"Driving Home"

This was a song I wrote for Plastic Mikey. It continued Kevin’s concept of minimalist songs, containing only one or, in this case, two chords. The song’s momentum relies not on chords but on lyrics and melody, and I’m pretty happy with the way this one turned out. The only recording I have of it is a VERY rough demo. The lyrics were written while driving in Chicago.

“Driving Home” on MelodyFusion

Driving Home

© 1995 Brian Hutzell

Yellow sliver in the sky

Artificial wind in my eye

I’m driving home, driving home

Red lights everywhere

Scent of chocolate in the air

I’m driving home, driving home

The antenna on my car’s been snapped

So the radio reception’s crap

I’ve got directions; I’ve got a map

And dozens of signs to tell me where I’m at

Lest I forget this route I’ve driven so often

I might forget

Familiar landmarks disappear

My tires turn, but I can’t steer

The markings on the road aren’t clear

Gotta find someplace to stop ‘round here

Lest I get lost in these streets that I’ve forgotten

I could get lost

On my way home

I’m driving home, driving home

I struggle to regain control

But I hit a bump and start to roll

Then I’m falling through a giant hole

And suddenly I realize this is home

This is my home

How did I miss the decline into this?

It wasn’t always so

The change was gradual and slow

And I wish I’d taken the time to see what was happening

To my home

When driving home to my beautiful home

Kevin Dempsey and Brian Hutzell