FAWM: "Today"

Today

Liner Notes

I cannot seem to write an adequate protest song but I will keep trying. In the meantime, this song is about living for today and embracing life!

#embracetoday #hope #americana #folk #country

Lyrics

Today
February 2, 2025
https://johnstaplesmusic.com/FAWM2025/JohnStaples-Today.mp3

we often think too much about
the things we did
words we said
love that we kept hid

but the past has gone away
we can't change it from today

yesterday
and tomorrow
neither one
is true
here right now
is all we have
you and me
me and you

we often worry too much 'bout
the things we'll do
words we'll say
love that won't come our way

but the future's just a dream
here and now is all we need

yesterday
and tomorrow
neither one
is true
here right now
is all we have
you and me
me and you

smile now
cry now
spread those wings
and fly now
don't let these
precious moments
slip away
embrace today

yesterday
and tomorrow
neither one
is true
here right now
is all we have
you and me
me and you

© 2025 John Staples
JohnStaplesMusic.com

Comments

@sycophant 3d

Agree with @greengrassgirl, that marauding intro really hooked me. Your deep voice is lovely and almost hypnotic, and I love the positivity of the lyrics matching that slow country backing track. Very cool!

@greengrassgirl 4d

You had me on the music intro! I love this, and yes, there's plenty of fodder these days for a protest song, so it's nice to hear something positive, like this. I like the focus on finding happiness Today. I was brought to your page because of your thoughtful comment on Love Isn't Any Fun, my collab with @gwynjones. So thanks, doubly.

@jonmeta 1w

Your voice has a quality that's both honest and comforting. Perfect for this song and message.

@janeg 2w

Lovely soft reminder to live in the moment.

@matthewjoel 2w

Such a beautiful, realized song. I really appreciate the way the brushes and finger style swim around the really grounded texture of your voice. I'm here for it.

@karlajoyce 2w

A good comfort song is just as important as a protest song. Heck, maybe it IS a protest song, kinda! Either way, I dig it. Lovely message.

@ragbag 2w

Love the sentiment of this song - and the cello is fab and compliments your wonderful vocal so well. A very memorable song. :-)

@sinisthesia 2w

This song just feels like home. It actually moved me emotionally. The arrangement is so beautiful.

@lizzyhardingham 2w

Love the arrangement, it really makes a good bedrock for the song to feel like an old friend coming over for a cuppa. Such a great sentiment too - well said, well put!

@wynia 2w

The guitar and cello really lie down a cozy bed here for the melody. I like all the instrumental breaks, gives me time to ponder the lyrics. Lovely overall!!

@wurzelfrau 2w

wonderful song, John, as always. Very wise too. Loved it.

@jerrypettit 2w

C'mon, buddy--do a full 14 songs this season, especially if they're going to be like this one. This is great--not just the vocal, lyrics, and arrangement, but you've really got great "production values" going. LOVE that cello! ❤️

@grayland 2w

I fell in Love this this tune in first few measures!! The guitars in the wings with that...cello? is it? It is truly mesmerizing. The lyrics fill me with hope and chills!! Live for today...live for the moment... some philosophies say the moment is all that's real in life. everything else is past or present. I tend to agree with that and I think this song lays it out perfectly. It touched my soul... Your vocals on this song are frikkin brilliant...perfect for the mood of the song... I know I've told you before ow I love that deep register in your voice!!! What an awesome package of instruments, melody, message, and stellar vocal delivery... What more can one ask of a song??? Truly outstanding work John...

@overflow 2w

Ain’t that the truth! Lovely lyrics, and the cello adds a perfect hopeful longing. 👌

@ajna1960 2w

That cello in the intro perfectly sets up the subject of the lyrics.
As usual a great lyric, and one thing you do perfectly is place the words correctly for emphasis, as well as since them with the correct intonation, not just because they are in that place in the line.
Wonderful listen as always.

@brisk 2w

This sounds great. There's something about it that feels ...weighty, though it is dealing with relatively intimate themes. I think that's because of a mix of things. I really like the chords; I don't understand enough about music to really know what's going on, but they sound interesting. There's a real feeling of regret or reflection to the vocal performance. I also really love your "you and me, me and you" tail to the chorus. It's so simple but very effective.

@celineellis 2w

Reminiscing is one of my favourite pastimes - but this is introspective beyond words. So lush

@eamarant 2w

Wow. Love the production and your guitar playing. The cello was beautiful too. Simple lyrics for a straightforward concept, and they hit. My favorite of the bunch are "we often worry too much 'bout
the things we'll do
words we'll say
love that won't come our way." I love how the first verse is so similar but past tense while this one is future simple tense and how that fits the message in the chorus. One note though would be that when you sing the last line of verse two you hold the word "come." I would suggest, in order to make the cadence more similar to the first verse, that the word "won't" gets the accent and you say "won't come" almost as a single two-syllable word. Maybe that crams it in too much, but another point to make is that the way it currently is sung you're emphasizing the word "come" when the poignant word is "won't." Anyway, that's really it. I loved the song. Thanks for letting me listen!

@toddnorem 2w

Living for today and embracing life can be protest in itself. Good to hear your voice again. "Here and now is what we need" and "don't let those precious moments slip away." Yes indeed.

@chill4matt 2w

I have purposely began telling myself that I will get through. I'm running an experiment. Will my friends who think vastly differently than I, survive our friendship? And I think that we will. Not because they're happy and I'm not, but because I can't do much about things (at the current moment). We will get through. We will vote again. Let's just hope we don't lose too much before that happens.

@coolparadisoMod 2w

Remember the past, survive the now live for the future! This has a deep sadness, which is a strong protest! Well done.

@writeandwrong 2w

John... this right here. So much substance packed into those concise lines, raw and honest. It’s a powerful reminder to live in the moment and make the most of it. I love how you blend your words and music together, creating a song that the listener needs to hear right now. Another incredible piece of writing!

@briggs 2w

I love the message of this song; the reminder to focus on the present is always helpful. I liked the converse repetition of “me and you”. Nicely done!

@dreamerblue 2w

Focusing on the now is great, especially when everything feel pretty helpless in our current situation.

@ccsfrogpond 2w

The string work in this song captured my full attention. Beautiful and vibrant. I found your balance between your lyrics and letting the strings speak for themselves perfect. Great song :)

@cavesoil 2w

Nice, John. I think protest songs are more important than ever, so good on you for sharing your thoughts. Your instrumentation sounds really crisp, too.

@nadine 2w

That's a great song John. I like that you keep the problem open. And yet it has a sense of hope. I especially liked the cello!

@judypie 2w

Also totally want to write a protest song! But this an awesome place keeper til then 😃 So sick of hearing my own song so came here to listen to something else and glad I clicked on this one! Even if it does make mine feel even worse than it did befor in comparison 😛Mmmmm, strings! Soooo beautiful John! Keep up the good work ❤️

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