Listen to the winning songs of the DSA 2014 Song Contest in the Singer Songwriter category!

All songs, lyrics, and recordings are protected under their respective authors by copyright law. Use and distribution of any of these materials requires express, written permission by the authors of each work.

1st Place – “Open Up” by Denise Rosier, Lake Forest, CA

Lyrics:

VERSEWhen a stepseems too hard to takeEvery turn feels like a big mistakeIt makes you wanna close your eyes and hideTrust yourselfEven if you’re scaredDon’t give up, don’t give in to fearAll the strength you seek you’ll find inside

(CHORUS)Open upSpread your wings and rise aboveThe clouds in your mind that blind you to who you really areDon’t waste your timeNo one else can live your lifeOpen upOpen upTo what you’ve known all the timeYou are more than you areYou are more than you are

(VERSE)Speak your mindMake a statementDon’t hide yourself out in the openStep into the spotlight and shineBe the changeFall like a dominoA chain reaction that sets the world aglowBe amazed at how it falls in line

(CHORUS)Open upSpread your wings and rise aboveThe clouds in your mind that blind you to who you really areDon’t waste your timeNo one else can live your lifeOpen upOpen upTo what you’ve known all the time

BRIDGERound and round and round we goWe don’t fall downMore than flesh and boneWe’re heart and soul, light and miracles

REPEAT CHORUS

2nd Place – “Say That You Love Me” by Gracie Lott, De Soto, TX

Lyrics:

I don’t need diamonds,All I want is time,Time to go everywhereAnd to do everything with you.But you could climb mountains,And you could sail the seas.You could see the wonders of the world,But you’ll never see how much you mean to me.

And it’s easier to keep quiet,Safer when your loves unrequited.But if you were to sayThat you felt the sameWell this whole thing could change.

If you said that you love meSay that you need me.Say that you’ll never, never leave me.Say that you want me.Say that you’ll haunt me.Say that you love me.Say that you love me.

We don’t need music,And we don’t need a bandFor you to swing me aroundAnd for us to slow dance.And maybe it’s the way That ya look in my eyes.Or maybe it’s the way You catch me by surprise,But I just can’t say good night.

And this feeling is complicated.And there’s no easy way to say this.But if you were to sayThat you felt the sameWell this whole thing could change.

If you said that you love meSay that you need me.Say that you’ll never, never leave me.Say that you want me.Say that you’ll haunt me.If you say that you love meSay that you need meSay that you’ll never ever leave me.Say that you want me.Say that you’ll haunt me.If ya say that you love me.Say that you love me.Say that ya love me, love me, love, Love me. Love me, love me, love, love, love.Say that you love me.Come on baby, say that you love me.Say that you love me.Say that you love me.Say that you love me.

3rd Place – “Small Town Living Life” by Stephen Blackwell, Wills Point, TX

Lyrics:

Small TownDaddy was a minister and we moved around a lotBut when it comes to talking bout home there’s just one spotIt was a little bitty town in the middle of no whereOn the edge of those piney woods I learned to care

ChorusAnd I played baseball and footballAnd went cruising in my parents vanI built fences and hauled hay and learned how to be a manMet the girl of my dreams who’d later be my wifeI thank God I was in a small town livin’ life.

When I was there I tried my best to get outSmall town life wasn’t for me I needed a different routeBut the further I got away the closer I needed to beTo those big brown eyes and those tall pine treesChorusBridgeSo I married that girl of my dreamsWe moved a lot too it seemsI know where I need to be.Right where my kids can see.

I played War games in creek beds and drove 4 wheelers all day longAnd in the back of Ms. Brown’s class I wrote my favorite songsSang in church choir the solo always went to Andie KayAnd now I’m living the sweet life with my east texas girl todayAnd I moved back there with my two boys and my smokin’ wife I thank God I’m in a small town livin’ life.