Kentucky He made Sense of it all analysis

Here are the lyrics from when I originally wrote the song back in 1990;

VERSE 1 YES, HE WAS CALLED KENTUCKY
CAUSE HE CALLED THAT STATE HIS HOME
SAILORS TOOK TO NICKNAMING FROM WHEREVER THEY DID ROAM
THE WAR IT BROUGHT A BATTLE
KENTUCKY’S SHIP WAS DOWN
HE SWAM THROUGH THE WATERS TILL THE OTHER SIX AND HE
WERE FINALLY FOUND

CHORUS HE MADE SENSE OF IT ALL
THE DYING AND THE LIVING
THE DUTY AND ITS CALL HE MADE SENSE OF IT ALL
HE MADE SENSE OF IT ALL

VERSE 2 THEN HE LEFT KENTUCKY MOVING ONTO THE MIDWEST
GIVEN SPACE IN A FACTORY PAINTING TRACTORS AT HIS BEST
THE WAR NOW WAS 8 TO 5, HE TENDED BAR AFTER DARK
SOMEHOW HE TAUGHT HIS KIDS TO STRIVE AND BELIEVE
THEIR LIVES WERE MORE THAN JUST A LARK

CHORUS HE MADE SENSE OF IT ALL…
BRIDGE HE DREAMS OF SAILING OUT ON THE SEA
IN A SHIP OF HIS OWN HE FEELS SO FREE
AND IN HIS FACE HE FEELS THE OCEAN BREEZE
IN A SHIP THAT HE WOULD CALL KENTUCKY

VERSE 3 NOW KENTUCKY’S IN HIS SEVENTIES
THE CHILDREN ARE GROWN AND GONE
BUT HIS GOLF GAME’S IN THE NINETIES
AND HE STILL GOES HOME TO THE WOMAN HE’S LOVED FOR SO LONG
alternate line…..(HE STILL GOES TO GIVE HIS STRENGTH TO OUR MOM)
CHORUS HE MADE SENSE OF IT ALL….
TAG FINALLY IT MAKES SENSE TO ME – KENTUCKY - KENTUCKY

I was taking songwriting classes taught by Jack Segal when we lived in California.

As I explain in the video in the previous blog, as part of the class, someone brought in James Taylor's "Millworker" for us to pick apart and analyze.
Afterward I just said out loud, "Man. I wish I could write a song like James Taylor...."
Upon which Jack responded, "Well, Dave, why don't you?"

That is one of the most POWERFUL questions I've ever been asked in my life -

What Jack was saying was that we ALL have talent within us - we just get in the way with our lack of belief and acceptance of allowing the creativity of the universe to flow through us.

I stayed up all night that night in 1990 and wrote about a subject I know - my Father! Writing about what you know is also a good thing to understand about songwriting. Coming from a small city in central Illinois it would be hard for me to write knowledgeably about the inner city life of New York - for example.

Jack liked the song but had some "suggestions". He thought I used "Kentucky" in too many different ways - Dad's nickname, his home, his boat.
I actually thought about that a lot when writing the song and intentionally did that -
Why, because Kentucky influenced my Dad's entire life to some degree - not just one segment.

I also originally had the last line of the 3rd verse refer to him going home each day to our Mom. When I started to pitch he song professionally, it became necessary to change that line to the one you hear in the video below - "He still goes home to the woman he's loved for so long"

But the fascinating part to me is the tag line - for 16 years it was "Finally it makes sense to me - Kentucky...." It was my way of saying I was finally understanding Dad's life and the decisions he made.
BUT - it always bothered me.

Then when I was getting ready last spring to go into the studio to cut it for my latest CD. "HOME" - I was rehearsing it and out popped "Someday I hope that I can be.... like Kentucky..."
PERFECT!! It felt right and also makes it easier to pitch to other artist to possible record.

The song actually was the 2nd song I wrote on the subject, but "Kentucky In Me" while more pitch able for radio, didn't quite tell the story like I wanted to tell it.

I'm pitching both these days.

Next up - not one of my songs but a discussion on "wordy" songs OR songs with less than 30 words in the lyric - which is best?

But please let me know what you think of Kentucky, He Made Sense Of It All -

Until next time
arnybarn