on February 8, 2016
This song hasn’t made it onto an album yet, but I’ve had several people ask for the lyrics, so I wanted to post a little more here.
Cheers,
CT
Lyrics:
V1:
I see you walking down the street, so I wait patiently
you close your eyes and thank the heavens that you’re
not as bad as me
you’d think you found your way and claimed the promised land
you introduce yourself as a son of Abraham
you close your eyes and thank the heavens that you’re
not as bad as me
you’d think you found your way and claimed the promised land
you introduce yourself as a son of Abraham
V2:
You need the chains you’re wearing like a puppet needs its strings
and freedom’s a nice word–you’ve got the freedom not to see
you’ll be the one to save your brothers, so you lead them down below
you think you’re climbing up to heaven, but you’re climbing upside-down
and freedom’s a nice word–you’ve got the freedom not to see
you’ll be the one to save your brothers, so you lead them down below
you think you’re climbing up to heaven, but you’re climbing upside-down
CHORUS: ————————————————————
I’m not singing to tell you something you don’t already know
I’m just giving some inspiration to put your feet back on the ground
————————————————————————-
I’m not singing to tell you something you don’t already know
I’m just giving some inspiration to put your feet back on the ground
————————————————————————-
V3:
you keep working with good intentions for everyone you meet
you come out with your smoke and guns with claims to keep the peace
the signs you’re looking for will be swallowed up at sea
‘cause you’ve got this unquenchable fire where the waters long to reach (Chorus)
you keep working with good intentions for everyone you meet
you come out with your smoke and guns with claims to keep the peace
the signs you’re looking for will be swallowed up at sea
‘cause you’ve got this unquenchable fire where the waters long to reach (Chorus)
V4:
I’m stepping out on my good intentions down the plank that’s in my eye
I’m diving down into murky waters where nothing can survive
I’ll hold my breath for something I can call my own
I keep trying to climb up to heaven, but I’m climbing upside-down
I’m stepping out on my good intentions down the plank that’s in my eye
I’m diving down into murky waters where nothing can survive
I’ll hold my breath for something I can call my own
I keep trying to climb up to heaven, but I’m climbing upside-down
FINAL CHORUS:
I’m not looking for education ‘cause I already know
just give me some inspiration to get my feet back on the ground
not looking for education, ‘cause I already know
living out my good intentions will put a brother in the ground
I’m not looking for education ‘cause I already know
just give me some inspiration to get my feet back on the ground
not looking for education, ‘cause I already know
living out my good intentions will put a brother in the ground
Song thoughts:
Songs don’t always grow with you. From my early cowriting experiment Can I Borrow A Pencil for my Jr. High band The Vinyl Teddy Bears to the sappy love songs and sappy church songs that followed, this is something that the years have made abundantly clear to me. And that’s okay! I’m a firm believer in songs (and recordings) being a snapshot of where you’ve been. I think this is the only healthy way for independent artists to look at it. Letting songs die, naming the season in which they were written, completely overhauling, or perpetually tweaking are ways that songs seem to maintain vibrancy.
That said, it’s fun when songs do grow with you. I wrote Good Intentions back in 2004 and more than ten years later, I have peeled back new layers and appreciate it more than when I first wrote it. It’s always been an attack on the religiosity of the Christian church and recently it’s become more of an attack on racism and privilege. These attacks aren’t some self-righteous nuke from a bunker attacks either, but ones that find their mark very close to home.
Here’s another live version of it:
©2004 Chris Tripolino. All Rights Reserved.