John Speckine Music

Written in Greece, summer 1985. This is the last song My Jody heard me write.

Music & Lyrics ©1985 by John Speckine

I went home to see my friends and family

Not to look up my old flames

But then, by chance, again, I saw you

And I found out just how little it takes to

CHORUS:

Open those old wounds

From years gone by

And even though

They're old, they still can make me cry

The times we shared back then were special

And times I guess I won't forget

The mem'ry of the pain, I thought I'd hidden

Then I saw you again and then I let you

CHORUS

BRIDGE:

I always loved you

And you never left my mind

I always loved you

I guess I picked a rotten time to let you

CHORUS

Not written with anyone in particular in mind. Just me being tired of living alone.

Music & Lyrics ©1987 by John Speckine

I'm sorry if I came on just a little bit too strong

I'm sorry if the things I've tried to tell you came out wrong

I'm sorry I don't have the time to take it nice and slow

But I wanted you to know some things about me before I go

I'm not the perfect man - I wouldn't tell that lie

But I would do my best to make you happy 'til I die

I know you think that I have jumped a little bit too fast

But you're the very first girl who's made me forget the past

CHORUS:

And so, I want to fall in love again

I want to be somebody's life, somebody's only man

Livin' life alone ain't livin', so I'll take the chance

To trust my feelings one more time

I'll gamble on romance

Sometimes I get impatient 'cause I hate to live alone

I hate when everything I do must be done on my own

I want to have someone to share the things that we both like

And when the day comes to an end, I want her by my side

I want someone to share my dreams; I want a family

I want to have a baby son who looks a lot like me

Now, I've been burned and I'm afraid of being hurt again

But if I don't take chances, I'll be lonely 'til the end

CHORUS

CHORUS

A promise I made to My Jody. One of many I wrote before going to basic training. This was her favorite.

Music & Lyrics ©1982 by John Speckine

(renewed ©2003, ©2016, ©2025)

LYRICS:

It's a long way to

Where you're going, and

Where you're going is

Where I'll be

My heart will always

Be there with you, and

You know when you might

Ever need me

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

You mean more to me

Than any other thing

In this world could ever mean

And I love you

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

You mean more to me

Than any other thing

In this world could ever mean

And I love you

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

I'm gonna be there

And I'm gonna love you

Yes, I'm gonna love you

With all of my heart

Jody asked me to write her a song about Teddy Bears, Raggedy Ann and lollipops. I couldn't fit in the lollipops.

Music & Lyrics ©1982 by John Speckine

Renewed: ©2003, ©2016, ©2025

This song was requested by a certain young lady who still loved her stuffed animals and such. She wanted a song about Teddy bears, Raggedy Ann and lollipops - I couldn't fit in the lollipops - and this is the story I came up with.

This is one of my late father's favorites. He always said if I ever released it, I'd make a million. Not yet, but we'll see. :)

LYRICS:

Soft, cuddly Teddy Bear’s

In love with Raggedy Ann.

He sits in his corner

And loves her all he can.

But she just sits up there on top of the bed

And she won’t give to him the love he wants so bad.

Soft, cuddly Teddy Bear

Starts climbing up the sheets,

Hoping against hope

There’s a chance that they will meet.

But when he’s halfway up, the door flies open wide.

He rushes to his corner for a place where he can hide.

In rushes Mary Ann.

Her eyes are full of tears.

She goes to Teddy’s corner.

His heart is full of fear.

She carries him over to the bed and leans him against the wall

right next to Raggedy Ann, who makes him feel so small.

He looks at her shyly.

She gives him a little smile.

He wonders: “What’s going on?

"She ain’t done that for a while.”

And then she reaches for his hand and holds on to it tight.

Together, they help Mary Ann make it through the night.

And now Teddy’s happy.

There’s love in his life.

He stays on the bed now

With Raggedy every night.

Music & Lyrics ©1982 by John Speckine

Renewed: ©2003, ©2016, ©2025

I wrote this song for my then-fiancée right after I'd joined the Air Force. I was going to surprise her with it when I came home in May 1983 to marry her, but I forgot my guitar at my base. Dork. But she still loved the song when I played it for her when we got home. I hope you and your future spouse will love it as much as she did.

