by Alex Wilson
Album
Rust & Redemption
Year
2025
Genre
Folk/Americana/Singer-Songwriter/Country
Duration
3:52
Description
A melancholic folk ballad carried by gently fingerpicked acoustic guitar, upright bass, and sparse percussion. A delicate mandolin weaves arpeggios, while a mournful fiddle adds atmospheric textures in a minor key. Alex Wilson's raw, restrained vocal delivery emphasizes the song's themes of resilience and quiet desperation in the face of hardship. The song explores the struggles of simply surviving, weighed down by memories and uncertainties of the future.
Lyrics
(Verse 1) Woke up cold with the dawn at my spine, One boot on, other lost to the pines. Rain soaks the wood I meant to burn, Hunger’s a habit I ain’t unlearned. Broke my mirror just to stop the stare, Don’t need reminders of who ain’t there. Map’s long gone, roads run thin— Every day starts where the last one ends. (Chorus) I ain’t livin’, I’m just gettin’ by, Countin’ fence posts ‘stead of stars in the sky. Patchin’ up hope with rusted wire and string, A song in my throat that I ain’t gonna sing. Don’t ask me how—I couldn’t tell you why, But I ain’t dead yet… I’m just gettin’ by. (Verse 2) Stole a peach off a preacher’s tree, Left two quarters where the roots should be. Told myself that ain’t a sin, But the silence sure knows where I’ve been. Some folks run for a dream they chase, Me—I just walk slow, try to save face. Ain’t lookin’ back, ain’t lookin’ ahead, Just makin’ peace with an empty bed. (Chorus) I ain’t livin’, I’m just gettin’ by, Holdin’ my breath when the world walks by. Duct-tape soul and a bloodshot eye, Carryin’ days I can’t justify. Don’t ask me when—I forgot goodbye, But I’m still here… just gettin’ by. (Bridge) If I had a match, I’d light up the past, Watch it all burn and breathe free at last. But there’s work to do and rain to dodge, So I keep movin’ like a ghost on the lodge. (Verse 3) Found a stray dog, limping the same, We share our silence, call out the same name. He's got no collar, just matted fur, And knows more stories than I ever heard. He doesn't judge my weary soul, Just walks beside as I reach my goal. Of maybe just maybe gettin' through The night or the day, whatever's due. (Final Chorus) I ain’t livin’, I’m just gettin’ by, Threadin’ the needle ‘tween truth and a lie. One step, one scrape, one borrowed sigh, Too stubborn to quit, too numb to cry. Ain’t no glory, ain’t no high— Just me and the dark… Gettin’ by.
Notes
Instrumentation: Acoustic guitar (fingerpicked, Travis picking pattern), upright bass (walking bass line), minimal percussion (brushes on snare, occasional kick drum), mandolin (arpeggiated chords, high harmony), fiddle (melancholic phrases, double stops). Tempo: Mid-tempo, slightly dragging feel. Key: Am (A minor) Structure: Verse 1 - Chorus - Verse 2 - Chorus - Bridge - Verse 3 - Final Chorus Vocal Delivery: Raw, restrained, slightly gravelly. Emphasize the emotional weight of the lyrics. Consider adding subtle harmonies on the choruses. Fiddle plays a counter melody during each of the verses adding to the somber tone of the song. Mandolin should be played softly during the verses and choruses, but is allowed to be slightly more forward and a brighter tone during the bridge.