Start To Stop Again (c) Michael S. Kennedy
A worker cries when the day is done,
Wise man only cries for peace.
A lonely man cries for anyone,
I cry, but I am none of these.
My children say life is ours to hold,
Old woman says that it don’t matter.
The blameless say they do what they are told,
Broken hearts can’t live without her.
Crippled child wants life; however hard,
Hypocrites only want their share.
Starving eyes want less than we discard,
You want something that isn’t there.
Ooh, Ooh, the way it’s always been,
We stop to start again.
Don’t think you can’t help out my friend
Because we try, we control the end.
Nobody cares, if it isn’t them.
Cold voices only care by phone.
Rich people care about every gem,
Friends care when it’s one of their own.
Ooh, Ooh, the way it’s always been,
We stop to start again.
Don’t think you can’t help out my friend
Because we try, we control the end.
MidiMike 
Beautiful song, words, and your voice too…. just a little suggestion, the guitar sound comes more than your voice. Your voice is so beautiful, I enjoyed to listen to you. I loved this part, “Broken hearts can’t live without her.”… Thank you, have a nice day and weekend, dear Mike, Love, nia
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have found my Achilles Heel, nia! I never considered myself to be a vocalist. For decades I called myself a songwriter rather than singer/songwriter. My intention (or dream) has always been to have someone else perform my songs. I all too often put my vocals ‘behind in the mix’ – intentionally or unintentionally – because I do not think my voice is strong or clear enough, no matter how much emotion I put behind them.
I guess we all hate listening to our own voices but as the recording engineer, I let that influence the mix. I promise to take your advice (until I find a great vocalist!). You are wonderful and coming from you I will take your suggestion to heart. Thank you as always and I also hope you have a great evening and weekend ahead of you!
My guess is you have broken a few hearts as well? LOL
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awesome…I like your voice! Great job
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am blushing! With a BIG smile. I am so self conscious about my vocals so I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Am I missing something? I can’t find any way -link or something- to hear the song!! 😱
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not sure. Try this link: https://midimike.com/2016/02/03/start-to-stop-again/
Thank you for asking!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for giving me the link, an opportunity to hear you sing your lines. I am not a musically knowledgeable person but can say it was awesome to listen to! 😊
LikeLike
I am glad it worked. Thank you for the comments and feedback. Without listeners there would not be much for us musicians to do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 pleasure is mine!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for passing it. Totally loved hearing you sing your own creation. Thanks again!! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! I truly appreciate that. Any time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the way your intonation on the word “Because” changes the meaning I originally sensed from just reading the text. It’s so important to hear a lyric sung: it’s like a screenplay taking life on celluloid.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great observation. You are good at this! It is the ‘ying and yan’ presented in a number of my songs and writings. Things can be difficult or negative but ‘because’ we can take control, we can change the outcome to positive. You are dead on with the screenplay comparison. Sometimes a music video can show the listener what the song is really about with imagery. Thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank *you* for being there. Truly appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool. Thank you for the visit, and Happy Friday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always one of my favorites!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ditto!
LikeLike
Wow, I love this! Both the words and the music. Poetry to music.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I needed that! I appreciate it greatly coming from you. Your encouragement is powerful. I have a soft place in my heart for this song and I am glad you took your valuable time to comment.
LikeLike
O very lovely indeed thank you ☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you greatly and your are welcome as always. Here is looking to the future when these examples will NOT be an every day scene!
LikeLike
Wonderful! Takes me back to the days…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much. As this was written years ago, it takes me back as well. My lyrics have a tendency to be gloomy at times, but I still hold on to hope for the future.
LikeLike
A somewhat bleak view but true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! That appears to be my lot in life. While I truly see the good in the beautiful acts of kindness all around us it is difficult not to see so many areas where we can improve. It would not take much effort but the first thing is to know what is wrong. Then we can work on learning new ways to respond to these needs without knee-jerk reactions that are made more cruel by our indifference.
LikeLike
That is always the first step knowing what is wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is true knowing the problem is half the solution. Things should get easier from there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The most positive word in the English language. I thank you very much for being so supportive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent Mike!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great compliment. I am glad you liked this one. I am proud of the message (even though too many of them still apply to me). Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peace!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Superb lyrics and musical accompaniment. My favorite stanza:
“Crippled child wants life; however hard,
Hypocrites only want their share.
Starving eyes want less than we discard,
You want something that isn’t there.”
Poignantly sums part of this the world we live in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
MUCH appreciated. Thank you for the great comments. When I find myself acting in ways I do not admire, I try to think of these lyrics to put myself back on track. It is often difficult for me to do as I ‘preach’. Habits learned are often hard to break.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another great one, Mike. Today I only want a little more, or a hell of a lot less…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! LOL That pretty much sums it up and I couldn’t agree more! Thank you.
