Mad City Tragedy
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released on 08.10.10 - run time: 41:58
01 First and Last (4:26)
02 Will You Walk Away (4:03)
03 I Can't Hold On If You're Gone (5:45)
04 Danielle (3:01)
05 Your Eyes (4:49)
06 I'm Sorry (4:37)
07 Love, Love, Love (You Were Made For Me) (3:20)
08 For the Better (4:16)
09 Grace (1:48)
10 Pouring Rain (5:38)
Produced, Recorded, Engineered & Mixed by Tom Wehrle at Milkshake Studios in Saint Peters, Missouri
Additional Recording of Acoustic Guitar on Love by David Wehrle
Mastered by Ron Boustead at Resolution Mastering in Sherman Oaks, California
Art Direction & Design by Ethan Godt & Tom Wehrle
Cover Photography: Emilie Graul
Nine of the ten songs on this project were written between March-June of 2010. Recording of the project was also in that same time frame and was over by June 21st, 2010. All mixing took place between the 21st-26th. Mastering took place on June 29th, 2010. This was a project unlike anything I've ever done before. Aside from playing everything you hear on the album, this is the most transparent album I've ever put out. I've never felt so inspired in my life as I did while writing and recording this project. Hopefully you'll hear it in the songs. I'm not sure what sort of reaction this album will bring...this project in particular means a lot to me personally. Hopefully you can relate to some of the songs, or maybe find comfort in knowing someone else has felt the same way you have. The events that inspired the bulk of this project changed me...for life...I have no doubts about it...I also know, it was for the better...
First and Last (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
You can thank Apple for this tune. On a drive up to Chicago to see John Mayer on April 10th, 2010 I wrote into "notes" on my iPhone what ended up being the first verse of the song (here it is). And after that night, the rest of the song just kind of wrote itself. Go figure...
I use to think my best days were already through
Until I met you
Cause you, yeah, you're one of a kind
There has never been and never will be anyone like you
I'm wondering what to do
As love has played me, twice the fool for you
I won't forget you just quite yet
Cause you're the best I've ever met
And it may sound sad
That I tried to be the one you know
But you never thought so
I wish I had been your first and last
I thought I had lived
I thought I knew
What everything meant
But now, now I can see
The best part of me, isn't me, it's you
Yeah, I know, I know
Some things aren't meant to be
But I wish, I wish
You'd just see me for me
Cause I wanted to be
Everything you need
But do you even know what you need
How can you walk away
When I adore you in each and every way
I won't forget you just quite yet
And the impression that you left
I wish I had been your first and last
You changed my world
I never got a chance
Will You Walk Away (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
This was the first song I had written and recorded for the project. I was trying to go for a really poppy feel straight out of the 90's but with a little more modern sound. But about the song itself...I don't even know what to say still. I guess take what you will from it. I think it's pretty straight forward. I did get my answer though...
I never should of let my guard down today
But I let my heart get in the way
I know I'm the only one I have to blame
Cause there's no one here besides me anyway
So how can I live life
If I can't see, I can't see your eyes
So will you walk away and leave me here alone
I shared my heart and soul with you
So I'd really like to know
Which way you wanna go
I know you really want a friend in me tonight
And I'd really love to be that friend for life
So tell me what you fear and maybe I can try
To be that guy that never makes you cry
How can I know you
When I can't hold, I can't hold you
So will you walk away and leave me here alone
I shared my heart and soul with you
So I'd really like to know
Which way you wanna go
No I won't, I won't
No I won't leave you alone
Cause I won't, no I won't
No I'd never let you go
No I won't, no I won't
No I'd never leave you alone
So will you walk away and leave me here alone
I shared my heart and soul with you
So I'd really like to know
Will you walk away and leave me here alone
I gave my heart and soul to you
So I'd really like to know
Which way you chose to go
Yeah, I really wanna know
Cause without you, I'm alone
I Can't Hold On If You're Gone (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
This is the most bittersweet song on the album for me. I love it, but, I'd give up writing it in a heartbeat to have never gone through what I did to write it. I know it may sound a little vengeful, but every word is what I felt when writing it. This is probably the saddest song on the project to me...or probably to anyone who listens to it. Ever wonder what kind of song I'd write after having my heart broken...well, here you go...
