Gentle Man

Description

It’s been on my heart for quite some time to record a more Folk oriented album. Few musical styles have the ability to reach into one’s soul, as Folk Music and its close cousins Blues and Classic Country. I suppose these styles are referred to as Roots Music for a reason, they speak to the core, the root, of the human experience. As a young man, coming of age in the 60’s and 70’s, I was witness to something amazing that happened to Rock and Roll. It grew up. It became protest music, Psychedelic music, music of conscience, music of substance. And when Folk and Country became Folk-Rock and Country-Rock, well, I was hooked and more than that, I was inspired. I wanted to do that, be a songwriter, create my own music.

When I wrote my song “Gentle Man” about my father shortly after he passed in August of 2019, I knew I wanted it to be on my next album, and I knew I wanted it to be surrounded by songs of deep meaning and significance, songs that spoke to what it means to be human, to live this life filled with ups and downs, trials and tribulations, self-doubt and self-reflection. I had written some more Folk oriented songs for previous projects but for this one I wanted them to all be more or less in that vein. In Conversations with my young cousin, Paul Demer, who produced this album, it became clear that this was the direction I wanted it to take.

This isn’t necessarily a thematic album, though all of these songs in one way or another speak to the human condition, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. And it’s true that we’re all in this thing together so, we need to figure out a way to get along with each other. None of us are perfect, we all have our own issues to work through so we need to learn how to treat ourselves and others with some kindness and some grace. I named this album after my Dad who was my hero and my best friend. In him I saw what it meant to be a good person, a kind and gentle Man who lived a life of fierce love and devotion to The Lord, to his family and a life filled with grace and respect for others. My Dad lived by the Golden Rule. He did unto others as he would have had them do unto him. It is my desire to honor his legacy by striving to grow and to become more like him. So, maybe in a way, this album is thematic. Let the listener decide.

Notes & Lyrics:

It's not easy to admitEven harder to ignoreIt's a hard life to liveWhen you don't know what forSo you try to fit inBut you don't know where you belongThis game you can't winEven so, you play onThere's a hole in your heartWhere the light used to liveAnd it's tearing you apartFrom within, WithinI know you've been burnedAnd I know that it's realYour eyes speak the hurtOf the pain you concealCause, there's a hole in your heartWhere the light used to liveAnd it's tearing you apartFrom within, WithinBut I want you to knowYou don't have to hideYou've got to let goOf the anger insideI want you to knowYou don't have to hideYou've got to let goOf the anger insideThere's a hole in your heartWhere the light used to liveAnd it's tearing you apartFrom within, WithinYeah, there's a hole in your heartWhere the light used to liveAnd it's tearing you apartFrom within, WithinIt's time to admitYou just can't ignoreIt's your life to liveBetter find out what forIt's your life to liveYou'd better find out what for

I’m speaking to a dear friend who’s been so badly hurt and those wounds are so deep and so painful that they cannot trust anyone enough to open up and let them in. So, they’ve created this false persona, a mask, to hide behind in order to fit in. The “hole in your heart, where the light used to live” is the tension between the real self and this made-up self. Because of this they are slowly losing touch with who they really are and what their life is about. This song is calling out to them to let go of their anger and accept healing.

He was a gentle manKind, with an even handA truer soul never walked the landAnyone who knew him wellJust ask them, they will tell youHe was a gentle manWith a heart full of graceHe lived a life of peaceHe treated everyone the samewith truth and love, and dignityHe never wavered in his faithHis life an open book for all to seeHe was a gentle manKind, with an even handA truer soul never walked the landAnyone who knew him wellJust ask them, they will tell youHe was a gentle manNothing mattered more to him than familyHis children and his wifeAnd with love and understandingIt was for them that he lived his lifeOh, and even at the ending of it allHe just couldn't bear to say good-byeOh, if I could only beHalf the man he was to meHe was a gentle manKind, with an even handA truer soul never walked the landOh, anyone who knew him wellJust ask them, they will tell youHe was a gentle manHe was a gentle manOh, my Dad, you were a gentle man

I wrote this song for my Dad, soon after he passed away in August of 2019. He was my hero and my best friend. He was the voice of reason I would often seek out when I felt lost or needed guidance. He was dearly loved and greatly respected by anyone who knew him. I want to honor his life and his legacy which is why I wrote this song and named this album after him. I miss him so very much.

