Perhaps Another Anthem for Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks has been quoted as saying the song closest to being his own personal anthem would be his own original song, “Soul Thing”. I must admit the main lyrics do sound pretty much like Taylor’s life as a traveling musician. Taylor has often talked and written about the long drives, the sometimes loneliness, the visiting muses, and playing blue-eyed soul. Yes, the words do sound a lot like his life.

I've been traveling all these years, just barely getting by.

The road can be your friend or the devil in disguise.

When the tough get going, the muses visit me.

Yet in soft, low tones, they always say to me, say to me….,

Where the city street meets the county road,

where the sun is nice and warm,

no matter how long I may roam, t

his song still takes us home, Takes us home.

Now we'll tell you about these times, when the blues come out to play,

and jazz leaves her number... it's funny, she always says:

"Well, the city lights fly by me, as their eyes are getting heavy.

We're sending our love over telephone wire.
These days getting lonelier by the mile...by the mile."
(Refrain omitted)

Soul Thing, Taylor Hicks, Composer & Artist

As I was driving to work the other day, listening to Taylor first major album release, “Taylor Hicks”, I heard phrases in the song that popped out and screamed, “THIS could be about Taylor’s life, perhaps another personal anthem for him. Taylor has performed it many times, before and since his days on American Idol. And that new personal anthem might easily be Paul Pena’s, “Gonna Move”.

When I was a little boy, I felt so alone

Quiet country house that I had to call home

Living with a couple of folks, rich millionaires

Sat on their money; Lord, it seems they didn't care

Finally we moved to our own place

where I could walk around with a smile on my face,

and I knew in order to be a man

I had to pull up my roots and move on in this land

Came to a school in the big city

Looked around at the lights and I thought they were pretty

They told me and teached me to live by their rules

So I wouldn't be nobody's fool

I found out, not too long

Their rules wouldn't let me sing my song

I knew in order to be a man

I had to pull up my roots once again and move on in this land

Then I joined the college ranks

There they said they'd teach me how to think

They gave me books to read and papers to write

They didn't know about this boy's coming fight

But I found out after awhile

reading those books was making me lose my smile

I knew in order to not conceal

I had to play music and express what I feel

(Refrain omitted)

Paul Pena, Composer & Artist

As a child, Taylor Hicks has said he often felt alone. Music because his solace, his way of finding peace in his life. That seems sad to me that a small child would have to find a substitute for nurturing love at a young age. But given how Taylor tends to “feel” the music, perhaps that has helped to benefit his audiences’ enjoyment of his performances.

And then there’s “the college ranks” where Taylor Hicks, himself, said he majored in bars and music. He must have found some success as a musician during those college years because he left to pursue a career as a musician.

With ten or so years of trying to make it in the music world, Taylor finally decided to audition for American Idol. The rest of the story is fairly well known! If you’re not familiar with Taylor’s story, be sure to pick up a copy of Taylor Hicks’, “Heart Full of Soul”, which is an insightful read into Taylor’s private world.

After reading the words to the song, “Gonna Move”, what are your thoughts?

Video, courtesy of EJ, "Gonna Move", Liberty Bowl's President's Gala

Tags: Taylor Hicks, American Idol, Soul Patrol, RagsQueen, Traveling Circus