Set In Stone

smooth electric blues, expressive wide vibrato and vocal-like string bends, singing lead guitar tone through cranked tube amps, call-and-response between guitar and vocal, slow to mid-tempo shuffles and 12-bar or 8-bar blues forms, warm overdrive with clear note definition, sometimes using talkbox-style phrasing and vocal-inflected guitar melodies, soulful male vocal with grit and tenderness, space in the groove for bends to ring and phrases to breathe, subtle Hammond organ or Rhodes pads supporting the harmony, tight but human drums with ghost notes and rim-clicks, walking or pulsing bass that locks the pocket, minor-blues tension resolving into major-blues sweetness, dynamic swells from whispery verses to intense solo peaks, intimate live-club atmosphere, close-mic’d amp and room feel

[INTRO – BAND GROOVE, GUITAR CALLS / VOICE ANSWERS]
[GTR: short, teasing bend]  
[VOX: “Mmm, yeah…”]  
[GTR: another lick, band settles into shuffle]

[VERSE 1 – SPLIT & PROTECTION]
I saw you by that side case, tryin’ hard not to cry,  
    [GTR: soft “answering” lick]  
eyes on all that metal, like “what’s mine, what do I try?”  
    [BACKING: “Too much, too much…”]

You turned with that small voice, but your courage still showed,  
    [GTR: bend that lands on the chord]  
“Is this piece over here mine?” I said, “Yeah, that’s your road.”  
    [BACKING: “That’s your road, girl…”]

I pulled the weight around you, took the worst off your back,  
    [GTR: sharp double-stop stab]  
left you just enough to fly, not drown in other folks’ slack.  
    [BACKING: “He won’t let you drown…”]

[CALL & RESPONSE CHORUS 1]
Keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my hand on the wheel,  
    [GTR: quick climb, then fall]  
You hold on to the truth, I’ll hold the line they can’t steal.  
    [BACKING: “Hold that line…”]  
Long as we stand together, stay straight, don’t drift apart,  
    [GTR: sweet resolving lick]  
Snow can cover up the road,  
it can’t cover up this heart.  
    [BACKING: “Can’t cover that heart…”]

[VERSE 2 – BOSS & COVER]
He came walkin’ down the aisle, eyes cold, voice like a knife,  
    [GTR: low growl riff]  
pointin’ at that wrapped-up shirt sittin’ quiet by your life.  
    [BACKING: “Mmm, that little gift…”]

“Sure this stuff ain’t recent?” he was diggin’ for my name,  
    [GTR: tense bend, stop]  
you just smiled and played it dusty, wouldn’t feed him to the flame.  
    [BACKING: “She won’t give you up…”]

He looked my way for backup, like I’d throw you to the floor,  
    [GTR: hard chord hit]  
I just shrugged and walked right past,  
didn’t open up that door.  
    [BACKING: “Two closed mouths, one story…”]

[CALL & RESPONSE CHORUS 2]
Keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my name over yours,  
    [GTR: bright answering phrase]  
You cover me in the office, I’ll guard you out on the tours.  
    [BACKING: “Guard each other…”]  
Long as we don’t start talkin’ when the fear comes knockin’ through,  
    [GTR: bent note that hangs]  
No order, rule or rumor  
gonna pry me off of you.  
    [BACKING: “They can’t move you two…”]

[SHORT INSTRUMENTAL – GUITAR HOOK]
[GTR: plays “hand in mine / hand on the wheel” over steady shuffle.]

[VERSE 3 – SNOW ROAD, LEAVING TOGETHER]
End of day, trucks all empty, snow stacked high and mean,  
    [GTR: tremolo chord shimmer]  
I rolled out slow from the lot, you slipped in right behind the scene.  
    [BACKING: “Ridin’ his tail lights…”]

I parked in that middle lane, held a space in all that white,  
    [GTR: slide up the neck, then stop]  
sayin’ “Take your time, my love,  
you don’t have to win this fight tonight.”  
    [BACKING: “You already won…”]

You sat still in that side road, heart loud, hands cold on the wheel,  
    [GTR: soft, climbing fill]  
knowin’ we just chose each other,  
and now the choosing’s real.  
    [BACKING: “That choice is real…”]

[BRIDGE – QUIETER, MORE INTIMATE]
We had months of ghosts and whispers,  
friends who played with your fear,  
    [GTR: gentle call between lines]  
folks pushin’ you to numb it,  
sayin’ love don’t live ’round here.

But you saw who held the weight,  
who kept standin’ when they ran,  
    [GTR: aching bend, then resolve]  
who split routes, who set you free,  
who never broke the plan.

Now you stand and I stand with you,  
two backs to the same cold wall,  
    [GTR: little bluesy turnaround]  
if the world comes swingin’ hard,  
it’s gotta swing through us both or not at all.

