Emma’s Song

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ9N5k5szyA

A few weeks ago, Emma came to me and asked if I would help her write a song. I told her I don’t know much about writing songs, but we could try it together. She said there was one she likes to sing in the shower, so we sat down together. She started to dictate the words as I wrote them, and we only got about two lines in before something happened and we were distracted and never came back to finish it. The next morning I found the lyrics written in her notebook on top of her dresser. She had written them out before she went to sleep that night. I thought that she did such an amazing job on them, and was so impressed!

Shortly after, the school announced they were having a talent show and I suggested she sing her song. There was only one problem, we had no music. She told me it sounds kind of like the Sheryl Crow song, “Soak up the Sun.” I knew I was useless in trying to get this done for her, so I contacted my brother Matt who has been known to write a song or two and play along with his guitar. I asked if he would give it a try and send me some music for her lyrics. He said it would be a fun project to write music for someone else’s lyrics, and about a week later sent me an instrumental track and one with his vocals for Emma to learn the tune. Matt did such an awesome job! She loves the music, but changed some of her original lyrics once she read over them again, because she said they didn’t make sense. Here are her final lyrics:

I’m Gonna Let the Sun Shine

I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day
I don’t care what’s coming in my way
I’m gonna play and let it shine
I’m gonna show the world my face

I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day
And do with what I got
And face the things I don’t

So I’m gonna stand up
and show the world, something good
I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day
and make the world,
make it a better place

I’m gonna show the world what I can do
I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day
I’m takin fast steps out of town

And I’m not gonna stop
to show the world my plan
I’m gonna show them all to let the sun shine
I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day

So I’m gonna stand up
to show the world, something good
I’m gonna let the sun shine on a rainy day
And I’ll make the world,
I’ll make it a better place

She has sung the song over and over again in preparing for the Talent Show, but still wanted to have a copy of the words with her on stage. She did an awesome job, and we are so proud of her. It is so fun to see her thoughts combine with music and come out in such a great performance. How many people can say they’ve written a song with their uncle at just six years old?