John Cirillo

Nashville, TN • Member since 2020

▶ Play Songs Contact Me

About

Thanks for visiting my SongU.com website

Genres Country

Instruments Guitar

Now playing

Select a song to play

Ready

0:00

0:00

Vol

Songs

127 songs

Fall Into You

Plays: 61

Backstory

This was one of those songs that just developed organically. Sam brought in the melody and we started off using a different hook. After we wrote it, the hook didn't seem to measure up to the rest of the song and I threw out Fall Into You, which everybody agreed worked better.

Lyrics

Fall Into You
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Spin a little Motown, watch the record go around,
Red wine, paper cup Friday,
Slow dancing on the patio
Bonfire, backyard, hands moving in the dark,
Leaning into every move I make.
Let this go where it’s gonna go

Chorus:
Your lips, my skin
Heating up, giving in
We’re all trip wires and cherry bombs
3, 2, 1, yeah we’re taking off
So high, full moon
Night ends too soon
I could get as close as you want me to
I could fall, I could fall into you

You and that heartbeat, make a damn mess of me,
Dizzy like I’m spinning in circles,
You could be my sweet addiction
Move this show inside, add a little candlelight,
We could make a habit of burnin
Burnin down the weekend

Fall into you, into you, fall into…

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

One Of Those Nights

Plays: 27

Backstory

I had a the first line of the song in my head and just kind of followed it along until the end. I had my own melody to the song and I sent it to Chip Martin to produce. We had been talking a little bit about writing something together and he told me that if I was interested he felt he could put a more contemporary melody to this song. I said, go for it! And this is what came out of it. It ended up being cut by American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, but never released. It also was a top 10 finalist in the NSAI songwriting competition.

Lyrics

One of Those Nights
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653 /Chip Martin (BMI) IPI# 353031796

Honey, let me tell you how great it is to be home
I thought this day was never gonna end
Someone’s been messing with my mojo all day long
I’d love to know who let the devil in
The only thing that saved me from jumping off a bridge
Was knowing you were waiting with your love me tender kiss

Chorus:
It’s been one of those days
And it’s all that I can do
To keep this train wreck on the tracks
Till I got home to you
But everything is looking bright
Since you turned off the lights
It’s been one of those days
And, Honey, I sure could use
One of those nights

The boss’s lips were moving but I didn’t hear a word
I was busy fantasizing ‘bout you
Your dress falls off your shoulders; your fingers grab my shirt
Now it’s time to make my fantasies come true
The way you wrap yourself around me with that hunger in your eye
Well, I know I had a bad day but I can’t remember why

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
A night we get all tangled up in satin
Lost in your Victoria Secret smile
When every move you make becomes my favorite distraction
And I forget for a little while (that)

Repeat Chorus

© 2012 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Pretty In Blue

Plays: 28

Backstory

Jan and I got together to write a few years back. He came in with a melody that I thought was pretty cool. It was one of those songs where we didn't start off with a hook but followed the story of the verses. Pretty In Blue came to me as something that felt like it fit (way before "Blue Ain't Your Color" was ever released, by the way!). We brought it to Chip Martin to help polish it up and give it that boost up we felt it needed to be a finished song.

Lyrics

Pretty In Blue

John Cirillo(ASCAP) IPI#334682653 /Jan Essenburg (ASCAP) IPI# 838124632/Chip Martin (BMI) IPI# 353031796

I couldn’t help but notice
You sitting here alone
One eye on the front door
The other on your phone
Hey, what’s that you’re drinking?
Is it a straight tequila night?
I don’t know who hurt you
And put the red in those green eyes (But)

Chorus:
You look pretty in blue
Under the glow of a neon night
I know that look and I think I might
Know what you’re going through
Girl, I’ve been there too
If you don’t mind me saying so
I just had to let you know
You sure look pretty in blue

If you feel like talking
I’d love to sit with you a while
Has anybody told you
You’ve got the sweetest saddest smile

Bridge:
Don’t worry about your make up
Sometimes tears are gotta fall
If you need a shoulder
I don’t mind at all

© 2016 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

COMEBACK KIDS

Plays: 22

Backstory

The four of us got together a few months ago and were going through all our hook books. Tamara through out Comeback Kids. I loved the idea and put out some lyrics for the first verse and we all thought, woah, maybe we have something here. Tamara was the driving force with melody and we really leaned into the idea of giving young adults an anthem that they could relate to.

Lyrics

Comeback Kids
Craig Lackey(ASCAP) / John Cirillo (ASCAP) / Larry Vail (ASCAP)/ Tamara Laurel (BMI)

Underdogs, wrong side of the streeters
Against the wall fightin’ back kinda dreamers
But we’re right where we wanna be

Against the odds starin’ down the cheaters
Stone cold band of believers
But one day they’re all gonna see
We’re still standing

Chorus:
Don’t count us out
We’re strongest when we’re down
You don’t wanna mess with a
Tribe of misfits
We’re at our best
When we’re climbing out the trenches
We’re the comeback
We’re the comeback kids

Strike a match and put em all together
To build a fire that could burn forever
Even hard times driving rain
Can’t kill this flame

Bridge:
Hey
Hey
No matter what you say
Can’t keep us quiet when we’re pounding on the gates
Injustice
Just watch us
We don’t care how long it takes

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Keep It Kind

Plays: 14

Backstory

Nicole and I were trying to write a song for an organization that was promoting kindness during the political debates. We tried to make it a little more general so that it would apply to any circumstance anywhere.

Lyrics

Keep It Kind
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)

Words can build a bridge
Or burn it down oh oh oh
Words can start a war
Or rain peace on the battleground

We can reach our hands out
Or just turn them into fists
Sister brother
Aren’t we better than this?

Can’t we keep our hearts open
Our souls on colorblind, colorblind
Oh that rule so golden
Time to let it shine, gotta let it shine
What we need is a lot more lovin'
Cause when pushin' comes to shovin'
We don’t have to fight
Come on keep it kind
Mmmm
Come on keep it kind

You know we’re only human
And there’s no denying that
Easy to point that finger
With no mirror starin' back
Yeah hate’s a poison
Oh but love is twice as strong
You and me disagree but no need to be mean now

What we need is a lot more lovin'
Cause when pushin' comes to shovin'
We don’t have to fight

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Bonfire

Plays: 7

Backstory

James, Troy and I got together for a co-write. We started throwing ideas and James had the idea of a guy getting in trouble for cheating when all he was doing was having a night out with the boys. We hit on the title Bonfire after we wrote the first verse and wrote the chorus to that hook.

Lyrics

Bonfire
Troy Castellano (SESAC)| John Cirillo (ASCAP) | James Durbin (ASCAP)

It was a just little smoke, little whiskey
With some Church on the Radio
7-card stud till the sun came up
Being boys like the boys that you know

When I pulled up the drive
Saw that something ain’t right
Couldn’t believe my eyes

Chorus:
Cause I rolled up on a bonfire
Burning, turning
Every last thing I own
Into a bonfire
Ashes to ashes
Scattered all over the lawn
She must’ve been thinking
I was doing more than drinking
Cuz now she’s raising hell
Having herself a bonfire

You can’t unstrike those matches
As I’m watching that flame burn out
She’s making kindling out of my Gibson
She gone crazy now

Sitting there smiling on the front porch
With a Keystone light and a propane torch

Having..
Chorus

Bridge:
Well I pulled up the drive
Saw that something ain’t right
Still can’t believe my eyes

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Don't Last Long

Plays: 4

Backstory

Jan had a cool melody he brought to the co-write. It instantly sounded like it had a bit of attitude. The first line came to me pretty much right away, "We were hell bent on raising hell". I can't remember who came up with the hook but that song took about 5 rewrites and 3 years to come out the way we thought it should.

Lyrics

Don’t Last Long
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Jan Essenburg (ASCAP)

We were hell bent on raising hell
That summer we came alive
With fake IDs and time to kill
Ride, rebels, ride
We’re mustang crazy in a one-horse town
Swore we’d live forever, never slow down
Always racing, racing against the sun

Chorus:
Can’t steal from time
But we damn sure try
Full tilt boogie
Till the day we die
Gonna live, gonna love,
Gonna grab it all before it’s gone
Cuz, brother it don’t last long

I know there will come a day
Somewhere down the line
When these wild oats get blown away
So ride, cowboys, ride
Gonna leave this life with no regrets
Double down on all my bets
Keep racing, racing against the sun

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
We can bitch and moan, we can scream and cry
But that river’s gonna run, till it all runs dry
Might as well jump in, have a crazy wild ride
Life ain’t nothing if it ain’t fun

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Drinkin' Hours

Plays: 5

Backstory

I was watching a Netflix show called, The Ranch, and they had a sign in the window of a bar in town and it said, No Business during drinking hours. I loved that and so that's what we used as the hook for the song.

Lyrics

No Working During Drinking Hours
John Cirillo (ASCAP) | Troy Castellano (SESAC)

When you burn a candle at both ends
All you get is wax and smoke
Ya got bills to pay, dreams to buy
Life ain’t no joke
But when you come ‘round here
You gotta leave that behind

Grab a chair and just kick back
Get a bucket on ice with a six-pack

Chorus
Cause’ there’s no working during drinking hours
So put away, put away your super powers
(Come on, get a little louder)
No thinking till the sun comes up
Trust me friend, there’ll be time enough
(For a little workday love)
Even God stopped to smell the flowers
No working during drinking hours

Not a clock in sight just some neon lights
License plates on the wall
Can’t hear yourself but the band’s alright
Good times ‘til last call
Shoot some pool
Till those strangers become friends

Keep your deadlines on the run
Ain’t it fun getting nothing done

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Breakup Breakdown

Plays: 6

Backstory

I had this hook, Breakup Breakdown, come to me for no particular reason and I thought it would be a cool kind of Miranda Lambert-ish song. Dan came up with the groove and Tamara upped the cool factor with her melody ideas.

Lyrics

Breakup Breakdown
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)

It’s some broken mirror bad luck
Stab you in the back love
Tie me to the tracks right before the train comes

Speeding with no brakes shit
Am I gonna make it
Driving off the edge, in a free fall

Going through a break
Been going through breakup
Been going through a breakup breakdown
Wouldn’t get in my way now, hey

I’m like Carrie on her prom night
Look out, here I come right
For you like a twister lookin for a double wide

Black-hearted earthquake
Sugar in a gas tank
A bomb about to blow can’t blame me

I’m going through a break
Been going through breakup
Been going through a breakup breakdown
Wouldn’t get in my way now, hey

Mad is mad
Crazy is crazy
Don’t wanna stop
And you can’t make me

Mad is mad
Crazy is crazy
If I’m going to break
You’re going down with me

I’ve been going through a break
Been going through breakup
Been going through a breakup breakdown
Wouldn’t get in my way

I’ve been going through a break
Been going through breakup
Been going through a breakup breakdown
Wouldn’t get in my way now, hey

It’s some broken mirror bad luck
Stab you in the back love
Tie me to the tracks right before the train comes

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Hurricane After You

Plays: 13

Backstory

I had this line come to me, I should name a hurricane after you; which I thought was pretty cool. I brought it to my co-write with Sarah and she created a beautiful melody to go with the story.

Lyrics

Hurricane After You
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

There’s warning signs everywhere
And it’s just like you not to care
The water’s dark but you pull me in
And it’s just like me to drown again
It’s just like me to drown again

Chorus:
They should name a hurricane after you
Cuz I know all the damage you can do
Every heart that gets in your way
Is blown right into yesterday
I’m livin proof
They should name a hurricane after you

When you come around the sun won’t show
You’re a bitter wind that always blows
There’s no safe place to go get warm
When I’m caught in the eye of your storm
When I’m caught in the eye of your storm

Bridge:
And just like that you’ll move on
I’ll recover when you’re gone
But it hurts so long

You’ll roll back in looking for a fight
We’re thunder n’ lightning in the night
When morning comes I’m not the same
But you still leave me whisperin your name
I’m still whisperin your name

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Middle Of Somewhere

Plays: 3

Backstory

I went to a rodeo in a small town in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and then shortly after went and saw a local country band playing in a VFW in another small town. The hook, Middle of Somewhere, came to me and that's what we wrote about.

Lyrics

Middle of Somewhere
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Way out here in the middle of somewhere
Nothing but static on the radio
We got a local AM station
And Miss Loretta on the stereo
Oh, We ain’t missing nothing

Saturday night at the VFW
Do some dancing to a country band
They’ll play every song by Alabama
A little out of tune, but man
There ain’t nothing better than

Chorus:
Living in the middle of somewhere
Off the land and under God
Don’t need a thing that we ain’t got
Right here in the middle of somewhere
On your map we’re just a dot
But we don’t pretend to be who we’re not
Ah, the good ol’ days are alive and well,
Living free and clear out here,
In the middle of somewhere

I went to school with the rodeo queen
Man, that girl could really ride
She joined the army and saved the world
Now there’s ribbons round every streetlight
She’s coming home tonight

[chorus]

Bridge:
Been to the city and I came right back
They got nothing I need,
Everything I want and everything I have
Is right here under my feet.

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

A Million Colors

Plays: 3

Backstory

I was at a Kacey Musgraves at the Ryman last year. Between the opening act of Sinclair and Kacey, it was a mix of beautiful songs, color and Sinclair talked about how hard it had been for her to come out as gay to her family, who basically disowned her. That all got mixed in my mind and I came up with the title and the chorus. Then I brought it to Craig and Tori and we finished it.

Lyrics

A Million Colors
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Craig Lackey (ASCAP)/ Tori Martin (BMI)

We could solve every problem in this world
Wouldn’t be so tough
If we woke up and finally realized
All you need is love
All kinds of love

Chorus:
Love’s a box of crayons
A rainbow even in the rain
Snowflakes through a prism
No two are ever the same
When you open up your heart and mind
Can’t help but discover
Hate only comes in black and white
But love comes in a million colors

Why don’t you be you, and I’ll just be me
We can still get along
Why can’t we all agree to disagree?
Cuz different isn’t wrong
No, it ain’t wrong

CHORUS

Bridge:
Such a simple golden rule
Letting kindness show
Take a breath and just let
All your judgements go

CHORUS

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

MOVING DAY

Plays: 5

Backstory

I had this hook, Moving Day, and thought it should about a women getting away from a bad situation. I brought this idea to Sam and Sarah and we took it from there.

Lyrics

“Moving Day”
John Cirillo / St. Cruz Music Publishing (ASCAP),
Sam Gyllenhaal / Sam Gyllenhaal Productions (BMI),
Sarah Spencer / Big Oak Songs (ASCAP)

A hundred miles of black top, pedal down won’t stop draggin around this U-Haul
If you try to reach me, phone’s in the back seat, I ain’t picking up when you call, you’re all
“Sorry, baby” but sorry don’t cut it,
Our love-is long-past fixin’,
I’m leavin, breathin freedom

Chorus:
I’m gone
Packed up everything I wanted
Ain’t no room for you, where I’m going to
It’s goodbye, we tried but I’m
Done
Livin in a house that’s haunted
By heavy broken hearts hiding in the dark
It’s goodbye, boy I
Don’t care if you stay
Just don’t get in my way
It’s moving day

Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight, with Willy on the road again, ramblin’,
High noon sun and four wheels humming, a my way highway anthem, laughin’
Why didn’t I do this sooner
Shoulda pulled the trigger a long time,
Ago, shoulda known, shoulda known

Bridge:
Leaving you behind in my getaway dust
You had your chance, but I’ve had enough
Leaving you behind in my getaway dust
You had your chance, but I’ve had enough

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

You Were Loved

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam, Nicole and I got together to write and were talking about how someone recently had passed on and wanted to pay tribute to that person. So we wrote this song.

Lyrics

You Were Loved
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Lewis (BMI)

We were kids once
We had forever and a day
Now the day’s come
Forever’s gone away
And I just miss you

Chorus:
I guess God knows what he’s doing
But that don’t make me okay
I keep thinking you’ll walk back through that door
I got the memories to prove it
Tears can’t wash away
All the reasons you were living for
You had faith
You had us
You were loved

Still the world turns
Somehow we go on
(how do we go on)
And it still hurts
Knowing I won’t see you again till my time comes

Repeat Chorus

Oh and sometimes
I can feel you in the air
Take a deep breath (and smile)
Knowing that you’re there

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Fall Into You- Female

Plays: 5

Backstory

This was one of those songs that just developed organically. Sam brought in the melody and we started off using a different hook. After we wrote it, the hook didn't seem to measure up to the rest of the song and I threw out Fall Into You, which everybody agreed worked better.

