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As I have stated in the past, songwriting has been a large part of my life. In October, 2001, after picking up my guitar for the first time in five years, and being inspired by the shock of the 9/11 attacks, I sat down and started to play “Just Another Day” - an Oingo Boingo song written by one of my songwriting idols Danny Elfman. When I saw my son Joshua smiling at me, and enjoying the inner joy that playing and singing gave me, I felt the words of “Your Smile” come through me. 20 minutes later, I knew that song would forever change me. I vowed from that moment on to write songs that would express my love of God’s wonders. Not long after that day, I had started to assemble other musicians that would help me to promote God’s love and wisdom - without doing so in an overtly preaching manner. And so the band RattleTrap was born. I had noticed however, that at times my lyrics were too subtle, and that led to a bit of confusion as to what our songs were about. This was especially true once our layers of guitars, and drums were added. On this page are the lyrics of songs that I really want to share, in a written format - for your reading pleasure. Some were written before 2001, some written since. Some have been produced on CD’s, some have not. These are words that came to me, mostly with no planning or fore thought. Lyrics that I do not want to bury; that I hope will inspire, encourage, and motivate others. This is my life – Lyrically Speaking.
YOUR SMILE October 10, 2001 words by James A. Nelson HERE I GO AGAIN MAKING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING I’M HERE IN THE DARK ALONE IN MY THOUGHTS IT AIN’T NOTHING TO SAY THAT YOU’RE AMERICAN I’VE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE AND GOT SOME SCARS TO SHOW FOR IT THERE HE GOES AGAIN WITH THAT FINGER OF BLAME FILLING US WITH DOUBTS ALTHOUGH WE KNOW HIS NAME IT AIN’T NOTHING JUST TO BE AN AMERICAN WITHOUT KNOWING FREEDOM AND THE PRICE WE’VE PAID FOR IT STAYING UP LATE AGAIN CRYING WHILE MAKING NO SOUND THERE’S NO WAY THAT HATE, MY FRIEND COULD EVER BE PROFOUND I KNOW WE CAN’T SAVE THE WORLD UNTIL WE CAN SAVE OURSELVES SO IF I COULD SEE YOUR SMILE I’LL PUT MY HATE UPON THE SHELVES WELL HERE WE GO AGAIN BACK ON THE BAND WAGON I CALLED OUT SHOTGUN SO I COULD GIVE IT TO YOU WELL AIN’T THAT SOMETHING TODAY WE’RE ALL AMERICAN SINCE OUR GOD AND HIS FLAG HAS COME TO SAVE OUR SOULS THEN I SEE YOUR SMILE IT MAKES IT ALL WORTH WHILE WHEN I SEE YOUR SMILE THEN THERE’S YOUR SMILING FACE OH, HOW IT WARMS THIS PLACE YOUR PRECIOUS SMILING FACE THEN I SEE YOUR SMILE
I AM MY FATHER’S SON March 13, 2003 words by James A. Nelson THERE’S A MOON OVERHEAD THOUGH IT’S CALLED UNDERFOOT AS THE UNDERTOE WAS DRIFTING THROUGH MY MIND I GET THIS WAY FROM TIME TO TIME THOUGH I REALLY CAN’T EXPLAIN WHY THERE’S A REASON FOR THE SEED BEYOND FEAR OF SIMPLICITY AS THE TREE GROWS UP AND THE ROOTS GROW DOWN I GUESS THAT PROVES THERE’S LIFE UNDERGROUND THOUGH I NEVER HEARD IT MAKE A SOUND THERE’S A LOT TO THIS LIFE THAT I CAN’T EXPLAIN THOUGH IT SEEMS I’M DYING TO TRY LIKE HOW THIS EARTH CAN BE FLOODED BY THE RAIN AND THEN BE ALL HUNG OUT TO DRY OH, THERE’S SO MUCH PAIN THERE’S JUST TOO MUCH FEAR IT’S SO EASY TO BE DROWNED BY THE RAIN AND TO FALL ON WHAT YOU HEAR DON’T CRY, DON’T CRY MY CHILD, DON’T CRY IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT I AM MY FATHER’S SON COME SEE ME DANCE I AM MY FATHER’S SON I AM THE MAN I AM MY FATHER’S SON COME HEAR ME SING I AM MY FATHER’S SON I SEE EVERYTHING I AM MY FATHER’S SON COME TAKE MY HAND I AM MY FATHER’S SON AND I’LL GUIDE YOU THROUGH HIS LAND
LINES ON MY FACE July 10, 2003 words by James A. Nelson ;
[ Lines on my face; they can tell you my story But, you won’t believe all that they have to say Lines on my face; obtained from yesterday’s glory Are here to remind me of what’s to become of this day Lines on my face; they can tell no lies To better receive me, take a look into my eyes Lines on my face; appear to me when I sleep A small trip back in time – when I prayed for my soul you’d keep Lines on my face; a reflection of a better man A mirrored image of living someone else’s plan Lines on my face; help me keep my secrets mine A history of fame and shame, within the wrinkles of my mind And if you believe in miracles And life that breathes in fairytales Then you’d believe in a love that’s true Then you would see the way then we could find a way You would see the way The way that I believe in you
