Let's Live for Tonight

The song below is one that I wrote shortly after New Year's, a little over two years ago. I started writing this song about the person I wished I could be. I wanted to be able to speak my mind or do something without overthinking every detail. I've never been super worried about what others thought about me or doing what I was expected to, but I did bully myself. I formed habits and became very fearful of what would happen when I broke my patterns.

I have never been a very talkative person. My twin, Camille, talked so much when we were younger, I never felt the need to use my own voice. Since I rarely spoke, when the time came for me to vocalize my thoughts and opinions, I couldn't. I was afraid and didn't know what I was supposed to say.

My mom has always said I'm my own worst enemy, and writing this song helped me realize what she meant. There was no one physically keeping me from speaking, going to a school dance, or any other public place for that matter, it was all made up in my head. It's hard to explain that I basically had two people living inside of me. I had a bully that doubted and questioned myself and someone else with goals they couldn't achieve because of her childhood oppressor. I started thinking about what it would take for me to get rid of my fears and internal tyrant. I was so afraid of sharing my thoughts, being vulnerable, and my own self-doubts, that it would take something very extreme to make my fears disappear. For example: only having one night to live.

The middle verse is about who I'd want to spend this last night with. I wouldn't want to spend all night alone but I also wouldn't want to spend it with just anyone, it had to be the right people. For some it might be their family, others it may be friends, and I'm sure there are some people out there who would actually like to spend it with random strangers. For me I would want to spend time with the people who are important to me and tell them how much a care and appreciate them before my night was over.

Moving on to the musical structure of this song. I use a shuffle strum/calypso strum the whole time. I also only use six chords. The chorus is G, Em, and B7, the verse is G, Em, and C, and the bridge is Bm7, G, C, and D. If you want to learn more about the shuffle strum my previous post explains more about it

Lyrics:

Verse 1

Let's go down to the boulevard.

Let's go down and pretend the world is ours.

Let's pretend we don't know right from wrong;

they'll be no consequences, at all.

And we'll run wild from dusk till dawn.

Chorus

Let's live for tonight,

we'll do what's wrong cus it feels right.

Ignore those who says it's impolite.

I've never been one to do what I'm told,

at least not right away,

but what can I say;

let's live for today.

Verse 2

Be with who you love,

cus when push comes to shove;

they're the ones you can't rid of.

You're undeserving of.

But still they show you love,

so rise above,

this isn't the end of tonight.

Chorus

Bridge

Do something

you've always wanted to do,

just never had the nerve to.

Say everything that's on, your mind,

then leave it all behind.

Travel with no destination,

just a little ambition.

Even if you're in poor condition,

I've got one proposition.

Chorus/Conclusion

Let's live for tonight,

we'll do what's wrong because, it feels right.

Ignore those who say it's impolite.

I've never been one to do what I'm told,

at least not right away,

but what can I say...

Let's live for tonight,

we'll do what's wrong because, it feels right.

Ignore those who say it's impolite.

I've never been one to do what I'm told,

at least not right away,

but what can I say,

let's live for today.

Let's live for today.

Let's live, for today.

I hope you enjoyed my song and the process behind it.

Thanks for yielding!

Alexis