Lyrics

Fall Into You
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Spin a little Motown, watch the record go around,
Red wine, paper cup Friday,
Slow dancing on the patio
Bonfire, backyard, hands moving in the dark,
Leaning into every move I make.
Let this go where it’s gonna go

Chorus:
Your lips, my skin
Heating up, giving in
We’re all trip wires and cherry bombs
3, 2, 1, yeah we’re taking off
So high, full moon
Night ends too soon
I could get as close as you want me to
I could fall, I could fall into you

You and that heartbeat, make a damn mess of me,
Dizzy like I’m spinning in circles,
You could be my sweet addiction
Move this show inside, add a little candlelight,
We could make a habit of burnin
Burnin down the weekend

Fall into you, into you, fall into…

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

MOONLIGHTING- Female

Plays: 3

Backstory

Sam had a melody and we were looking through our hookbooks to see what matched up. I had Moonlighting and it fit perfectly with his melody and off we went.

Lyrics

Moonlighting
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)/Nicole Lewis(ASCAP)

Sun sliding down a rusted sky
Stars hanging just killing time
We’re all waiting on it, waiting on it
I’ll be waiting on you
Hurry up, we got somewhere to be
We’ll catch a ride on the evening breeze
And sneak away

Chorus:
You and me moonlighting
Out with the full moon shining
Blackberry wine on a love drunk kiss
Nothin’ better on a night like this
Lost in a midnight moment
Keep the feeling we got going
Lay a blanket down on a summer night
You and me, we’re gonna be moonlighting

Gimme that sweet honey talking in my ear
Nobody but the crickets hear
Lay some loving on me, loving on me
I’ll be loving on you
Two shadows dancing round the dark
The world’s sleeping and the night’s all ours
Till sunrise

Bridge:
Baby let’s go moonlighting
Out with the full moon shining

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Bring Your Beautiful

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook, Bring Your Beautiful, which I thought was kind of cool. I wrote the lyrics and sent it to Chip, who put this amazing melody to it.

Lyrics

Bring Your Beautiful
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Chip Martin (BMI) IPI# 353031796

I’m lost here tonight
So lonely without you
I know you’re out with friends
To have a drink or two
I love to hear your voice
But I’d rather taste your lips
It might be late, but I can wait up, baby,
For that goodnight kiss

Chorus:
Bring your beautiful
Close enough to touch
Bring your beautiful
I’ll be waiting with my love
Come on, come on, lying here without you
Girl, it don’t feel right
Bring your beautiful tonight

The minutes on my clock
Feel like hours crawling by
Trying not to think of you
Is just a waste of time
All the ways you get to me
Go much deeper than just skin
That’s why I’m always missing you
Till I hold you again

Bridge:
No need to knock
You’ve got my key
Just come on in
Slide yourself
Between my sheets
Don’t you know
I love it when

© 2015 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Romeos and Juliets

Plays: 5

Backstory

I had this hook and most of the song written but I knew I needed the touch of Sarah's voice and melodies to make it work. We did a rare skype session and finished the song within an hour or two. It's still one of my favorites.

Lyrics

Romeos and Juliets
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer(ASCAP)

There’s no straight line to my love
You’ve got to make your own path
Climb some walls or tear ‘em down
If you can find out where they’re at

Ain’t love a lot like breathing
You let it in; you let it out
You know fearless hearts survive somehow

Chorus:
We don’t have to wind up broken
Trade our love in for regrets
Leave all those words unspoken
Sleepin’ back to back in bed
We don’t have to make that last mistake
The one we can’t take back
Like all those other Romeos and Juliets

Sometimes I’m cold and restless
Sometimes melting in your arms
Most of the time I’m getting lost
In the shadow of my own heart

I want to say I love you
And I’d love to hear it too
Ain’t that what fearless hearts will do

Bridge:
And if the thought of love don’t scare you
My love, then you’re not thinking clear enough
But I’m willing to, if you’re willing to

Chorus

Ain’t love a lot like breathing
You let it in; you let it out
You know fearless hearts survive somehow...

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Making It Up As We Go

Plays: 4

Backstory

This was one of those organic songs that just flowed out of talking about relationships. I don't even remember where the hook came from. But it was just fun to write.

Lyrics

Making It Up As We Go
Sarah Spencer (ASCAP) IPI#424449461
Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP) IPI# 334488645
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653

You asked me out
And I said no
You asked again
Now away we go

And I’m so glad it’s working out so far
Yeah, here we are

Holding hands
And talking daydreams
My heart beats faster
Whatever that means

Sometimes we’ll get lost going with the flow
But I know

Chorus:
We're gonna get it right
We're gonna get it wrong
Making it up as we go
What a sweet surprise
As we stumble along
Falling in love
We’re just making it up as we go

Sometimes we fight
Most times we don’t
And the kissing’s nice
When the nights get cold

We don’t know what we don’t know about us
But we like it

Bridge:
There’s no map to follow
Don’t know where we’ll be tomorrow
But you know that’s ok
We’ll just wander our own way
Cuz

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Soul Of The Heartland

Plays: 1

Backstory

I was driving through Kansas towards Colorado a few years ago, looking around at all the wheat fields and corn fields and cattle and thought about the history of the heartland. The hook came to me somewhere near Wichita. I wrote most of the song and brought it to Sarah and Tori at our next write and came up with this song.

Lyrics

Soul Of The Heartland
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Tori Martin (BMI)

VERSE:

You’ve got 6 generations Wild West blood
Running through your veins, mixed in the mud
And there’s a wind swept pride
Won’t be denied
You can feel it in your bones

Wheat fields and cattle far as the eye can see
All the dreams you work for they don’t come easily
But you’re right where you belong
What makes you strong
That heaven you call home

CHORUS:
In the soul of the heartland
You know this is good land
Never far away from a helping calloused hand
And if we can’t, we know Jesus can
Save the soul of the heartland

VERSE:
Some kids head to California and leave their boots behind
But some get up every mornin’, keep this way of life from dyin’
There’s faith and hope
Down every dusty road
One rainfall at a time

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
When you look across the sky
And you see what you’ve been givin’
This sacred ground beneath your feet
And you’re thankful that you’re livin’...

CHORUS

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

What Would Dolly Do

Plays: 2

Backstory

Tori looks up to Dolly Parton as a role model and wanted to write a song about it for her upcoming album. So that's what we did; and had so much fun writing it.

https://www.thetorimartin.com/about

Lyrics

What Would Dolly Do
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Tori Martin (BMI)/ Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

My town called me crazy when I changed my zip code
And there’s always somebody judgin’ my wardrobe
I’ve been taking the high road
As far as it can go
And I’m through

Got my foot on the brake, can’t seem to drive past these doubts
And my hands on the wheel, bout to turn this car around
When I heard 9 to 5 playin’ on the radio
And I knew,

She was speaking right to me

What would Dolly do?
If she were in my shoes,
Would she turn my big dreams
Into dreams comin’ true?

Share all her secrets,
covered in sequins,
Her magic is something I could use,
Oh tell me what would Dolly do?

Wonder if she ever felt the way I’m feeling now
Like I’ve written my last song and no one cares anyhow
How did she keep on believing?
And breakthrough that glass ceiling
I’m looking at

If she was here you know I’d ask

Repeat Chorus:

Bridge:
Maybe she’d say fake it till you make it
Make a promise and don’t break it
Let the wind lift you up like a butterfly

You’re gonna cry, you’re gonna hurt
When it’s you against the world
Dress all your fears in rhinestones and curls
Don’t you ever give up girl

Repeat Chorus
Tag: Dolly, I will always love you

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Me Tonight

Plays: 1

Backstory

I don't remember who came up with the hook but Sarah, Dan and I were talking about how guys shouldn't be the only ones to get to sing songs about going out and having a little fun.

Lyrics

Me tonight
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Dan Reifsnyder(ASCAP) IPI# 334488645
Sarah Spencer (ASCAP) IPI#424449461

He’s two weeks gone and I’m tired of lonely
I’m so done waiting on him to call me
Gonna shake off the dust from this broken heart
With my top too tight and my skirt too short
That’s not the me that I’ve been all my life
That’s me tonight

Chorus:
Dancing with a stranger
Drinking something stronger
Giving out my number
That’s me tonight
Kissing in the corner
Moving even closer
Living in the moment
That’s me tonight
Doing all the wrong things right
That’s me tonight

There’s a cool drink of trouble sitting at the bar
One kiss later I’m hanging on his arm
Gonna go too far, gonna play his game
Gonna be regrets, yeah, but that’s ok
Good girls can be a little bad sometimes
And that’s me tonight

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
Tequila conversation with the bathroom mirror
Devil on my shoulder saying what I want to hear
I can listen to that angel any other time (right now)

Repeat Chorus

© 2014 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Woman Up

Plays: 0

Backstory

Dan and Sarah and I were talking about writing a song about a friend giving some tough love to her friend and trying to help her let go of a bad situation. We were tossing hook ideas around. Sarah said, how about man up? Dan, who just kidding said, what about Woman Up? But it stuck and we went from there and wrote the song.

Lyrics

Woman Up
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)

Hey girl friend you went and did it again
You gave your heart up to a low down man
Gave him what he wanted when you know you could have had more
So why are you surprised you caught him sneaking around
Ain’t that what every bad boy’s about
You can cry in the bed you made like you’ve done before
Or when push comes to shove, you can shove him right out the door

Chorus:
Woman up
Pull yourself together
That’s enough
You can do better
Girl, you know I love ya
But I’m gonna have to tell ya
Straight up
Woman up
He ain’t worth the crying
Suck it up
He ain’t worth the trying
Ain’t no denying
You’ve been dragged down far enough
Woman up

There’s a good man out there waiting on you
But the very first thing that you gotta do
Is burn this bridge and every bad memory
I want you to stand right here
Look at yourself in your bedroom mirror
Till you see the beautiful spirit that I see
And that spirit inside, she’s dying to break free

Bridge: (spoken)
"You can change your hair, what you wear, your nail color, taller, blonder but it still won’t? change what you really need to let go of,? and what you really need a lot more of. Love,? for yourself, for your inner beauty. Are you gettin’ it girl? Are you listening to me? You gotta count to 10 before you fall again.
Dig your high heels in and love yourself, woman!

© 2015 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Coyote Moon

Plays: 5

Backstory

For no particular reason the hook, Coyote Moon, came into my mind. I knew exactly who to write this song with; Dan O'Rourke. So Sam, Dan and I got together and wrote the song.Now its one of my favorite songs.

Lyrics

Coyote Moon
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Dan O’Rourke (BMI) IPI# 799302400
Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI) IPI#550162327

Runnin’ with the wind, you’re coming undone
Holdin’ on to whatever hope you got
Slip a little further, hand on your gun,
It’s coming if you’re ready or not

No, nowhere to hide your wild side

Trippin’ in the night, tryin a figure out the
The shadows that are showing their face to you
High desert demons are tracking you down
Hot on your trail they been chasing you

Get your head straight, but your crazy won’t wait

Chorus:
It’s taking over
A blood red slow burn
Revealing your spirit, you love and you fear it
You’ll do what it wants you to do
It’s in your veins now
It’s got you chained down
You’re caught in the midnight
It’s just you and the coyote moon

You know you're not the first, sure won’t be the last
Speaking to the sinister truth you found
Dyin’ of a thirst, flying at you fast,
That animal inside you breaking out

You’re fightin’ yourself, a visceral yell

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

B.L.I.N.D.

Plays: 1

Backstory

Dan came into the write with the Chorus already done in his head. We built the verses and bridge around the chorus. Took us probably an hour or so. Just good ol' Rock and Roll.

Lyrics

BLIND
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Dan O’Rourke (BMI)

Verse:
Well we were making out to the Doobie brothers
And you knew all the words
Just working our way under the covers
Wonderin who’d get there first
And I was well aware of the situation
You’re worth playin’ the fool for
You got me stumbling around almost losing my cool

Chorus:
Yeah you’re blinding me blinding me
I had two good eyes but now I cant see
You’re blinding me, blinding me
I’m B L I N D

Verse 2
Don’t you worry babe I kinda like the feeling
Got my senses on high alert
I might break your heart gonna have to steal it
Word of warning for what it’s worth
No I don’t know what you’re doin’ babe but keep it coming
Cuz with you I wanna leave the lights on
Just to take you all in before it all goes dark

Bridge:
I can taste your lips, I can touch your skin Hear my name that you’re whispering
Yeah the music's getting loud but the record starts to skip
Oh come on now honey ….I’m all in

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Staying Ahead Of The Rain

Plays: 1

Backstory

I wrote this song with a new co-writing from England who was over here in Nashville last summer for a month or so to do some writing. We have since started Zoom writing almost every week. I had the hook, "Staying Ahead of the Rain" and we were trying to write a positive song of face adversity.

Lyrics

Staying Ahead of the Rain
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/James Kirby (PRS)

I keep on walking forward
Never try to look behind
I keep on moving towards
The blue skies in my mind

Dark clouds are always chasing
Try to pour down on my head
Bad storms are always tracing
A silver lining thread

Chorus:
(I’m) On my way to you,
Can’t hide away the truth
One step in front of the other,
See the lightning; hear the thunder
Keep the fire to the flame
Staying ahead of the rain

The sun is always up there
Up above and by my side
Even through the coldest winter
Dreams are kept alive

Some days I feel the showers
Almost drowning out my faith
Some days I feel the powers
Carry me away

Bridge:
Here I am tonight
A little lost, a little found
Here I am tonight
A little closer now

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Rise and Shine

Plays: 1

Backstory

This is a songwriter from the UK who was here in the summer of 2019. I arrived at our write late and we only had 20 minutes left before he had to leave. I had a hook that resonated with him, Rise and Shine, and as I was jotting down lyrics he was coming up with melody. I wanted it to be a positive fun song about getting on the other side of hard times. We finished the song just in time.

Lyrics

Rise and Shine
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Jack Rosies (PRS)

Woke up to sunshine today
Winters finally moved on through
Looking up to clear skies
And it’s a different kind of blue

Chorus:
Rise and shine
Leaving all the darkness behind
Rise and shine
I got that feeling
I’m feeling fine
I got that feeling

Open up the windows and breathe
That sweet summer air on the wind
There’s coffee brewing, birds singing in the trees
And I’m happy again

Every night turns to day
Just a matter of time
Every cloud has its rain
But clouds, you know, are just passing by

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com /831.359.0161

Train Wreck

Plays: 0

Backstory

The title just kind of came to me one night. I have no idea why or where. Then David Hill and I started writing it. I thought we could use a little help so we brought in Chip Martin who helped us take it to the finish line and then produced it.

Lyrics

Train Wreck
David Hill (ASCAP)/John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Chip Martin(BMI)

Verse 1
Another 3am
Another where you been
This you and me thing is running off the rails

You live on drama
And I don’t wanna
Be the blackboard to your fingernails

Pre-chorus
Girl, I’ve had enough
This is where I get off

Chorus
I’ll take a rain check on your train wreck
Ain’t no brakes on your dangerous curves
Yeah, I love you but I can’t save you
There’s bound to be a crash and burn
Before we both go up in flames
I’ll take a rain check on your train wreck

Verse 2
Those people you call friends
Are gonna do you in
And it hurts too much for me to watch you fall

You used to love me
Now you just use me
Till there’s nothing left of me at all

Pre-chorus
Your sex is like a drug
But I’ve got to give it up

Bridge:
Twenty tons of smoke and steel
Out of control, running down hill
You swear you’ll stop but I know you never will

© 2016 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Everything But Kind

Plays: 2

Backstory

Kate this idea of a song and her first line was "all my life I've had a heart like a weathervane". It was a little biographical and it flowed pretty easily from there.

Lyrics

Everything But Kind
Kate Ettinger/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/John Cirillo (ASCAP)

All my life I’ve had a heart like a weathervane
Like the wind I can always count on it to change
Now I'm rooftop sitting by the riverside
With the water flowing on by
All it took was that come on look
To leave the oak trees far behind
Love is everything but kind

That smile was like a slow soft summer breeze
Oh, but it rocked me to my soul and dropped me to my knees
Why do I always seem to find the right man at exactly the wrong time
Add a couple more drops to this trail of tears; in the end they’re always mine
Love is everything but kind

Oh love,
Why you gotta do me like this
Come on, love
You can keep your empty promises
All your highs and your lows
How you come and you go
I’ll be lucky just to get out alive
Love is everything but kind

All my life I’ve had a heart like a weathervane
You’re that restless wind always causing it to change

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

FEELING HOLY

Plays: 4

Backstory

I had this hook, Feeling Holy, but was having trouble writing it in the way that I heard it in my head. So I brought it to Jayne and eventually, we asked Mary Haller to join us.

