Writing Life

A periodic record of thoughts and life as these happen via the various roles I play: individual, husband, father, grandfather, son, brother (brother-in-law), writer, university professor and others.

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Location: Tennessee, United States

I was born on Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina, then lived a while in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before moving, at the age of 5, to Walnut, NC. I graduated from Madison High School in 1977. After a brief time in college, I spent the most of the 1980s in Nashville, Tennessee, working as a songwriter and playing in a band. I spent most of the 1990s in school and now teach at a university in Tennessee. My household includes wife and son and cat. In South Carolina I have a son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Fresh Horses

Today I was out mowing the yard, already the second mowing for the 2007 season. And I was thinking about the church I attend, Cherokee United Methodist, and the many changes looming in its near future. (More on these later.) While I was doing all this thinking, an old song of mine called "Fresh Horses" came to mind. The chorus includes the line that crept into my mind first: "The one thing you can count on is the changing." That's the way life is, no doubt. The only thing that seems certain is change.

Somewhere up ahead lies a dream

Of how things ought to be.

On open road you can see it from the high spots.

Somewhere plays a song

That tells the story of your life,

And some nights you can hear it barely within earshot.

You listen so hard at times

You think you're going crazy,

And you follow a star that keeps on

Disappearing every day.

It's a long hard ride from here to where you're going,

If you don't turn back or pull out of the race.

The one thing you can count on is the changing.

Fresh horses are always waiting along the way.

There are tears among the raindrops

And blue diamonds laid on ice.

Precious things are hidden in common places.

But among the treasures dangers lie

So ride with open eyes

In the search for common ground and common graces.

Parts of the journey

Seem to end in wasted motion.

Parts of the journey

Border on insanity.

It's a long hard ride from here to where you're going,

If you don't turn back or pull out of the race.

The one thing you can count on is the changing.

Fresh horses are always waiting along the way.

Words & Music by Michael Cody

Copyright: Gary Morris Music (ASCAP)


I wrote the song in 1989 or so, after reading a script for a film called Fresh Horses, which was going to star some of those '80s kids that were in The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire. I don't think the film had much success, but I got a good song out of reading the script. "Fresh Horses" was always a crowd favorite when the Cody band played. If you can follow the link below, you can hear our studio version of it. Listen carefully to the background vocals, and you'll hear my friend Mark (NBTA) singing along with me. That's also him playing one of the electric guitars.

http://faculty.etsu.edu/codym/song_Fresh%20Horses.mp3

7 Comments:

Blogger nbta said...

Great song! Listening to it sure brought back some memories. If only there were enough time and energy to do it all again. I miss those days.

4/04/2007  
Blogger SamB said...

Great Song! It seems much has happened while we have been out of town. I'm eagerly awaiting the rest of the story..... see ya on Easter.

4/04/2007  
Blogger Dennis and Marie said...

Hi Michael,
I really enjoyed your song. Can I buy a copy of the mp3 file.
Dennis

4/04/2007  
Blogger mac said...

Mark, I miss those days too. I keep wondering if I'll ever get the time and energy to take those songs out on the road again.

samb, yes, much has happened recently. I'll talk with you on Easter if not before.

Dennis, I think that can be arranged when I'm back to my home computer.

4/04/2007  
Blogger quig said...

Fresh horses are always waiting along the way...... that's the line that is echoing in my head... Fresh horses are always waiting along the way.... thanks Michael...

PS - I'd like a copy of the MP3 file also....and of course, I would buy it as well...

4/04/2007  
Blogger Ruth W. said...

Great song..liked it the first time I heard it, but now finding out that Mark was in it also..I REALLY like it now!!

4/04/2007  
Blogger Ruth W. said...

Changes..they here at work keep saying it is good. True, change probably is good, keeps things fresh, and better things will come of it. However, at my work place, they tend to change to much. They come in one week and change your process, then 2 weeks later, change it again. We are very tired of it. Makes no sense at all. I hope the change goes smoothly at Cherokee UMC, because I do so love that church.

4/04/2007  

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