The Only Teacher
The Only Teacher
Inspiration
The Only Teacher was inspired by my feeling that we learn the most from strife. It’s easy to be happy when things are going well. But we need hard times to forge our true selves. Without difficulties, we would never know if we could handle the heat. I love my lyrics, “the rhythm of getting’ back up,” and “the cracks in my seams let the light in”.
“I’ve laughed in the sunshine,
Danced on a win,
But joy never showed me
What was hidin’ within.
Then the sky cracked open,
The money ran thin—
That’s when I started diggin’…”
[Pre-Chorus] (Build Tension – Light Percussion Enters)
“I don’t love the lesson,
But I won’t forget—
Ain’t no strength come
From a life with no regret…”
[Chorus] (Full Band – Gritty Electric Guitar, Swelling Organ)
“Oh, the easy days lie,
They just slip away.
But the hard ones stick to your ribs,
Then get riper with age.
Yeah, the pain’s a rough preacher,
But it tells the truth—
It’s the only teacher
That ever schooled you good…”
[Verse 2] (Darker, More Pronounced Groove – Slide Guitar Accents)
“I’ve held a love that walked away,
Carried the weight of doubt.
Felt the ground shake,
Then the lights went out.
But I learned the rhythm
Of gettin’ back up—
Now I know what’s enough…”
[Bridge] (Stripped Down – Just Voice & Muted Guitar)
“Ain’t no island, ain’t no saint,
Just a man who’s bent but ain’t broke yet.
The cracks in my seams
Let the light in…”
[Final Chorus] (Big, Raw, Gospel-Inspired Harmonies)
(Repeat chorus, add ad-libs: “Ohhh, schooled me good…”)
Outro (Fade on Lick – Haunting Harmonica or Slide Guitar)
“Mm, the only teacher…”