Lyrics

Feeling Holy
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Jayne Sachs (ASCAP)/Mary Haller (ASCAP)

There’s a healing power in the moon tonight
Never thought my spirit could ever fly so high
Kinda like the heavens saying it’s all right
I’m feeling holy

Fought through the darkness to a mountaintop
Under a million stars and a whole lot closer to God
Guess this broken soul’s getting one more shot
I’m feeling holy

Chorus:
Got this peace coming over me
So I breathe, taking it down deep
Spread my arms out to the night
I got hope and that’s my light
I’m feeling holy

Those heartless demons tried to chip away
Man, I struggled just to hold on to my faith
But I climbed those jagged edges and here I am today
Feeling holy

Bridge:
Cuz I’m living in the moment every second knowing that
This path is just a journey that will always lead me back
To my own heart… isn’t that where holy starts?

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

I Am A Force

Plays: 3

Backstory

We were wanting to write a song of empowerment and determination in the face of the current world pandemic and all the negative voices in the world right now.

Lyrics

I AM A FORCE
Tamara Laurel Mc Guckin(ASCAP),
John Cirillo (ASCAP) & Jasmine Power (PRS)

I’ve lived on the dark side
Of too many midnights
Walking empty streets

Been buried in landslides
The weight of a hard climb
Finding ways to breathe

Pre:
Come on fire, just try to burn me down
Flames get higher but watch me drown them out

CHORUS:
I fight
Like there’s nothin left to lose
I fly even as I fall
I rise
Up like a warrior oh
I believe in what I’m fighting for
Cause I am a force
I am a Force

BRIDGE
To be reckoned with
Stronger than I’ve ever been
I am a force
I’ll never quit
Driven by the power in-
Side of my mind
I will survive

CHORUS:

Instrumental
To be reckoned with
Stronger than I’ve ever been
Chorus x 2

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Loving It All

Plays: 0

Backstory

We wrote the song for pitch for a TV show sync placement. So far we haven't heard back from them as to whether they are interested in using the song.

Lyrics

Loving It All
Jake Saghi (BMI) John Cirillo (ASCAP), Mitchell Kilpatrick (BMI)

V1
Wide awake and I’m living the dream
Got it all together feels good to be free
On my way, nothing keeping me
From knowing

Who I am, what I’m going to be
Nothing but the future right in front of me
On my way, nothing keeping me
From going

V2
Life is sweet, every day is new
Feel the beat and rhythm when you get in the groove
After all nothing keeping you
From knowing

How to love everything you do
When you feel the magic, let it come on through
After all nothing keeping you
From going

Chorus
Not a worry or care at all
Walking on air standing 10 feet tall
In the moment, I’m loving it all
Loving, loving it all
I’m loving it all

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Old Fashioned White Christmas

Plays: 1

Backstory

Dan and Tori and I were trying to decide on what to write. I had this chorus that I had written and brought it to them so we decided to write a Christmas song.

Lyrics

Old Fashioned White Christmas
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Tori Martin (BMI)/ Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)

Chorus:
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas
A Currier and Ives Christmas
Bring me snow and a one-horse sleigh
It’s the good ol’ days just for one day
Family, friends and little mistletoe kisses
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas

Candlestick lights strung on an 8-foot pine
An angel on top reaching for the sky
We’ll sit around the fire, turn the stereo up
While Nat King Cole sings along with us

Chorus:
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas
A Currier and Ives Christmas
Bring me snow and a one-horse sleigh
It’s the good ol’ days just for one day
Family, friends and little mistletoe kisses
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas

Santa Claus is finally here
Kids believe for one more year
Later on we’ll watch, “It’s a wonderful life”
Making memories in black and white

Chorus:
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas
A Currier and Ives Christmas
Bring me snow and a one-horse sleigh
It’s the good ol’ days just for one day
Family, friends and little mistletoe kisses
Give me an old fashioned white Christmas

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Hey Goodbye

Plays: 2

Backstory

I had this hook, Hey Goodbye, when Sam and I got together to write. We decided to write the song like Goodbye was another guy getting in the way of his relationship with his girlfriend.

Lyrics

Hey Goodbye
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)

Chorus:
Hey goodbye
Don’t you come a knockin’ at my door
Say it’s all right
Don’t tell me she don’t love me anymore

Verses:
Well I’ve seen you in her eyes like a tear drop in disguise
Bringing her down and that’s bringing me down
See, we were doin fine Just lovin’ all time
Till you came around, till you come around
So, why don’t you go?

Verse:
You got her thinking twice, she’s fire then she’s ice
What did you do? What can I do?
Does this woman in my bed have it in her head I ain’t enough
Hey, goodbye, where’d she get that stuff
So, why don’t you go

Bridge:
Hey goodbye I’ll tell you why it’s time you hit road
There’s only room for two and you know
I ain’t letting go

Chorus:
Hey goodbye
Don’t you come a knockin’ at my door
Say it’s all right
That girl is gonna love me forever more
That girl is gonna love me forever more

© 2012 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Lost Amen- Female

Plays: 6

Backstory

I mis-heard a lyric in a song at a Rosanne Cash concert at the Ryman and thought I heard Lost Amen. It sounded cool in my head and I brought the hook to my co-write with Sarah and Troy. This is what we came up with.

This song won the grand prize for the Great American Song Contest earlier this year (2020) as well as third place at the Music City Songstar competition in 2019.

Lyrics

Lost Amen
John Cirillo (ASCAP) | Troy Castellano (SESAC) | Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Even though I’ve never seen water turning into wine,
Doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen once upon a time,
While I’m down here on this earth,
Walking on this dirt,
I still pray

Sometimes when life is coming at ya 100 miles an hour
It’s easy to forget to lean into your higher power
When everything’s a blur
And Faith is just a word
I still pray

Chorus:
Couldn’t find it in the whiskey
Couldn’t see it through the smoke
But I know it’s out there somewhere
Buried in blind hope
I throw my prayers to the wind,
Till they come back again,
Searching (‘) for my lost amen

I keep trying to find the reasons why for all my twists and turns
I keep trying to ride the rapids under bridges that I’ve burned
Through all the broken hearts,
Slamming doors and battle scars,
I still pray

Bridge:
Amen to the hard roads wherever they may lead.
Amen to the mem’ries still in front of me
Amen wherever it might be

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

HIGHWAY HOME

Plays: 1

Backstory

James Durbin (American Idol top 4 season 10) and I got together for the first time and were getting to know each other. Out of the conversation came his idea of writing about what it's like to be on the road.

Lyrics

Highway Home
James Durbin (ASCAP) JHHK Music
John Cirillo (ASCAP) St Cruz Music Publishing

Three time zones and a million miles a day
From the ones I love and the ones that got away
Met with strangers I know better than myself
Talk is cheaper when there’s no one else to tell

Back to where our wild hearts roam
Faster than this bus can go

Chorus:
Off road healers
Semi wheelers
Left my heart to find my soul
On the highway home
The grass is greener
Right where we were
Where the night lights the road
On the highway home

Roadway diners, exit signs and fireflies
Willie sings and I believe that you’re always on my mind

I'm running back to where our wild hearts roam
Faster than this bus can go

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Hanging By A Thread

Plays: 1

Backstory

This was the first time Dan and I ever got together for a co-write (we've since written about 80 songs over the past couple of years together). He had this cool idea of a song about a tapestry. As he read what he had already written I thought it could be cool to compare the tapestry to a relationship. And off we went.

Lyrics

Hanging By A Thread
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Dan O’Rourke (BMI) IPI# 799302400
Verse:
There’s a tapestry that hangs behind the window
Of the brownstone house that survived the civil war
Of a chestnut tree bloomin’ in the spring time
Catchin all the rain from a chilly April storm

PreChorus:
The people as they pass
Press their face against the glass
For the woven thing of beauty on the wall

Chorus:
But what no one knows, And what no one see’s
The trouble of this picture perfect scene
The stitches frayed It’s about to break
From all the years of hardship and neglect
Just like you and me, it’s hangin’ by a thread

Verse 2-
Beneath that tree you’ll see the two lovers
Holding on, safe from an angry sky
You can see the lightning, almost hear the thunder
And you wonder if the needle missed the tears in their eyes

Bridge-
All our friends see what we want them to see
But when you pull back the curtain
We’re just two people hurtin

But what no one knows, And what no one see’s
The trouble of this picture perfect scene
Two hearts frayed, we’re about to break
From all our years of hard ship and neglect
Just you and me - hangin by a thread

© 2016 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Heart Runs Dry

Plays: 2

Backstory

I had this hook, Heart Runs Dry, and most of the chorus written. I brought it into Sarah and Sydney, who both have beautiful voices. Together they weaved this beautiful melody over the lyrics. This song placed second in the Music City Songstar competition this year.

Lyrics

Heart Runs Dry
Sydney St George (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/John Cirillo (ASCAP)

I’ve given you everything I had
All I’d stored up inside
Threw every word off my tongue
To an empty, careless sky

I poured out my soul
Into a bottomless well,
Trade pennies for my thoughts
And the secrets that I tell

And it all feels like

This train’s running off the tracks
I’m watching thunderclouds collide
The moon and the sun cross paths
And I can’t control the tides
I’m thirsting for your love
While the hunger in you dies
I’m here sitting with the silence,
As my heart runs dry

All the lonely 2 am’s
And the losing track of time
the phone that never rings
And the words refuse to rhyme

All the talks with my mother
About where I go from here
And she’s running out answers,
And I’m running out of years

This train’s running off the tracks
I’m watching thunderclouds collide
The moon and the sun cross paths
And I can’t control the tides
I’m thirsting for your love
While the hunger in you dies
I’m here sitting with the silence,
As my heart runs dry

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Oh My Heart

Plays: 2

Backstory

I had the hook, Oh My Heart, and wanted to write about a women speaking to her heart about what it was putting her through. Sasha and Sarah helped turn it into a beautiful ballad.

Lyrics

Oh My Heart
Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Sasha Aaron (SESAC)/John Cirillo (ASCAP)

It’s just you and me tonight
And I think we need to talk
I’m not here to pick a fight
Just gotta get it off my chest

You’ve been breaking us both
With the choices you make
Every time you fall
I’m the one that aches

Oh my heart
Oh my heart
You keep me alive
But you tear me apart
Oh my heart

He made you beat faster
At the touch of his hands
Just one more disaster
You made me believe in

We share these tears together
And swear that we’re gonna do better
Right now it hurts but we both deserve to find love,
The right love

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Justified

Plays: 0

Backstory

Dan and I started out with the hook, Justified, and wanted to give the song an edge. Not sure how we ended up where we went, but it became a story song about a sister/friend helping her sister/friend escape from an abusive relationship.

Lyrics

Justified
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653 / Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP) IPI# 334488645

There’s a road sign in my headlights
Full of bullet holes and predictions
Says if we can make it 10 more miles
We can hide out in the old town mission
He kept my sister bruised and battered
I left him bleeding on the floor
Judge won’t see it my way
But I made peace with the lord

Chorus:
I’m Justified
He’s just a bad man
Eye for an eye
So the good book says
We’re gonna ride
Like two bats out of hell
I know damn well wrong from right
I’m justified

She’s lying in the backseat
Scared but she’s still breathing
I know a short cut cross the border
On that long road to freedom
I see the blue lights in my rearview
They don’t scare me anymore
I got Reba coming out the radio
And the peddle to the floor

Bridge:
Sometimes you got to fight fire with ice
Mean with nasty, fists with knives
A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do
To survive

© 2016 john.cirillo@gmail.com/(831.359.0161)

Evergreen

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook, Evergreen, and I saw it as a love song. Dan and Sarah got my vision of where I wanted it to go and helped me bring it to life.

Lyrics

Evergreen
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Dan O’Rourke (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Chorus:
You and me
We’re evergreen
Across the seasons of our life
A beautiful ride
Wild and free
You and me
Evergreen

Walk with me
Through the pines
Summer’s rain
And winter’s fire
And a love strong as time
And a love strong as time

Chorus

Take my hand
Take my heart
Take my dreams and hold ‘em tight
I’ll keep you safe and warm
Forever safe and warm

Chorus

Bridge:
When a cold wind blows
We’ll make it through
Cuz you know we always do
Yeah we always do

Chorus

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Hard Times and High Waters

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook, Hard Times and High Waters, which I thought could be cool in a Civil Wars kind of way. So I brought the idea to a co-write with Raquel and Dan and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Hard Times and High Waters
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Dan O’Rourke (BMI)/ Raquel Cole (SOCAN)

I know you feel you’re all alone with the crazy in this life
Like troubles are all your own, it’s just your fight to fight
I get that it ain’t easy for you to let me in
But I can lighten up your load, let your lover be your friend
And when the storms comes blowing in again

Chorus:
Hold on
Hold tight
I won’t let you drown tonight
Dark days are out to pull us under
Never gonna be an easy ride
Together we can make it to the other side
Of these hard times and high waters

I know we’re gonna have those days when we don’t agree
When clouds open up and the heavens rain and it’s too thick to see
Bitter winds might fill our sails and we can’t find the shore
But we remember why we love so we love a little more
That’s all we need to get us through this storm

Bridge:
Lying here in each other arms
We Hold on
Hold tight
Love strong
Tonight

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

The Best Christmas Of All

Plays: 4

Backstory

Tamara and I decided it was time to write a Christmas song and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

The Best Christmas of All
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Tamara Laurel McGucking (BMI)
One Christmas ago well I was all by myself
Just like that old Saint Nick without all of his elves
Sippin no champagne when the ball dropped New Year’s Eve
I still can’t believe it

You came along and my lonely was gone
You brought a warm summer breeze to my winter storm
Now there’s an angel in my arms and one at the top of the tree

We’re watchin the snow fall to Ol’ Nat King Cole
Singing Silver bells on the radio

Ooh ooh kissing you below that mistletoe
Ooh ooh love wrapped up in a bow and I'm singin to you it goes
Fa Fa La La
The best Christmas of all
Fa Fa La La
The best Christmas of all

This is the dream I always wished it could be
Decorating the tree, you and me, Christmas Eve
Yeah, Santa, my man, you really came through for me this time

We’re watchin the snow fall to Ol’ Nat King Cole
Singing Silver bells on the radio/

Ooh ooh kissing you below that mistletoe
Ooh ooh love wrapped up in a bow I'm singin to you it goes
Fa Fa La La
The best Christmas of all
Fa Fa La La
The best Christmas of all

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

You Make My Christmas

Plays: 4

Backstory

Nicole is working on her Christmas EP and needed one more song to complete it. So we wrote this song which will appear on the EP later this year.

Lyrics

YOU MAKE MY CHRISTMAS
John Cirillo (ASCAP), Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)

You
Make my Christmas
You make my wishes come
True
With your mistletoe kisses
Baby, I don’t need no Tifanny
Your sugar plum love is enough for me
You make my Christmas

Got a sweet little angel at the top of the tree
My sweet baby angel lovin’ on me
A snowy night, we’re tucked inside
Heatin up here by the firelight

You and me and the snow, we’re falling
Santa, baby, just keep on going
Cuz I got everything I need this year, right here
(You make my Christmas)

Last chorus:
You
Make my Christmas
You make my wishes come
True
With your mistletoe kisses
Baby, I don’t need no Tifanny
Your sugar plum love is enough for me
Wrap me up baby it’s cold outside
I don’t need nothing but you tonight
You make my Christmas

© john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Turn Me Up

Plays: 0

Backstory

Bobby and Pamela were working on a song and asked me to come in and help out on the lyrics. Later on, Stacey added some melody elements and your cool vocal.

Lyrics

TURN ME UP
John Cirillo, ASCAP, Robert Kropp, Pamela Lack, Stacy Stone, (Rolling Stoner Publishing)

V1
Turn up the stars, bring on the night
Let’s race the moon, and roll the dice, roll the dice
Got neon flames, in your eyes
Wanna feel your burn over ice

Chorus
Something in my blood
Turns me up, turns me up
Something in my blood
Turns me up
Something in my blood
Turns me up, turns me u-up
Something in my blood
Turns me up

V2
Gypsy wind, hot as sin
Breathe you out, breathe you in
Pull me close, get in my head
Lightening strikes, and strikes again

Chorus
Something in my blood
Turns me up, turns me up
Something in my blood
Turns me up
Something in my blood
Turns me up, turns me u-up
Something in my blood
Turns me up

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

EASY DOES IT

Plays: 2

Backstory

We wrote this song the first time the three of us had written together. I had the hook, Sam had the melody and Nicole had the groove and it just flowed.

