Story Behind The Song: Vera's Shoes
Posted on August 7, 2010 with 1 comment
Vera’s Shoes is one of the more recent songs I’ve written. In one way it is a very first for me. I’m almost ashamed to admit it but after all these years of playing guitar I’d never ventured out of either standard or drop D tuning. This is the first song I’d written in DADGAD tuning, which much to my embarrassment, I’d just picked up some basic chords a couple days prior to writing this song. So with that little humble disclosure out of the way, I look forward to more DADGAD exploration and beating down some different paths of writing as well. You’ll notice in the copyright credits I’ve two co-writers Buck and Outlaw. I wrote this song while dog sitting for a friend and those two pups heard this song soooooo many times over that weekend, I felt guilty not giving them some credit… thanks boys .
Perhaps it is not this way for every artist type, lord I hope not, but I find when I get deep in creativity, the practical, common sense, plan ahead side of me disappears somewhere. You could liken it to one of those times when you’re really tired and maybe stayed up all night. You take an afternoon nap on the couch or on the living room floor next to the pup. You’re sleeping really good when suddenly the telephone rings, you open your eyes, and you’re wondering “What? Where am I? What time is it? Is it morning already? No wait its an afternoon sun shining in, and I’m where? The living room?? What the…” You sort of have this stretched moment of not knowing what end is up.
That is similar to coming out of these creative modes at times, going from mind wandering creativity to task driven practicality. So what does that have to do with Vera’s Shoes? Well I was in one of these creative modes, doing lots of writing and I was meant to be getting ready to visit my parents for a week. So the procrastination, which is also a bi-product of creativity for me, waited until last minute to begin packing. So I hurried up, got packed and got it all done, grabbed my lap top, phone, digital recorder, guitar, suit case, pulled on some shoes, made sure I had keys and all and off we went.
Not being able to drive anymore due to vision loss, my wife drove me half way across the state and my dad did same. Transferring stuff from one vehicle to the other it was discovered in my “creative to real world blur” when getting ready, I had slipped two different sneakers on. OK so another embarrassing disclosure here *smile*.
So that’s how Vera’s shoes showed up two different colors in the song. The difference with her is she can’t afford to buy a new pair and basically took two different pairs of old shoes she had, making one pair out of them, and we see people make judgments or ridicule her. Vera was a name I pulled from listening recently to an indy artist Marian Call… wonderful performing songwriter. She had a song that talked about a girl named Vera and its not a common name so I thought it’s a good a name as any.
The song obviously is about the singer making a transition… living our lives true to who we are and not taking part in the big “show” in life. I’m thinking of the old Styx song Grand Illusion… “America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition, get your self a brand new motor car… and someday soon we’ll start to ponder, what on Earth’s this spell we’re under, we made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are”
Vera is not wondering who she is, she knows and is living it no matter what anyone else thinks. She’s living out what she feels is true to her, not buying into the illusion that we’re competing with one another. Over the years I’ve seen so many people feel they are in competition with those around them. I suppose that if one has a material focused mind one could use what others have as a tool or motivation or benchmark on their trek of being who they really are, but I think that is more rare than common and pretty much view it as a huge insecurity in life. Lacking the self assuredness to live a life they can call their own, they latch on to elements of other’s as if grasping at straws to find themselves. From a distance it may not be so evident, they look like they got it together, and in reality they push themselves and do accomplish much, yet it is not truly them, creating the vacuum of always wanting more. From a distance they look like they are really living and yet they are dead in side, and those such as Vera that have meager means in life are secure, peacefully happy, and live their life with joy in the midst of their dream, even if it doesn’t make them tons of bucks. I’m not suggesting however just because someone has “things” or focus on that, that they are automatically insecure, that isn’t true either. Its all about what is inside and why we do what we do.
Another line that comes to mind is from a Jon Vezner song Tell Me What You Ache For… “It doesn’t interest me if you’re faithful and your true, if you’re not true to you, then where’s the truth in that?” If I’m not true to what I am inside, I wonder just who I am living for?
Its all about just stripping down all the crap in life, look at what “is you” and just live it no matter what anyone else thinks. I have a Martin guitar. Often times I get “Oh you got a Martin!! Woo wooo!” I didn’t get a Martin because I set my mind to it or even wanted one. The short story is I went into the guitar shop, sat down, had my sweetie hand me guitar after guitar not telling me what it was, how much it was or anything. I played them and narrowed it down to the guitar I play today. I had passed up several guitars that were much more expensive. It was about that instrument being “me” not about me being it. Make sense?
So go get an Escalade because it fits your rear end the best when driving, the radio is like no other and it is the only one that has self adjusting seats which you just really dig… and not because you’ll turn the neighbors heads when you drive in the yard with it or try to make some sort of “one up” status statement in life.
Just be yourself, be securely happy being you, in the end, what else is there?
Stream the “dirt roads” version of this month’s song at: http://www.braddunsemusic.com/files/sbts.m3u
Got something to say? Just send me an E mail... glad to hear from you.
