Axtell Corner’s album, Written in Stone, is now available, with country songs that were influenced by growing up on a farm near Axtell, Kansas, and by experiencing life in Wichita for the last three decades. The album also features three songs about good times at Grand Lake, Oklahoma. Thanks for listening!
Links to the album (or search for Axtell Corner on your favorite on-line music source)-
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/written-in-stone/1453927478?ls=1&app=itunes
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NY6PXWF
https://open.spotify.com/album/1KMSzYy8Io4PYCZ5vXyQTO?si=zQ4BSvBeRKOeiWstPkhN1A
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/axtellcorner
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKIIuy9zOoOwZ1Zw7mu0eQ
Take some lyrics by Allen Olson, add some musicians from Nashville, and the result is Written in Stone, by Axtell Corner.
This album is dedicated to my wife, Kelly, who never fails to support my little projects and without whom this album would not exist. She's my rock, my guide, and on occasion, a pretty good inspiration for a song. Babe, here's a melody for you! Allen Olson
Recorded at The Amber Sound studios in Nashville. Thanks to Mat Poole and the gang!
Grand Lake, Oklahoma--
Axtell Corner--
Allen, 1961--
Allen and his dad, mid-1960s--
Written in Stone-
1. Dirt Road
2. Wife Pickin'
3. She's Gone
4. Bad Choices
5. I Got a Song
6. Grand Lake Weekend
7. Floatin' in Woodard
8. Honey Creek
9. Takin' a Break from Takin' it Easy
10. Tell You in a Melody
11. A Thousand Tears
12. Prodigal Son
13. Written in Stone
Lyrics-
1. Dirt Road
Growin’ up in the corn and the wheat and the heat
I was a kid who thought he could see
That two miles down a dirt road then a hundred miles of blacktop
Heaven was waitin’ for me
Little boy, big wish
Big pond, a big fish
Make it big and you’ll see
They’ll all want to be me
Growin’ up in the corn and the wheat and the heat
I was a kid who thought he could see
That two miles down a dirt road then a hundred miles of blacktop
Heaven was waitin’ for me
Chasin’ those old dreams
Just not what it seems
Big time, but so what
Just what do I got
Growin’ tired of the grind of the big city heat
Realize I’m startin’ to see
That two miles down a dirt road after a hundred miles of blacktop
Heaven is waitin’ for me
Head home and reset
Appreciate a sunset
Recognize what’s great
No it’s never too late
Growin’ old in the grind of the big city heat
I’m a man who knows he can see
That two miles down a dirt road after a hundred miles of blacktop
Heaven is waitin’ for me
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Looking west from Allen's childhood home, mid-1960s--
August 1989, a few days before Allen left the farm and moved to the city, looking west, 1 1/2 miles west of Allen's home--
January 2019, taken from the same spot as the picture above, but looking east toward Allen's old home--
Allen's home from birth to the age of two. No indoor plumbing, but lots of love--
And the years go by--
2. Wife Pickin'
It's a sad story boys but you've got to listen
I've been lucky so far except for wife pickin'
She was the kind of girl you'd wanna take home to momma
Long as momma's real strong and don't mind the drama
She'd shake your world the first time that you meet her
An eight point eight on the Richter scale meter
But soon it stopped seemin' much like Heaven
The fun dial sure stopped bein’ set on eleven
It's a sad story boys but you've got to listen
I've been lucky so far except for wife pickin'
It’s a sad story boys but you better listen
I’ve been lucky so far except for wife pickin’
She caught me out back kissin' on her sister
Started tearin' up the trailer like an F5 twister
Guess she got tired of the story ‘bout how I've been missin'
That former Miss Kansas that I used to be kissin'
It’s a sad story boys but you better listen
I’ve been lucky so far except for wife pickin’
It had been two weeks since I last seen her
But now she’s back takin’ the vacuum cleaner
I get home from the bar she's put my half in the yard
Look I got the toaster oven this ain't gonna be hard
Yeah I got the toaster oven this ain't gonna be hard
It’s a sad story boys but you better listen
I’ve been lucky so far except for wife pickin’
PICTURES AND NOTES-
"I get home from the bar ...."
We only look expensive!
My Five!