I never want to leave your arms
But maybe there's a time when we should part
I only wish I knew what was on your mind
I've been here time and time again with you
And every time you make it all feel new
But I don't wanna be just another guy
Standing with his heart on the outside looking in
So I'm here and you're gone
There's nothing worse then feeling you've been wronged
This is me with my heart on my sleeve
Baby I can't hold on if you're gone
If you want me to hold on come here or I'll leave
I've learned that maybe I should never trust you
Every word you said you really never knew
I don't wanna play these games you play
Like the times when you would always say you loved me
So I'm here and you're gone
There's nothing worse then feeling you've been wronged
This is me with my heart on my sleeve
Baby I can't hold on if you're gone
If you want me to hold on come here or I'll leave
I'll never look back
I'll always be sad when I hear your name
I'll forgive you
But you aren't worth my tears
I'll never forget you and how you broke my heart
Remember me
The one you said you'd never leave
I know you're gone
So I'm here and you're gone
There's nothing worse then feeling you've been wronged
This is me with my heart on my sleeve
Baby I can't hold on if you're gone
So I'm here and you're gone
There's nothing worse then feeling you've been wronged
It's me the one you said you'd never leave
I already know that you're gone
So if you want me to hold on come here
If you don't want me here, I'll leave
I won't forget you
Danielle (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
One of my favs on the album. Wrote it in about 10-15 mins. Any song you can write that quickly, normally it's a gem. And I think that's the case with this one...simple, but to the point. Danielle and I were great friends for a little while, she would call me weird often (which I'd never deny being) and once I literally did sing her to sleep. I wrote this on April 22nd, 2010 and still often wonder "where is Danielle tonight?"
Danielle where are you tonight
Cause I miss you
I know I can be weird sometimes
So thank you for seeing me through
I don't understand my life
But you make me feel so alive
And when you're not around I want
I wanna cry
Danielle stay home tonight
And I'll try to give you what you need
I'll write you endless lullabies
And sing you to sleep
I don't understand this life
You've made me feel so alive
And when you're not around I want
I wanna cry
Hey Dani come home
Come home tonight
So Dani come home
Please come home
Come home
Hey Dani come home
Come home tonight
So hey Dani come home
Please come home for life
Your Eyes (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
The old saying is that your eyes are the window to the soul. There was one moment when I looked into this persons eyes and they looked into mine. I know I saw something magical in their eyes...
You don't know what you need
Been played as a score to keep
They won while you lost
And count the cost
Alone in your bed at night
Chasing dreams by wayside
You try to stand tall
But know you'll fall
I wonder why you always hide
I've heard your lies and know you cry
You try and try and try
To hide your eyes
You may fool everyone else
But I know you now to well
You lie to hide
The pain of life
Burned by selfishness
You only get what you give
So hide your fears
Behind the tears
I wonder why you always hide
I've heard your lies and know you cry
You try and try and try
I waited for so long for you to come along
And now you're gone
I know you cared for me too
But you don't care for me anymore
And we're both to stubborn to admit when we're wrong
I wonder why you always hide
I've heard all your lies and I know you cry
I still wonder why you always hide
I've heard all your lies
And you know you made me cry
You try and try and try
Yeah, you try and try and try
To hide your eyes
In you I fall and lost it all
I'm Sorry (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
I wrote this on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:44 pm. Spent June 8th and 9th recording it. I think one of the worst feelings you can feel is hurting someone you truly care about. And then knowing you were the one to hurt them like you did. That's where this song came from. It's truly a sad story. How do you convey something from the depths of your heart and soul to someone? Well here I am trying just that...
Am I the only one who ever falls
Or is it just when I think I know it all
Cause I wanna write a different song
Where you and I always get along
This is my apology to you
I wish you felt my heart to know it's true
When I say...
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for failing you
Yeah, I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for ever hurting you
Please tell me this won't last
I hate to live knowing this is all on my back
I know I can't change the past
And magically make everything not sad
When I say...
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for failing you
Yeah, I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for ever hurting you
I wanna say to you that I'll never hurt your heart
But I know I can't cause I already have
This is my apology to you
I wish you felt my heart to know it's true
When I say...
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for ever hurting you
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for failing you
Yeah, I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for hurting you
I'm sorry I loved you
I'm sorry I believed you
I'm sorry I trusted you when you said you loved me too
I'm sorry I ever trusted you
Love, Love, Love (You Were Made For Me) (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
Wrote this on May 20th, 2010. Here's proof. I was going through some tough times, and as crappy as they were I remember waking up that day with an overall feeling of being loved. Even though I didn't deserve it. This song is def the most "happy" song on this project, but it came from a sad situation...I'd call this the silver lining of the project...