LikeLike
Most welcome 🙂
LikeLike
Really nice….I love the guitar. I could of listened to you just playing the guitar when the singing was over. Your voice is soothing. Is this one from the closet? I really loved the guitar sound; it took me out of my reality in the moment. Powerful…thanks!😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I swear someone pays you to make these comments LOL! I look forward to your thoughts, not just musical topics, but your outlook on life.
This is an older song and I recorded this once and went on to others, and I never performed this piece live. I think I recorded this on my ancient reel-to-reel four track tape machine. The Ovation 12 string has been my main writing and performing tool for decades.
I think that is what writing does for me; it takes me out of my reality for a bit, and allows me to focus on other things. Kind of like what the blog does now LOL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad I add to your life, as you do mine. We all need distractions sometimes, especially during hard times. I wish someone paid me to make these comments! That’s great that you have your writing and guitar to transcend your reality. I get that from the blog and reading. I’m reading a book about how to comeback from a setback. Do you know why there are so many people who succeed in life? Because they never gave up. I have that spirit. When I was looking for a teaching job many years ago, I did everything possible to get a permanent job. I took notes about interviewing at barnes and noble and the library. I went to every job fair, and I got there early so I got interviews with the districts I liked. I spent a day driving around new york going to districts and handing in my resume in person. I subbed and I was an awesome sub. That’s how I got a one year position.Then I took a teaching assistant sub position, which led to my permanent position, which I no longer work at. It took a 3 to 4 years to get that job. Especially then, there were so many candidates and not enough jobs. I became an expert at interviews. I would walk into an interview with 10 people sitting at a conference table, and they each asked questions. Every time I din’t get a job, I put more effort into my strategies. I had an awesome portfolio too. And now here I am….. I’ve seen those people on tv who say they lost everything, especially the rich ones, and how it changed their life for the better. Who knows? God has a plan, I just wish he would tell me!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of us are really good at networking and interviewing and expressing our opinions. But in all of these challenging environments, you have to go into it with the idea that no matter what you face, you will work to learn, improve, perfect, get faster, more focused. People that find their self-worth in the toys they accumulate seem to take it the hardest and have a difficult time recovering from a life-changing crisis. I believe neither one of us fall into that category. As a result, we see what is truly important and hold on to those as we cross the bridge someone else burned in front of us! If we had all the answers, I think life would be quite boring and ordinary, but I feel the same way at times LOL!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow..great post thanks! I agree we are not those people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do not have a crystal ball but I call things like I see them. I am glad to be a partner in your struggle, as you have been during mine. You are so welcome and thank you for ‘being one of us, and not one of them’!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s to “being one of us.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly!
LikeLike
Hey – I will repeat what everyone else said. Great song, but bring that voice up. Very cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a democracy so thank you for voting! I have learned a valuable lesson here and appreciate your input very much. Thank you so much.
LikeLike
I like the lyrics and your voice. Thanks for following my blog. I’ve found the poem I was looking for and will post it very soon
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is great to hear and I thank you a bunch for the comments!
LikeLike
I have written and performed a song and made an original video for it if you would like to take a look and have a listen? It may be something you’re interested in…something different I suppose… https://juniorchills.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/hoops-the-song-that-never-was/
LikeLike
I had no idea blogging/wordpress could support music media. I was highly pleased in finding out otherwise, given your post. Amazing lyrics! Amazing acoustic guitar fingerstyle strumming, especially the opening guitar play, and I thought “folky,” and excuse me if I am wrong, but I thought “folky” and I loved it. Keep singing and playing, brother.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! We learn as we go. I really appreciate the comments and feedback. I really love playing the 12 string guitar on these songs. A friend of mine one time referred to my musical style as “Progressive Folk” and I like that a bunch. Folk is a good description. I write and play all sorts of music, but these are easily in the folk category. Thank you so much!
LikeLike
Oh wow, 12-string, you don’t say? Very interesting and highly technical at least in my humble opinion. I taught and continue to teach myself standard 6-string acoustic guitar, though admittedly I have had less time to practice and learn. I like that: “Progressive Folk.” It is very fitting, indeed. You have a good friend. I am glad you were in fact going after the folk category in this piece. I look forward to hearing more. And you are welcome. I always believe give praise where praise is due. Have a great day!
LikeLike
Yes. My Ovation 12 String and I have been partners for about forty years now! I just love the way it sounds and some of my songs I change to ‘open tuning’ in G and it allows the strings to ring and support each other for a gorgeous tone. A bit harder to play than the six string guitars, but the effort pays off.
Much appreciated and thank you again for the comments and the visit!
LikeLike
Great lyrics, lovely natural voice!! Don’t turn yourself down, it’s good! That’s coming from a singer and voice teacher, Mike. Hope you are well!
kat
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is so cool, than you so much. I have been taking comments to heart and appreciate it a bunch. I am honored. You are very kind.
LikeLike