Dreams and Gasoline—Shelley Lynch / Travis Pickering | Inspiration behind the song:
I have been out of the music industry for quite some time, rekindling my personal life. One day a man called me up and asked if I could give him some insight on the music business. I told him I have been out of the loop for a while but gave him some contacts. Next thing you know he was accompanying me on guitar for a show. One day he came over to jam and I asked him if he would teach me this specific guitar strum as I had an idea for a song. I have never co written with anyone before, but this day I did! Travis Pickering is his name. I started telling him about my idea, how I wanted to write a song about my divorce but keep it positive. I said, ‘You want to write a song together?’ I remember being very nervous, because you are most vulnerable when speaking from the heart and soul. The Dreams and Gasoline is all this, it’s about igniting your lost dream, leaving the past behind and lighting your dreams on fire! I feel this song applies to male and female going through a divorce or break up, once you burn that bridge all possibilities are achievable.
Last year I made a commitment to myself that I would record four of the best songs I possibly could and if they turned out decent, I would decide the direction to go. During CRS 2020, I was in contact with Dean Miller, whom I hadn’t seen for a few years. He mentioned that he was producing. By March 2020 I signed a 4 song LP recording contract with Dean. Plans changed with COVID shortly after and I was unable to go to Nashville. We set up a zoom meeting at Beaird Music Group, Nashville, and recorded the music. The MP3 was emailed and shortly after I recorded the vocals at MCC Recording in Calgary. The tracks were then sent back to Nashville for mixing and mastering. When the finished product came back, I was blown away! With life being short and all the uncertainties around us today, I decided to give it a go and see what happens! There is both an acoustic version and full production of Dreams and Gasoline.
Lyrics:
Every morning the sun wakes up / She looks down at her coffee cup / Wonders where in the hell all good things have gone…. / It’s not the love that she would’ve picked / But Some-times there was good in it / It took leaving him to keep moving on / Like throwing a match on gasoline / Like a perfect storm, on an open sea / Rolling wild and running free / On dreams and gasoline / All she wanted was love and trust / Someone to hold when life got tough / Now she’s learned a new way of living free / She’s finding ways to ignite her dreams / Pushing through those memories / Sometimes a burning bridge is all you need / Like throwing a match on gasoline / Like a perfect storm, on an open sea / Rolling wild and running free / On dreams and gasoline
Make it to Memphis - Travis Pickering (Co-write Shelley Lynch)
while jamming with Travis Pickering, getting ready for a gig, Travis said want to hear a song I wrote? She said absolutely! He then played it for Shelley, which gave her goose bumps. Travis said he was working on it and wasn’t sure if he would be recording it. Make it to Memphis is essentially about the struggle between keeping the faith and fighting doubt and uncertainty while chasing your passion. Happiness isn’t the destination, it’s the Journey. Shelley told Travis if he didn’t record it to let her know. A little while longer Travis called her up and said he was not going to record Make it to Memphis, as the group he was working with said it was a good song but not a great song and recommended not recording it. He then said, ‘you still want to record Make it to Memphis?’ Shelley’s quick response was yes! And then she asked if she could personalize it and change a couple things, as she only writes what she lives. Travis and Shelley have similar outlooks in life and Shelley knew the magic she could hear with the instruments and changing up a few things. Next step was to put it in the hands of some great musicians. Shelley was there through the entire recording session, capturing everything she could hear in her head with Beaird Music Group, Nashville, TN. Taking a song from an acoustic level to full production is an art. Shelley joined by ‘Zoom’ while Dean Miller, producer, was there live. The song was then sent to MCC studio in Calgary, AB, where Shelley recorded the vocal track. Then back to Nashville for mixing and mastering. The outcome was amazing.
Lyrics:
If I don’t make it to Memphis / If blue sued shoes don’t find these feet / If I don’t ever see the spotlight / If fame and fortune never meet / If I get lost in the bottle / And find the bitter side of me / If I don’t make it to Memphis / Keep me in your memory / I’ve never been too good at small talk / No I’ve never been too good at much / I’ve never had myself a Graceland / I’ve never had that kind of luck / I may never have a million dollars / Ah but that don’t bother me / If I don’t make it to Memphis / Keep me in your memory / If I get lost in the bottle / And find the bitter side of me / If I don’t make it to Memphis / Keep me in your memory / Yeah if I don’t make it to Memphis / Send me home and set me free
Purpose in Life—Shelley Lynch
Purpose in life was originally written and recoded for The Lynch’s Mother/Daughter Duo. I decided to put it on this album with some great musicians. I truly believe everyone has a purpose on this great planet.
