Never Said Much

 

Never Said Much

by Richard Lawry

Quiet in the hallway

Head down low

Too shy for the girls

They didn't know

New school, old nerves

I couldn't start

Then you walked in

And stole my heart

Never said much

But I felt it all

Love was knocking

In the school hall

I never said much

Until I knew

That my whole life

Was waiting on you

History class

Harris Pine indoors

Me making dressers

You making drawers

Lost my job

Standing up for right

Found a flower

In a soda can

To my delight

Never said much

But I felt it all

Love was knocking

In the school hall

I never said much

Until I knew

That my whole life

Was waiting on you

First date ride

Made me spin around

Got sick in the sky

Kept nothing down

You took me home

Washed my clothes clean

Said, Let's ride the train

Soft and sweet

Five hundred miles

Tried to pull us apart

Couldn't break the promise

Of a devoted heart

Never said much

But I felt it all

Love was knocking

In the school hall

I never said much

Until I knew

That my whole life

Was waiting on you

I never said much

But I knew for sure

Our kind of love

Was built to endure

Same place, same time

I finally knew

My whole life

I was waiting on you

Never said much

But I felt it all

Love was knocking

In the school hall

I never said much

Until I knew

That my whole life

Was waiting on you

I never said much

But I chose you

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

Bring Her Back

 

Being Her Back

by Richard Lawry

Hiding behind an old barn door

I saw a project I couldn't ignore

Dust on her paint, her tires were worn

But I knew that she could be reborn

Gonna bring her back

Bring her back to life

Bring her back

Bring her back to life

A Forty Buick Limited

With sidemount spares

Jet black paint

Faded by years

Dirty old seats

Her engine worn

But I hear her whisper

She'll be reborn

Bring her back to life

Straight-eight running true

She's been waiting on me

Like old dreams do

Gonna bring her back

Bring her back to life

Bring her back

Bring her back to life

Wrenches and rags, late-night light

Bringing her engine back to life

Grease on my hands, knuckles torn

Every bolt says she'll be reborn

She's more than steel and an old design

She's a bygone era frozen in time

Stately and proud, the things she's seen

She's going to drive the roads again

Gonna bring her back

Bring her back to life

Bring her back

Bring her back to life

Gonna bring her back

Bring her back to life

Bring her back

Bring her back to life

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Frazer in the Snow

Frazer in the Snow

by Richard Lawry

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Cold December, fifty four

Heading north from Tennessee

Blue Frazer rolling through the snow

Just Bob and Pat and what might be

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Oh, Frazer in the snow keep rolling on

We don't have much but we got love

Thirty dollars and not yet twenty-one

But it feels like more than enough

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Engine ticking near Michigan

Snow falling thick and slow

Said"I do" while the roads were closed

But two hearts said, "let's go"

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Oh, Frazer in the snow keep rolling on

We don't have much but we got love

Thirty dollars and not yet twenty-one

But it feels like more than enough

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Knocking hard on the Kansas line

Pulled one plug, limped back home

Grease and hope and a little luck

And they were safely home

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on

Oh, Frazer in the snow you carried them

When the road was hard and long

From snow plows to winter vows

Their love kept rolling on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on, roll on

Frazer in the snow

Roll on 

Oh, Frazer in the snow keep rolling on

We don't have much but we got love

Thirty dollars and not yet twenty-one

But it feels like more than enough

You kept their love rolling on

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

by Richard Lawry

I was walking past the trailers

At the edge of the fair

When a funny little sound

Came through the air

Puhht whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh Puhht

A sound not well known

No steady beat

just a mind of its own

Putt whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

An engine spinning slow

But just fast enough

It hits when it needs

It misses by design

Old iron heartbeat

Keeping perfect time

Flywheels heavy

As a farmer's hands

Spinning out the work

Across the land

Governor swinging

Like a metronome

Tells that piston

When it's time to come home

Putt whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Fire and coast

Till the load gets tough

Under strain

It talks a little more

At idle it'll rest

Six strokes or more

Hits when it wants

Misses by design

World's laziest engine

keeping perfect time

Missing on purpose

Loud and proud

Corn got shelled

And the water got pumped

Wood got sawed

And the butter got clumped

Wash got done

And the cream got spun

All from a hit and miss

gitting er done

Putt whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Fire and coast

Till the load gets tough

Under strain

It talks a little more

At idle it'll rest

Six strokes or more

She don't fire on command

She fires on feel

Like an old farmhand

Makin' a better deal

You can't hurry iron

From nineteen ought two

It'll let you know

When it's ready for you

Putt whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Fire and coast

Till the load gets tough

Under strain

It talks a little more

At idle it'll rest

Six strokes or more

Hits when it wants

Misses by design

World's laziest engine

keeping perfect time

Missing on purpose

Loud and proud

Putt whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh putt

Whoosh whoosh

Whoosh whoosh

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits, under the title Hit and Miss, at this link

