“1972”

Mar 18, 2010, 10:39 PM

I started writing this lyric about a year or two ago and, the other day, I finally got it to where I like it…it’s one of those pieces I’ve been taking out to work on from time to time between other projects.  I hatched the thematic vehicle with a close friend at work/school, Diana Ramberg.  Diana’s also become good friends with the beautiful Mrs. Bertram - she’s just good people all the way around :-)  Diana and I talked about this lyric and kicked it back and forth so much, and the resulting lyric has been so influenced by those conversations, that I’ve given her co-credit on it.  The resulting lyric’s largely a collection of childhood memories and what it seems like looking back these days…hope you like it, comments welcome.

“1972”

Verse 1:
Running through the woods
Playing hide and seek
Spending all day
Down by the creek
You were five years old
I was only four
Ev’ry morning
I was at your door

Chorus:
Nineteen seventy-two
Seems like yesterday
But when I look back
It feels so far away
That year came and went
And we never knew
That some day we’d miss
Ninteen seventy-two

Verse 2:
Chasing fire flies
On warm summer nights
Playing freeze tag
In the twilight
When morning came back ‘round
We’d play all day long
As each day passed
Like a summer song

Chorus:
Nineteen seventy-two
Seems like yesterday
But when I look back
It feels so far away
That year came and went
And we never knew
That some day we’d miss
Ninteen seventy-two

Bridge:
Today I watch my kids play
I smile an’ think of you
As my mind drifts back
To nineteen seventy-two

Chorus:
Nineteen seventy-two
Seems like yesterday
But when I look back
It feels so far away
That year came and went
And we never knew
That some day we’d miss
Ninteen seventy-two

“1972” (c) 2010 W. Ray Bertram, Diana Ramberg

Mar 18, 2010, 10:54 PM

Hey Ray, I like the idea here but.. I am not FEELING 1972 I am 47 so that year was prime in my life.

IMO I would use mention of Elton John, Some current event of the time, some place that peeps would know from that time.. Just wandering in the woods does not reckon me to to 72.. Mention who won the world series or the price of gas.. something to make me remember that time

Great idea.. Man I hope you use your magic to make this work.. I loved the 70’s..

Mar 18, 2010, 10:56 PM

I like this one Ray, good write, enjoyed the story.

Mar 18, 2010, 11:05 PM

Hi Ray,

I gotta disagree with Tom.  I think it’s the experiences and emotions you’ve related that make your words universal.  I think adding pop culture references would cheapen the very personal feel.  They’re great words as is.  Very well done.

Mar 18, 2010, 11:10 PM

Well, what exactly makes you fee like you are in 1972? To me it could be any year. Remember the title is 1972 IMO humbly it should be about that time… just a personal reference won’t work..people need to feel they are there… IMO they do not

Mar 18, 2010, 11:12 PM

Ray I like most of this, but it would be worthwhile to say that you and this other person were either school grade friends, or you’re talking about a girl…you never really say, and although we can fill in the blanks individually as listeners, I’m left wondering exactly what this is really about. Also…maybe some external thing coinciding with that year happened as both of you may have experienced it, like the war in Vietnam and how lots of kids had that to be thinking about—cutting into the innocence, so to speak.  Just thinkin’ out loud brother-

JD

Mar 19, 2010, 12:07 AM

Ray,

I’m diggin the cinematic elements of this piece but not the imagery. I’m with JD on the “explaining if you two were just friends, etc.”
I’m feeling a pinch of “Unanswered Prayers” by Garth Brooks a little bit…thanking God for what you have now, as opposed to being with the woman from 1972 if you were more than just friends. I think Tom is also correct in pointing out connectivity to the year of the title and painting a picture that everyone in that age group could relate to…growing up as kids, you could mention pretending to drive your friend around in your dad’s 72’ vehicle…whatever type it is…or listening to popular music back then, etc.

Just my opinion…other than that…great write as always brother!!!

-LeeAndrew

Mar 19, 2010, 12:51 PM

If I am not mistaken James Blunt wrote a Song called “1973” so obviously there are some people who “felt” that year *lol* - The Connells, an Irish Band, wrote 74-75.

So Ray used a similar thematic vehicle like James Blunt did witz “1973” - have a look here:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamesblunt/1973.html

I don´t know anything about this period, I was not even born, I am a child of the 80th :).

Mar 19, 2010, 05:45 PM

What a talent you have for verse Ray.
I enjoyed this.
God bless,
Shari

Mar 19, 2010, 06:05 PM

Hey Ray,,when I seen this it reminded me of the song James Blunt did also….I loved it..
and when I read it it reminded me of one a wrote a year 1/2 ago

Very nice ...memories are wonderful to build on.and you seem to reach into your banks and building them all

Regards
Darlene.

