This is the last of the demos I recorded with Steve Talaga on an afternoon in September. While most of these tunes fall under the umbrella of jazz, this one…doesn’t.
And that’s okay. I just want to write good music, letting the labels sort themselves out later. What I really like about this one is the lyrics. It imagines an aging woman looking in the mirror and realizing all the good things the years have brought. Our culture is so fixated on youth and beauty that it leaves lots of us feeling like time has passed us by. But there are so many beautiful things that come with age: wisdom, experience, memories, and resilience for whatever will come next.
1. As you look in the mirror,
the lines you once had feared
now seem like signs marking
where the road still might lead.
The final chapters may be nearer,
but that just makes it sweeter
to read the stories that are
etched in your skin.
2. The eyes looking back remind you
of all the life you hold inside you;
there’s still a little girl
within.
She is older and wiser,
slower and kinder,
and richer for all the beauty
years can bring.
See how the time has flown!
But your soul, it still lives on.
See how the time has flown!
But your soul lives on.
3. You could try to leave it all behind you,
but the past will always find you;
and now it almost
feels like a friend.
You will need it to guide you;
the path ahead is winding
and will lead to places
you have never been.
The years that have long gone by
still lay deep inside.
The years that have long gone by–
let them be your guide.