Hubcaps and Memories

 

Hubcaps and Memories

by Richard Lawry

Years of collecting

It's all hanging there

Hubcaps line the rafters

With a fifties flair

Car parts rusting

But they've got a place

Each one a story

Each a showcase

The rafters creak

The memories call

A lifetime of treasures

Lining the wall

Hubcaps and memories

They're gleaming tonight

Pieces of the past

In the museum light

A Ford Model A

And a toy car parade

Humble reminders

Of the life you made

Antique toy trucks

On a high wooden shelf

I see your smile in each

One of them myself

They called it junk

But you called it gold

A museum of autos

And stories they told

Through grease and grit

Through laughter and tears

You built this life

Over all these years

The way you worked

Long hours each day

Things collected

Never thrown away

Now they hang

Like reflections of you

The world calls it clutter

But they don't see

Every part

Every scratch

Is a memory

It's more than the metal

The chrome or the rust

It's the vision

The dream

And the wanderlust

Hubcaps and memories

They're gleaming tonight

Pieces of the past

In the museum light

A Ford Model A

And a toy car parade

Humble reminders

Of the life you made

Hubcaps and memories

Are the best

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Twisted Metal

Twisted Metal

by Richard Lawry

Pulled in slow that Wednesday morning

Thinking of work and the day begun

Thoughts of orders and of scheduling

Didn't know my world had come undone

Then I saw the terrible scene

The twisted metal of a roof collapsed

Building torn in the aftermath

Under the weight of ice

The trusses snapped

Twisted metal in the morning

Frozen rafters split and torn

All our quiet little stories

Sleeping under shattered forms

I'm just standing in the silence

Breathe a cloud against the air

Twisted metal in the morning

And my hearts still frozen there

Standing here in the ice and snow

While cars are under the mangled tin

How can I recover from this day

Where safety and security once had been

Twisted metal in the morning

Frozen rafters split and torn

All our quiet little stories

Sleeping under shattered forms

I'm just standing in the silence

Breathe a cloud against the air

Twisted metal in the morning

And my hearts still frozen there

I felt small as the broken beams

Showed me how uncertain life can be

Twisted metal where once had been

Safety, security and life carefree

How do I get past this

And act like It's fine

I'm told it will get better

All I need is time

But I will always remember

Twisted metal in the morning

Frozen rafters split and torn

All our quiet little stories

Sleeping under shattered forms

I'm just standing in the silence

Breathe a cloud against the air

Twisted metal in the morning

And my hearts still frozen there

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Songs and Poems

 

