A Way

Every album, short or long, sets the tone with the first track. Interestingly enough, this song was released on my EP in 2006 as a studio production. You can listen to that track right here: https://youtu.be/ZTufwkIDJ_M?si=u6rEn0Abqg8PanVD

I was 19 years old when I wrote this song. I was seeing someone - and it was my first serious relationship. I remember breaking things off…but everytime he would call, we would start reminiscing and end up back together. (Typical first love). I had come up with the intro…just those three chords and fell in love with the percussive sound I was making as I played it. The nod to my hometown of Forest Lake, Minnesota is found in the second verse (Flaketown). When I was writing the song, I was sitting on my couch in my apartment watching the snow fall. It was the kind of snowfall that deadens the sound of everything else. It was peaceful.

I have always been the kind of songwriter who writes their best songs quickly and in a fever. This song is no exception. It was on paper before I went to bed that evening. I still play it live nearly 20 years later.

A WAY (c) Samantha Grimes 2006

Maybe we made a mistake somewhere along the line?
Maybe we were so caught up we were blind?
And now we’re both confused as what we’re supposed to do
to make everything alright.
We’re a long, long road from where we’ve been
and we try just to find where to begin.
so we cheat, and we lie, and we make a living and then we die.
But if somehow, maybe there’s a way for you and I.

The snow is falling down here in this Flaketown
and everything is covered by the white.
I wish it was just like life - start fresh without the price
but that’s not possible this time.
I’ve put my sweat in this
My heart was in every kiss and come to find that yeah - your’s was too
but now there’s this awkwardness like there’s something that we missed
and now we’re trying to find something new.

We’re a long, long road from where we’ve been
and we try just to find where to begin.
so we cheat, and we lie, and we make a living and then we die.
But if somehow, maybe there’s a way for you and I.

So where do we go from here?
Direction’s not very clear
and parting ways is just too damn hard.
Do we compromise and grow?
Shake our heads and just say no?
I wonder how close we truly are.

We’re a long, long road from where we’ve been
and we try just to find where to begin.
so we cheat, and we lie, and we cut our losses and wonder why, and we make a living and then we die.
But if somehow, maybe there’s a way for you and I.