A Long Way Home

Description

It has been a long-time dream of mine to record an album that reflects what Erin and I do together. That dream has finally been realized, and I truly could not be any more proud of what we have accomplished. So many obstacles we had to overcome – not the least of which being a global pandemic, but we persisted and now “A Long Way Home” is indeed home.

Notes & Lyrics:

We’re all human, the family of Man. Regardless our race, gender, religion or nationality, we all face the same challenges in life. We all have the same hopes and dreams. All of us need love, acceptance, hope for the future, a means to provide for ourself and our families. And we desire the freedom to chart our own course in life. We want our children to grow up in a safe environment and we want them to have things better than we did. No one disputes these truths, yet it seems that now more than ever, they are under constant attack. Live and let live, the Golden Rule, give and forgive are values that seem to be fading away. We need civil discourse and the ability to reason with each other and to work toward a common goal of living together in peace. God help us if we cannot.

Song Credits:
Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocal
Erin Hayes – Background and Harmony Vocals
Jordan Hayes – Background and Harmony Vocals
Eric Lovell – Rhythm Electric Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar
Emanuel Wynter – Electric Violin
John Spurrier – Drums
Jason Adkins – Piano, Organ
Chris Revels – Bass

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2020, All Rights Reserved

Sometimes bad things happen in life. Maybe it’s our own fault and maybe it isn’t. Every now and then things just go wrong. People don’t always treat us fairly, or treat us with respect and dignity. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. That’s just life. It tries us and tests our mettle. What defines us is not our circumstance but rather how we respond when life deals us a bad hand. When we get knocked down will we get back up, dust ourselves off and try again or will we just give up? Will we assess the situation and when necessary accept responsibility or just waste our time and energy playing the blame game? In truth, we all probably do a bit of both. That’s just human nature. Most importantly, regardless of who’s at fault, will we learn, grow and move on?

Song Credits:

Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Erin Hayes – Vocals
Eric Lovell – Rhythm Electric Guitar
Bass – Chris Revels
Tom Kuhn – Mandolin
Dale Meyer – Dobro, Lead Electric Guitar

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2020, All Rights Reserved

This song is a both a warning and a call to arms. It came about after watching the news, one evening. I saw story after story about terrible things happening to children, abuse and neglect, abduction, sex trafficking, street violence, etc. As I watched I was overwhelmed with both sorrow and anger and filled with utter disdain and disgust. I have also witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of these things on children, having worked for many years as a Pediatric Respiratory Therapist, much of in Pediatric Intensive Care.

Children are our legacy, our hope for the future. We must, as a society, do more to protect them and shield them from such heinous crimes! Firewater and Poison Water are metaphors with which to describe these horrors. The Reaper and the Dealer are of course references to drugs and death resulting from things like opiates, neglect and abuse. It’s not enough just to arrest and convict those who prey upon children, we must find more and better ways to prevent these things from happening, at all! This is the “what we’re building” (and should do a better job of building) I’m speaking to these protections, these shields, to protect them. We have to love, save, teach the children, our future as a society depends on it.

Song Credits:
Erin Hayes – Flute, Lead and Harmony Vocals
Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Harmony Vocals
Eric Lovell – Electric Guitars
John Spurrier – Drums
Jason Adkins – Organ
Chris Revels – Bass

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2019, All Rights Reserved

This is both a song of introspection and a cry for Divine help. I suppose one could call it a prayer. I wrote it at a time when I was feeling a bit hopeless and confused, after peering inside with self reflection, not liking some of the things that I saw and asking God for help. It speaks to some very powerful and dark emotions, of feeling lost, purposeless, lacking in direction. It’s a look into the the darkness of the storm and wondering “where’s the way out?” There’s not a person who at one time or another has not had to deal with these emotions. We’ve all been there. But it is not just a song of feeling hopeless. It’s also a cry for and expectation of Divine help. “I need a gust of wind (the wind of the spirit) to move me, “I need an angel (divine intervention) by my side.”

Song Credits
Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Lead and Harmony Vocals
Erin Hayes – Lead and Harmony Vocals
Eric Lovell – Electric Guitars
Jim Ashton – Pedal-Steel Guitar
Chris Revels – Bass
John Spurrier – Drums

Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Lyrics by Mitch Hayes, BMI and Emily Stewart, SESAC
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2019, All Rights Reserved

This is a love song written for my Patti, my best friend and the love of my life. When we find that one person who completes us, then all we have truly is all we need. In him or her we have a best friend, a lover, a companion, someone to share life’s ups and downs, with. We’re blessed to have someone to walk beside us hand in hand and heart to heart. The lyrics in this song refer to our love for each other and also pay tribute to the one true source of love, God’s love for us all.

Song Credits:

Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Erin Hayes – Harmony Vocals
Tom & Melanie Demer – Strings
Ron Brendle – Upright Bass
Jamie Brock – Percussion
Mike Alicke – Lead Electric Guitar

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
String Section written, arranged and recorded by Tom Demer
at Phone It In Studio, Arlington, TX
(C) 2020, All Rights Reserved

This bluesy song speaks to my tendency for introspection and self-reflection. Erin’s sweet vocals contrasted with Jordan’s haunting and occasionally dissonant harmony and background vocals, reflect the tension in life between it’s sweetness and it’s difficulties. I often think about what once was, what is now, what’s to come and life’s mysteries for which we don’t always have the answer. I muse upon the “what if’s” and the “what if not’s,” the “where did I go wrong” and the “what should I have done differently.” Truth is, we don’t always know the why or the when for some things and in many cases we may never know. To me, that’s what makes life such a grand and spiritual adventure. It causes me to cherish every good gift life bestows upon me and makes me question the purpose and meaning behind all of it’s twists and turns even though I may never truly know the answers.

Song Credits:
Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Banjo
Erin Hayes – Lead and Harmony Vocals
Jordan Hayes – Background and Harmony Vocals
Tom Kuhn – Mandolin
Dale Meyer – Dobro
Ron Brendle – Upright Bass
John Spurrier – Drums

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2020, All Rights Reserved

I have this tendency to closet myself away sometimes, pick up my guitar and just noodle around with some chord progressions. Often my Muse will take this opportunity to come vist me and inspire me to write a song. On one such occasion I began to reflect upon a friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. His was a difficult and self-destructive life with alcohol abuse at it’s core. We spent a lot of time together and I often tried to help him but to no avail. I had my own weaknesses, ones that if I allowed them to, would make me prone to the same kinds of problems. So, I eventually had to say to him, “no, I Can’t go down that rabbit hole with you.” It was a hard thing to say and do but I had to. I just couldn’t let him drag me down with him. I assured him that I’d be there for him, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help, if he would just be willing to try. Sadly, I had to watch as he walked away in anger, unwilling to turn. I often wonder what happened to my friend, I’ll probably never know.

Song Credits:
Mitch Hayes – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Tambourine

Words and Music by Mitch Hayes, BMI
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered and Produced by Eric Lovell
Recorded at at Blu Bubble Studios, Charlotte, NC
(C) 2020, All Rights Reserved