decides
If we live and if we die
( You have no personal responsibility)

I (D)can’t be(E)lieve there’s danger out there
(D)I won’t (E) live my life that way
God will surely take care of me
Don’t I always kneel down and pray
I have been a faithful servant
Why does this world let me down
Just tell me who to blame, Lord
Tell me who to run out of town

We Don’t Rock

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This song is NOT finished! I’m putting this up here mainly for musician friends to take a look at and see if they can replace my drum part, guitar part etc, with something that rocks more. I also need to fade out somewhere around 3 – 3 1/2 minutes, etc.

We Don’t Rock Any More by Willy Grigg November 2020

We don’t rock any more, we don’t rock any more
We don’t get out in the street
We don’t get out on the floor
We don’t rock any more

(we used to rock)
We used to shake it on down and writhe in ecstasy
(We used to rock)
We used to bang on the drum
And howl at the moon ‘til a quarter to three

But we don’t rock any more….
We do the same things every day
Sometimes it feels like a bore
We don’t rock any more

(We used to rock)
We were loud and proud and dumb
We could do most anything
(We used to rock)
We used to jump right in
We had a lot of dreams
We used to believe

But we don’t rock any more

Only One Thing

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This is a song I wrote last April. It’s about a very self-centered person. We probably all know someone like that.

Only One Thing by Willy Grigg 4/13/20

There’s only [F] one thing he cares about, it isn’t war and [C7] peace
There’s only one thing he cares about, it’s not famine or dis[F]ease
The whole wide world can go to heck from sea to shining [Bb]sea
There’s only one thing he [F] cares about and [C7] it’s not you and [F] me

There’s only one thing he cares about, just listen to him speak
There’s only one thing he cares about, he’s never shy or meek
There’s only one person he’s working for
It isn’t hard to see
There’s only one thing he cares about and it’s not you and me

He’s a [Bb] simple man with a [F] simple plan,
He [C] isn’t hard to [F] understand
He’s [Bb] spent his life in service to one [Dm] thing a[C]lone

He might say some things to make you cheer
And make you get upset
The fact that you’re reacting,
Means you haven’t caught on yet
He doesn’t mean the things he says
He’s empty as can be
There’s only one thing he cares about and it’s not you and me

My Holy of Holies

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Play “My Holy of Holies” by Willy Grigg
Pretty close to where I wrote this song. Taken on the day I wrote it.

My Holy of Holies by Willy Grigg 8 / 16 / 20

(with drums by Rod Meyer!)

You are (A)my my my / holy of (DM7)holies
you are (E)my help from on high my / saving (A)grace (D)(E)
you are (A)my my my holy of (DM7)holies
where I (E)find my piece of mind my resting (D)place. (A)

When the (E)road gets kind of (A)Rocky
and I’m (E)having a rough (A)ride
no(F#m)body seems to (C#m)know me
no(F#m)body’s on my (C#m)side
but (D)you’re still there
and I (E)know you care

The world keeps moving faster
Like it’s some kind of race
I start to feel exhausted
I can’t keep up the pace
But when I feel your light
Everything’s alright

This song is about finding peace. Peace can be found in nature, in art, in loving relationships. I was staring at a tall limestone cliff after swimming in a stream, when I wrote this. I was enjoying the peace of nature. Peace to all of you!

Be Safe

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A song I wrote April of 2020, in the early days of the covid-19 quarantine.

Is this artist safe?

Be Safe by Willy Grigg 4/13/2020

It’s the same old world we used to know
Not so very long ago
The streets and buildings all look familiar, but
We don’t get out much, anymore
We try to stay at home and relate
Cause everybody wants to be safe

I’m feeling pretty good right now, but
Not everybody is
I wonder who’ll be missing from the roll call
When we get over this
We try to do our part and think straight
Cause everybody wants to be safe

Day after day, everything was all the same
You never really notice, ‘til everything’s been changed

I hope we can work together
And keep our motives pure and true
And all the things I’m doing for me
I also do for you
We’re trying not to congregate
Cause everybody wants to be safe

Staying Alive

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Original recording 1/11/2020 with Rod Meyer on drums. Overdubs by Willy

Staying Alive by Willy Grigg

Staying alive, staying alive
I’m having a pretty good time, just staying alive

The miles roll by, the clock runs down
You notice a lot of the people you knew
Are not around
They had their time, you’ve still got yours
And maybe there’s still something out there
You’d like to explore

Staying alive..

At the end of the hall, you see a door
A door so many of the people you’ve known
Have gone through before
You feel the darkness, The night draws near
Maybe you’d like to do something important
While you’re still here

Staying alive

Baby please don’t go
Don’t you leave me alone
You think anybody’s gonna care about me
When you’re gone?

To Be Happy

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This song was written for Sarah & Zach on the occasion of their marriage August 31, 2019. Sarah is my niece. She stayed with us a couple summers while she was doing an internship in Rapid City. She was and is an absolute joy. Lucia and Gianna adore her!

A couple weeks before the wedding, Sarah asked Jenny if I would write and perform a song at the wedding. Luckily, inspiration came. Here it is.

To Be Happy by Willy Grigg 8/20/19

I don’t care which way you voted
Or if you’re on the winning side
I don’t care which school you went to
I don’t care what car you drive
If you’re happy with you, that’s what matters to me
And you can be rich, or you can live in a ditch
Just be happy

You don’t get too many chances
To be so young and so in love
You’re going into the deep forest
You hope you’re strong enough
To look into the darkness
And face the thing you most fear
And spread out your wings
And risk everything to be happy

The time has come and now you’re standing
You say you’ll be brave, you say you’ll be true
Be true to your spouse and your family
And the little voice inside of you
So go out and get it, nothing stands in your way
It wouldn’t be to extreme
To go and follow your dreams and be happy

sarah_zach_hammer sarah_zach_crop Sarah_Gianna_Lucia