Today’s Prayer to Passage comes from the book ‘Songwriting for Dummies’ by Jim Peterik, Dave Austin, and Mary Ellen Bickford. I was so tickled by my “complete idiot’s guide” two days ago that I couldn’t resist bringing another book into the blockhead mix.

I pray, “Dear God, Inspire me to write songs again. It’s been a while. When the Spirit intercedes, I am moved to make music.”

I opened the book to page 298. The passage reads:

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Bob Dylan (1941-)
Moving to New York City from his native Minnesota in 1960, Bob Dylan began trying out his observational skills at the folk music clubs of Greenwich Village. By the mid-’60s, he was impacting the world with songs filled with wit, wisdom, and social commentary. Many great songwriters through the years site Dylan as their primary influence and the reason they became songwriters themselves. Landmark songs like ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ ‘Like a Rolling Stone,’ ‘Just Like a Woman,’ and ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ helped to define a generation. To this day, with his 1997 release of ‘Time Out of Mind’ and his 2000 Academy Award for ‘Things Have Changed’ (from the film Wonderboys), Bob Dylan proves the staying power of true genius.”

Being from Minnesota and having moved to New York City to live in Greenwich Village where I wrote and performed my music, I like to be reminded of the legendary Bob Dylan. He re-inspires me at least a few times a year. I still have not seen him in concert; he has remained on my top-five list since I was a teenager. “Blowin’ in the Wind” is probably my favorite of his songs.

I will keep this simple today and update you with how the return to songwriting is going in a future blog post. Here are the lyrics to a song that I wrote in 2011, titled “Bitter Bet.”

I’ve been broke
And I choke on my words
Or I don’t say enough words at all
Did he stay to support me
To scoff and abort me
Was my silence a trip to the fall

I don’t know
But I know that your love is a love
That’s so easy I laugh and forget
That I’ve won
The “Will she be bitter?” bet

Ooo, I’ve just won
The “Will she be bitter?” bet
You’ve joined me in
A life of no regret

I can’t sleep
Got a pocket of thoughts
In the pants you allow me to wear
Now I prosper and inform
This sunny night feels warm
It’s a comfy-cozy place to share

Is this real
Are you real ’cause it moves like a dream
Where the dreamers create as they go
Jumping in
Hey we’re goin’ with the flow

Ooo, I’ve just won
The “Will she be bitter?” bet
You’ve joined me in
A life of no regret