AERIE October 4, 2003 words by James A. Nelson I LIVE IN THE DARK COLD VAGUE SHADOWS OF THE EARTH I’VE BEEN DOWN HERE LIKE THIS EVER SINCE MY BIRTH THAT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO FEELS LIKE SUCH A LONG TIME AGO I WEAR THE SAME SHOES THAT I’VE ALWAYS WORN I’VE BEEN FROM HERE TO THERE, NOW MY HEART IS TORN THAT WAS A BIG, BIG LOSS TO ME FEELS LIKE SUCH A BIG LOSS TO ME LOOKING AT THIS WORLD FROM INSIDE MY GILDED CAGE I TIP TOE AND TAP DANCE OVER SOLITUDE AND RAGE THE RHYTHM GETS DISTORTED INSIDE MY LITTLE HEAD MY VACANT SMILE HIDES MY WISHING TO BE DEAD HOW CAN YOU SAY THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE? CAN YOU TELL ME WHY IT FEELS SO STRANGE? THE ENTHUSIASM I ONCE KNEW AS A CHILD MY TENDER HEART’S BEAT ALWAYS RUNNING WILD WILL IT EVER COME TO BE AGAIN? CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS? OH AERIE; AS LONG AS I SHOULD BREATHE OH AERIE; HIGH UP IN YOUR NESTING PLACE
WAITING ‘TIL THEN October 27, 2004 words by James A. Nelson AS LONG AS THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS GREAT BIG WORLD OF OURS THERE WILL BE LOVE & HATE & MARRIAGE & DIVORCE & WARS AS LONG AS THERE ARE HUMAN BEINGS SIMPLY TRYING TO BE THERE WILL BE TRUTHS & LIES & LAUGHS & CRIES & A NEVER CALMING SEA AS LONG AS BLOOD FLOWS IN THE VEINS OF EVERY HUMAN SOUL THERE WILL BE BLEEDING HEARTS IN THEATRE & ARTS & ROCK-N-ROLL AS LONG AS I HAVE LOVE TO GIVE TO EVERYONE I MEET THERE WILL BE OPEN ARMS & OPEN MIND & A HEART SKIPPING BEAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW THEN YOU’LL NEVER GO WHERE YOU WON’T GO AND YOU’LL NEVER SEE WHAT YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT’S DEEP INSIDE OF YOU, WELL BABY IT CONSUMES ME I DON’T WANNA WAIT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE I WANT IT ALL TO COME TO ME TONIGHT ALL THE ANSWERS OF THE WORLD DRIPPING THROUGH MY PEN I’M UP ALL NIGHT HERE BY MYSELF AGAIN AND IT LOOKS I’M WAITING, WAITING ‘TIL THEN
BALLAD OF THE UNBORN October 28, 2005 words by James A. Nelson IMAGINE YOURSELF ALL ALONE IN A MOMENt of pure GREATNESS SURROUNDING YOURSELF IN the FEEDBACK LEFT FOR TOMORROW I’LL BE THERE PICKING UP THE PIECES OF WHAT WAS YESTERDAY I’LL BE THERE HOLDING THE HANDS OF THE BABIES THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND IMAGINE A PLACE WHERE WE ALL DANCE TO THE MUSIC MADE BY ANGELS surrounding ourselVES in a temporary release of ALL sorrow i’ll be there dancing a jig in the tartan of my ancesters i’ll be there holding the hands of the babies that were never born we are all subordinates of the bosses WHO CONTROL OUR MINDS AS we strayed from the flock, we were cast OUT ASIDE we are the ones to bare the crosses for tomorrow however heavy the burden seems to be, OH NO [
I’LL BE THERE PICKING UP THE PIECES OF WHAT WAS YESTERDAY I’LL BE THERE HOLDING THE HANDS OF THE BABIES THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND i’ll be there dancing a jig in the tartan of my ancesters i’ll be there holding the hands of the babies that were never born
A THOUSAND ANGELS March 23, 2006 words by James Nelson
FOR EVERY NIGHT THAT I CAN’T SLEEPI GET FURTHER AWAY FROM MY DREAMS AND EVERY DAY THAT I AM AWAKE I FIND I JUST CAN’T TAKE THIS PLACE AND FOR EVERYTIME I SAY TO MYSELF EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT THERE’S THIS LITTLE VOICE INSIDE OF MY HEAD THAT SAYS, “YOU KNOW IT’S ALL JUST A GREAT BIG LIE” I’VE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONE TO RUN AWAY FROM IT ALL I NEVER STAYED THROUGH THICK AND THIN THEN I SAW THE WORLD EXPLODE IN FRONT OF MY FACE IT ALL BECAME A GAME THAT I’LL NEVER WIN A THOUSAND ANGELS COULDN’T SAVE ME FROM THIS A THOUSAND ANGELS COULD NOT RESCUE ME A THOUSAND ANGELS LOOKING OVER ME NOW A THOUSAND ANGELS WHERE COULD THEY BE
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