[FINAL CHORUS – BIG, LAYERED RESPONSES]
So keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my hand on the wheel,  
    [BACKING: “Hand on the wheel…” / GTR: soaring lick]  
You walk proud in your own skin, I’ll keep the guard on what you feel.  
    [BACKING: “Guard that heart…”]  
Long as we stay committed, like we did in that aisle today,  
    [GTR: rapid blues run]  
No storm, no stare, no question  
gonna turn our love away.  
    [BACKING: “Can’t turn it away…”]

Yeah, keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my footsteps slow,  
    [GTR: echo the vocal line]  
You don’t have to rush this road,  
I’ll be right here while you grow.  
    [BACKING: “Right here while you grow…”]  
If we keep protectin’ each other,  
truth in front and fear behind,  
    [GTR: long bending note, hold]  
Nothin’ on this frozen highway  
can unhook your hand from mine.  
    [BACKING: “Hand from mine…”]

[OUTRO – VAMP & FADE]
[VOX: “Hand on the wheel…”]  
    [GTR: answer lick]  
[VOX: “Hand on my heart…”]  
    [GTR: another lick, shorter]  
[VOX: “Two trucks, one way home…”]  
    [BAND: slow fade on I chord, last bent note sings out]

4990/7500

[#TITLE: HAND ON THE WHEEL, HAND ON MY HEART] [#STYLE: upbeat electric blues shuffle; bright, driving groove; call-and-response vocal and guitar; walking bass, snapping snare; small loud room energy.] [INTRO – BAND GROOVE, GUITAR CALLS / VOICE ANSWERS] [GTR: short, teasing bend] [VOX: “Mmm, yeah…”] [GTR: another lick, band settles into shuffle] [VERSE 1 – SPLIT & PROTECTION] I saw you by that side case, tryin’ hard not to cry, [GTR: soft “answering” lick] eyes on all that metal, like “what’s mine, what do I try?” [BACKING: “Too much, too much…”] You turned with that small voice, but your courage still showed, [GTR: bend that lands on the chord] “Is this piece over here mine?” I said, “Yeah, that’s your road.” [BACKING: “That’s your road, girl…”] I pulled the weight around you, took the worst off your back, [GTR: sharp double-stop stab] left you just enough to fly, not drown in other folks’ slack. [BACKING: “He won’t let you drown…”] [CALL & RESPONSE CHORUS 1] Keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my hand on the wheel, [GTR: quick climb, then fall] You hold on to the truth, I’ll hold the line they can’t steal. [BACKING: “Hold that line…”] Long as we stand together, stay straight, don’t drift apart, [GTR: sweet resolving lick] Snow can cover up the road, it can’t cover up this heart. [BACKING: “Can’t cover that heart…”] [VERSE 2 – BOSS & COVER] He came walkin’ down the aisle, eyes cold, voice like a knife, [GTR: low growl riff] pointin’ at that wrapped-up shirt sittin’ quiet by your life. [BACKING: “Mmm, that little gift…”] “Sure this stuff ain’t recent?” he was diggin’ for my name, [GTR: tense bend, stop] you just smiled and played it dusty, wouldn’t feed him to the flame. [BACKING: “She won’t give you up…”] He looked my way for backup, like I’d throw you to the floor, [GTR: hard chord hit] I just shrugged and walked right past, didn’t open up that door. [BACKING: “Two closed mouths, one story…”] [CALL & RESPONSE CHORUS 2] Keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my name over yours, [GTR: bright answering phrase] You cover me in the office, I’ll guard you out on the tours. [BACKING: “Guard each other…”] Long as we don’t start talkin’ when the fear comes knockin’ through, [GTR: bent note that hangs] No order, rule or rumor gonna pry me off of you. [BACKING: “They can’t move you two…”] [SHORT INSTRUMENTAL – GUITAR HOOK] [GTR: plays “hand in mine / hand on the wheel” over steady shuffle.] [VERSE 3 – SNOW ROAD, LEAVING TOGETHER] End of day, trucks all empty, snow stacked high and mean, [GTR: tremolo chord shimmer] I rolled out slow from the lot, you slipped in right behind the scene. [BACKING: “Ridin’ his tail lights…”] I parked in that middle lane, held a space in all that white, [GTR: slide up the neck, then stop] sayin’ “Take your time, my love, you don’t have to win this fight tonight.” [BACKING: “You already won…”] You sat still in that side road, heart loud, hands cold on the wheel, [GTR: soft, climbing fill] knowin’ we just chose each other, and now the choosing’s real. [BACKING: “That choice is real…”] [BRIDGE – QUIETER, MORE INTIMATE] We had months of ghosts and whispers, friends who played with your fear, [GTR: gentle call between lines] folks pushin’ you to numb it, sayin’ love don’t live ’round here. But you saw who held the weight, who kept standin’ when they ran, [GTR: aching bend, then resolve] who split routes, who set you free, who never broke the plan. Now you stand and I stand with you, two backs to the same cold wall, [GTR: little bluesy turnaround] if the world comes swingin’ hard, it’s gotta swing through us both or not at all. [FINAL CHORUS – BIG, LAYERED RESPONSES] So keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my hand on the wheel, [BACKING: “Hand on the wheel…” / GTR: soaring lick] You walk proud in your own skin, I’ll keep the guard on what you feel. [BACKING: “Guard that heart…”] Long as we stay committed, like we did in that aisle today, [GTR: rapid blues run] No storm, no stare, no question gonna turn our love away. [BACKING: “Can’t turn it away…”] Yeah, keep your hand in mine, I’ll keep my footsteps slow, [GTR: echo the vocal line] You don’t have to rush this road, I’ll be right here while you grow. [BACKING: “Right here while you grow…”] If we keep protectin’ each other, truth in front and fear behind, [GTR: long bending note, hold] Nothin’ on this frozen highway can unhook your hand from mine. [BACKING: “Hand from mine…”] [OUTRO – VAMP & FADE] [VOX: “Hand on the wheel…”] [GTR: answer lick] [VOX: “Hand on my heart…”] [GTR: another lick, shorter] [VOX: “Two trucks, one way home…”] [BAND: slow fade on I chord, last bent note sings out]

0/500