Chasing The Dream

The Story behind the Songs Newsletter Series
February 27, 2004 Issue #18

Chasing the Dream – written by JR Still 2003

Chasing the Dream was written in the early part of 2003. I had a conversation with a fellow at the New Zealand Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year awards and he was telling me how when he was in Nashville he noticed the music, pawn and second hand shops all had plenty of guitars for sell as a result of hard times befalling on folks who had come to Nashville in hopes of a music career. I knew that story all too well after having lived there in the early to mid 90’s.

Now, if you've listened to the song then you'll be of the impression that I was just following in the foot steps of my unfortunate dream chasing guitar playing dad. Truth be told my dad never stepped foot in Nashville not even while I lived there and certainly not because he was chasing the dream of being a successful country singer/songwriter. The fact of the matter was my dad lived and share that dream through me and my youthful naïve ambitions.

My dad taught me some chords on the second hand guitar he played when I was eleven. He’d gotten that ole guitar from a pawn shop in Yellville, Arkansas when I was six. So the opening lines ‘Daddy fell in love when he held her in his arms’ is true. Whether or not ‘his first love was his first guitar’ I don’t really know. ‘She was standing all alone in a second hand store’- I had to use ‘second hand store’ because ‘Pawn shop’ sounds too much like ‘Porn shop’ in New Zealand. ‘She needed him but him but he knew he needed her more’ is just creative writing.

The Chorus: ‘He was chasing the dream, the only one he’d ever known; It’s taken him along way from his home, Daddy’s ole guitar his only friend it seemed but together they’d live a life chasing the dream’ is really all my story and how I have felt. Many times my guitar has been my best friend as I turned my sorrow, joy, loneliness, frustration, anger or need for adventure into songs that she and I would share. And, because of chasing my dream of music I’ve certainly gone along way from my home many times that’s for sure.

‘Smokey ole bars, one night stands for tips in a jar in a hillbilly band, sleeping in his truck barely getting by, paying those honky tonk dues was a way of life’ are all too true. My dad was a serious smoker, drinker and ladies man. I’m sure he had a lot he was dealing with being a Vietnam vet, divorced father of four (that he knew of), a single parent to me and who knows what other skeletons lurking in his past. So, needless to say I grew up quick and in plenty of smoky bars, spent the night in our pick up truck (an ole ’67 Chevy) parked in some strange places or woke up in the house of some lady I’d never met before looking room to room for my dad. My child hood was always an adventure that’s for sure.

The lines ‘Sold everything he had for a hundred dollar bill, caught him a ride all the way to Nashville, been singing his songs down on music row, and it was there that he learned it sure helps just who you know’- is all creative writing based upon what I had heard and experienced while living in Nashville.

‘There it broke daddy’s heart in a second hand store when he sold his dreams to feed a family of four, the owner told me he buys broken dreams from dream chasing guitar pickers just like me’- is more creative writing to let the listener know that I’ve picked up and continue to carry the torch of chasing the dream my dad had always given me so much love and support for. As it was, after I had learned those few chords when I was eleven and played a few songs to my friends, I was ready to forget it and go play basket ball. But my dad became so charged about how quick it had come to me that he felt for me to not continue would be a total waste and he pushed and pushed me to the point that I hated then what would become my best friend in years to come. So to say that I picked up the torch is to say that I finally realised what a wonderful gift my insightful farther had given me and now I chase the dream as my dream and not just the dream my father had for me.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the story behind the song. If you’d like other information you can check out the CD credits at www.jamesray.info/cdcredits.html