Mar 21, 2010, 06:26 PM

Hey gang - sorry to be so slow in getting back to this strand…just got a lot going on up on the mountain this weekend - fixing to roll out a new song that we’re real happy with and had a bit of a mis-hap with the van involving a persnickety ditch (lol).  I’ve been keeping up with the comments here, though, and really appreciating them and each of you for making them - some good words and real thought provokers…I’ve got a few minutes now so let me get to everybody in turn…  Also a special thanks from my friend, Diana Ramberg - this is a first for her and she really appreciated what’s been shared and the way in which everybody’s approached the strand…so hats off to the “SW101 house” for making yet another person feel right at home :-)

Mar 21, 2010, 06:57 PM

Tom!  Always good to see you, man.  You know, to your credit here, whenever somebody makes a song per the specs that you’ve laid out, it always has the potential to be phenomenally huge and do well - VERY marketable.  After reading your post, the first song to ME that came to mind was Mark Will’s big Country hit, “19 Somethin’” - which to me is about as good as anybody can do along the lines of that thematic vehicle.  If you haven’t heard that song, then you NEED to give it a listen - here’s the video :-)

19 Somethin’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm—KJk-kgw

What I’m doing here, it’s not REALLY about 1972, though…it’s about being 4 years old, which is what I happened to be back in 1972 - I was simply using the title as a metaphorical hook that way, largely because I thought it sang so superbly well lol Was that a bad call on my part?  Always a possibility - I don’t really feel like I’m fully in a place to decide that way just now…  When I think about what I’ve done here…something more along the lines of Don Williams classic “Lord Have Mercy On A Country Boy” comes to mind…here’s a Josh Turner cover of that song - sorry, it’s the best I could find lol

Lord Have Mercy On A Country Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go7JR5sNORs

The 70’s really did rock though, didn’t they?  I can’t help but feel sorry for folks who weren’t around back then lol Hang tight and enjoy the day over there, Tom :-)

Mar 21, 2010, 06:59 PM

Thanks Glenn - glad it found you and I’m glad you liked it.  We’re not headed off to Kentucky tomorrow like we’d figured - the van and a ditch made “alternate plans” for us lol…still figuring out the damages there.  Life is good up on the mountain, though :-)  Hope all is well for you over there on your side of the screen.

Mar 21, 2010, 07:08 PM

Hey Matt - thanks for checking this one out and dropping a post…yeah, that’s pretty much what I was trying to accomplish here.  I don’t know if I did the best possibly job all the way around or not, I might end up working on it some more in order to achieve maximum marketability…or who knows, it might work good as-is, too.  The song really isn’t about the 70’s at all…though perhaps changes inherent in the ever-developing “modern age” make such times of life as described in this lyric increasingly rare per today’s young.  What you wrote, “...the experiences and emotions you’ve related that make your words universal…” is largely what I was trying to accomplish - to define that part of childhood that a lot of people got to enjoy, maybe more so in earlier days than in today.  It’s still part of the “social conscience,” though, and something everybody who got to experience it looks back upon in a pleasantly nostalgic way.  Thanks again for checking it out and taking the time to share your thoughts - I really do appreciate it.

Mar 21, 2010, 07:21 PM

Hey JD - sure is good seeing you around, man :-)  Now this is just me, but for me, this piece cuts back to a time of innocence when the boundaries of male/female really weren’t so well defined and we took our friends based on how they treated us and who happened to live the closest.  The thing that happened that both subjects of the song shared was, at least to me…the end of summer :-)  But not just the end of any summer…The fact that one of them was 6 implies that, that fall, that kid went off to school, thus changing a significant portion of the primary subjects life in a rather irreversable way…and a way in which all kids end up facing.  Instead of stealing time from the lyric to include that, I decided to instead focus upon the “magic summer” element..a mistake?  Maybe…I’m not really sure that I’m in a position to say, just now.  I’ll admit that this piece isn’t necessarily for everybody, though - and I think the posts I’m getting bring that home - but I do appreciate each post and I’m very glad for them, you know me :-)  For me, a piece like this isn’t necessarily about answering questions, but simply inviting people to look inward and ask questions, instead…I don’t know, that may or may not make sense lol You know that I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, though - as usual, they’re very real and very inciteful and the kind of stuff that I can’t help but thrive on.  Hang tight and enjoy the night over there on your side of the screen.

Mar 21, 2010, 07:28 PM

Ray I like what you did about the ages You Were Five I was only four, brings back a lot of memories no matter what age. I wrote a song couple of years ago. We fell in love in l961 you broke my heart 62, the song was so sad I don’t think I ever finished it. I might one day. I guess what I’m getting at it doesn’t matter how old you are everyone remembers being four or five, good memories. Good job
God Bless,
Elaine