https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:10:07 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131992 Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:49:13 +0000
pbee, you're right about the tense changing. I didn't really notice while I was writing it, but it seems like the verses are in the present, and the chorus is kind of reflecting on the past...I wasn't really happy with the last verse. She spends the whole song hesitating, and then he leaves at the end, but it just seemed too abrupt to me. I'd like it to have a little more impact. You make an interesting point about closing the physical distance, but not the emotional one, so maybe I'll rewrite it so he doesn't leave.

You're also right about the "space between us" line; it fits better with the rest of the song.

Vic, thanks for the chord suggestions! I heard it as being downbeat, but the country sound is something I'd like to avoid. :cry: Living in rural Oregon, I'm always being inundated with country music, and frankly, I'm sick to death of it. I could go for blues, though.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Amazing_Tater https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131992 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131120 Sat, 08 Oct 2005 15:56:11 +0000
I like this, but unlike TF, I didn't hear this as up-tempo - more sort of downbeat country, I think this would have actually fitted last week's assignment pretty well, I've been strumming it in a 3/4 pattern and it works fine....

I messed about with these chords though,

(D) Ten steps, (G)Ten steps a-(D) way,
Don't (Am7)know if I can (Bm) make it,
(F#m)Stretch across (E7)those lonely (A)days(A7).....

Just a suggestion, it might work for you, it mght not, if you're not a country lover, you could slow it down even more and do it as a blues....

Anyway, for someone who's only been playing a few months, pretty brave of you to try Am7 and Bm....you deserve plaudits for that if nothing else! But ..... there is something else.... you've got the basics of a pretty good song here, just needs to be worked on a little ......

:D :D :D

Vic]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Vic Lewis VL https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131120 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131105 Sat, 08 Oct 2005 14:14:20 +0000
I don't know if I can make it
Stretch across
Those lonely days
Was I in love, or did I fake it? I like that part.

Joe]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Joe https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-131105 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-130665 Fri, 07 Oct 2005 00:27:55 +0000 Well its certainly longer, good for you, and your right its nothing like my song. Welcome to the forum.

Just a couple of things really
This line is fine as it is by the way, but maybe But there's so much space between us Might be quite cool cos it alludes to the distance image.

The other thing is that Im just a little confused with the series of events here, sometimes your in the present, and sometimes in the past.
Also the last verse implies that you did close the distance between you and yet the last chorus implies you couldn't. I guess if I read it as closing the physical distance but not being able to close the emotional one It wasn't love, but we could fake it then it works.
I think with a few tweaks you'd have a great song here. Well done :D

pb]]> Sunday Songwriters Group pbee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-130665 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-130657 Fri, 07 Oct 2005 00:13:23 +0000

Good work and stick around. :D]]> Sunday Songwriters Group TwistedFingers https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-130657 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-12279 Fri, 07 Oct 2005 00:02:58 +0000



Ten Steps




He's standing there alone
Now's the time to go to him
Can I force myself to say the words?
If I could put him in my place
But there's so much to face between us
Can I take the first step, then the second,
Then the third

Ten steps
Ten steps away
I don't know if I can make it
Stretch across
Those lonely days
Was I in love, or did I fake it?
Was there ever anything for me to say?
Why does he stay
Ten steps away?

Now it's not so far
It just seems distant as the stars
I can reach him in a second if I'm quick
Our eyes never meet
Somehow I don't feel my feet move
I take a fourth step, and a fifth
And now the sixth

Ten steps
Ten steps away
I don't know if I can make it
Stretch across
Those lonely days
Was I in love, or did I fake it?
Was there ever anything for me to say?
Why does he stay
Ten steps away?

He's standing by the door
And in a minute more I'm
Sure he'll be beside me once again
As he turns to go
I don't hear myself say "No"
Too late for eight, for nine,
Too late for ten

Ten steps
Ten steps away
And I guess I couldn't make it
Stretched across
All those lonely days
It wasn't love, but we could fake it
There really wasn't anything
That I could say
Not while he stayed
Ten steps away




I've only been playing guitar for a few months, and all I really know how to play are John Denver songs with random strumming. I put some chords to this in D, but really, I'm not sure what I wanted it to sound like. A hesitant, shuffling beat would go with the lyrics, I guess, but I don't know what I'm doing yet. :P The chords are like this:
Ten steps(D)
Ten steps away(G)
(D)I don't know if I can make(A7) it(Bm)
Stretch across
Those lonely days
Was I in love, or did I fake(A7) it?
(D)Was there ever anything for me to say?(G)
(A7)Why does he stay
Ten steps away?(D)]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Amazing_Tater https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-48-ten-steps/#post-12279