and we made 'em cry

we gave 'em laughter 

our songs ricocheted off the rafters

and I thought that's all we were after

There were times away from there

you wouldn't or just couldn't bend

I'd try to lend a hand but no success

you'd close up tight

you'd roll your eyes

and I'd start shrinking

thinking that of course you knew what was best

so I learned to do what you said

I shut down ideas in my head

and something inside me went dead along the way

I refused to believe I could play

so I stopped the momentum I'd gathered

at gigs I ended up getting plastered

'cause just getting out there was all I was after

Well, it came to me tonight

you haven't called

in my high-walled music room I thought of you

a friend came by

and sat while I sang a new song

you know, it seems a long time now

since all we did's been through

well I started and stopped once or twice

I wanted the song to sound nice

I wanted it hot enough to melt ice

you know what I mean

when a song expands like a dream

so I thought of you and I sang to the rafters

I thought of what really does matter

and I know that's all we were after

now I know

that's all we were after

that's all we were after

That's All We Were After

No repartee

no regrets

it's been a lot of fun

you were one who helped me come alive

now it's all gone

those many songs

we sang together

we weathered well our attempts to harmonize

they wrote of us in the papers

on stage we acted out capers

and, sure, there were times that we wavered

but we were growing

spreading the light we were knowing

© Gerald Nicholas Simpson.  All rights reserved.