It’s strange how memories just pop up out of nowhere—stopping in to say “Hello, remember me?” Sometimes I question them and wonder what prompted the visitation. Many times, I’ll grab a pen and jot down a few lines because that’s how new songs show up—a small nudge, a thought, like a soft, fuzzy moth flitting about, trying to get my attention, and finally landing on my shoulder.
But today, instead of the early seeds of a new song, a memory came to mind about a song written seven years ago with a fourth grader named Diego. Maybe this memory showed up because of the recent elementary school tragedy in Nashville. Regardless of the why, it stirred my emotions and I immediately started scrolling through old emails to see if I still had a copy of the song.
The year was 2016. I was a volunteer at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville as part of the Words & Music program. The program paired elementary school students with songwriters to study songwriting as part of the language arts program. About a week before the scheduled program, I received a large manila envelope that contained about 25 pieces of wide-lined notebook paper. Each page had the lyrics to a potential song. My role was to choose four or five to form into a song with verses, a chorus, and a melody. Then I would go into the classroom and perform the songs I had chosen and talk about the various structures of songs.
The kids didn’t know whose song I had chosen to finish. But as soon as I started singing the song, there was no question who had written the lyrics. The author immediately turned all shades of red as the other kids pointed to the classmate and giggled. One song was about playing basketball, another was about rainbows and ice cream. But it was a song written by a boy named Diego that brought a hush to the room. As he listened to the words he had written sung back to him he shyly looked at the floor. I didn’t know the backstory of his song, and probably never will, but it doesn’t matter. His words expressed a beautiful, honest peak into this child’s heart and soul.
During the class, all the songs were recorded and later submitted to the program director. A few weeks later I got a call that Diego’s song had been chosen for the annual Words and Music Showcase. After a rehearsal or two, we performed it together on the stage of the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame, with Gary Allen as the mc, and Diego’s proud family beaming in the front row.
Children are so honest. They haven’t learned all the rules of what to say or not say. They tell it like it is, with wisdom beyond their years and unequaled perception. Sometimes they say things that leave me speechless and make me stop and think. Last September, we were sitting around the campfire with some friends of ours. As the adults were telling stories, mostly tall tales, five-year-old Josie came up to me and said, “Did you know that the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland is the same rabbit that’s in David Bowie’s Labyrinth?” I did not.
On this Sunday morning, I’m thankful that this memory popped up to remind me to listen. Rick Rubin wrote, “When the listener is present the speaker often communicates differently. Most people aren’t used to being heard.”
Through a song, a fourth grader’s voice was heard, if only for a moment. This means everything. I know from my own experience that I can say things in a song I would never say otherwise.
What the world needs now is love sweet love and a whole lot of listeners.
Here is the song Fall, Fall Down on Me, recorded in the classroom, where Diego heard it for the first time. It would have been great to have a recording of our performance at the Ford Theater, but some moments are too special to be captured.
Fall, Fall Down On Me
Memories rise above my head
They always make me smile
Like a waterfall, like a waterfall
CHORUS
Fall, fall down on me
These sweet, sweet memories
They follow me and they shield me
They help me and they heal me
I will survive though I miss you
We’re never far apart
Never far apart
Fall, fall down on me
These sweet, sweet memories
They follow me and they shield me
They help me and they heal me
And you’re always in my dreams
Like a waterfall
You always make me smile just like a dream
We will survive
And you will become my legacy
Fall, fall down on me
These sweet, sweet memories
They follow me and they shield me
They help me and they heal me