3. She's Gone
I've seen my share of highs I've had my share of lows
Now I'm standin’ on the edge don't know which way to go
One day I'm hearin’ till death do us part
But soon I'm fearin’ death from a broken heart
I try to pick myself up and make everything right
But it's all that I can do just to get through the night
So I'm chasin’ down the sun as it sets in the west
I'm runnin’ from somethin’ but I forget the rest
In my heart I'm singin’ a lonesome song
I don't know what happened but I know that she's gone
Without her beside me I don't know what to say
Was it somethin’ I said that kinda got in the way
Or was it just in these cards I'd die all alone
One lonely old name on a lonely old stone
I can stand on my own two feet as long as there's light
But it's all I can do just to get through the night
So I'm chasin’ down the sun as it sets in the west
I'm runnin’ from somethin’ but I forget the rest
In my heart I'm singin’ a lonesome song
I don't know what happened but I know that she's gone
I'm startin’ to see that it's really not livin’
When you do nothin’ but takin’ and not any givin’
Today's maybe the day I can face my old fear
And see who's to blame with a look in the mirror
So I'm chasin’ down the sun as it sets in the west
But I can't keep runnin’ from myself I guess
Gonna turn things around and sing a brand new song
And face the new day and welcome the new dawn
Yeah today's a new day and today's a new dawn
PICTURES AND NOTES-
1996. Sometimes, even if you get the toaster oven, the split ends up hurting. Chasin' the sun--
A new dawn--
4. Bad Choices
Life is a series of forks in the road
Little decisions that change the way that life goes
And you know my heart rejoices
For all the good that’s come from bad choices
I found a pack of Lucky Strikes out back of the school
Decided smokin’ in the boys room looked pretty cool
So they sent me to the school for the kids that they called bad
Met some back row slackers man the fun that we all had
Well it’s good to have some good friends and I got to say
They’ve always had my back to this very day
Life is a series of forks in the road
Little decisions that change the way that life goes
And you know my heart rejoices
For all the good that’s come from bad choices
Late night at the bar decide to stay for one more
Then a fight broke out out on the dance floor
The next thing that I know I’m missin’ part of my ear
And an ambulance siren I sorta could hear
Well the nurse fixed me up good I thought she seemed real nice
And still 20 years later that nurse is my wife
Life is a series of forks in the road
Little decisions that change the way that life goes
And you know my heart rejoices
For all the good that’s come from bad choices
Newlyweds, laid off, no money for rent
Can’t start a family without one red cent
We decided one night to throw caution to the wind
And I think that you can guess just what happened then
Yeah I think that you can guess just what happened then
And now our baby’s growin’ up graduatin’ this May
Can’t imagine my life bein’ any other way
Life is a series of forks in the road
Little decisions that change the way life goes
And you know my heart rejoices
For all the good that’s come from bad choices
And you know my heart rejoices
For all the good that comes from bad choices
PICTURES AND NOTES-
A fork in the road--
5. I Got a Song
I got a second hand wife and a beat up car
A kid who looks like me but he ain't no star
We got each other and I got a song
And that's all it takes to get along
Sometimes I wonder how it’d feel not to be tied down
When’s a man too old to find a new hometown
And I wake up in the mornin’ see you lyin’ there
Nothin’ else better than to know you care
Get the kid up and get him off to school
The only gold in this house is the Golden Rule
I got a second hand wife and a beat up car
A kid who looks like me but he ain't no star
But we got each other and I got a song
And that's all it takes to get along
I got a second hand wife and a beat up car
A kid who looks like me but he ain't no star
We got each other and I got a song
And that's all it takes to get along
Sometimes you catch a big break the second time around
Can’t believe what this old blind squirrel he done found
Some guys spend their whole lives askin’ what might have been
But that don’t cross my mind no more since you let me in
I got a second hand wife and a beat up car
A kid who looks like me but he ain't no star
We got each other and I got a song
And that's all it takes to get along
PICTURES AND NOTES-
6. Grand Lake Weekend
Kansas City princess and a Wichita queen
Big time oil man from the old Tulsa scene
But we're all weekend hillbillies, Grand Lake proud
Drinkin' beer out on the water, stereos turned up loud
I said we're all weekend hillbillies, Grand Lake proud
Doin' things we know we shouldn't do, pictures stored in the cloud
We called an intervention for a friend who stopped drinkin’
Got him back off the wagon, we don't know what he was thinkin’
Yeah there ain’t no Sunday blues with a Grand Lake weekend
Cuz in five days we get to do it again
Yeah there ain’t no Sunday blues with a Grand Lake weekend
Cuz in five days we get to do it again