“I woke up one morning at 3am remembering a dream of a huge rock overlooking the Bull River and wrote this song Purpose In Life. Not knowing if this rock existed, I called my parents, as in my younger days my family would ride their horses through Hartley Lake Road to the Bull River. When my mom and dad confirmed there was such a place, we headed out for a trip to the Bull! Finding the rock was so amazing! The song is about what our ‘Purpose in Life’ is; fulfilling this purpose can be challenging, but we are on this earth for a reason. Sometimes that requires us to ‘Go out on a limb’, out of what we presume to be normal. The resemblance of the rock in my dream……It was very scary being or thinking of going out there. Once we were there, it was the most amazing, peaceful view.”
Lyrics:
Going out….out on a limb / Living right…. Right on the edge / Take that risk, find that drive / Just one life….one life to live / Make it a choice …. Choice to give / take that risk, find that drive / find your Purpose in life / Looking through a naked eye / Life’s too short for you and I / As time goes faster every day / We feel our dreams are washed a way / Oooo, out on a limb / Faster than the speed of light / The light of day, turns into night / Our minds are just a paradigm / It can be changed at anytime / Ooo, out on a limb / Going out….out on a limb / Living right…. Right on the edge / Take that risk, find that drive / Just one life….one life to live / Make it a choice …. Choice to give / take that risk, find that drive / find your Purpose in life / Buckle up, it’s a hell of a ride / Nerves of steel is what’s required / Down this road, full of life / Bye a ticket and take a ride / Ooo, out on a limb / Times are up, times are down / Sometime it just spins around / Not giving up is the game / Perseverance is the way / Ooo, out on a limb / Your state of mind….. must be to Believe / Open minded…… endlessly.. / Ooo, oooo out on a limb / Ooo, oooo out on a limb / Going out….out on a limb / Living right…. Right on the edge / Take that risk, find that drive / Just one life….one life to live / Make it a choice …. Choice to give / take that risk, find that drive / find your Purpose in life
Living My Best Life - Shelley Lynch
With the whole COVID 19 and a great amount of opinions, my brother said to me “If I’m gonna’ die, I’m gonna’ die living”. That totally stuck in my head for a few days. I live in the country, don’t visit even our small town that much, so masks and such is something I’m not use to. With many years in the emergency field and retired paramedic I understand viruses and the affects on the body, masks are not the solution in my opinion. But I am not a hypocrite, to each there own, I am all for truth and integrity and mostly a free country. I had a trip to Calgary, which had mandatory mask law in place. I abided but felt the anxiety level increase as the day went on, to a point where my coping skills were completely gone. I cried all the way home, was sad, angry, scared and just could not believe how a mask destroys humanity as our faces are a very important part of communicating. A simple smile will change someone’s day, the devastation of the pandemic overwhelmed me. I wrote this song the next day.
Lyrics:
Travelling at the crack of dawn / Singing with the radio on / This life’s not for everyone / but my choice to bring it on / Living it right / ya…. / …..living my best life / Sometimes we’re broken pieces / finding ways to mend our wings / Living out the best life / the best of life for you / You and me….. / It’s not the worlds imagination / It’s my own infatuation / (and) I’m Free……. / It can be a lonely road / Working with the seeds you sowed, but / I believe……. / in….. / Living my best life / Give the world the love it needs / Giving the best part of me… / As long as this rock keeps spinnin’ / If I’m gonna die, I’ll die livin’ / Ya / ……living my best life / There’s no time for regrets / This life ain’t over yet / Sometimes I fall down / Ticking time bomb spinn’ ‘round / It’s not the worlds imagination / It’s my own infatuation / (and) I’m Free……. / It can be a lonely road / Working with the seeds you sowed, but / I believe……. / in….. / Living
Carter’s Song—Shelley Lynch
To my dearest Carter…
When we laid your body down to rest, the pain I can’t explain / I’m sure what you went through, was no where near the same / I’ve cried so many tears, please help me understand / All the love you shared and touched, really makes no sense / He said it in a letter, you’ll hurt but you’ll be ok / Know that I love you and this is the best for me / Love is greater than anything, be nice to everyone / love you mom and dad, my melody lives on……. / Can’t think about that day or tomorrow, one day at a time / Preacher says there must be burn outs in Heaven, I’m sure he’s right / Why do we even live on this earth, so many questions why / Corpus Christi, eternity, believing what is right