I’m in Level 1 voice class for the second time and still working on the same thing, which is to say power and volume (these are related, but not exactly the same thing). 15 years of trying to not be heard over the radio has taken its toll, and without realizing it I had lost the ability to sing any louder than that. We are all working on the same thing, but this is the second class now where I have struggled with it more than anyone else has.

Singing loudly would be hard for me under any circumstances, but what’s worse is that we’re supposed to be unmusical – if you feel like you’re yelling out the song, you’re doing the exercise correctly. So I have to both be loud *and* sound like crap. And then stand up and deliver this masterpiece to the class. This is really, really hard for me to do.

I picked a new song for my second time through, and I really searched for one that felt like it should be belted out as loud as possible. I sang it at class for the first time last week, and found it interesting that people said that even though I *still* wasn’t loud enough, they felt like I really have a connection to the song. They are right; there are two important relationships in my life which have had elements in common with this song at different times. It doesn’t fully match either one of them, but the emotion the song invokes is spot-on, and some of the specifics are right as well.

I’m not going to explain any more than that, so as to not embarrass anyone else (I’m beyond worrying about it :) but I am going to post the lyrics to the song after the jump, as much for posterity as anything. Without knowing who, when and why, it probably won’t mean much to the rest of you.

Stay, by Sugarland

(originally posted at lyrics007.com, a few errors fixed here)

I been sittin’ here staring

At the clock on the wall

And I been layin’ here prayin’

Prayin’ she won’t call

It’s just another call from home

And you’ll get it and be gone

And I’ll be crying

And I’ll be beggin’ you baby

Beg you not to leave

But I’ll be left here waiting

With my heart on my sleeve

Oh for the next time will be

Seems like a million years

And I think I’m dying

What do I have to do to make you see

She cain’t love you like me

Why don’t you stay

I’m down on my knees

I’m so tired of being lonely

Don’t I give you what you need

When she calls you to go

There is one thing you should know

We don’t have to live this way

Baby why don’t you stay

You keep telling me baby

There will come a time

When you will leave her arms

And forever be in mine

But I don’t think that’s the truth

And I don’t like being used

And I’m tired of waiting

It’s too much pain to have to bear

To love a man you have to share

Why don’t you stay

I’m down on my knees

I’m so tired of being lonely

Don’t I give you what you need

When she calls you to go

There is one thing you should know

We don’t have to live this way

Baby why don’t you stay

I can’t take it any longer

But my will is getting stronger

And I think I know just what I have to do

I can’t waste another minute

After all that I’ve put in it

I’ve given you my best

Why does she get the best of you

So the next time you find

You wanna leave her bed for mine

Why don’t you stay

I’m up off my knees

I’m so tired of being lonely

You can’t give me what I need

When she begs you not to go

There is one thing you should know

I don’t have to live this way

Baby why don’t you stay