RE: Weddings, I would suggest this song be used during the ceremony. My song "WHO GOD MADE FOR ME" would be a good reception/dollar dance song. :)

LYRICS

The night's long

The night's cold

But I'm warm

'Cause you're here to hold

Growing old

Will be ours

Together

I'll love you

'Til the clock strikes forever

And I'll never

Bring you pain

'Cause that's what you fear

I'll make you feel

Warm and secure while I'm here

My life here

On this world

Was destined

For me to love you, girl

While on Earth

Until the

Day I die

I promise

I won't make you cry

Dry your eyes

I'll make you feel the way

You've always wanted to feel

I'll bring you happiness

And proof of a love that is real

I want to give to you

Everything I can

I want to be with you forever

Take my hand

©1982 John Speckine

Music & Lyrics ©1982 by John Speckine

Renewed: ©2003, ©2016, ©2025

Lyrics below.

Another song for My Jody the first year we were together. I remember wanting to create something completely different (for me) - not rock, not country - so I started off with a weird chord (C#m) and went from there.

LYRICS:

Love

Soft and warm

Is between

You and me

Until dawn

And the sun

Starts to shine

You are mine

For all time

Spring rushes in

Winter's gone

We'll go on

In our love

Oh, how strong

Stay with me

Always be with me

Say you'll never leave

Stay by my side

For all my life

And I

Would do for you

Anything

Even sing

When you're blue

And hope that I

Will always be

The one you see

Every night

Starts shine bright

Love is there

In the air

You and me

Side by side

Stay with me

Always be with me

Say you'll never leave

Stay by my side

For all my life

I'm so glad I found you, girl

You've made me look at a

Brand new world

And I

See the sky

Clear and blue

I love you

Oh, my love

In your eyes

Soft and brown

Love is down

Deep inside

And the sun

Starts to shine

You are mine

For all time

Side by side

Stay with me

Always be with me

Say you'll never leave

Stay by my side

For all my life

Words and music ©1982, 2003, 2016 by John Speckine

Another pre-basic training song for My Jody.

Music & Lyrics ©1982 by John Speckine

Renewed ©2003, ©2016, ©2025

Another of my happy love songs for Jody before we got married.

LYRICS:

Living my life with you, girl

Has put my life in a real whirl

My love for you is running so deep

When I'm awake and when I'm asleep

It'll be there forever

I'll always love you

No matter what

I'll always be with you

No matter what

When you tell me you love me

My heart beats harder inside me

You're so beautiful; I love you so much

So charming and sweet; I can't get enough

I'll love you forever

I'll always love you

No matter what

I'll always be with you

No matter what

You're so beautiful; I love you so much

So charming and sweet; I can't get enough

It'll be there forever

I'll always love you

No matter what

I'll always be with you

No matter what

Music & Lyrics ©2000 by John Speckine

Renewed: ©2016, ©2025

LYRICS:

Well here I am all alone again

At the mid-point of my life

I let myself fall in love with you

A thing I said I would never do

I fooled myself into thinking I

Might even win one this time

I let my hope take control, it seems

I let myself start to dream the dream

It's there in front of my face; it's there in front of my heart

But it's so hard to capture

It's there and suddenly gone and my heart feels more alone

After feeling the rapture

Of the fleeting touch of Forever's Butterfly

Memories flood inside my head

Like watching you while you sleep

Or when you'd give me that special smile

That, alone, made it all worthwhile

And the times I'd look in your eyes

While I would sing you your songs

That look, that smile, they will stay with me

As long as I have a memory

It's there in front of my face; it's there in front of my heart

But it's so hard to capture

It's there and suddenly gone and my heart feels more alone

After feeling the rapture

Of the fleeting touch of F

All words and music ©1988 by John Speckine

Renewed: ©2003, ©2016, ©2025

I've decided to keep this song "unplugged".

Lyrics below.

BACK STORY (get a sandwich):

When I got to Greece on the 6th of May, 1985, I was married. When I left Greece on the 6th of May, 1988, I was not.

