- original music and arrangements -
Only You...

Only You

Only you choose how to deal with every day...

Only you can be, only you can see
All you need to do
To move on and grow, there’s so much to know
But it’s up to you
You’ve been knocked around, had your ups and downs
It’s hard to see the light
Times are bittersweet, get up on your feet
It’ll work out right.

Only you choose how to deal with every day
With a smile or frown you pick a mood to say
What goes on in your thoughts, what’s inside your heart
In the stage of life—you’ve gotta play your part.

When the morning rain brings you down again
And your feeling blue
Or a cloudy sky makes you wonder why
It had to happen to you
Gotta look ahead, turn your thoughts instead
To good times that you’ve had
The smile a memory brings will brighten anything
Don’t waste your time feeling sad.

Only you choose how to deal with every day
With a smile or frown you pick a mood to say
What goes on in your thoughts, what’s inside your heart
In the stage of life—you’ve gotta play your part.

Nothing ever stays the same, tomorrows always come
So make today a lasting moment, try and have some fun!

Only you can make it happen…
Only you can make it be…
Only you can make it happen…
Only you can’t you see?

Music, Lyrics, Vocals: Rich Coffey
Recorded at Mistura Productions


Comments:
I wrote this for a family member who was feeling pretty down about life's turn of events at the time. It's a cliched theme, I know ("when the chips are down, it's up to you alone to get back up and start again"), but I tried to give it a slightly-flippant non-heroic twist for a change. Just chill and "try and have some fun!"

The piano/conga groove keeps it light and bouncy and there's a nice harmonic twist jumping into the chorus from the verse.