Lyrics

Easy Does It
Nicole Lewis(BMI)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)/John Cirillo(ASCAP)

Close the door; kill the lights
We’ll just listen to the rain fall
A little you and me and that’s all

Whisper low; make me blush
Tell me baby how my eyes glow
How you wanna see this thing go
Oh
Chorus:
Easy does it
Let the night roll over us
No need to rush it
Feel the high on every touch
Ooh I love it when you’re
Pullin’ me close to your body
Ain’t hard to keep me satisfied
Easy does it every time
Every ti-i-ime, every ti-i-time

Hold me soft; kiss me long
Leave me breathless but don’t let go
Mmm these shivers never get old

Run your fingers down my back
I’m addicted to your sweet touch
Slow motion kinda love drunk

Bridge:
Easy does it let the night roll
Leave me breathless but don’t let go
Mmm these shivers never get old

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

MY OH MY

Plays: 1

Backstory

Nicole, Sam and I were bouncing off ideas for a song and either Sam or Nicole threw out My Oh My and it just sounded like a fun title to write to. We wanted something upbeat and happy and we really tried to come up with some different images that were a little crazy and weird and fun.

Lyrics

My Oh My
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)/Nicole Lewis(ASCAP)

Gold Mine Lottery ticket,
Got an ace high, yellow brick road
And the bluebirds singing it,
You know I’m diggin it

Gray clouds, keep on movin’,
Hey, good sounds keep on groovin’,
Hey tide keep turnin, turnin’ my way

Chorus:
Look at that sunshine
My oh my, my oh my, my oh my
Yeah Lady Luck’s ‘bout to be a friend of mine
Woah
A little bit of blue sky
Flying high, flying high, flying high
I got a feeling I’m gonna feel alright, I
Got sweet vibrations headed my way
Flyin high
My oh my oh my

Three, two, wonderful feelin’
Me, you, yeah we’re free wheeling it
Easy streetin’, for no good reason

Don’t take a lot of cash
To put that smile in a photograph
Got to make it last, yeah

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

5th Of July

Plays: 1

Backstory

Dan and Sarah and I got together for a write and we started throwing hooks around. I had this idea, 5th of July, about the feeling of the day after a romance falls apart and this is the song we wrote to that idea.

Lyrics

5th of July
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI#334682653
Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP) IPI# 334488645
Sarah Spencer( ASCAP) IPI# 424449461

We were searching for freedom
Bent on believing
We found it in each other arms
Sparkling and spinning,
Lit up and living
With gun powder love in our hearts

Chorus:
He was kissing me, wanting me; fireworks and flames
Holding me, telling me beautiful things
Set the world on fire, till we burned out the sky,
When the smoke cleared, there were tears in my eyes
I felt just like the fifth of July
I felt just like the fifth of July

We ran out of matches
There’s nothing but ashes
We fell like stars to the ground
Though we’re just embers
I’ll always remember
How high we were before we came down

Chorus:
He was kissing me, wanting me; fireworks and flames
Holding me, telling me beautiful things
Set the world on fire, till we burned out the sky,
When the smoke cleared, there were tears in my eyes
I felt just like the fifth of July
I felt just like the fifth of July

Now I’m missing him and wanting those fireworks and flames
Still hear him telling me beautiful things
I’ve got no regrets, no, I won’t forget
Nothing lasts forever when it burns so bright
And when the smoke cleared from the dark empty sky
I felt just like the fifth of July
I felt just like the fifth of July

© 2015 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

This Far

Plays: 0

Backstory

James and Troy and I had gotten together to write and were tossing song ideas around. James talked about some of his struggles after having placed 5th in American Idol; the ups and downs and the challenge of getting back up again.

Lyrics

This Far
James Durbin (ASCAP) | John Cirillo (ASCAP) | Troy Castellano (SESAC)

Life’s got a funny way to keep you guessing
Just when you think you got it made, you don’t
God laughs at your plans, trips you up again
I could quit, but I won’t

Cause...
I didn’t come this far just to get this far
I didn’t fight this hard just to fade away
I won’t give up, cuz it’s in my blood
Pumping through my heart like that old freight train
I won’t burnout like some ol’ fallin star
Cause I didn’t come this far...just get this far

I raise a glass to those that walked beside me
I keep their dreams and memories in an 8 X 10
And you know that I pray I haven’t seen my best days
Can I get an amen

Chorus

Solo

I didn’t come this far just to get this far
And I ain’t ready for this ride to end
No,I won’t give up, cuz it’s in my blood
Pumping through my heart like that old freight train
I won’t burnout like some ol’ fallin star
Cause I didn’t come this far...just get this far

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Ain't My Day

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this idea of flipping the meaning of Ain't My Day to be a good thing. We wrote the whole song and then realized that it sounded too ordinary. So we rewrote it and the let the story unfold as we went along.

Lyrics

Ain’t My Day
Dan O’Rourke (BMI) /John Cirillo (ASCAP)

I was riding cross the desert
Taking shelter from sun
Stumbled on this two bit town
Where the law lived by the gun
I’d a sold my soul for whiskey
Pushing through those saloon doors
Into a room full of desperadoes
Wanting to settle a score

Before I even knew it
That powder keg was lit
Bullets flying everywhere
I swore that this was it
When the smoke had finally cleared
I was the only one on my feet
So I took that bottle and raised a glass
To Death, the one I cheat (cuz)

Chorus:
It ain’t my day, Lord knows it ain’t my day
Well, I thought my time had to come
But for now that moments passed
It ain’t my day, No, it ain’t my day
So I’m gonna live like tomorrow
Just my might be last

We’re all gonna run out of road someday
Gonna run out of luck
Gonna run out of time
When life finally calls your bluff
That gunfight did its job you know
Just to bring me down to earth
I know there ain’t no time to waste
I measure each moment’s worth

Bridge:
I see mountains rise before me
Got the painted sunset sky
Summer breeze upon my face
Ain’t it good to be alive

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831- 359-0161
-

You Only Die Once

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook, You Only Die Once, and brought it to the co-write with Alyssa and Dan and we decided we wanted to make a statement about realizing that life is short and that you can't waste time just existing.

Lyrics

You Only Die Once
John Cirillo (ASCAP) St Cruz Music Publishing
Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP) Toren Music Publishing
Alyssa Trahan (BMI) Hodges House of Songwriters (BMI), c/o Bluewater Music Corporation

Sitting on the front porch with something to clear my head
Watching the world go by without me again
Thinking bout the years that I do or don’t have left
Thought of me not living scares me half to death

CHORUS
You’ll never hit the jackpot if you ain’t playin
What good is a chance if you don’t take it
I’m gonna live every day that I’m given
Cause you only die once

I’m done passing doors that open up for me
Walking that straight line ain’t got me where I want to be
Maybe it’s the whiskey but I’ve never seen this clear
Or maybe I’m just ready to take on all my fears

You’ll never hit the jackpot if you ain’t playin
What good is a chance if you don’t take it
I’m gonna live every day that I’m given
Cause you only die once

If you want a view ya gotta climb a mountain
You’ll never get there throwing coins in a fountain
I’m gonna live every day that I’m given
Cause you only die once

Tag:
Sitting on the front porch with something to clear my head
Thought of me not living scares me half to death

© john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0151

Words

Plays: 0

Backstory

This was one of the first songs Sam and Nicole and I ever wrote. I had the hook idea of "Words" and trying to make it a powerful word. Sam and Nicole put together the amazing melody and wrote the song.

Lyrics

WORDS
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Lewis(ASCAP)

I still hear you soft and clear
Your lips close to my ear
Whispering how much you loved me

You never told me a lie
Meant it all once upon a time
Tryin’ to write that storybook ending
We were happy then

Chorus:
Told each other we were forever
The stay up all night dreams that we made
But promises always sound better
When the heart can stand behind what you say
You love, you lose, you learn
They’re only words

Can’t shake away that goodbye
Echoin’ around in my mind
Over and over and over

Part of me wants to believe
We said things we didn’t mean
Just sticks and stones we were throwing
In the heat of the moment

Bridge:
They’ll only bruise us if we let ‘em
Only words
And I could easily forget ‘em
If you want me to
Do you want me to

And we could go back to forever
To the stay up all night dreams that we made
Promises always sound better
When the heart can stand behind what you say
We could take ‘em back,
And heal what we hurt
Cuz they’re only words

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

A BAR IN HEAVEN

Plays: 2

Backstory

Adam had the hook, I hope there's a bar in heaven and he and I wrote the lyric. Once we were done we shipped it off to Chip to put a melody to it. It was important for us to walk that line between lighthearted fun and a good message.

Lyrics

A Bar In Heaven
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Adam Byrd/Chip Martin (BMI)

I hope there’s a bar in heaven
With St Peter settin em up
I can tell him all my troubles
While he’s pouring me the good stuff
It’ll be just like down here on earth
Where everyone’s a friend of mine
Yeah, I hope there’s a bar in heaven
With an “always open” sign

These bar stools are on their last leg
I think the bartender might be too
But it’s where I feel most at home
When home just won’t do

These friends here are like family
Shared more stories than I can count
Yeah, This place ain’t much but memories
But ain’t that what life’s all about

And when my time runs out

Chorus

There’ll be a sweet ol’ jukebox
With all my favorite country songs
And Hank and Haggard and Johnny and June
Will be singing right along

And everyone I’m missing now
Will be there raising up a glass
And we’ll toast to all the ones we love
Together again at last

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Younger and Wiser

Plays: 0

Backstory

I think Sam had the hook, Younger and Wiser, and brought in the melody. The three of us tapped into our late teen years and came up with this song.

Lyrics

Younger and Wiser
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

It was always Friday night somewhere
Curfew’s made to be broken
Fake IDs, a case of cheap beer
Roll up something and we’ll smoke it
We could learn a thing or two
From 17 me and you

When we didn't know better
Lived pedal to the medal on fire
No fear of high flying
Live wires, every night we burned brighter
Every double dare was always worth the risk,
We had nothing to lose and everything to give
Gasoline looking for a lighter
Back when we were younger and wiser

Backseat Romeos and Juliets
Fogging up all the windows
First time feeling, foolish kids,
Too damn smart to just take it slow
Some mem’ries you don’t outgrow
Oh it wasn’t so long ago

Chorus

All made perfect sense back then
I could use more of who I was back when

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

BROTHER I WILL

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this idea for a song when Sam and I got together. I think it was pretty personal to each of us in it's own way. It's been one of my favorite songs I've ever been part of ever since.

Lyrics

Brother I Will
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)

This might be the midnight talking
But I’m gonna say what don’t need saying
I got your back when it’s up against the wall
You pull me up every time I fall
What we got runs deeper than blood

Chorus:
Tell me, brother, when your world gets heavy
So I can carry some of that weight
It don’t matter when or where, I’m ready
And I know you’d do the same
If you need me to walk through the fire with you, I will
Brother you know I will

We all got our different roads to travel
Sometimes they’re paved, sometimes they’re gravel
I’ll be shotgun riding when the miles get lonely
Anytime, my friend, just call me
Don’t matter how far you’re going, you know I’m in
You know I’m in

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Braver than Love

Plays: 0

Backstory

I was helping Kimiko write this song. We didn't have a title yet but she had the beautiful melody and the words just started to flow.

Lyrics

Braver Than Love
John Cirillo (ASCAP) /Taylor Kimiko Wernecke (BMI)

Learning to fly
Is not always easy
There’s gonna be times
You fall to the ground
Reach deep inside
When you feel like giving up
You’re stronger than life
Braver than love

Falling in love
Hits like a hurricane
Lost in their eyes
And blown away
When your heart breaks
And turns into dust
You know, you’re stronger than life
Braver than love

Bridge:
Fly
Fall
Fly
Do it all again
Fly
Fall
Fly
Do it all again

Laugh all you can
Live every moment
Dream every dream
With all of your heart
Don’t be afraid
Of the choices to come
Cuz you’re stronger than life
Braver than love

© 2015 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

IF YOU CHEAT

Plays: 1

Backstory

Sarah and Dan and I were throwing around some song ideas at the beginning of our co-write. Dan looked up some Irish toasts and we got our idea from the toast, changed and added words to it and adapted it into a story.

Lyrics

If You Cheat
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)/ Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

He was driving somewhere ‘tween Gallup and Winslow
On an old stretch of route 66
At the end of his rope, looking for hope
But he found this ol’ bar here instead

The neon was dusty; door hinges rusty
On the window a hand written sign
Between the Pabst and the Coors, and the two swinging doors
Faded words, but he read it just fine

Chorus:
If you cheat, hope its death that you're cheating,
If you lie, lie with someone you love,
If you fight, do it for the right reasons,
If you drink, then come drink one with us

The whole place was packed; waitress waved him on back
Set him up on the last stool
She said, man, I can tell you been going through hell
Well, we’ve all come out of there too
And we live by our own golden rule

If you cheat, hope its death that you're cheating,
If you lie, lie with someone you love,
If you fight, do it for the right reasons,
If you drink, then come drink one with us

Bridge:
All we can do is the best that we can
Cuz we’re all sinners, forgivers, and friends

If you cheat, hope its death that you're cheating,
If you lie, lie with someone you love,
If you fight, do it for the right reasons,
If you drink, then come drink one with us

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Wilder

Plays: 0

Backstory

When Troy and Justin and I met to write we were throwing hooks around and I read them the first and second verse of a song, Wilder, I had written. We all wrote the chorus and Justin and Troy put the melody to it and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

WIlder
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Justin Love (BMI)/Troy Castellano (SESAC)

She’s a twister searching for a trailer park
Kerosene dying for a little spark
An arrow aiming for a beating heart

She’s an alibi looking for a 3 am
Stiletto heels with a wicked grin
And when you bet on her you better go all in
She is who she is and she’s what I want

She’s danger like a sinner on Sunday
Crazier than a rodeo queen
Can’t tame her, mustang running
Everything I want her to be
Yeah she’s freer than a Montana skyline
Long hair blowing on a midnight ride
The best way I found to describe her
She’s wilder

She’s a sweet dream wrapped in a double dare
An exit sign saying, “anywhere”
The way she loves, man, it just ain’t fair

She’s a book that don’t seem to match the cover
Soft as rain and hard as thunder
No one knows her like I know her...
Let me tell you brother

Yeah, she is who she is and she’s all I want

Chorus

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Angel With The Blues

Plays: 0

Backstory

Chip plays a mean guitar and I had a hook, Angel with the Blues. I thought he was the right guy to bring this hook to and this is the song we wrote.

Lyrics

Angel with the Blues
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Chip Martin(BMI)

You say you’re down on your luck
The whole world’s against ya
No matter where you go,
You got somethin’ in the way

Well, yeah, I know that sucks
But friend, I’m gonna betcha
It ain’t the game you’re playing
It’s the way you’re playing the game

Chorus:
That greener grass you’re looking for
Is just another lawn to mow
The Man upstairs has a plan
And that’s the way it goes
Somedays you’re gonna win,
somedays you’re gonna lose
And the devil’s just an angel with the blues

I’ve been right where you are
Standing on the crossroads
Ready to sell my soul for a little taste
I almost went too far till I realized what I was losing
He left empty handed, well even demons have bad days

Bridge:
Well there’s a rock and there’s a hard place
And you’re right there in between
You can’t fight a fire my friend
By pouring gasoline

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.cm/831.359.0161

Memphis

Plays: 0

Backstory

This was my first write with Sam and Nicole. She had the hook and I just had to hang on and follow along with her and Sam; which was no easy feat. This girl is the real deal.

Lyrics

Memphis
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Boggs (SESAC)

What the hell are we doin?
We’re working too hard
Drowning our nights in the back of this bar
Oh, burning out at both ends

You say I’m short with my temper
And I worry too much
I say your building up walls and we’re both losing touch
Oh, I know somewhere we can go

Chorus:
It’s never too far
We can pack up and leave
Get outta your head, hit the road, take a breath
Leave that strung out and restless
By the time we hit Memphis

A little Beale Street revival
Let it run through our blood
Fight the blues with the blues
Get back to just being in love
Let that be enough

Bridge:
By the time we hit Memphis we’ll be letting go, get the weary out your soul
By the time we hit Memphis we’ll be holdin on, let the city take us in her arms

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Coat Tail Rider

Plays: 0

Backstory

Nicole was a little frustrated at someone who had been trying to build up a relationship with her just so the person could hang around her and get swept up in Nicole's rise up the ladder. This song was one of the more challenging songs I have ever been a part of. It took us four hours just to come up with the hook. But it was worth it.