Vera’s Shoes
©2010 Brad Dunse/Buck/Outlaw
Vera lives her dream
With purpose and a smile
A guitar on her back and faded jeans
Can’t afford new clothes
Or the ridiculing eyes
At the different colored sneakers on her feet
I can tell by looking at this color coded world
I’m a poorer man with matching grays and blues
Her wealth is living in her gift and not her pride
Lacing up her life in her truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
She can sleep til noon
When nothing’s goin’ right
But she don’t toss or turn on her dream
Like a pool of peace
Teeming with life
You can tell she’s in it deep
You know a dead man when he’s cut he won’t bleed
And when I pinch myself I find I can not bruise
I’m shakin’ off these graven clothes and tourniquet of pride
And wrap this naked life in the truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
It’s time, it’s time… time to come awake
Live life, live life, live it like I’ve prayed
I can hear the doubters say boy you’ll never live
Well if Vera can I know that I can too
Fact is if they look close I’m already dead
But I’m coming back living in the truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
Vera’s shoes
Perhaps it is not this way for every artist type, lord I hope not, but I find when I get deep in creativity, the practical, common sense, plan ahead side of me disappears somewhere. You could liken it to one of those times when you’re really tired and maybe stayed up all night. You take an afternoon nap on the couch or on the living room floor next to the pup. You’re sleeping really good when suddenly the telephone rings, you open your eyes, and you’re wondering “What? Where am I? What time is it? Is it morning already? No wait its an afternoon sun shining in, and I’m where? The living room?? What the…” You sort of have this stretched moment of not knowing what end is up.
That is similar to coming out of these creative modes at times, going from mind wandering creativity to task driven practicality. So what does that have to do with Vera’s Shoes? Well I was in one of these creative modes, doing lots of writing and I was meant to be getting ready to visit my parents for a week. So the procrastination, which is also a bi-product of creativity for me, waited until last minute to begin packing. So I hurried up, got packed and got it all done, grabbed my lap top, phone, digital recorder, guitar, suit case, pulled on some shoes, made sure I had keys and all and off we went.
Not being able to drive anymore due to vision loss, my wife drove me half way across the state and my dad did same. Transferring stuff from one vehicle to the other it was discovered in my “creative to real world blur” when getting ready, I had slipped two different sneakers on. OK so another embarrassing disclosure here *smile*.
So that’s how Vera’s shoes showed up two different colors in the song. The difference with her is she can’t afford to buy a new pair and basically took two different pairs of old shoes she had, making one pair out of them, and we see people make judgments or ridicule her. Vera was a name I pulled from listening recently to an indy artist Marian Call… wonderful performing songwriter. She had a song that talked about a girl named Vera and its not a common name so I thought it’s a good a name as any.
The song obviously is about the singer making a transition… living our lives true to who we are and not taking part in the big “show” in life. I’m thinking of the old Styx song Grand Illusion… “America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition, get your self a brand new motor car… and someday soon we’ll start to ponder, what on Earth’s this spell we’re under, we made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are”
Vera is not wondering who she is, she knows and is living it no matter what anyone else thinks. She’s living out what she feels is true to her, not buying into the illusion that we’re competing with one another. Over the years I’ve seen so many people feel they are in competition with those around them. I suppose that if one has a material focused mind one could use what others have as a tool or motivation or benchmark on their trek of being who they really are, but I think that is more rare than common and pretty much view it as a huge insecurity in life. Lacking the self assuredness to live a life they can call their own, they latch on to elements of other’s as if grasping at straws to find themselves. From a distance it may not be so evident, they look like they got it together, and in reality they push themselves and do accomplish much, yet it is not truly them, creating the vacuum of always wanting more. From a distance they look like they are really living and yet they are dead in side, and those such as Vera that have meager means in life are secure, peacefully happy, and live their life with joy in the midst of their dream, even if it doesn’t make them tons of bucks. I’m not suggesting however just because someone has “things” or focus on that, that they are automatically insecure, that isn’t true either. Its all about what is inside and why we do what we do.
Another line that comes to mind is from a Jon Vezner song Tell Me What You Ache For… “It doesn’t interest me if you’re faithful and your true, if you’re not true to you, then where’s the truth in that?” If I’m not true to what I am inside, I wonder just who I am living for?
Its all about just stripping down all the crap in life, look at what “is you” and just live it no matter what anyone else thinks. I have a Martin guitar. Often times I get “Oh you got a Martin!! Woo wooo!” I didn’t get a Martin because I set my mind to it or even wanted one. The short story is I went into the guitar shop, sat down, had my sweetie hand me guitar after guitar not telling me what it was, how much it was or anything. I played them and narrowed it down to the guitar I play today. I had passed up several guitars that were much more expensive. It was about that instrument being “me” not about me being it. Make sense?
So go get an Escalade because it fits your rear end the best when driving, the radio is like no other and it is the only one that has self adjusting seats which you just really dig… and not because you’ll turn the neighbors heads when you drive in the yard with it or try to make some sort of “one up” status statement in life.
Just be yourself, be securely happy being you, in the end, what else is there?
Stream the “dirt roads” version of this month’s song at: http://www.braddunsemusic.com/files/sbts.m3u
Got something to say? Just send me an E mail... glad to hear from you.
Vera’s Shoes
©2010 Brad Dunse/Buck/Outlaw
Vera lives her dream
With purpose and a smile
A guitar on her back and faded jeans
Can’t afford new clothes
Or the ridiculing eyes
At the different colored sneakers on her feet
I can tell by looking at this color coded world
I’m a poorer man with matching grays and blues
Her wealth is living in her gift and not her pride
Lacing up her life in her truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
She can sleep til noon
When nothing’s goin’ right
But she don’t toss or turn on her dream
Like a pool of peace
Teeming with life
You can tell she’s in it deep
You know a dead man when he’s cut he won’t bleed
And when I pinch myself I find I can not bruise
I’m shakin’ off these graven clothes and tourniquet of pride
And wrap this naked life in the truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
It’s time, it’s time… time to come awake
Live life, live life, live it like I’ve prayed
I can hear the doubters say boy you’ll never live
Well if Vera can I know that I can too
Fact is if they look close I’m already dead
But I’m coming back living in the truth
That’s what I can see in Vera’s shoes
Vera’s shoes