When the military charter landed in Philadelphia, both myself and a guy I knew had to go to Bayonne, NJ to pick up cars we'd had shipped in. Being a Friday, we rented a car and hustled to Bayonne so we could hit the road home that night. Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time and had to spend the weekend at a motel.

Neither of us had been in the states for three years and since we had to stay in Bayonne (we could see the Statue of Liberty from our room), we figured we might as well take in a ball game. Neither of us had seen one of those in three years either. So we checked to see who the Yankees were playing and who the Mets were playing, and we'd take a taxi to the ballpark.

As it turned out, both teams were on the road. Figures.

So, Monday morning, the 9th of May, before the port opened so we could get our cars, we stopped at a Burger King (we didn't have THAT for three years either) to get a breakfast sandwich.

In front of me was a young lady in her USAF uniform. She and I started a conversation and found out we were both from Michigan - and then it gets a little weird.

The girl to whom I was married when I went to Greece was from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Now as I get home from Greece, I meet a girl who is from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. But not the same town. THAT would have been TOO weird.

KISMIT? I thought: Maybe.

This girl's name was Carol (and probably still is). We talked until she had to leave to catch her flight to Ramstein, West Germany and her new base, and I had to get to the port to get my car and start the drive back to Michigan.

Upshot: We promised to stay in touch. I gave her my address and she gave me hers in Germany. We wrote religiously for several months, sending each other pictures and every once in a while calling each other at work, until one day she wrote me saying she'd met a guy there at Ramstein and they were getting pretty serious.

That was that.

Anyway, I wrote this song shortly after getting to my new base, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and sent her a tape of it. She called me crying because she liked it so much. A couple of months later, I got that letter. Story of my life.

LYRICS:

Monday morning, the 9th of May

In New York City you came my way

We stayed together 'til time had come

For me to leave you and go back home

I didn't want to say goodbye

But we both had a place to go

I'd have a long day on the road

And you would spend the day up in the sky

You send me letters and pictures too

Sometimes I call you, but I'm still blue

I wanna have you with me every night

And give you my love for all my life

You've made my heart feel so alive

I thought that it had passed away

But on that sunny 9th of May

You came and put love back into my life

I know I can't be with you, but honey, don't you fret

Nobody could replace you because I can't forget

The girl I fell in love with; the girl I met that day

Back in New York City on the 9th of May

In New York City on the 9th of May

All words and music ©1988 by John Speckine

Words and music ©2018 by John Speckine

Lyrics below.

This song is remembering the preparations Jody and I made in 1982 for our wedding the following spring.

And then she was gone. I call it a "kick in the gut" song, but writing it proved helpful, therapy-wise. Artistic license used in describing losing her. I don't like to go there.

LYRICS:

I remember when our love was new

I'd stay awake all night and lay with you

We'd laugh and talk and make love all night long

And then you'd stay in my arms until dawn

One day I asked if you would be my wife

You said "Yes" and changed me and my life

We made a kiss for when we'd say "I do"

A kiss of pure emotion; I fell more in love with you

We had "I love you" kisses

That we used to practice for our wedding day

We used to practice every night

Because we wanted it just right

It took our love to greater heights

We had "I love you" kisses

On our wedding day, we used that kiss

Nothing else could be as good as this

We didn't want the kiss to ever end

So we caught our breath and kissed again

But for all good things, there comes a time

And the day came when I would lose mine

I made you take your kisses and walk out the door

Now I'd give everything if I could only have one more

I miss "I love you" kisses

That we used to practice for our wedding day

I miss so much since you've been gone

The loving high that we were on

My best friend and our time alone

I miss "I love you" kisses

I miss "I love you" kisses

That we used to practice for our wedding day

I miss so much since you've been gone

The loving high that we were on

My best friend and our time alone

I miss "I love you" kisses

I miss "I love you" kisses

That we used to practice for our wedding day

I miss so much since you've been gone

The loving high that we were on

My best friend and our time alone

I miss "I love you" kisses

Words and music ©2018 by John Speckine