Lyrics

Coattail Rider
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Boggs (SESAC)

All the movers and shakers, get there faster
And they all think they know what they’re chasing after
Plastic smiles, business cards
Burn a bridge, break a heart

Chorus:
Hey coattail rider
Tripping me up
Tripping me up
Hey dream hitchhiker
Pushing your luck
Pushing you luck
I ain’t your ride down easy street
I don’t owe you a damn thing

All the suits and their ties, gotta turn a profit
They’re all diggin for fool’s gold to line their pockets
Wheel and deal, silver tongue
Sell a soul, one and done

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Fade To Black

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook, Fade To Black, and Sam always brings great melodies to the write. He put out a melody and this hook slid right into place, like it belonged there.

Lyrics

Fade to Black
John Cirillo (ASCAP)
Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)

Sun’s going down
Fire’s going out
We can’t keep each other warm
Huddle in close
But we both know
We won’t make it through this storm

It’s been blowing in
On a chilling wind
This cold dark cloud

Chorus:
I can see the lightening flashing
All thunder no passion
As you and I go crashing
Against the night
We’re off into the darkness
This love of ours is heartless
The truth is always harshest
In the light
Can’t stay here, can’t go back
Fade to black

Tears turn to rain
All kinds of pain
Pouring down, drowning us
No where to hide
No hope in sight
There’s no prayer strong enough

Ain’t no light of day
Coming our way
Just this cold dark cloud

© 2016 831.359.0161/john.cirillo@gmail.com

Beer In The Fridge

Plays: 3

Backstory

I had this hook, Beer In The Fridge, and wrote out the lyrics. I sent the lyrics to Chip who immediately put his melody to it and produced and voila!

Lyrics

Beer In The Fridge
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Chip Martin (BMI)

We been compadres for such a long time
I got your back and I know you got mine
If you were out on the street
With nowhere to go
Hey man I know you know

Chorus:
The door’s always open
There’s beer in the fridge
A couch in the basement
If ya think you can fit
We can sit on the back porch
Till you’re right with the world
If ever you get in a pinch
The door’s always open,
And there’s beer in the fridge

We can bitch ‘bout our women
Who drive us to drink
Then we’ll drink to those women
We love more than they think
If the weight of the world keeps you up late at night
Drop on by, my friend, just drop on by

Bridge:
And it’s good to know
There’s a place I can go
Where…

The doors always open
There’s beer in the fridge
A couch in the basement
That I’m sure I can fit
We can sit on the back porch
Till I’m right with the world
If ever I get in a pinch

The door’s always open….

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Into The Wild

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook Into The Wild, and brought it into the write. Sarah and Sam put together the melody and we wrote to the hook and it was awesome to hear them sing it together at the end of the write.

Lyrics

Into the wild
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653 /Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI) IPI#550162327
/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP) IPI#424449461

I was playing it safe behind my fences
Making sure the odds were stacked against us
Wearing my old scars,
Keeping us apart

But your spark kept burning brighter
And there’s no taming wild fire
Finally breaking through
Now I’m melting into you

Chorus:
Let’s get lost
Feel our hearts go spinning out
Out of control
Just letting it go
Love running blind
This is the great unknown
Somewhere we never been before
Don’t hesitate
We’ll find our own way
Mile by reckless mile
Let love take us into the wild

Every twist and turn, it’s all ours
Waterfalls, weeds and wildflowers
Every step we take
A little risk, a little faith
No, baby, I don’t want to wait

Bridge:
We got each other, we got time
Who knows what we will find

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Beautiful Lie

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook and wrote out a version of the lyrics. Once I was finished I sent it off to Chip to come up with the melody. Then we got together and polished it up.

Lyrics

Beautiful Lie
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Chip Martin (BMI) IPI# 353031796

Threw the covers back this morning, a cold and empty space
Tears so frozen, nothing left to cry
Every word she whispered, every kiss that I still taste
All of it a beautiful lie
The promise in her smile and the treason that came with it
I was living in denial and knowing every minute

Chorus:
Love is a dream
And dreams are unreal
But I’d rather dream
Than wake up and feel
Love me forever, love me forever
Never say goodbye
Love is a beautiful, beautiful lie

In this perfect darkness she’s all that I see
I almost feel her soft against my skin
Such a sweet illusion I almost believe
She’s in my arms again

Chorus:
Love is a dream
And dreams are unreal
But I’d rather dream
Than wake up and feel
Love me forever, love me forever
Never say goodbye
Love is a beautiful, beautiful lie
Love is a beautiful, beautiful lie

© 2014 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Break In The Rain

Plays: 0

Backstory

James came in with the hook and we were talking about how we all have been there in our relationships when things get a little tense and you need a way to break the routine and put life back into the love.

Lyrics

A Break in the Rain
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/James Durbin (ASCAP)/Troy Castellano (ASCAP)

We’re stuck here at home
Feeling gray as those clouds
Can’t do a damn thing
Till the sun comes out

Tired of the thunder
Between you and I
Going crazy
Trying to stay high and dry

Just Waiting for
Waiting for

Chorus:
A break in the rain
A little blue in the sky
A little highway heaven
A little one of these nights
We’ll fall in love all over again
As soon as there’s a break in the rain

We’re gonna pack our bags
And head for the coast
Line up Margaritas
Till we overdose

It won’t take much time
Just a change in the weather
Hang in there, baby
It’s gonna get better

Just waiting for

Bridge
We’ll put our toes in the sand
Feel the waves roll in
Send Tequila kisses
On a tropical wind
Yeah, we’ll fall in love all over again

As soon as there’s

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Diamonds To Dust

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook idea and wrote the lyrics. Then I sent it over to Dan who put the melody to it.

Lyrics

Diamonds to Dust
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Dan O’Rourke (BMI)

Chorus:
From dust onto diamonds
Diamonds to dust
We started from nothing
And wound up as us
Our love was something
Now it’s something that was
From dust onto diamonds
Diamonds to dust

Verse:
Look what we’ve done
The tears that we’ve cried
We took something beautiful
Turned it into good-bye
Found no salvation
No matter how hard we tried
Ain’t that the way love goes
When you don’t get it right

Repeat Chorus:

Verse:
So easy to lose
But it’s so hard to find
Our love was so close to being
That one of a kind
We held on so tight
And oh how we shined
But even the brightest stars
Fade in the night

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Stars Around The Moon

Plays: 1

Backstory

Sam came in with a melody as he always does and Sarah shined up the melody as she always beautifully does. In this song we didn't have a hook and really just followed the feeling of the song. The line Stars around the moon came to me while we were writing the chorus and that stuck as the title.

Lyrics

Stars Around The Moon
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)

If they play our song tonight
You know I’m gonna wanna dance
And when they turn out the lights
You know I’m gonna wanna grab your hand,

Pull you in
Kiss you lips
Hold you close
Try to remember this, cause
If they play our song tonight
You know I’ll wanna dance

Where there’s smoke there’s always fire
Where there’s sky, there’s blue
Where there’s lightning there’ll be thunder
Where there’s lies, there’s truth
Where there’s vinyl there’ll be spinning
Round and round the room
Like stars around the moon
Where there’s me, there’s you

I only had half a heart
Skipping every other beat
You were the missing part
In every other memory

Thought I knew
What love was
How it acts,
What it does, but
I only had half a heart
Skipping every other beat

Bridge:
Like a needle needs a groove (Like Fireflies and June)
Ooh
You and I are living proof

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Honestly

Plays: 1

Backstory

When writing with Jake and Sydney the songs always seem to evolve from the stuff she hears from her friends. This was a product of one of those events.

Lyrics

brea
Honestly
John Cirillo (ASCAP), Jake Saghi (BMI) IPI# 550599118 , Sydney St. George (BMI) IPI# 550566660

I bummed a cigarette in the back the bar
Bought me a drink and that’s where it all started
We covered every topic under the stars
Where I’m from what you like and who we really are

I wasn’t looking for love I didn’t ask for it
I'm not the one who makes promises, promises
Like what we're gonna be, like what you'll do for me
I'm not the one who breaks promises, promises

Honestly I see right through your hy-
Pocrisy and everything that you
Constantly pretend to be oh
Since when did you decide I wasn’t worth your time

Honestly I just don’t see why you
Obviously don’t even try to take
Seriously The lies you tell to me
I think I’ve had enough of what you’re calling love
Honestly
Honestly

Smoke a cigarette and wonder where you are
Its 3am and I still don’t see your car no
This constant deja vu is getting kind of hard
Don’t tell me that your coming over if you aren’t

If you weren’t looking for love why did you ask for it
Why did you have to make promises promises
I’m sick of waiting around I’m tired of being let down
Why did you break those promises, promises
Chorus
And I don’t know what I did wrong
I don’t know where we go from here
I Guess it's time that I move on
I guess it's time for some honesty
Chorus

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

You Were Loved- AC/POP

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had a hook and we had an artist looking for a song to be played at a memorial service. Unfortunately the artist didn't take the song but we were proud of what we came up with.

Lyrics

You Were Loved
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Lewis (BMI)

We were kids once
We had forever and a day
Now the day’s come
Forever’s gone away
And I just miss you

Chorus:
I guess God knows what he’s doing
But that don’t make me okay
I keep thinking you’ll walk back through that door
I got the memories to prove it
Tears can’t wash away
All the reasons you were living for
You had faith
You had us
You were loved

Still the world turns
Somehow we go on
(how do we go on)
And it still hurts
Knowing I won’t see you again till my time comes

Repeat Chorus

Oh and sometimes
I can feel you in the air
Take a deep breath (and smile)
Knowing that you’re there

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Lie With Me

Plays: 0

Backstory

When Sam and Nicole and I got together I had brought in the hook Lie With Me. Sam, as always had a great melody and we went from there.

Lyrics

Lie With Me
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)

We try to hide
On the dark side
Of midnight

Scared of sunrise
Cuz we’re no good
At goodbye
Every time

Chorus:
Your using me, I’m using you
One more time then we’re through
Lie with me
Lie with me
Your breaking me, I’m breaking you
Tell me there’s nothin to lose
Lie with me
Lie with me

Shadows and secrets
The truth can’t reach us
Here

Lipstick and wreckage
Why can’t we just
Disappear

Bridge:
Oooh ooh
Oooh ooh

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

LOST ART OF LOVE

Plays: 0

Backstory

We were trying to write specifically for a synch brief about Valentine's day love and I had this hook, Lost Art Of Love. This is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Lost Art Of Love
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Alexander Frieden (BMI)/Brian McKenna

Watercolors
Sweet Violins
Under the covers
So it begins

Hidden passions hard to breathe
Found again in a midnight dream
Silhouettes, pirouettes
Dancing around us

A forgotten Masterpiece
Still in you, still in me
Hearts in dust
But still they beat
On the edge of what could be
Covered up
In both of us
And lies untouched
The lost art of love

Velvet moon
Satin sheets
Candlelight and whispered words
Spin around us in a blur
Our whole universe

CHORUS

It’s still in you
It’s still in me

CHORUS

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Love

Plays: 0

Backstory

We were wanting to write a song for a Hallmark Valentine movie and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Love
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Alexander Frieden (BMI)

Days shine
Brighter
Both our hearts
Grow lighter

We fly
Sky high
Chasing stars
In our eyes

Oh love (Oh, love)
Oh love (Oh, love)
We’re fallin (We’re fallin)
Oh we’re all in love (all in love)
Oh love (Oh, love)
Oh love (Oh, love)
Let’s call it love

Birds sing
Sweet dreams
Watercolor
Memories

Soft touch
Cheeks flush
Comes in waves
Nice slow rush

You put a spell on
Me, we belong
Together

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Soul Of The Heartland- Female

Plays: 0

Backstory

I was driving through Kansas a few years back with a lot of time to think and the idea of driving through the heartland made me think of "Soul of the Heartland" and what that looked like to an outsider. I wrote down my thoughts and brought it to Tori and Sarah and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Soul Of The Heartland
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Tori Martin (BMI)

VERSE:

You’ve got 6 generations Wild West blood
Running through your veins, mixed in the mud
And there’s a wind swept pride
Won’t be denied
You can feel it in your bones

Wheat fields and cattle far as the eye can see
All the dreams you work for they don’t come easily
But you’re right where you belong
What makes you strong
That heaven you call home

CHORUS:
In the soul of the heartland
You know this is good land
Never far away from a helping calloused hand
And if we can’t, we know Jesus can
Save the soul of the heartland

VERSE:
Some kids head to California and leave their boots behind
But some get up every mornin’, keep this way of life from dyin’
There’s faith and hope
Down every dusty road
One rainfall at a time

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
When you look across the sky
And you see what you’ve been givin’
This sacred ground beneath your feet
And you’re thankful that you’re livin’...

CHORUS

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Bitter Sweet Heart

Plays: 0

Backstory

The four of us were throwing out hooks and I heard a few words that were said separately and put them together for this hook.

Lyrics

Bitter Sweet Heart
Craig Lackey(ASCAP) / John Cirillo(ASCAP) / Larry Vail (ASCAP) / Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)

Took our time
To fall
Took our time
To fall apart

You were mine
To hold
Running blind
Into the dark

Ooh, lightning strikes
Ooh, almost got it right

Bitter sweet heart
Bitter sweet heart
Take a look at where we are
It’s bitter, bitter, bitter sweet heart

There was no
Smoking gun
Just a slow
Coming undone

Ooh, where’s the hope
Ooh, When you know
It’s over
It’s over
It’s over

Bitter sweet heart
Bitter sweet heart
Take a look at where we are
It’s bitter, bitter, bitter sweet heart

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Prettier

Plays: 1

Backstory

We started out with a different hook and started writing the story. When we got to the chorus it made sense to us to go in this direction.

Lyrics

Prettier
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sydney St George/Dan Reifsnyder(ASCAP)/Jake Saghi(BMI)

The dust has settled
Now you’re just a memory
I’ve gone over
Every word you said to me
And I wonder
What we coulda been
CuzI lost you
When she found you

And I just can’t let it go

Chorus:
Was she smarter than me
Loved a little harder than me
Tell me what she was that I wasn’t
Tell me what she did that I didn’t
Baby, what did you see in her
Maybe she’s just prettier

I still go downtown
To our favorite coffee shop
Across the table
From a chair that doesn’t talk
Feeling broken
Like I’ll always be alone
Cuz I lost you
When she found you

And I just can’t let it go

Bridge:
I shouldn’t care
And I shouldn’t cry
But these questions still
Keep me up at night

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

After Happy Ever After

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook, What happens after happy ever after. We wrote the story to wrap around that idea.

Lyrics

After Happy Ever After
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)

What do I do with these holes in my dreams
I don’t know
I don’t know

How will I ever be able to breathe
On my own
On my own

Does the world keep on turning
When bridges are burning
Hearts are breaking, hope is fading

Does the sun keep on shining,
When the pain is so blinding
And I’m just falling apart

What happens after happy ever after is over
What happens after happy ever after is oh, oh, oh,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ver, ooh, ooh,

How do you write what comes after goodbye
Cause I’ve tried
Lord, I’ve tried

If I’m being honest, the fairytale promise
Is a lie
Just a lie

When should I stop pretending
That this ain’t the ending
Does anybody know?

CHORUS

If I’m being honest, the fairytale promise
Is a lie
Just a lie

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Blue

Plays: 2

Backstory

With Sydney, it's usually her telling us about what's going on with her dysfunctional friends. From there we always seem to find something to write. Also, with her sometimes we start with nothing but an idea and start writing the verse and see where the chorus goes.

Lyrics

Blue
John Cirillo (BMI)/Sydney St George (BMI)/Jake Saghi (BMI)

Goodbyes make the saddest sound
When your heart, it hits the ground
I wonder what you're doing now
Without me there to hold you down

I close my eyes and try to sleep
And fill the space between the sheets
Colors fade and I can't see
Nothing but your memory

Chorus:
I I I looked upon the ocean
I I I looked up at the sky
I I I drowned in your eyes
But I see it so clearly tonight
That I never knew the color blue
Till I lost you

Morning shows its face again
And I wake up to the pain
Never knowing who to blame
I'm feeling like it should rain

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

I Will

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam and I wrote this when I losing a friend to depression and health problems. I played this song at his memorial.