Now we're headin’ back to Tulsa and OKC
And Ponca and Joplin and Kansas City
Yeah drivin’ back to Enid and Northwest Arkansas
And jettin’ back to Dallas and Omaha
Goin’ back to Winfield and of course Wichita
Some slippin' out early just ahead of the law
Well we had two days of fun to recharge up our batteries
By kickin’ back at Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees
Yeah there ain't no Sunday blues with a Grand Lake weekend
Cuz in five days we get to do it again
Yeah there ain't no Sunday blues with a Grand Lake weekend
Cuz in five days we get to do it again
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Pictures from Grand Lake (Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is a 46,000 acre lake, nestled in the far northeastern corner of Oklahoma, on the edge of the Ozarks)--
Text message from Allen to Kelly and friends, sent on a Sunday evening while on the way home to Wichita from Grand Lake- "In five days ...."--
7. Floatin' in Woodard
Party at the lake gettin’ down on the water
95 in the shade but it's about to get hotter
Floatin’ in Woodard you got to keep it all on
No messin’ around until the kids are all gone
If you're down in the Drip there's less reason to care
There's a lot of gettin’-on goin’ on down there
From up on Honey Creek clear on down to the Duck
Even a fat guy like me can get up on his luck
It's a party at the lake gettin’ down on the water
I know we're havin’ more fun than we probably ought-a
Let's all head to the island, Monkey I say
Get some beer at Serenity it's right on the way
And then run to the dam we're goin’ out to Disney
Gas up at Arrowhead the dock girls all miss me
Crab night at the Parrot I love the aroma
Just laid back and chillin’ at Grand Lake Oklahoma
It's a party at the lake gettin' down on the water
Gettin' low on tequila but that ain't gonna stop her
We'll have us some marg’s at Eddy's, Shangri-La
And a beer at Quarterdeck, Terra Miranda
We'll all be catchin' a groove at Ketchum Cove
And some dinner later tonight in downtown Grove
A degree in par-ty we deserve a diploma
Just laid back and chillin' Grand Lake Oklahoma
Yeah it’s a party at the lake gettin’ down on the water
Gettin’ low on tequila but that ain’t a bother
A degree in par-ty yeah we all deserve diplomas
Just laid back and chillin' Grand Lake Oklahoma
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Floatin' in Woodard--
Serenity Point-
The cliff at Dripping Springs (the "Drip")--
8. Honey Creek
The weekend’s comin' yeah we're gonna get lit
Can't wait to get the boat out of the slip
First you head east on the four oh oh
Then you turn right at Pete's not far to go
Keep goin’ south, Cheapo comes into view
Pull in the gate you know what to do
Pack up the Coleman® and the Yeti® if you got one
Fire up the Traeger® now you're gonna have some big fun
Put on some Ray-Bans®, knockoffs I mean
If you don't mind drinkin' it's a pretty good scene
Our little South Padre it’s our little Key West
Five days of hard work then two days of rest
Decide to stay off the boats our dock bars open late
And all the fun that we need is behind this gate
Drink a few beers and throw the cans in a heap
Let’s all get drunk down on Honey Creek
Well Nate’s twenty-one from the look of those cans
I found a bottle of scotch but I know it ain't Stan's
CJ yells "stop mowin', mamma can do it"
Amy's slammin' down shots, don't know how she’d do it
A skinny guy's easy to miss but where did Chad go
Oh yeah that's right he's in Mexico
We got the Palm Bar opened and the fire pit's lit
And Molly and Marilyn are comin’ down in a bit
Sam drives in with two dogs in tow
Amy mutters I can’t take no mo’
Kelly and Lexy gettin' down with the wine
Hey they're not even drunk but just give 'em some time
Yeah Jason comes down with a twelve pack of 'Stones
He says anyplace with beer feels like home
Drink a few beers throw the cans in a heap
Let’s all get drunk down on Honey Creek
Paddy and Gabe are still playin’ that game
But when they're ridin’ their Sparks they're glad that they came
Paxton’s playin’ ball, in a stroke of good luck
That thing that he hit wasn’t Chad or Steve’s truck
Gracy’s walkin' dogs past the cat in the window
I can never remember is that Milo or Gizmo
Annette Jean Gary Jeff they're all so nice
Find the one that ain't tipsy send ‘em out for some ice
Steve Martin comes by, a fake arrow through his head
Tonya wishes she'd married Dan Aykroyd instead
Eric, Wendy, and gang they’ve been doin’ some thinkin’
It ain’t too far to go for some Honey Creek drinkin’
Danny and Ally say, I beg your pardon
That bar on the dock, do you know if they’re cardin’
Stephanie Mike and Kabe yeah they're keepin' it even
Hold down the fort when everybody is leavin'
Kayla and John just down for the day
By the way things turned out they're probably plannin' to stay
Well Wesley and Zoe they round out the crew
And Allen's singin' songs cuz that's what he do
You can drink tequila or beer made from wheat
Let’s all get drunk down on Honey Creek
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Note- We practice and support responsible drinking, in moderation. It's just a song!!