There's something in the way the sunlight hit my face today that I knew, I knew
I know I've said it time and time again but I swear it's true, it's true that...
Love, love, love is all around me and I feel it freely
Feeding me in my time of need
Yeah, love, love, love rescued me and now I see
That you were made for me
I know there's no better way to spend all my days then to sit here, right with you
I know I can trust you I know there's no one else like you cause it's...
Love, love, love all around me and I feel it freely
Feeding me in my time of need
Yeah, love, love, love rescued me and now I see
That you were made for me
Yeah, love is everywhere I go
I feel it from my head to my toes
Yeah, love is in my heart and in my bones
This I know
That...
Love, love, love is all around me and I feel it freely
Feeding me in my time of need
Yeah, love, love, love rescued me and now I see
That you were made for me
For the Better (chord chart)
Written by Dan Smith & Tom Wehrle
This was the last song to be recorded for the project. I had nine songs, but wanted to have ten so it could be a complete lp. Needless to say, one night I ran across this song that my friend Dan had recorded years ago as just a demo thing. I called him on June 12th, 2010 and asked if I could record the song for this project, he said yes and I recorded it all on June 14th. If you want to hear the version Dan recorded check out this. After playing with it for a little I added on the ending as it seemed appropiate with the song and what I was going through at the moment. When I hear this song now, I feel like I'm singing it to myself a little...sometimes it's easy to get down on current situations and the way things look at the present. But do know, everything happens for a reason, and according to what I believe, all things work for the better for those who love God.
So you're in the middle and you don't know where or when
Find a inner circle to know yourself again
But you've got it figured out
You run when you're in doubt
Run from all your friends
Take your clothes and things and bag it up
Cause you know she's not coming back and I can tell
Cause you know she's not coming back and I can tell it's for the better
Now I can't remember the downfall that started this
Find a new beginning and add me to your list
Cause I've got it figured out
You run when you're in doubt
Run from all your friends
Take your clothes and things and bag it up
Cause you know she's not coming back and I can tell
Cause you know she's not coming back and I can tell it's for the better
Cause you know it's always for the better
Cause you know it's always for the better
Take your clothes and things and bag it up
Sometimes it's great
Sometimes it's hate
But it's always for the better
Sometimes your sure
Sometimes you hurt
But it's always for the better
Sometimes it's love
Sometimes it sucks
But it's always for the better
Grace
Written by Tom Wehrle
I was sitting at my piano and literally just started playing this. After playing the melody for a few minutes I said to myself "record this before you forget it!" - I've recorded other instrumentals in the past, but this one seemed a little special to me. So I hit record...and that's what you hear. I didn't go back and try and re-record it and make it perfect...it may sound odd, but this song really moves me and it very well could be my favorite song on the album...
Pouring Rain (chord chart)
Written by Tom Wehrle
This was a terribly difficult song to come to terms with. I've never been good at letting go and moving on, but this is my attempt at that. I met a girl on April 25th, 2010 that was a "Make a Wish" kid. I had no idea when I met her and hung out with her. It took about 2 hours after meeting her till I found out. I remember leaving to go home and how much it hurt. I knew I needed to find a piano ASAP. So I called/texted a friend with access to one of my favorite gran pianoa I've ever played and headed over there. Even though I never got to know that girl very well, and I know I'll never meet her again...the whole thing was very sad to me. And then personally, I knew I was going to lose a friend that I was very close to. I'd be lying if a lot of what I was thinking when writing this was about them as well...to some degree, everyone is dealing with some sort of "pouring rain" in their life and needs someone to hold them through it. I feel as though maybe I was only brought into this friends life that I lost to help them through their "pouring rain" and whether they ever knew it or not, they helped me get my mind off some very difficult times in my life as well. That's how I'd like to think about it as it makes getting to sleep every night a little easier. So I guess if I was to pick my abosulte favorite song on this album...this would be it...
Life won't be the same without you
How could I ever think it's suppose to
Funny how time flies by
In just a moment, we'll pass through our lives
Throw every question aside
I've always loved you and will until the end of time
So take my hand and we'll catch that train
For a better place
Where I won't ever have to say goodbye
And no one ever cries
I'll hold you through this endless pain
I'll hold you through the pouring rain
One day I know I'll look back
At all the memories and promises we had
I wouldn't change a thing
There's nothing I regret in my life song I sing
Throw every question aside
I'll always love you until the day I die
You should know I'd always be faithful by your side
Know I'll always, always love you
All songs © 2010 Shakin' the Music (ASCAP)
All songs used by permission. All rights reserved.