2025 Competition Lyrics Entry:
The Red Eye by Michael Carpenter
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- One Comment
Lyrics
There’s a line of cabs, sitting at the curb
I hang up your call, without a word
The concourse shuts down as the world goes to sleep
with the ghosts of travelers, tired out and flyin East
Chorus
Make sure your seatbelts are tightly fastened
Underneath a dome of inky dark
Masks will drop from the ceiling
And photo albums will come apart
There’s a coupla cabs, still hangin around
As I’m searchin for commitment in the, lost and found
In so many ways, we’re still ok
But there’s so few reasons, left for me to stay
Chorus
Press the button and wait for assistance
Adjust the pillow, request your drink
Pull the shade against the sun’s insistence
This long flight, is makin me think
Bridge
Am I flying home?
Can you find a way to say.
Am I flying home, or just away?
There’s noone out at the curb no more
First class is loading, through the door
We don’t agree but we can’t fight
Looks like noone’s getting outta here, tonight.
Chorus
Please return your seat to its full upright position
And remember that your baggage, might well have shifted
We all push to the aisle to improve our condition
While debris from the crash is so carefully sifted.
We say our lines with complete conviction
These parts we were born to play
Am I flying home
Am I flying home
Am I flying home
Or just away?
I hang up your call, without a word
The concourse shuts down as the world goes to sleep
with the ghosts of travelers, tired out and flyin East
Chorus
Make sure your seatbelts are tightly fastened
Underneath a dome of inky dark
Masks will drop from the ceiling
And photo albums will come apart
There’s a coupla cabs, still hangin around
As I’m searchin for commitment in the, lost and found
In so many ways, we’re still ok
But there’s so few reasons, left for me to stay
Chorus
Press the button and wait for assistance
Adjust the pillow, request your drink
Pull the shade against the sun’s insistence
This long flight, is makin me think
Bridge
Am I flying home?
Can you find a way to say.
Am I flying home, or just away?
There’s noone out at the curb no more
First class is loading, through the door
We don’t agree but we can’t fight
Looks like noone’s getting outta here, tonight.
Chorus
Please return your seat to its full upright position
And remember that your baggage, might well have shifted
We all push to the aisle to improve our condition
While debris from the crash is so carefully sifted.
We say our lines with complete conviction
These parts we were born to play
Am I flying home
Am I flying home
Am I flying home
Or just away?
Author
Bio
Carpenter sings stories to audiences all over. His influences include Roots music like Jim Croce, Willie Nelson, Gordon Lightfoot as well as soulful Rock singers like Robert Palmer and Paul Carrack.
You can expect grab-ya lyrics and sing along choruses in his songs. “Not all of the songs are historically accurate, but they are all true” he’ll tell you. His storytelling is soaked in the mud of the Upstate NY small towns he grew up in as one of 7 kids.
Carpenter’s 3 EPs are (Babyland Debut 2015) (Doublewide 2018) (Nikon 2024). He also did a self recorded album (Big High Moker released in 2006). His music is available on the streaming services like Spotify, Google, Amazon, etc. and on his website: www.carpentermusic.com.
He and his family live in Hopedale, MA.
You can expect grab-ya lyrics and sing along choruses in his songs. “Not all of the songs are historically accurate, but they are all true” he’ll tell you. His storytelling is soaked in the mud of the Upstate NY small towns he grew up in as one of 7 kids.
Carpenter’s 3 EPs are (Babyland Debut 2015) (Doublewide 2018) (Nikon 2024). He also did a self recorded album (Big High Moker released in 2006). His music is available on the streaming services like Spotify, Google, Amazon, etc. and on his website: www.carpentermusic.com.
He and his family live in Hopedale, MA.
Co-author(s)
Lyrics Competition Results
Emotional Impact:
18/ 20
Technical Skill:
19/ 20
Memorability:
19/ 20
Storytelling:
20/ 20
Imagery:
20/ 20
Total Score:
96/ 100
Comments:
From the first line I was hooked and had to know what happened in the story. You used the perfect balance of telling us the facts but also used inventive and original ways of describing the scene and the feelings attached to the story. Fantastic job!
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wow very excited to get some positive feedback on this one. thanks so much to TITA