Poems, Hymns and Songs written by Richard Lawry

Click on the links below for each poem

A Seaside Sunset

Chrome and Velvet Dreams

Whitewalls and Fenderskirts

A Solitary Place

Driving Arkansas Roads

Country Doctor

Temple of Steel

The Road Rolls On

Little Toy Train

Little Red and White Nash

Long Beach Serenade

Respect the Rust

Twisted Metal

Hubcaps and Memories

Frazer in the Snow

Bring Her Back

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

Never Said Much

Respect the Rust

Respect the Rust

by Richard Lawry

Ford Model A sitting out behind the barn

Paint's long gone but it still holds charm

Bench seat torn, springs poking through

But that's where I learned dreams still come true

Every dent's a lesson

Every mark is a tale

Every rusty bolt

Taught me how not to fail

Daddy said, Son the shine don't mean much

If you wanna know the truth

You gotta respect the rust

So respect the rust

Every scar and every stain

Yeah respect the rust

The stories in the frame

All the busted knuckles

All the miles in the cold

All the hours of work

Every rusty car sold

Those old cars taught me more

Than a book ever could

Hard work turns rusty metal

Into something good

What time tries to take

We keep with

Respect for the rust

Yeah, respect the rust

Rust shows all the years

The tears and the tries

Rust is always true

It never shows lies

Daddy said, Son the shine don't mean much

If you wanna know the truth

You gotta respect the rust

So respect the rust

Every scar and every stain

Yeah respect the rust

The stories in the frame

All the busted knuckles

All the miles in the cold

All the hours of work

Every rusty car sold

Those old cars taught me more

Than a book ever could

Hard work turns rusty metal

Into something good

What time tries to take

We keep with

Respect for the rust

Yeah, respect the rust

Don't polish out the weather

Don't try to paint it new

What's worn is what holds together

What's old is tried and true

Let the weather take its time

Let the rain do what it must

Real strength ain't shine or polish

It's learning how to respect the rust

So respect the rust

The stories it protects

The sweat and the blood

In the moments we collect

Some folks chase perfect

But perfection never stays

We can learn a lot

From the old time ways

Respect the rust

Respect the scars

Every dent tells

Who we are

In a modern world

Where we try to adjust

We have to learn

To respect the rust

Respect the rust

Respect the rust

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

Long Beach Serenade

Long Beach Serenade

by Richard Lawry

Before the sun begins the day

I walk where moonlight washes away

Silver whispers on the sand

As waves roll in I understand

Each breath of tide that comes before

A fleeting mirror then no more

But still it comes again, again

Like mercy rolling in

Miles of beach

No one but me

A world filled

With quiet peace

The silent road

Of sand and sea

Where freedom feels

Like destiny

When the light feels far away

And I'm standing on the edge of gray

I'll lift my eyes, I'll comprehend

There's strength rising deep within

Then out of nowhere, silently

A shadow keeps me company

Golden wings tt my right side

Grace in a gentle glide

Seven feet of fearless flight

Majestic in the morning light

The eagle flies, not fighting hard

Lets the currents lead undeterred

Those who trust the Lord

will find their strength restored

They will soar like eagles on the wind

A normal life transcend

The eagle won't rush, he will not strain

He trusts the unseen breath again

A subtle move, a lifted wing

And miles are crossed without tiring

The eagle climbs, the sky grows wide

And slowly fades from human sight

He lifts his eyes, he trusts the wind

He soars on with his unseen friend

Miles of beach

No one but me

A world filled

With quiet peace

The silent road

Of sand and sea

Where freedom feels

Like destiny

Those who trust the Lord

will find their strength restored

They will soar like eagles on the wind

A normal life transcend

They trust the unseen breath again

Those who trust the Lord

will find their strength restored

They will soar like eagles on the wind

A normal life transcend

Those who trust the Lord

will find their strength restored

They will soar like eagles on the wind

A normal life transcend

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

Little Red and White Nash

Little Red and White Nash

by Richard Lawry

Wheels turn low

Where the blacktop bends

This little car

My only friend

Red and white

She gleams

She shines

Takes me far

Past these modern times

Oh

The wind sings louder

Than the past

In my little

Red and white Nash

Let it go

Flying low

But not so fast

In my little

Red and white Nash

Dust kicks up

It paints the air

The sun leans down

It doesn't care

Fields roll wide

They wave

They bow

I'm heading somewhere

But I don't know how

The road unfolds

It doesn't end

This little car

My only friend

Oh

The wind sings louder

Than the past

In my little

Red and white Nash

Let it go

Flying low

But not so fast

In my little

Red and white Nash

Yesterday's a town

I don't stop in

Tomorrow's just

A whisper in the wind

I've got now

And now feels right

Underneath this

Endless sky tonight

Oh

The wind sings louder

Than the past

In my little

Red and white Nash

Let it go

Flying low

But not so fast

In my little

Red and white Nash

The road unfolds

It doesn't end

This little car

My only friend

Life is good

In my little

Red and white Nash

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Little Toy Train

 

