Listen to the song; #5 on THE LIGHTER SIDE OF ME
1988 - Speaking of unfinished Bluegrass songs, here is another one I found in my notes written on 8-8-1988. However, I had revisited it in 1995 and added some lines, but never really played it. This one also had the word “Bluegrass?” written on the top of the yellowing ruled paper. The melody idea stuck with me all those years and when I started working on my second album project called “The Lighter Side Of Me”, I felt that this one would fit in really well. So I reworked the lyrics once again and worked out the structure and arrangement. Looking back to then, I wish I had recorded it a lot faster; around 160 bpm or more instead of 130 where it ended up. I think I’ll probably redo it up-tempo when I compile an all Bluegrass album sometime in the future; God willing. Oh and if you hear “I’m sure you can fix that” at the end of the song, that’s Jeff Hornbuckle who played Dobro on the song. I’d like to take a moment to recall some of the major events of 1988 year. Of course, the main one was that Chelsea was born in August of that year. She was our third daughter in a row and we wondered if we’d ever have a boy-although looking back now God really knew what he was doing since the three girls are all so close to this day. Other memorable events of 1988 include:
• Microsoft releases Windows 2.1
• Super Mario Brothers 3 is released in Japan
• Reverend Jerry Falwell sues Hustler magazine for defamation
• Televised Iran-Contra hearings drone on and on
• Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis duke it out for the Democratic presidentialnomination. Michael ultimately won.
• George H.W. Bush wins the Republican nomination
• The Last Emperor wins nine Oscars
• The promotion of homosexuality in schools was outlawed in the UK
• The first prototype B-2 Stealth Bomber is revealed
• The first transatlantic telephone cable to use optical fibers is completed
And now for the lyrics to the song:
KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE WHEEL
Words and music by Reggie Michaud © 1988
Father don’t you let these green eyes wander one degree to the left.
Never let my way of thinking ponder one degree to the right!
Keep me always on the straight and narrow; never let me wind up in the ditch.
No time for these hands of mine to squander gifts You’ve given me on gettin rich.
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life Lord
Keep my eyes on the road you have paved
With this log in my eye, I’m unable to drive
Without your hand on the wheel of my life
Keep your hand on the wheel of my life.
Suffering under visions of grandeur I had veered off to the left
Feeling left behind and rejected, I had swerved off to the right
Down so many dead end roads and highways, I have wasted precious time
Living life like I don’t need a savior, fruit could never grow without the vine
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life Lord
Keep my eyes on the road you have paved
With this log in my eye I’m unable to drive
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life
Keep your hand on the wheel of my life
1988 - Speaking of unfinished Bluegrass songs, here is another one I found in my notes written on 8-8-1988. However, I had revisited it in 1995 and added some lines, but never really played it. This one also had the word “Bluegrass?” written on the top of the yellowing ruled paper. The melody idea stuck with me all those years and when I started working on my second album project called “The Lighter Side Of Me”, I felt that this one would fit in really well. So I reworked the lyrics once again and worked out the structure and arrangement. Looking back to then, I wish I had recorded it a lot faster; around 160 bpm or more instead of 130 where it ended up. I think I’ll probably redo it up-tempo when I compile an all Bluegrass album sometime in the future; God willing. Oh and if you hear “I’m sure you can fix that” at the end of the song, that’s Jeff Hornbuckle who played Dobro on the song. I’d like to take a moment to recall some of the major events of 1988 year. Of course, the main one was that Chelsea was born in August of that year. She was our third daughter in a row and we wondered if we’d ever have a boy-although looking back now God really knew what he was doing since the three girls are all so close to this day. Other memorable events of 1988 include:
• Microsoft releases Windows 2.1
• Super Mario Brothers 3 is released in Japan
• Reverend Jerry Falwell sues Hustler magazine for defamation
• Televised Iran-Contra hearings drone on and on
• Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis duke it out for the Democratic presidentialnomination. Michael ultimately won.
• George H.W. Bush wins the Republican nomination
• The Last Emperor wins nine Oscars
• The promotion of homosexuality in schools was outlawed in the UK
• The first prototype B-2 Stealth Bomber is revealed
• The first transatlantic telephone cable to use optical fibers is completed
And now for the lyrics to the song:
KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE WHEEL
Words and music by Reggie Michaud © 1988
Father don’t you let these green eyes wander one degree to the left.
Never let my way of thinking ponder one degree to the right!
Keep me always on the straight and narrow; never let me wind up in the ditch.
No time for these hands of mine to squander gifts You’ve given me on gettin rich.
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life Lord
Keep my eyes on the road you have paved
With this log in my eye, I’m unable to drive
Without your hand on the wheel of my life
Keep your hand on the wheel of my life.
Suffering under visions of grandeur I had veered off to the left
Feeling left behind and rejected, I had swerved off to the right
Down so many dead end roads and highways, I have wasted precious time
Living life like I don’t need a savior, fruit could never grow without the vine
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life Lord
Keep my eyes on the road you have paved
With this log in my eye I’m unable to drive
So keep your hand on the wheel of my life
Keep your hand on the wheel of my life
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