Maybe It's Me
An original song
When I was a teen in college, I was part of a garage band. Like any musical person who sang in the shower regularly, I wanted to be a singer - but I didn't have any range or voice, so I was relegated to instrumentals.
Okay, that was fine. What I really wanted to do was play bass guitar. One of my favorite songs by The Beatles (one of my favorite bands of all time) is "I Feel Fine," which starts out with a great bass melody. I could totally do that!
However, our lead singer played bass guitar. And there wasn't room for two in the band. And we already had another person who played acoustic guitar. So, where did that leave me?
You guessed it! I was put in the back on drums.
Oh, well. My favorite Beatle was Ringo Starr, so at least I was following in some stellar footsteps.
As you might have guessed, our band didn't last long. I don't even remember if we had a name. We never made it out of our garage to a performance. Probably for the best, considering our mediocre (at best) talents. But we had fun jamming once in a while in the garage.
So, I was happy to jump into the Vocal Challenge of Harmonic Verses and create a song after more decades passed than I care to admit. Here's what I came up with:
Maybe It's Me
*
I don't know what you want
I don't know what I need
I don't know what you want
Maybe it's me
*
I can't take uncertainty
Like you feeling free
To tip from scale to scale
Like lady liberty
*
You are not so blind
But it's hard to see
Why I'm still here
When I should be free
*
Oil and water
Flame and gasoline
Setting us on fire
Until we burn, burn, burn
*
Don't tell me you recognize
All the pain you're giving me
There's no way you feel the same
We aren't in love, you see
*
I gave you one chance
And then five hundred more
You didn't feel the same
Despite your words before
*
Oil and water
Flame and gasoline
Setting us on fire
Until we burn, burn, burn
*
Perhaps it's all my fault
For trusting your shady lies
Perhaps it's all my fault
Maybe it's me
*
There's no way out of here
Without more pain
I don't want to cry
But I have no shame
*
Oil and water
Flame and gasoline
Setting us on fire
Until we burn, burn, burn
*
I don't know what you want
I don't know what I need
I don't know what you want
Maybe it's me
*
Oil and water
Flame and gasoline
Setting us on fire
Until we burn, burn, burn
*
I don't know what you want
I don't know what I need
I don't know what you want
Maybe it's me
*
And if you'd like to test out your eardrums, I sang this song on both YouTube or TikTok. Just a reminder - I'm NOT a singer, LOL, and never have been. Although my cats seem to enjoy me serenading them from time to time (usually when I have a treat in my hand, so take it for what it's worth).
Thanks for listening! (Please leave your tomatoes at the door.)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3APPAfva9ik
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMBWgRQqE/
About the Creator
Alison McBain
Alison McBain writes fiction & poetry, edits & reviews books, and pens a webcomic called “Toddler Times.” In her free time, she drinks gallons of coffee & pretends to be a pool shark at her local pub. More: http://www.alisonmcbain.com/
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
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Comments (17)
"Loved this!"
I just adore your chorus in this song Alison. Congratulations on top story.
Congratulations on your top story, Alison, and good for you for recording on YouTube. I just could not bring myself to do it.
Congratulations on your well deserved Top Story… I like your song, especially: “I gave you one chance And then five hundred more You didn't feel the same Despite your words before”.💖
I am writing stories but no one is reading i don't know how SEO of the story can some help me please😰😥😓😢
Congrats on rekindling your passion and writing such heartfelt lyrics. Thanks for sharing
Great🖤
Great❤️
I absolutely love how you've embraced the challenge and shared your creative process! It’s amazing that you went from jamming in the garage to creating something so heartfelt and raw. The lyrics really hit home, especially the lines about oil and water—such a powerful metaphor for conflicting emotions. Plus, it's so cool that you're still playing with music after all these years! Keep rocking it, whether it's serenading your cats or performing for the world. You’ve definitely got something special here! 🙌🎶
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I am writing stories but no one is reading i don't know how SEO of the story can some help me please 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Wow congratulations for TS
These lyrics hit deep! 💯 Every word feels like it’s straight from the heart 🔥🎶
Fab lyrics ♦️♦️♦️ I subscribed to you please add me 🌼🙏
Gosh great lyrics! I was already singing along to it in my mind, with full chord changes and filling in with some ‘La la la’s’. I’m a musician. A Ringo. And music lover. But def not a singer. I loved it. 🥰 keep goin’
Great lyrics! Congrats on your top story!
The lyrics are fantastic, Alison (love the chorus). You mentioned not being a singer, but I'm dubious after hearing you sing well and with such a nice voice. You sure you weren't the lead singer for that garage band? But I was hoping you'd bash out the drums for the video. 😭