Lyrics

I Will
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)

This might be the midnight talking
But I’m gonna say what don’t need saying
I got your back when it’s up against the wall
You pull me up every time I fall
What we got runs deeper than blood

Chorus:
Tell me when your world gets too heavy
So I can carry some of that weight
It don’t matter when or where, I’m ready
And I know you’d do the same
If you need me to walk through the fire with you, I will
Oh, you know I will

We all got our different roads to travel
Sometimes they’re paved, sometimes they’re gravel
I’ll be shotgun riding when the miles get lonely
Anytime, anywhere, just call me
Don’t matter how far you’re going, you know I’m in
You know I’m in

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Keep Me In The Dark

Plays: 0

Backstory

I brought in the hook, Keep Me In The Dark. Jake produced the basic tracks and Nicole found her melody and we came up with this.

Lyrics

KEEP ME IN THE DARK
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)/Jake Saghi (BMI)

I’m not afraid
To be the one you have to say got away
It’s a beautiful night
To call this love and just keep livin a lie

Pull the shades and pull me closer
Pretend the night is never over

Chorus:
Keep me in the dark
Just a spark, keep me hoping
You’re who I think you are
And my heart won’t be broken
I don’t want to see
What you don’t want me to find
Don’t wanna know the
Secrets that you hide from the light
Keep me in the dark
Leave your ghosts in the shadows
In the shadows

I’m not afraid
To keep pretending like it’s still yesterday
You whisper the words
And I’ll believe you ‘cause they sound so good

Being blind makes lovin’ easy
I don’t have to see to believe

Bridge:
Tiptoe round the truth
I don’t need to know it
All I need is you
2x

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Good Morning Midnight

Plays: 2

Backstory

Sarah and I wrote this to the brief for the Emotional Acoustic song pitch from Washington St Publishing due Feb 1, 2021

Lyrics

Good Morning Midnight
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Good Morning Midnight
Just you and me again
Waiting out the darkness
Will the darkness ever end
You’ve got the moon and stars
To keep you company
I’ve got a broken heart
That just won’t let me be

Oooh, ooh,

Good morning midnight
Will you wait with me awhile
Cuz right now the sunlight
Don’t know how to make me smile
Cuz all day long
All I see is empty space
And it seems so much emptier
In the honest light of day

Oooh, ooh…
Oooh, ooh…
Oooh, ooh…
Oooh, ooh...

Good morning midnight,
I feel so safe with you
Tucked in your shadows
Where my world is just us two
Where pain will never find me
And the silence is my friend
Wish you could be there
When the sun comes up again

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Bad Medicine

Plays: 1

Backstory

We were wanting to write a song for sync with as few words as possible while conveying an emotion and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Bad Medicine
John Cirillo (ASCAP/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Craig Lackey (ASCAP)/Larry Vail (ASCAP)

Chills
Down the spine
Fever
Of the killing kind
Temperature's rising, no surprising

Your love will be the death of me
You’re baaaaaaaad
You’re Baaaaaaaaad
You’re Baaaaaaaaad
Bad medicine

Skin
Burn into mine
Kiss
Like poison wine?
Heart exploding, I give in knowing

Your love will be the death of me

CHORUS

Ins Bridge - 4 x through chords

CHORUS - 2 x “Baaaaad” octave down

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Even The Moon Gets Lonely

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook idea, Even the Moon gets lonely, and asked Jayne to write it with me. We were trying to find a sound that matched the thought.

Lyrics

Even The Moon Gets Lonely
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653 /Jayne Sachs (ASCAP) IPI# 722551170

Where are all the stars, it’s an empty sky tonight
Sending out the darkness on the wind
Nothing but the black, why are they hiding like that
Leaving just one light hanging by itself again

Even the moon gets lonely
No matter how bright it shines
It never gives up, never loses hope
That tomorrow it won’t be alone
Like me
Even the moon gets lonely

The night goes on and on, my heart tries to do the same
But some wounds you know they’re slow to heal
Trying to be strong, but there’s nothing to wish upon
Is the world really as dark as it feels?

Bridge:
Ooh, waiting on the sun in the eastern sky
Ooh, tomorrow night we’ll get one more try

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

HOLD YOU IN

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the first few lines of the first done when I met Jack to write. We kind of build the song from there.

Lyrics

Hold You In
Jack Rosies(PRS) /John Cirillo (ASCAP)

We had our toes in the sand
Getting high on dreams
I felt you rush through my bones
Like a cool ocean breeze

Why do summers have to end
Why's the winter air so thin
Our love was so much younger then

Chorus:
Ain't love a lot like breathing
You let it in; you let it out
You couldn't stop it if you tried
It could fill your nights with fire
Or run ice cold through your heart
Guess we're somewhere in between there tonight
I can't hold you in much longer

Now there's frost on the window
As cold as your kiss
We can't get warm anymore
If we go on like this

And we're struggling for air
Your bags at the foot of the stairs
Just cuz we're broken don't mean we don't care

Chorus:
My love I know you're leaving
There's nothing keeping you here now
I couldn't stop you if I tried
I used to fill your nights with fire
Now I'm a cold place in your heart
There's no somewhere in between here tonight
I can't hold you in much longer
I can't hold you in much longer
This is goodbye

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

ON THE ROCKS

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this idea of "Me and My Scotch on the rocks". It sounded kind of cool. Sarah added her amazing sense of melody and we worked out the lyrics and came up with this.

Lyrics

On The Rocks
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Sarah Spencer (ASCAP) IPI#424449461

Sitting in the dark
Listening to the rain
I think I’m drunk again
Whispering his name
I can still taste
His last kiss on my lips
Now he’s gone
That’s what I get, what I get

For falling way too hard
Thinking love is real
Opening this hopeful heart
Now all that’s left
Of all I ain’t got
Is just me and my scotch
On the rocks

Ice cold to the touch
Burning down my soul
Making the truth easier to swallow
But the morning’s gonna come
And I can’t stop the sun
Blinding light shining on my pain

Bridge:
When the glass is empty
And the bottle runs dry
No 8o proof to blur the truth
Just hollow a alibi

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Break You

Plays: 2

Backstory

Sarah and I wrote this for the Songs Of Betrayal pitch due Feb 1, 2021.

Lyrics

Break You
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

Shadows under streetlights
Whispers in the dark
Numbers that keep ringing
Who knows who they are

My minutes turn to hours
When your secrets hide away
Nothing but splintered shards of glass
When a heart is betrayed

Chorus:
You’re breaking me
You’re breaking me
You’re making me
Want to break you
I wanna break you

Lipstick on a coffee cup
Perfume on the sheets
Kisses tasting empty
Where our love used to be

I’m dancing with your alibis
To someone else’s song
If you think that you’re fooling me
Well, honey, you’re so wrong

Bridge:
You can’t hold me hostage
With your promises
Everything I’ve lost is
Now so worthless
So worthless

Last Chorus:
You’re breaking me
You’re breaking me
You’re making me
Want to break you
So I’m gonna break you

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359l.;0161

Hey Karma

Plays: 0

Backstory

Michael had an idea of wanting to write a song about karma. He had some life experiences he wanted to work into the song so this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Hey Karma (copyright Gaither/Cirillo 2014)

Hey Karma
You help people get their due
The bad ones slip right through - that’s why I called

Hey Karma
I know the ones you missed
If you want I’ll make a list - no trouble at all

There’s a guy who cut me off on southbound Highway 1
He thinks this parking lot – is something he’ll outrun (fat chance)

Hey Karma
I know you’re a busy guy
That’s the reason why I’m your man

Hey Karma
I’m not one to judge
Not known to hold a grudge, but on the other hand

I had an aunt down in Atlanta contest the family will
Those brakes could easily go on her old Coup de Ville (I’m just sayin’)

Hey Karma
Might be too much on your plate
But there’s those who shouldn’t wait – yeah, you know who

Hey Karma

I’m not playing any games
I got numbers – I got names – I’m here for you

CEOs and politicians – we could lose a few
Self-righteous type musicians – I might know one or two

Hey Karma
Jesus will forgive
He said “live and let live” but I’m not that nice

Hey Karma

Hey Karma

Float Your Boat

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sydney had the hook "Float your boat" and was talking about how she noticed how girls treated other girls and how she didn't want to be like that.

Lyrics

Float Your Boat
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Dan Reifsnyder(ASCAP)/Sydney St George (BMI)

If I was a mirror I’d be seeing you more
If there’s no one else around you’d be knocking on my door
You’re way too busy to talk but then
When the weather is fair I’m your best friend

This ain’t high school, it’s the real world
One day you’re gonna have to grow up girl

Chorus:
I ain’t got time for your BS
Life’s too short so baby God Bless
You can do what you want til you cross my line
Go on and float your boat, just don’t sink mine
Go on and float your boat, just don’t sink mine

You been spreading stories, girl, what the hell
Grinding me up through your rumor mill
Karma's a bitch, and she’s coming for you
She’s gonna clip your wings and steal your parachute

Be careful who you step on as you climb to the top
They won’t break your fall when you finally drop

Bridge:
Here’s a match, there’s a bridge
It’s up to you what you do with this
Here’s a match, there’s a bridge
No turning back, hope you can swim

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

What You're Afraid Of

Plays: 0

Backstory

Not much to say on this. Every time that Sam and Nicole and I get together, Sam comes in with an awesome melody and we try to take the song where it wants to go.

Lyrics

What You’re Afraid Of
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI#334682653
Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI) IPI#550162327
Nicole Lewis (ASCAP) IPI# 600690382

Chorus:
Tell me what you’re afraid of
The dream or the wake up
Are we a shot in the dark
Is it only a spark that we’re made of

Are you lost in the shadows
(Still) Running from ghosts
Fighting your battles
While you’re keeping me close

What do you see with your eyes closed
Blinded by regrets
Why do your kisses grow so cold
The hotter we get

Repeat Chorus

I can be your salvation
safe place to land
The love we could be making
If you just let me in.

Tell me what you’re afraid of
The dream or the wake up
Are we a shot in the dark
Is it only a spark that we’re made of

Are you afraid you might feel it
Way too true to believe it
Only one way to know
Where this midnight is going to take us
Tell me what you’re afraid of

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Nothing Left But Love

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had this hook idea, Nothing Left But Love, and Kim, being amazing at melodies put together the melody and we wrote this song. It took a lot of rewrites until we were satisfied with lyrics, but the melody I think speaks for itself.

Lyrics

Nothing Left But Love-female

Baby, we let the little things stand in our way
Fightin’ ‘bout nothing ‘til it’s something just like we did today
I don’t wanna see the sun go down without us making up
I wanna hold you till there’s nothing left but love

Chorus:
Let’s open our hearts
To get to what is true
Reach deep inside
To the love in me an you
We’ll push away the anger
I know we’re strong enough
Let’s open our hearts
Till there’s nothing left but love

Looking in your eyes I see my lover and best friend
We always find a way to fall in love all over again
Nothin’ in this world will ever come between us
So, hold me, don’t let go, till there’s nothing left but love

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
Love’s about forgiveness
Tenderness and trust
Let me lay down,
And get lost in your touch

Repeat Chorus

© 2013 Kim Franca/John Cirillo
(615) 891-2265/(831) 359-0161
john.cirillo@gmail.com
www.johncirillo.com
www.reverbnation.com/johncirillo

Streets Of Paris

Plays: 0

Backstory

When I write with Sydney our songs evolve around whatever we're talking about that. We just had this cool vision of what it would be like for young lovers to be in Paris and wrote around that.

Lyrics

Streets of Paris
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Sydney St George (BMI)/Jake Saghi (BMI)

A silk sheet memory
You kissed me, no sleep
Did we or was it just a sweet dream

Red wine, midnight
Blue eyes, hold tight
White lies, figure it out in the morning light

CHORUS
We were like two lovers
On the streets of Paris
Strangers under city lights
Our hearts were careless
Running full speed into
Reckless abandon
Not knowing where we were going
Just drowning in the moment
Like two lovers
On the streets of Paris

Slow moves, vinyl blues
Perfume, tattoos
Ooh, time was all that we had to lose

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Colorado

Plays: 0

Backstory

I live part time in Colorado and Sydney is from Colorado and as we talked about the mountains we came up with this story line.

Lyrics

“Colorado”
© John Cirillo / St. Cruz Publishing (ASCAP),
Sydney St. George (BMI),
Sarah Spencer / Big Oak Songs (ASCAP)

You packed these country roads
In the back of your beat up Wrangler
Rolled up my mountain high
In a box on the passenger side

You picked those stars we used
To wish on and took ‘em with ya
Left me here with nothing but the Aspens
And a cold wind

Chorus:
Colorado
Used to be you and I
Now it’s just me, under these empty skies
And the stars ain’t even here to see me cry
All those mountains,
That we’re never gonna climb
And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a darker night
You left a shadow over my beautiful
Colorado

You left my broken heart
Scattered cross a frozen highway
And now the snow is falling
Trying to cover up that there's nothing left of us

Colorado
Used to be you and I
Now it’s just me, under these empty skies
And the stars ain’t even there to see me cry,
And all those mountains,
That we’re never gonna climb
And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a darker night
You left a shadow over my beautiful…

Bridge:
Sun was brighter; air was sweeter
You were mine and I loved deeper,
I’d be a liar if I told you I was all right in

[Chorus]

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Stars Don't Lie

Plays: 3

Backstory

Tamara and Sarah and I wrote this for a specific pitch on SongU regarding an acoustic romantic love song.

Lyrics

Stars Don’t Lie
John Cirillo/Sarah Spencer/Tamara Laurel

The moon might try
To change the tide
But it won’t pull us apart

And the sun she knows
No matter how she glows
She can’t outshine our hearts

In a galaxy of a billion lights
It just takes two to get it right

The stars don’t lie
When they align
It’s you and I
On this perfect night

Ain’t it funny how
It all worked out
Beyond our wildest dreams

And the magic lives
On every kiss
Between you and me

In a galaxy of a billion lights
It just took two to get it right

The stars don’t lie
When they align
It’s you and I
On this perfect night

In a galaxy of a billion lights
It just takes two to get it right / What are the odds we’d find

The stars don’t lie
When they align
It’s you and I
On this perfect night

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Say Goodnight

Plays: 0

Backstory

Kimiko and I decided to have some fun and try to write a lullaby to fit a pitch on SongU. We brought Jimmy in to help us get there.

Lyrics

SAY GOODNIGHT
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Taylor Kimiko Wernecke (BMI)/Jimmy Borja (ASCAP)

VERSE
eyes wide open
till the dawn
Dreams awoken
Sweet song

In the darkness
We are strong
Every heart is
Holding on

PRECHORUS
Safe into the arms of a stranger’s prayer
Silhouettes and shadows everywhere

CHORUS
Come with me, I’ll show ya
Lullabies and silver skies
Take my hand and won't cha
Whisper me a soft goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight
Say goodnight

VERSE 2
Follow footsteps
In my sleep
Where the time went
In too deep

© john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

BEFORE YOU GO

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam and Alaina decided to write a song to fit a SongU synch pitch opportunity for a romantic song and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Before You Go
John Cirillo/Sam Gyllenhaal/Alaina Stacey

Soft and easy
Fingers breezing
Down my skin
Hold me closer
Sweet emotion
Sinkin in
Again and again

Hearts on fire
Hopes burn brighter
Falling fast out of the cold
That full moon feeling
Sunrise dreaming
Make it last and make it slow
One more kiss before you go

Warm and tender
Never ender
Don’t stop now
Gotta leave but
Give me reasons
To turn around
And fall back down

Oooohhh
Ohhh before you go
Oooohhh
Ohhh before you go

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Marionette

Plays: 0

Backstory

Alexander, Tamara, Brian and I wrote to a brief listed in SongU for a Romantic song and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Marionette
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Brian McKenna (BMI)/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Alexander Frieden (BMI)

Take me
Dancin
I’m in your
Hands yeah

As long as
I’m yours
It don’t matter what happens
When the sun comes up
Drinking it down you’re the whiskey in my coffee cup
And you lift me up, no matter what (I’m your)

Marionette
Heartstrings attached
Twisted up, no looking back
My silhouette
Under your control
Pull me anywhere you want me to go
Spin me around
Heels over my head
I’m your Marionette
I’m your Marionette

Wrapped a-
round your
Finger
Sweet crush

Holdin
On for
Dear life
And I’m hungry for your touch
Flying high, and I’m feelin’ drunk on love
And it’s all because
You lift me up, you lift me up

BRIDGE:
I’ll go
where you want me to
where you want me to
where you want me to
Show me
How you want me to move
How you want me to move
How you want me to move
I’d do anything for you
I’m your marionette
I’m your marionette

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

True Believer Female

Plays: 0

Backstory

I had the hook, True Believer, when we sat down to write a couple of years ago. They liked the idea I had for where the song wanted to go. Troy made up the majority of the melody and Tori added her vocals sensibilities to the mix.

