THESE DAYS [ country blues; co-written by Daniel Muhammad ]                           Back not all that long ago                           On the heartland family farm                           Fires burning warm at night                           Grantin' shelter from the storm                           We could swim and fish all day                           Not a worry or a care                           When we got back to the house                           Supper was waiting there                           These days, the good life's hard to find                           Tryin' to put food on the table                           We stretch the ties that bind                           Seems love for God and family                           Is goin' out of style                           Takes a lot to smile, these days                           Guess it’s true we all grow old                           An' leave the simple past                           Move on in to the city                           Where the neon pace is fast                           Wrong-way streets an' broken dreams                           Bitter memories that don't pass                           An' at the bottom of this bottle                           There’s just an empty glass                           These days, love is growin' cold                           On the altar of technology                           We sacrifice our soul                           Fiction rules the classroom                           While truth is put on trial                           Takes a lot to smile, these days                           Seems that life’s just one big lesson                           You’re never out of school                           All these things they brag about                           Are really not that cool                           These days, divided votes are cast                           At the turn of a new century                           Fear is risin' fast                           Security an' freedom                           Are hard to reconcile                           Takes a lot to smile, these days                           Yeah, takes a lot to smile, these days             Copyright © 2004 by Daniel Muhammad and Richard Aberdeen Copyright © 2005 by Freedom Tracks Music No part of this material may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher and signed by the author.  Inquiries: Freedom Tracks Music ~ Records, 292 Trails Circle, Nashville, TN 37214 or requested via eMail.  Essays entitled Revolution and Revolution -- Side B are open copyright and may be reproduced or utilized as often as one likes.