He went away in the SpringtimeSaid darlin I must goBut I'll be home by winterBefore the first snowFor there's gold in CaliforniaJust waitin to be foundAnd a man can find a fortuneDiggin in the groundSo, he loaded up his wagonAnd left before sunriseAs she stood in the doorwayTears in her eyesHe said darlin don't you worryNow dry your pretty eyesWe'll be rich beyond measureAh, but she feard that was a lieSo she cried, oh how she criedIn the night, in the pale moonlightShe criedFar away from home and family he felt so all aloneBut when he reached CaliforniaThe lust for gold beset his soulSo he set himself to minin'And he found his precious goldHe said my troubled days are overBut that's not how this story goesHe never made it home by winterBefore the snow was on the groundNo, he died in CaliforniaA greedy miner shot him downAnd when word came to his sweetheartShe crumpled to the groundOh, her tears flowed like waterGod! What do I do now?And she cried, how she criedIn the night, in the pale moonlightShe cried

A good friend once told me that you’re not a real songwriter until you’ve written a good Murder Ballad. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but since then I’ve written two. I guess I just wanted to be doubly safe. I’ve always been fascinated with history, especially the old “wild west.” So, I decided to create a murder ballad around the theme of the California Gold Rush, circa 1848 – 1855. It’s a totally fictitious account, any resemblance to persons, places or events is purely a coincidence.

Carolina calling meShe whispers in my earAnd when I hear her callI sometimes shed a tearAll around this great big worldThere's no place I'd rather beCarolina, what you mean to meSmoky Mountains touch the skyIn sun-drenced magestyHear the waves crashing on the shoreIn perfect synchronyWaking down a country roadIn misty morning dewCarolina, oh how I miss youIt's a long time goneSince I moved awayBut in my heart You'll always be my homeCarolina calling meStill whispering in my earAnd when she calls to meI sometimes shed a tearBut like a promise givenTo a lifelong friendCaroina, I'll see you againCarolina, I'll see you aainCaroina, I'll see you againCarolina, I'll see you aainCarolina

I was missing my home state of North Carolina one day and at the time had my guitar in my hands, noodling around and out popped this song. I’m a sucker for nostalgia and reminiscence, always have been. No matter where I roam or where I take up residence, The Old North State, North Cackalacky, will always be my home and the place where my heart resides.

I don't know what's happening to meI don't know if I still know what I believeIt used to be much easier to tellNow I often wonder, am I doing wellDoing well, am I doing wellIt's so easy to pretendEverything's just fineThere's nothing to hideIt's so easy, easy to pretendI still have these moments, now and thenWhen I think that I might be what I pretendBut it's an illusion, it's not realAnd it's getting harder, harder to revealTo reveal, harder to revealIt's so easy to pretendEverything's just fineThere's nothing to hideIt's so easy, easy to pretendIt's so easy to pretendEverything's just fineThere's nothing to hideIt's so easy to pretendEverything's just fineThere's nothing to hideIt's so easy, it's so easyIt's so easy, easy to pretend

When I wrote this song, I was going through a period of doubt and deep self-reflection. Somewhat of an internal battle was raging between beliefs and dogma I had always held to be true and the possibility that some of those beliefs were possibly not so true. I’ve come to reason out some of those questions but some remain to be answered. Am I doing well? Sometimes I can answer with a yes, but sometimes I cannot. I suppose that’s just life and living and sometimes it’s just too easy to pretend everything’s just fine.

Someone turn the light onWe're sitting in the darkSomeone please turn the light onWe need a little SparkNo One saw it comingNo One knew the scoreToo late with the warningAh, but we've seen it all beforeThe powers that be, deceiving us allHey don't you see the writing on the wallSome of us are dyingEveryone's afraidThe chilren are cryingPlease make it go awayOh my, oh my, my The devil is laughing while his demons cry"Welcome to Hell, it's my disease"Crying "welcome to the belly of the beast"There's an enemy walkingLike a thief in the nightYeah, there's an enemy walkingAnd he's looking for a fightBut some of us are runningStraight into the fireYeah, the brave are runningStraight into the fireAnd I don't need to tell youThis is warNo, I don't need to tell youWhat we're fighting forIn the land of the free, the home of the braveWe don't concede to being enslavedStill, some of us are dyingEveryone's afraidHear the children cryingPlease! Please! Please! make it go away!Oh my, oh my, my The devil is laughing while his demons cry"Welcome to Hell, it's my disease"Crying "welcome to the belly of the beast"Oh my, oh my, my The devil is laughing while the demons cry"Welcome to Hell, you know it's my disease"Crying "welcome, welcome, to the belly of the beast"Yeah, Some of us are dyingEveryone's afraidAh, but the brave are runningNot walking, but runningStraight into the fireInto the belly, the belly of the beastSomeone turn the light onWe're sitting in the dark

I wrote this song in the early days of the COVID pandemic. In 2017, I retired from a 40 plus year career as a Respiratory Therapist to focus on the true love of my life, music and being a songwriter and performer. When COVID shut everything down, I came out of retirement to help. This song focuses on the pandemic from the viewpoint of the healthcare workers who gave their all, some of them quite literally, to take care of those who were sick and dying from the disease. It was a dark time.