Little Toy Train

by Richard Lawry

Six years old

A Colorado boy

For Christmas he wanted

Just one toy

Santa he said

All I want

Is an electric Train

But I know the cost

I know Daddy can't make it mine

So a wind-up train will be just fine

When Daddy heard his boy's refrain

He vowed to get him an electric train

On Christmas Eve

The boy was in bed

Electric train tracks

Around the tree spread

Christmas morning

A big surprise

The boy could not

Believe his eyes

Click-clack, click-clack

Steady and slow

Chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff

Watch her go

Toot-toot. toot-toot

Joyfully

Little toy train

Round the Christmas tree

Round and round the little train ran

The boy gasped and clapped his hands

He loved the train with all his heart

He knew that he would never part

Click-clack, click-clack

Steady and slow

Chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff

Watch her go

Toot-toot. toot-toot

Joyfully

Little toy train

Round the Christmas tree

The boy has grown to be a man

But every year since that Christmas grand

He sets up the train around the tree

And remembers how it used to be

Click-clack, click-clack

Steady and slow

Chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff

Watch her go

Toot-toot. toot-toot

Joyfully

Little toy train

Round the Christmas tree

Now the years have rolled

Like rails of time

Children laughing

Grandkids wide-eyed

That little train

Still circles the tree

Carrying love

Through the family

Click-clack, click-clack

Steady and slow

Chuff-chuff, chuff-chuff

Watch her go

Toot-toot. toot-toot

Joyfully

Little toy train

Round the Christmas tree

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

The Road Rolls On

The Road Rolls On

by Richard Lawry

Forty years of hard work here

Dreams built where engines glow

A legacy in every bolt and seam

Bob Lawry's life, his craft, his name

Automobiles and memories remain

The road rolls on, it never ends

Richie, Chad, and Kenny

Carry on his legacy

Chrome that shines like the setting sun

Every curve tells what he's done

His story rides in every gleam

Wheels may rust but not the pride

In this museum time's alive

Come see the spark that never died

Bob Lawry's life, his craft, his name

Automobiles and memories remain

The road rolls on, it never ends

Richie, Chad, and Kenny

Carry on his legacy

The past drives forward, the future steers

Come see the road of forty years

Bob's heart still beats here

At the Bob Lawry Auto Museum

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Temple of Steel

 

Temple of Steel

by Richard Lawry

Wheels of memory spin and hum

Polished chrome where shadows run

A whisper of lives long undone

In the Bob Lawry Auto Museum

Dreams parked in rows

I see 'em

Thirty-nine Zephyr

Glide like a ghost

Thirty-four Desoto

Curves I love most

Twenty-six Oakland

Rust and grace

Stories etched in every trace

Forty Buick

Time slows its pace

Engines that spoke

Engines that sighed

Every ride a piece of pride

In the Bob Lawry Auto Museum

Dreams parked in rows

I see 'em

Thirty-nine Zephyr

Glide like a ghost

Thirty-four Desoto

Curves I love most

Oil and dust

Love and decay

Echoes of hands

That paved the way

Each chassis a heart

Each hood a soul

In this temple of steel

I feel whole

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Country Doctor

Country Doctor
by Richard Lawry

Country doctor in a Model T coupe

There is another call he needs to attend

Fog in the holler, wind blowing through
Her baby is sick, what should she do
Send for the doctor, ride through the night
Praying to God it will be alright

Country doctor in a Model T coupe
Motor chugging, there's work to do
Chug-chug chugging
Doctor's coming through

Headlights in the yard, Model T arrives
Black bag in his hand, her spirit revives
There in the doorway, she steps aside and
Mama welcomes the Doctor inside

Country doctor in a Model T coupe

Motor chugging, there's work to do

Chug-chug chugging

Doctor's coming through

Baby has a cough and terrible fever
It's breathing isn't too good either
He listened close to that tiny chest
And promised he would do his best

Country doctor in a Model T coupe

Motor chugging, there's work to do

Chug-chug chugging

Doctor's coming through

Morning comes, sunrise around
The fever broke, the child slept sound
Doctor wrote his note and closed his case
Said, I'll check back soon, I wish you grace

Model T started, bounced round the bend
There is another call Doc needs to attend
Many more miles, back on the road
They're hoping that he won't be slowed

In his Model T coupe
Trusty Model T coupe

Country doctor in a Model T coupe

Motor chugging, there's work to do

Chug-chug chugging

Doctor's coming through

Roll on Model T coupe
The doctor's needed
Make it through
Roll on, roll on
Model T coupe
The doctor's needed
Make it through
In his Model T coupe
Trusty Model T coupe

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Driving Arkansas Roads

 

Driving Arkansas Roads
By Richard Lawry
 
Dust rises soft where we've begun
A peach moon hangs low, undone
Magnolia whispers in the Arkansas air
The stars align, dreams everywhere
The hum of the engine with the top down
My heart beats louder when you're around
 
Every bend, every turn
Something inside returns
 
Driving Arkansas roads
Under skies that never close
In a convertible
Just me, the stars and you
Driving Arkansas roads
While the quiet truth unfolds
 
Gravel clicks like a skipping stone
Each mile a memory carved in bone
The road runs black
Where the moonlight fades
Time slows down
But the moment stays
Red dirt stains on my old car
A melody born on your guitar
 
Driving Arkansas roads
Under skies that never close
In a convertible
Just me, the stars and you
Driving Arkansas roads
While the quiet truth unfolds
 
Every fence post, every tree
Holds a secret meant for me
A waltz of whispers, fiddle odes
This love is born on Arkansas roads

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

You can listen to the song as recorded by The Junkyard Misfits at this link

A Solitary Place

 