Lyrics

True Believer
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Troy Castellano (SESAC)/Tori Martin (BMI)

You know I need you like the earth needs the rain
You know I’ll be there, oh baby would you do the same?
I want you to know that I don't want to go through this world alone
So if you’re gonna love me, baby love me strong

CHORUS
I need a true believer,
Keeper of my heart
Even when it's hard
Cause you know, you know that
I’m just a dreamer, crazy dreamer
And I need you to
Be my true believer

There will be times when it seems like the world’s spinning
Out of control, I gotta know are you all the way in it
There's no room for doubt, we’ll figure out, that’s what loves about
So if you’re gonna love me, baby love me now

CHORUS

BRIDGE
Like I believe in love
Like I believe in us
Like I believe in you

CHORUS

TAG: My true believer

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Nothing Left But Love Duet

Plays: 0

Backstory

One of the few times I had the opportunity to write with Kim I heard a story in my head with this hook. She helped carve out the majority of the melody and we decided to make this into a duet.

Lyrics

Nothing Left But Love - Duet
Kim Franca/ John Cirillo

Baby, we let the little things stand in our way
Fightin’ ‘bout nothing ‘til it’s something just like we did today
I don’t wanna see the sun go down without us making up
Wanna hold you till there’s nothing left but love

Chorus:
Let’s open our hearts
To get to what is true
Reach deep inside
To the love in me an you
We’ll push away the anger
I know we’re strong enough
Let’s open our hearts
Till there’s nothing left but love

Looking in your eyes I see my lover and best friend
We always find a way to fall in love all over again
Nothin’ in this world will ever come between us
I’m gonna hold you, I won’t let go, till there’s nothing left but love

Bridge:
Love’s about forgiveness
Tenderness and trust
Let me lay down,
Get lost in your touch

© 2013 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Run To The Fire

Plays: 0

Backstory

Alexander sent several tracks he had made and we picked this one to write to. It took a while to figure out where we were going. But once we figured that all out this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Run To The Fire
© 2020

Sharp pain
Dull knife
Long dark days
Bleeding never ending nights

Gotta feed a soul that’s hungry
Gotta feed the ghosts that haunt me
Gotta feed a demon that don’t wanna die believe it you’re the ashes I’m the Phoenix
And I’m still breathin

Chorus:
Run, I
Run, I
As the flames get higher
On a tightrope wire
Don’t care if I’m dyin
I run to the fire, I
Run, I
Run, I
As the flames get higher
On a tightrope wire
Don’t care if I’m dying
I run to the fire

Bare feet
Deep scars
Up in sweet smoke
Goes my broken heart

Gotta feel it burn me up, yeah
Gotta feel it hot enough, yeah
Gotta feel the freedom or I’m gonna die believe it you’re the ashes I’m the
Phoenix
And I’m still breathin

Bridge:
Gotta feed a soul that’s hungry, ooh, fire
Gotta feed the ghosts that haunt me, ooh I

John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Tamara Laurel McGuckin (BMI)/Alexander Frieden (BMI)

Dirty Money

Plays: 3

Backstory

We wrote this song for a TV show that got shelved due to the Pandemic. Looking for other synch opportunities.

Lyrics

$ Dirty Money $

Champagne, diamonds, Rodeo drivin
High life, can’t kill my vibe

Aces up high to the sky wanna hide one up your sleeve gonna leave ‘em guessin
Come take a ride on the priceless side, it’s time to meet your new obsession

Dirty dirty money
Dirty money
Make me feel so lovely
Workin’ ‘till I’m lucky
Gimme gimme sticky money honey
Dirty dirty money
Dirty money
Ain’t no one above me
I can’t hear your trash talkin
Over my cash talkin

Black card, no limit, I want it, I get it
Fast cars, first class, just do, don’t ask

On the sunset strip in a brand new whip ain’t never gonna quit til it’s all mine all mine
Stacked up to the roof, bank ran outta room, gotta spend every dime before I die

© 2020 John Cirillo/Tamara Laurel/Alexander Frieden

The Sound Of Christmas

Plays: 1

Backstory

This was one of the quickest songs I think I ever wrote. We knew that the Oakridge Boys were looking for a Christmas song for their catalog a couple of years ago and we had very little time. So I think I wrote the lyrics in about 30 minutes and I sent them over to Chip, who put a melody to it and created a demo in another 30 minutes. So I know you have to get by the macho male voice here but I think the concept works just as well for a female.

Lyrics

The Sound of Christmas
John Cirillo(ASCAP) and Chip Martin(BMI)

It’s the crackle of the fire
As the pinecones pop like corn
It’s Autry singing Rudolph
While the little ones sing along
It’s grandpa dressed like Santa
Laughing, Ho Ho Ho
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

It’s the crinkle of wrapping paper
Followed by the oohs and aahs
Then it’s off to church to hear the choir
And all give thanks to God
It’s the silence of the morning
Tucked in blankets of fresh snow
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

Chorus:
Daddy says grace at the table
Three generations say amen
Then it’s eat and drink and talk and laugh
With family and friends
“Oh little town of Bethlehem” on the radio
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Blame It On The Midnight

Plays: 0

Backstory

As always Sam came in to our write with a melody. I had this hook-ish idea of Blame it on something or other and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Blame It On the Midnight
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)

It ain't like you're perfect for me
Those forever eyes
They don’t make me
Wanna spend all night just lookin at ya

Don’t go thinkin that you’re on my mind
A sweet daydream
All the time
It ain’t like I can’t live without ya

It ain’t your last call kiss
Or your fingertips making my heart beat
Ain’t your slow dance spinnin like a summer wind
Drivin me crazy
With that smile so California
It ain’t like I’m fallin for ya
Nothin to do with the way you move in the moonlight
Blame it on the midnight

Round I go gettin lost in the dark
Tequila shots
Straight to my heart
It aint my fault if I get a little too poetic

Just because you’re leavin lipstick tattoos
All over me
And I can’t breathe
Don’t mean I’m in starlit high heel heaven, forget it

Chorus

Bridge:
Move in closer
Night ain’t over
And I can’t help it
No I can’t help it (Cuz)

It’s your last call kiss
And your fingertips making my heart beat
It’s your slow dance spinnin like a summer wind
Drivin me crazy
With that smile so California
We both know I’m fallin for ya
It’s got everything to do with the way you move in the moonlight
Blame it on the midnight

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

TinselTown

Plays: 0

Backstory

Tamara and Sarah and I decided to write a Christmas song and Sarah had the idea of TinselTown.

Lyrics

Tinsel Town
John Cirillo/Sarah Spencer/Tamara Laurel McGuckin

When the calendar flips over to December
And Smoke curls from a fireplace
We can always count on winter weather
To put rosy cheeks on a child’s face

Yeah see the signs
It’s Christmas time

Chorus:
When every rooftop comes alive
Blinking red and green and white
Mistletoe windows aglow
While snow is falling down
Every year and all around, yeah
We light up our Tinsel Town

We decorate our Christmas trees
And we deck the halls with silver bells
While the Carols ring out in the streets
All the songs we know so well

Oh how we shine
At Christmas time

CHORUS

All the sights and all the sounds
Lighting up our Tinsel Town

[Chorus]

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Chasing Down The Storm

Plays: 1

Backstory

I had this idea for a song with the hook Chasing Down The Storm. Sam came up with the melody and this is what we created.

Lyrics

Chasing Down the Storm
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI) IPI#550162327

It’s a half past a little too late, I’m hitting the door
I’d try not to hurt you, but I’d wind up hurting you more
I got demons in my back pocket dying to be set free
St Christopher’s long since given up on me
Dark clouds are blowing east
So east is where I’m bound

Chorus:
There’s a lonely road I’m gonna run
It’s the only road I know
Where I’m going there ain’t no sun
Old friend thunder’s gonna roll
And lightening, sweet Jesus
Strikes where every sin is born
But I always had a taste
For chasing down the storm

You see, I’m a hurricane ready to blow
When I touch down, there’s no safe place to go
I don’t trust blue skies cuz they don’t stay blue for long
I’m just nothing but bad news born to be moving on
Dark clouds are blowing east
So east is where I’m bound

Bridge:
Next time it rains, take a look around
It might just be me rolling into town

© 2015 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Invincible

Plays: 0

Backstory

Dan had this hook, Invincible, and played a lot of the song when we got together that day to write. We talked about it some and decided to finish it together.

Lyrics

Invincible
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Dan O’Rourke (BMI)

We call ‘em the good old days
When we ran free and wild cross the borderland
And that long lost place
Is now an 8 X 10 on the dresser stand
And I remember when

Chorus:
When we used to drive fast
And we would love as though it would last
We thought we knew it all
And we could fly like we never would fall
Before we got burned and our lessons were learned
In the days too young to see
When we were invincible

And I don’t feel sad
Cuz those memories warm me on a winter’s night
All of the love that was had
Was really wrong but never really right
But oh I never asked why

Bridge:
Though I’m older now I still know how to cross that line
Just with a cautious mind
When I couldn’t die
I won’t forget

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

A Little More Freedom- Country

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam came in with a melody and it felt like a song about freedom. We decided to write about how it felt to just in the car and drive. In this version we included a few specific US locations.

Lyrics

A Little More Freedom
John Cirillo(ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI) IPI#550162327
Nicole Lewis(ASCAP) IPI# 600690382

Virginia Beach or San Francisco
I’ll go whichever way the wind blows
I’ll be chasin’ the sun on my face
Feel every shadow fall away

Rev the engine, put it in drive
Leave the city lights behind me
Leave it all behind me

Chorus:
I need wheels
Open road
Nowhere I gotta be
Feel the earth
Touch the sky
Sweeter air I can breathe
I keep on dreamin’
Of a little more freedom
Break away
Chase the wind
Leave without a goodbye
Great escape
Leap of faith
While I still got the time
I keep on dreamin’
Of a little more freedom

I can almost touch those Rocky Mountains - all my troubles -
Somewhere along the way I dropped ‘em
Let ‘em go, one by one
Fading in the setting sun

Ain’t turning back, ain’t missin’ home
I’ll go wherever this highway takes me
Far as it can take me

Bridge:
I keep on dreamin
I keep on dreamin

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

No More Tequila For Santa

Plays: 0

Backstory

Michael is a good friend and a good Americana singer/songwriter. He brought the title and we wrote the story around his idea.

Lyrics

No More Tequila For Santa
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Michael Gaither(ASCAP)

I used to leave out milk and cookies
For Santa on Christmas Eve
It’s been years since he stopped by here
But I still believe

So I put out something stronger
In hopes that he’d drop by
A bottle of Jose Cuervo
Now the big guy just ain't right

Chorus
No more tequila for Santa
He really tied one on
No more tequila for Santa
He's passed out on the lawn
He crashed his sleigh into my Chevrolet
And that just all kinds of wrong
No more tequila for Santa
Till Christmas day is gone

Now it’s quarter past midnight
And those toys won’t deliver themselves
I put the coffee on, double strong
For my inebriated elf
And you know it's all gonna be all my fault
If christmas doesn’t happen this year
Now santa’s sharing his tequila
With all eight tiny reindeer

Bridge:
Apologies to all the kids
For the mis-delivered gifts
But you should the viral photographs
Hashtag Drunk santa gifs

Tag
He’ll blow an 0.5 in those friendly skies
I hope Rudolph knows the way home

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Water and Stone

Plays: 0

Backstory

Whenever the three of us get together Sam always brings a great melody to work from. I had this idea of this singer/songwriter style of music to write about love (how novel, huh?) and we put this all together. Sam and Sarah's voices are just so dynamic, it's hard to go wrong writing with them.

Lyrics

Water and Stone
John Cirillo/Sam Gyllenhaal/Sarah Spencer

Through floods and droughts and firestorms
Through highs and lows and civil wars
Slow and steady, strong and sure
We rise above,yeah,we endure

CHORUS
And our love flows
Like a river runs
Through the canyon
Deep in our bones,
Like granite walls still standing
A constant current callin ya home,
Our love’s made of water and stone

With golden hearts and gentle hands
We head into the Promised Land
Like river rocks and steady rain,
You shape me and I move you babe

CHORUS

So fall asleep here in my arms
Dream of waterfalls and shooting stars
We’ll ride the rapids through shifting tides
Carve out a place for us every night

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Floatin'

Plays: 0

Backstory

Dan and I met with one of Dan's friends, Nick, knocked around some hook ideas and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Floatin’
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/ Dan O’Rourke (BMI)/ Nick Halsted (ASCAP)

The sun is shining
River’s taking me for a ride
I don’t know where I’m going
All I know is I’m feeling all right
What can I say
It’s a beautiful day
Just to sail through life

Chorus:
Yeah I’m just floating
Going through the motions
I’ve been told not to fight it when the current’s pulling strong
So I’m just floating
Ignoring commotion
Yeah I'm going with the flow and I got it pullin me along

The tide’s going out
But my ship’s coming in
Sometimes the waves come crashing
Feel like a drowning man
Oh but not today
World is turning my way
Feeling high and dry

Bridge:
Some people sink
Some people swim
But not me

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Decorating That Tree

Plays: 0

Backstory

Jessie, Carrie and I came together last summer or early fall and talked about writing a Christmas song. Jessie was really into it because she has some amazing Christmas stories with her family from when she was growing up. She decided to go into the "decorating the Christmas tree" story because it meant so much for her. And that is what we ended up writing about.

Lyrics

Decorating That Tree
Jessie Treneer, Carrie DeMaeyer, John Cirillo

V1
First Sunday in December
It’s a day to remember
Mark my calendar every year

We put up our Christmas tree
Oh- what a sight to see
I guarantee
That you’ll hear

Dean Martin vinyl spinning
Silent night we’re all hanging
A piece of our own history

CHORUS

Every single decoration
Is a Christmas celebration
Of a special memory
Homemade Santas, silver bells
And the stories that they tell
Of my family
Yeah, it’s our wonderful, colourful life
decorating that tree

V2
Homemade candy canes
Handprints with crooked names
Peeking out between those blinking lights

Little presents on a string
And the tinsel twinkling
Looking magical & bright

Grandma’s angel made of gold
Broken wings but she still holds
The stories of a 100 winter nights

BRIDGE
As the years go on
The traditions still holds strong
In blue and gold and silver, red and green

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

The Sound Of Christmas- Orleans

Plays: 0

Backstory

Chip and I wrote this song a few years ago for a multi-harmony country group who ended up not covering it. Chip then had the opportunity to play guitar for the 70's Classic Rock band, Orleans, who had several hit songs during the mid-70's- mid-80's. Earlier this year they went hunting for a Christmas song and chose this one. Chip also happened to be the one to produce it.

Lyrics

The Sound of Christmas
John Cirillo(ASCAP) and Chip Martin(BMI)

It’s the crackle of the fire
As the pinecones pop like corn
It’s Autry singing Rudolph
While the little ones sing along
It’s grandpa dressed like Santa
Laughing, Ho Ho Ho
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

It’s the crinkle of wrapping paper
Followed by the oohs and aahs
Then it’s off to church to hear the choir
And all give thanks to God
It’s the silence of the morning
Tucked in blankets of fresh snow
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

Chorus:
Daddy says grace at the table
Three generations say amen
Then it’s eat and drink and talk and laugh
With family and friends
“Oh little town of Bethlehem” on the radio
That’s the sound of Christmas we all know

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Don't Look Down

Plays: 1

Backstory

Sam, Nicole and I got together for another one of our wonderful co-writes. As always, Sam had a melody for us to write to. As we listened I looked through my hook book and saw my title, Don't Look Down, which we thought fit the style of the melody. I think Sam was into a bit of a introspective mood that day because we wrote what I think is one of his most biographical songs we've ever written.