You and I may disagreeSee things differentlyBut that doesn't have to meanYou should be my enemy, enemyDo we really have to fightDoes somebody have to dieDo you ever wonder whyAh, but there will always bePeople who believeTheirs is the only way to seeThey choose to be my enemy, enemyDo we really have to fightDoes somebody have to dieDo you ever wonder why We fightIt was written long agoBut those old words could heal the soulThat simple truth might make us wholeAnd set us freeBut we've been blinded by our prideLike a fallen house devidedGod help us, you and INot to be enemiesYou don't have to be my enemyDo we really have to fightDoes somebody have to dieDo you ever wonder why we fight

This song is a rebuke of “Cancel Culture” and social media shaming because someone doesn’t like someone else’s beliefs or what they post on Twitter, Facebook, or wherever. They try to cancel them, label them as purveyors of “hate speech,” demonize them and make them a non-person just because they don’t like what they say. It’s a song about free speech, about the loss of civil discourse and spirited debate. I’m what one would call a classical or old school liberal who believes in those values. It’s time this stops.

I was a young man in Raleigh when I first heard you singSittin' in the second row, of the cheap seatsThe stories that you told and the wisdom they did bringI'll not forget, They're still with meYour songs were simple and filled with truthYes, your songs were so simple and filled with truthYou sang about an Angel from MontgomeryYou told the sad story of Sam StoneYou sang about real life, you sang about being lonelyNow, you've gone homeBut, you're the reason I learned to write a songSo, may you rest in peace, Dear JohnYou never knew my name but still you were my friendThat's why it hurts so bad to say good-byeBut It makes it little bit better thinkin' now and thenAbout the way, you made me smileAnd it was legal, how you made me smileYour songs were simple and filled with truthYes, your songs were so simple and filled with truthYou sang about an Angel from MontgomeryYou told the sad story of Sam StoneYou sang about real life, you sang about being lonelyNow, you've gone homeBut, you're the reason I learned to write a songSo, may you rest in peace, Dear JohnYou sang about an Angel from MontgomeryYou told the sad story of Sam StoneYou sang about real life, you sang about being lonelyNow, you've gone homeBut, you're the reason I learned to write a songYeah, you lost your voice but I'm still singing onSo, may you rest in peace, Dear JohnMay you rest in peace, Dear John

I wrote this song the day after I learned of the death of one of my all-time songwriting heroes, John Prine. He absolutely is one of the reasons why I became a songwriter. His songs were never complicated and always spoke to the things of life and living it. He sang about love and loss, truth, social justice, and sometimes just to poke fun at people and things. I figured I could do the same, so I set out to learn to write a song or rather, a bunch of songs, haha!

Gentle Man Album Credits
Mitch Hayes: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Percussion, Banjo on track 8
Paul Demer: Acoustic Guitars, Electric Guitars, Percussion, Background Vocals
Erin Hayesoweth: Background Vocals, Flute, Distorted Flute on track 6
Logan Bowers: Drums, Percussion
Ben Grace: Organ
Nathan Shores: Cello
Aaron Fabbrini: Pedal Steel
Zach Light-Wells: Banjo on track 4
Tom Demer: Violin, Viola, Fiddle on track 4
Melanie Demer: Violin, Viola

Produced and Engineered by Paul Demer, Dallas, TX
Mixed and Mastered by Chris Bethea, Minneapolis, MN
All Songs Written by Mitch Hayes (BMI) except: Enemy and Dear John, written by Mitch Hayes (BMI) and Paul Demer (BMI)
Strings on Track 1 arranged by Paul Demer and Tom Demer

Song Lyrics: MitchHayesMusic.com
Contact/Booking: Mitch@MitchHayesMusic.com

Mitch Hayes

Description

Notes & Lyrics:

Don’t Have to Hide

California Gold

Carolina Calling

What I Pretend

Belly of The Beast

Enemy

Dear John

Mitch Hayes

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