A Solitary Place

by Richard Lawry

Now in the morning long before the light

I rise while the world is still asleep

Cold air on my breath gravel under my feet

A quiet road is calling me

The sky is filled with diamond fire

No sound but my heartbeat here

In the stillness I remember why

In solitude I feel you near

When the noise falls away

And the dark feels alive

I hear your still small voice

Come and be with me

So I find a solitary place

Where heaven feels close

I lift my eyes, I slow my pace

And my cares melt away

Before the sun paints the day

Before the world begins to move

I meet you here in the quiet dark

In a solitary place with you

A dark night road beneath my wheels

Stars like a thousand burning flares

The Milky Way stretched across the sky

Majestic brushstrokes everywhere

No city lights, no borrowed glow

Just grandeur in an open space

The heavens sing what words can't hold

Creation testifies your grace

When the noise falls away

And the dark feels alive

I hear your still small voice

Come and be with me

So I find a solitary place

Where heaven feels close

I lift my eyes I slow my pace

And my cares melt away

Before the sun paints the day

Before the world begins to move

I meet you here in the quiet dark

In a solitary place with you

Teach me how to rise and seek

To love the stillness love the calm

To filter out the world's doublespeak

In the early morning balm

No spotlight, no crowd, no sound

Just you and me on silent ground

The darker the night, the brighter you shine

Eternal stars, eternal light

So I'll find a solitary place

Again and again I'll return

Where every fear and every tear

Is met with mercy I don't earn

Before the sun paints the day

Before the world begins to move

I meet you here in the quiet dark

In a solitary place with you

You can listen to the song as recorded by Faded Chrome at this link

Whitewalls and Fenderskirts

Whitewalls and Fenderskirts

by Richard Lawry

Whitewalls spinning down the street

Flashing a smile as we meet

Hubcaps gleaming like a steel guitar

Chasing dreams in my favorite car

Fenderskirts low

The paint it gleams

Every turn a snapshot

A vintage dream

Whitewalls whisper

The night agrees

We're riding

The edge of memories

Fins slicing through the evening air

Tuck and roll seats, fuzzy dice hanging there

Radio crackles with a timeless tune

Under the night sky we race the moon

Lost in the roar of the V/8's song

Time slips away as we drive on

Fenderskirts low

The paint it gleams

Every turn a snapshot

A vintage dream

Whitewalls whisper

The night agrees

We're riding

The edge of memories

Whitewalls and fenderskirts are keeping score

Miles blur, but I crave a little more

Hubcaps and fins are just a ghost

Haunting the past

But these moments

Oh, they're built to last

Fenderskirts low

The paint it gleams

Every turn a snapshot

A vintage dream

Whitewalls whisper

The night agrees

We're riding

The edge of memories

Whitewalls and fenderskirts are keeping score

Miles blur, but I crave a little more

Hubcaps and fins are just a ghost

Haunting the past

But these moments

Oh, they're built to last

Yeah

Whitewalls and fenderskirts

They're built to last

 

Chrome and Velvet Dreams

Chrome and Velvet Dreams

by Richard Lawry

Polished chrome under the sun so high

Velvet seats where stories lie

Bob Lawry's kingdom a dream in steel

Every curve a whisper, every line surreal

Roll back time, hear the engines hum

Chrome and velvet, where we come from

A Zephyr's glide, an Airflow's sigh

Buick dreams, Oakland skies

Thirty-nine Zephyr like a bird in flight

Thirty-four Desoto sleek through the night

A Buick Limited bold and grand

Twenty-six Oakland a ghost of the land

Roll back time, hear the engines hum

Chrome and velvet, where we come from

A Zephyr's glide, an Airflow's sigh

Buick dreams, Oakland skies

Each grill a grin, each wheel a tale

On these roads of memory we sail

Time stands still in this museum glow

Where the past is alive and it always shows

Roll back time, hear the engines hum

Chrome and velvet, where we come from

A Zephyr's glide, an Airflow's sigh

Buick dreams, Oakland skies

Seaside Sunset

Seaside Sunset
by Richard Lawry

I want to walk on sand
Across those miles of beach
I need to know for myself
How far the sand can reach
And when I've walked forever
I'll be on the beach
For a seaside sunset

On the Oregon coast

Breakers hit the sand
Steady heartbeat of the sea
Where it meets the land
Colors stretch before my eyes
Where I'm meant to stand
In a seaside sunset

On the Oregon coast
As daylight fades away
Waves are crashing
They've got something to say
To the seaside sunset
The seaside sunset

The colors come alive
And I think of you
At the end of these hours
There's nothing I'd undo
Stretching out forever
Everything is new
It's a seaside sunset

On the Oregon coast
As daylight fades away
Waves are crashing
They've got something to say
To the seaside sunset
The seaside sunset

Waves crashing
Time standing still
Silhouettes on a silent hill
Tide flows out like a mirror wet
Reflections of the seaside sunset
I love the seaside sunset

A seaside sunset