Lyrics

Don’t Look Down
John Cirillo, Sam Gyllenhaal, Nicole Lewis

When I was5 years old I was told
I could be whatever I wanted
So I tied my cape,
Told myself I was bound to fly

So At Seventeen, Toyota wings
Took off on a wild hare rocket
Not a lot has changed
Still got them pipe dream eyes

The faith gets heavy
The weight of gravity
Ain’t gettin any lighter
It’s a risk, it’s a rush
When you’re this high up in the clouds
Tightrope walking
The wire up in this sky
I’m flying higher
I’m a love and a learn
I’m a crash and a burn
To the ground
But I don’t look down

Easy come ain’t no fun
Always had to learn it the hard way
So I picked up my share of bruises
And battle scars

Cheap success and safety nets
Only ever left me hangin
So I chase what’s out of reach
And thank my lucky stars

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Southern Cinderella

Plays: 0

Backstory

Casey and I sat down a while back and started throwing out melodies and song ideas. This is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Southern Cinderella

A sweet slow song that we love
Coming out the radio
Fireflies shine like Christmas lights in June
We hold on tight to each other
Like we can’t let go
Nights like this, girl, always end too soon
But kisses taste sweeter, feelings get stronger
Love grows deeper as the night gets longer

Chorus:
Girl, you look like a southern Cinderella
Dancing under this blue moon sky
Just ask the stars, they’ll be the first to tell ya
Love takes its own sweet time
And it’s only midnight

Night wind whispering our names
Like a magic spell
Ain’t no better time for that next kiss
A bright star shoots across the heavens
Ain’t that beautiful
Just close your eyes, and make a wish
Cuz the night bird’s singing, the hoot owls calling
The world stopped spinning but we’re still falling

BRIDGE:
We’re just two shadows in the dark
Hiding from sunlight,
We still got all night
To get lost in each other’s arms

© 2013 John Cirillo/Casey Smalley

HEY SANTA

Plays: 0

Backstory

Denny and I decided we had to write a Christmas song during this long hot summer. Denny did all the production, Nicole Boggs came in and laid down a beautiful soulful vocal and here's what we came up with.

Lyrics

Hey Santa
John Cirillo/Denny Martin

Firelight, mistletoe
Winter white with a Christmas glow
Half past late, our kids asleep
Just chardonnay and you and me

Hey Santa, time to lose the beard
Toss that big red suit, slide over here
Spin me around to a Buble tune
Hey Santa, there’s only you on my Christmas list
Hey Santa, bring me your kiss
My Santa

Getting lost in stereo
Step by step, barefoot toe to toe
As the song softly plays
The clock strikes 12, it’s Christmas day

Chorus

I still believe, I still believe
I still believe in you…

Chorus

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

MOONLIGHTING- MALE

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam and Nicole and I got together for one of our writes. Sam, as always, brought in a cool melody. We were going through our hook books and I had this title, Moonlighting, which really fit the melody and mood of the song.

Lyrics

Moonlighting
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)/Nicole Lewis(ASCAP)

Sun sliding down a rusted sky
Stars hanging just killing time
We’re all waiting on it, waiting on it
I’ll be waiting on you
Hurry up, we got somewhere to be
We’ll catch a ride on the evening breeze
And sneak away

Chorus:
You and me moonlighting
Out with the full moon shining
Blackberry wine on a love drunk kiss
Nothin’ better on a night like this
Lost in a midnight moment
Keep the feeling we got going
Lay a blanket down on a summer night
You and me, we’re gonna be moonlighting

Gimme that sweet honey talking in my ear
Nobody but the crickets hear
Lay some loving on me, loving on me
I’ll be loving on you
Two shadows dancing round the dark
The world’s sleeping and the night’s all ours
Till sunrise

Bridge:
Baby let’s go moonlighting
Out with the full moon shining

© 2017 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Dangerous

Plays: 0

Backstory

While driving through Kansas on our way to Colorado a few years ago I had several hours of no scenery to kill. The idea that Dangerous could be broken down into a little bit of a play on words had me occupied until we hit the Colorado border. I brought that hook home with me and pitched it to Dan and off we went.

Lyrics

Dangerous
John Cirillo (ASCAP) IPI# 334682653
Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP) IPI# 334488645

We’ve been down this road before
You’d think by now we figured out
Our love just leads to slamming doors

But we don’t know, when to let go
It ain’t no use, we light the fuse
And we explode

Pre-Chorus:
Lost in the dark
And in each other’s arms
And we know in our hearts
It’s dangerous,
We know we should stop
But the fire’s too hot
So good, but it’s not
It’s dangerous

Chorus:
Danger you, danger me,
Danger us
Danger us, danger me
Danger us

This wicked love is like a drug
We get high, come crashing down
But right now we’re tangled up

Repeat Pre-chorus

Repeat Chorus

We’ve been down this road before
You’d think by now we figured out
Our love just leads to slamming doors

© 2016 john.cirillo@gmail.com/ 831.359.0161

LOVE IN MOTION- FEMALE-WORK TAPE

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam and Nicole and I got together and as always Sam brought in the melody. I had the hook, which lined up with the melody pretty well, and we took it from there.

Lyrics

Love In Motion
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/ Nicole Lewis (ASCAP)

You’ll be my highway Romeo
Coastline, winding road
Feeling
The way I’m feeling

I’ll be your spring Magnolia breeze
Floatin’ high on Free Fallin’
Ain’t no stopping

We’re a full moon midnight
Running all the red lights
All the way to Sunday morning
You and me, full speed
Turning every heartbeat
Into sweet thunder storming
Lets ride
Them good feels rollercoastin’
Honey we got
We got love in motion

Flow with the tidal wave we’re in
Close your eyes, jump in
Fearless, wanna be fearless

There ain’t no time for slowin this
High is worth the risk
Flyin’, just like flyin’

Chorus

Lets ride
Lets ride
Chorus over that

Chorus

© 2019 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Dressing Up A Lie

Plays: 0

Backstory

Alaina, Sarah, Sam and I zoomed up for a write a few months ago. As usual, Sam had a great melody and I think it was Alaina had the title. She was reminiscing about a little episode she had that morning about being late and grabbing someone else's coffee at Starbucks.

Lyrics

Dressing Up A Lie
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Alaina Stacey (BMI)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

This isn’t my latte
That ain’t my name in sharpie
So sorry whoever you are

I’m gonna blame it on traffic,
Thank God I don’t panic
I’ll just do my make up in the car

(Cause) I keep my cool, I never cry, I’m never wrong,
I’m never late, I’m always zen, I’m always on,
I’m always wearing the perfect alibi
Cause I’m really good at dressing up a lie

When I get angry
I make the dirty words pretty ??
Wrap it up all neatly in a smile

If I fall on my face,
You know I do it with grace
Yeah I’m always slipping up in style

(Cause) I keep my cool, I never cry, I’m never wrong,
I’m never late, I’m always zen, I’m always on,
I’m always wearing the perfect alibi
Cause I’m really good at dressing up a lie

I keep it to myself
So nobody knows it
Foolin everyone else
Take my open book and close it

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Freight Train

Plays: 0

Backstory

Dan and I zoomed in with Marcy to work for songs for her band in Texas. She had a hook, Freight Train, with a few guitar licks and we took off from there.

Lyrics

Freight Train
Marcy Grace/Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)/John Cirillo (ASCAP)

You crashed in like a runaway
Through my nights, ain’t got no brakes
I ain’t ever been hit, never been hit like this before
Now you got me wanting more

Chorus:
You hit me like a freight train
Feelings rushing in
Loving me the right way
My heart just let you win
Now we’re going off the rails insane
And I got nothin’ but you on the brain
You hit me like a freight train

I didn’t see you coming
I can’t deny your loving
Kisses sweet as honey, honey, come on, kiss me again
Don’t want this ride to ever end

Downhill 100 miles an hour
No stopping now, no slowing down,
Now we’re

Running like a freight train
Feel those feelings rushing in
You’re loving me the right way
My heart just let you win
Now we’re going off the rails insane
And I got nothin’ but you on the brain
You hit me like a freight train

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Be With You Baby

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam, Alaina and I got together earlier this month to write a song for a SongU pitch. Unfortunately we were unable to get it produced in time for the deadline. Originally this was written as a female song. But Sam heard a male version of this song and tweaked around to make it fit.

Lyrics

Be With You Baby
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal (BMI)/Alaina Stacey (BMI)

Take a drive up the coast with me
And we’ll go where we go, really
Who cares
As long as you’re there

All the stars in the sky falling
Midnight moon in your eyes, calling
Me over
Drawing me closer

Oh, the two of us
Drifting into love

I just wanna be with you baby
All that I can think about lately
Is one more kiss, can’t resist love like this
Driving me crazy
Yeah, I just wanna be with you baby

Staying up til the sun rises
Leave the world in the dust, highest
We’ve been
Here we go again

Oh, the two of us
Never get enough

I just wanna be with you baby
All that I can think about lately
Is one more kiss, can’t resist love like this
Driving me crazy
Yeah, I just wanna be with you baby

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

So This Is Love

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sarah and I sat down to write a song a couple of weeks ago to pitch to WSP pitch for Rom-Com songs. This is what we came up with.

Lyrics

So This Is Love
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)

I dream about falling
I dream about giving away my heart
I dream about walking
Hand in hand below the same shooting star

Ooh
I opened, opened my eyes to find myself in the scene
Ooh
I opened, opened my soul, now I see you looking back at me

So this is love
Messy, crazy, all of the above
That paint by number forever kind of stuff
Finally found us

We didn’t see it coming
Just some cliff that we jumped off, no big thing
And now we’re both flying
In each other’s arms, on each other’s wings

Look
At you, look at me, look at us getting something right
Ooh
I see it, see it all laid out in picture perfect light

So this is love
Messy, crazy, all of the above
That paint by number forever kind of stuff
Finally found us

So this is love
The one thing that we can’t get enough of,
That once in a lifetime fairytale, where…

Bridge
Where every touch, every kiss
Every hope, every wish
Every morning, every night… I don’t want to miss

So this is love
Messy, crazy, all of the above
That paint by number forever kind of stuff
Finally found us

So this is love
The one thing that we can’t get enough of,
That “spend our whole lives” kinda fairytale fun
Finally found us
So this is love

(C) 2022 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

MY OH MY MALE

Plays: 0

Backstory

Sam and Nicole and I got together for our write. We started throwing out titles from our hook books and landed on this one; My Oh My.

Lyrics

My Oh My
John Cirillo(ASCAP)/Sam Gyllenhaal(BMI)/Nicole Lewis(ASCAP)

I got a gold lined Lottery ticket,
Got an ace high, yellow brick road
And the bluebirds singing it,
You know I’m diggin it

Gray clouds, keep on movin’,
Hey, good sounds keep on groovin’,
Hey tide keep turnin, turnin’ my way

Chorus:
Look at that sunshine
My oh my, my oh my, my oh my
Yeah Lady Luck’s ‘bout to be a friend of mine
Woah
A little bit of blue sky
Flying high, flying high, flying high
I got a feeling I’m gonna feel alright, I
Got sweet vibrations headed my way
Flyin high?My oh my oh my

Three, two, wonderful feelin’
Me, you, yeah we’re free wheeling it
Easy streetin’, for no good reason

Don’t take a lot of cash
To put that smile in a photograph
Got to make it last, yeah

?© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

True Believer Male

Plays: 0

Backstory

Troy, Tori and I met at SESAC to write. I had this idea about a True Believer and we got to writing it from our own perspectives. This is what we ended up with.

Lyrics

True Believer
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Troy Castellano (SESAC)/Tori Martin (BMI)

You know I need you like the earth needs the rain
You know I’ll be there, oh baby would you do the same?
I want you to know that I don't want to go through this world alone
So if you’re gonna love me, baby love me strong

CHORUS
I need a true believer,
Keeper of my heart
Even when it's hard
Cause you know, you know that
I’m just a dreamer, crazy dreamer
And I need you to
Be my true believer

There will be times when it seems like the world’s spinning
Out of control, I gotta know are you all the way in it
There's no room for doubt, we’ll figure out, that’s what loves about
So if you’re gonna love me, baby love me now

CHORUS

BRIDGE
Like I believe in love
Like I believe in us
Like I believe in you

CHORUS

TAG: My true believer

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Sipping Pretty-Work Tape

Plays: 0

Backstory

Spencer and Presley was a touring group a couple of years ago. Sarah and I met with them to write a song for their catalog. They have since gone their separate ways but we still have this song...

Lyrics

Sipping Pretty
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Sarah Spencer (ASCAP)/Spencer Bartoletti/Presley Tucker

Pina colada and a beach umbrella
Coconut oil and let me tell ya (I’ve been)
Catchin the eye of every local fella,
Yeah I got it made in the shade

Making waves in a polka dot bikini,
I don’t care if everyone sees me,
They just mad cause they all wanna be me,
Take it up with the HOA,

Chorus:
Sippin’ pretty
In my own front yard
Life is easy
And my drinks are hard
When the whole worlds spinning out,
You know where you can find me,
Defying gravity, little tipsy,
Sippin’ pretty

Home Depot sand and a kiddie pool
Lookin hot while I’m keepin it cool
Killing time with all my favorite fools
Me, myself and I

[Chorus]
Bridge:
When the sun goes down
I take a look around
And there’s no place I’d rather be

(Than) Sippin’ pretty
In my own front yard
Life is easy
And my drinks are hard
When the whole worlds spinning out,
You know where you can find me,
Defying gravity, little tipsy,
Kinda dizzy, man, this drink is fizzy,
There’s no place I’d rather be...than
Sippin’ pretty

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Old With You

Plays: 1

Backstory

Troy and I got together to write. We burned through a lot of our hook book. Then Troy threw out the hook "Old With You" and we both thought that it could be a really good song to write if we made it about promising forever to the one you love.

Lyrics

Old With You
Troy Castellano (ASCAP), John Cirillo (ASCAP)

I’ll never forget
The first the time we met
I was a little drunk
Can’t believe what I said
You just rolled your eyes and I
Knew I blew it

Another day gave me
Another chance
Must have said something right
You must have lost your senses
So go ahead and roll your eyes
Cause I know you love me

You know I love you too

Chorus:
I want to grow old with you
Take these dreams and make ‘em all come true
Watch your beautiful brown hair slowly fade to gray
Day by day, highs and lows
I want to grow old with you

Can you see it now?
A cute little house
Pink or blue baby’s room
Don’t matter anyhow
Now you’re smiling and crying
And I think we see same thing

Bridge:
We’re only young once in our live, so I

© 2018 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Streetlights

Plays: 1

Backstory

Tori had this idea of recreating the feeling she had when she was growing up. So we wrote

Lyrics

Streetlights
Tori Martin (BMI)/Dan Reifsnyder (ASCAP)/John Cirillo (ASCAP)

I was barefoot biking with all my friends
A small town posse chasing the wind
Freedom was all ours back then
Till the street lights came on

Summertime always meant baseball
Then we’d cool off down at Ruby falls
Dive head first with no fear at all
Till the streetlights came on

Chorus:
I miss that world, where did it go?
County fairs and swimming holes
When my best friend lived a stone’s throw away
Chasing girls we never caught
Fishing all day at our fav’rite spot
Nothing’s ever so good as the good ol’ days
That summer sun
And having fun
Till the streetlights came on

We were running rebels, thick as thieves
Still couldn’t wait to turn 18
Now looking back we lived the dream
Till the streetlights came on

CHORUS

Bridge:
Oh those memories, will always be a part of me

CHORUS

© 2020 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Being Human

Plays: 2

Backstory

I had a hook in my head, we're just human beings being human, and threw it out into the mix as Craig and Tori and I were trying to find an idea to write. We landed on this one and this is what we came up with.

Lyrics

Being Human
John Cirillo (ASCAP)/Craig Lackey (ASCAP)/Tori Martin (BMI)

Some are saints
Some are demons
Most of us fall somewhere
In between ‘em
Sometimes we’re blessed
Sometimes we’re cursed
We try our best
Still do our worst

Makes you wonder what God must be thinkin’

CHORUS:
We’re just human beings being human
We’re just mankind kinda trying to get along
We’re just people you and I
We all live until we die
We keep failing and keep dreamin’
That’s just human beings being human

Made you cry
Made your heartache
Made you think maybe I’m
Just a heartbreak
Lord, I try
Hard every day
I’m just a guy
What can I say

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
We all crash and burn chasing after stars
But after all, ain’t that just who we are

© 2021 john.cirillo@gmail.com/831.359.0161

Or, send me a direct message by filling out the form below.

Your name

Your email

Message

Website