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Ain't No Need

from Leaving Town by Joshua Arthur Tison

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about

A few years my back, my brother was doing time & I was writing him everyday. The first time I visited him on that stint, it was for a surprise on his birthday. I took off work for three days & hitchhiked nearly 200 miles one way. Showed up with about $300 to spend with him in the commissary for eight hours of visitation. I told him I was working with the union doing solar farming. He scoffed because when he’s out of prison, much like my father, he’s a boilermaker – primarily working shutdowns for paper mills, nuclear parks and powerplants. He pointed out that I was working to push the green agenda, essentially working against what my family chose for a career. I didn’t want it to be like that but I didn’t see it like that until he pointed it out. From time to time when I see a postcard in some gift shop, I think of writing to him since he’s back up the road again.

I don’t have much to write him about knowing that he’ll probably say it was all a lie one day. See, after he got out of that stint in Apalachee, I took off work, rented a car, picked him up & took him home. Found months later that he felt he would’ve done better staying in prison – at least people cared about him there. Claiming no one has ever cared that he was alive.

To think that he feels that way about my mother & nana is incomprehensible. As far as my love & care for him, I’ve always worried that I don’t do a good job at showing my family how I feel – so I just take it as constructive criticism. I hope he doesn’t ever regret saying that about them, but if that day should come I hope he knows it didn’t change the fact that my mother & nana still loved him very much.

lyrics

Verse:
E // B7 // C#m

Chrous:
B7 // C#m

Bridge:
E // B7 // C#m

if all the letters that i wrote to you
were blowing smoke against the lonesome wind
then all the tables where our hands have shook
were never made of money that would spend
soon enough they’ll close their eyes —
i’ll lay their bones to rest down in their widowed beds
& if you ever make it home
i'll hope your soul forgave the fact that you weren’t there

ain't no need to mind
ain’t no need to lie
ain't no need to try
ain’t no need to cry

all them trees, they still bend
just like all the shores i’ve never cared to see
i found you’re back to getting yours
man I swear it seems you never want to leave
you may have heard i’m doing well
no, i’ve just learned what kind of love I ain't need
man if i ever pass an ole post office
i’ll let you know you've lost most everything

credits

from Leaving Town, released April 25, 2023
Recording/Mixing: Ryan Stanley & Lance Corbett of Choice Recordings - Gainesville, FL
Mastering: Dan Flanagan of Acoustic Fury Records - Jacksonville, FL
Artwork: Charlie Shuck (photographer & songwriter) - Jacksonville, FL

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Joshua Arthur Tison Jacksonville, Florida

singer / songwriter currently in jacksonville, florida • ig : @joshuaarthurtisonmusic

owlcreektapes.bandcamp.com

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