"First you head due east on the 4-0-0" (Highway 400, east out of Wichita)--
"Then you turn right at Pete's, not too far to go" (turn south at Parsons)--
"Cheopo comes into view" (made it to Grove and Grand Lake!)--
9. Takin' a Break from Takin' it Easy
It's an all-inclusive place, ain't no kids allowed
June is a high season but they don't mind a crowd
Well Kelly and Tierney they need to get away
Can chillin' down at the lake make you feel that way
Well the girls have packed their bags and they're ready to go
And spend two weeks down on the beach in Mexico
They're takin’ a break from takin’ it easy
Kicked back on the beach where it's hot and breezy
Drink a little rum and play some Parcheesi
They're takin’ a break from takin’ it easy
Timm and Allen tell 'em that they hate to see 'em go
But we all kind of think that's mainly for show
Fifty-two weeks in a year is a really long time
Two weeks off now and then the boys say trust me it's fine
Well the staff at the joint they always treat 'em just so
A little two week vacation down in Mexico
They're takin’ a break from takin’ it easy
Kicked back on the beach where it's hot and breezy
Drinkin' tequila and playin' Parcheesi
They're takin’ a break from takin’ it easy
PICTURES AND NOTES-
When you've been takin' it easy at the lake, sometimes you just need a break!--
10. Tell You in a Melody
How much do I love you
I can't count the ways
And how long will I love you
I can't count the days
When I'm with you
My soul is free
There's no I
There's just you and me
So how much do I love you
What I say just comes out flat
So I'll have to tell you in a melody
Cuz there ain't no words for that
Well how much do I love you
There ain't no way to say
Well how long will I love you
You know I'll always stay
When I'm with you
My heart's on fire
Walk forever
But never tire
So how much do I love you
What I say just comes out flat
So I'll have to tell you in a melody
Cuz there ain't no words for that
So I'll have to tell you in a melody
Cuz there ain't no words for that
How much do I love you
What I say just comes out flat
So I'll have to tell you in a melody
Cuz there ain't no words for that
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Kelly's name written by the route tracker on the boat--
11. A Thousand Tears
A picture is worth a thousand words they say
Reminds us of times of a long ago day
Time goes by and nothin’ stays the same
Some we will lose and some we will gain
Rememberin’ faces and the times that we had
Some memories happy and some memories sad
And time goes by and nothin’ stays the same
Some we will lose and some we will gain
An old box of pictures on a rainy afternoon
Thinkin’ of family who left us too soon
We've lost so many over the years
A picture is worth ... a thousand tears
It might be easier to never look back
Keep the old memories closed up in a sack
Live in the present and hope that it lasts
Avoid the pain and forget the past
But with the pain comes the joy of memories good
And the lessons of life that must be understood
Time goes by and nothin’ stays the same
Some we will lose and some we will gain
An old box of pictures on a rainy afternoon
Thinkin’ of family who left us too soon
We've lost so many over the years
A picture is worth … a thousand tears
PICTURES AND NOTES-
12. Prodigal Son
I'm hittin' the road, I'm at the end of my rope
Runnin' low on whiskey, and lower on hope
I'll drive all night cuz I just don't care
I'll figure out where I'm goin’ when I find myself there
Wakin’ up in a parkin’ lot sure has an upside
No matter what else happens ain't got too far to slide
Took a few wrong turns, kinda went off track
I don't even know if I can ever go back
To the little white church with the little white steeple
And be a prodigal son and go home to my people
I’ve done a few things that set some bridges a burnin'
And I'm pretty slow when it comes to lesson learnin'
It ain't nobody's fault, I made my own bed
With the things that I have done and the things that I have said
It don't need to be the end now that I've hit rock bottom
I know some people who care and I'm so glad I got ‘em
Took a few wrong turns, kinda went off track
I'm tired of the pain and I’m gonna head on back
To the little white church with the little white steeple
I'm a prodigal son and these are my people
PICTURES AND NOTES-
Looking to the west from Allen's childhood home, toward the two churches--
Same view, late 1960s--
13. Written in Stone
He was a child of the Dust Bowl, became a man in the war
And he was my dad, I couldn't ask for more
He was gonna live forever, it seemed that way
If I missed callin', there'd be another day
It's been four years since we said our goodbyes
Long black Cadillac on a slow last drive
But almost every night I find myself wishin'
That we could have just one more day ... cat fishin'
When you're full of life 92 years ain't too long
And I still can't believe he's really gone
But, you know, it really hits home
When I see his name ... written in stone
I know that life keeps goin' on and you don't get to go back
To a time that's before the day we all wore black
I'm always gonna miss him, that ain't ever gonna end
Just keep movin' ahead, around that next bend
He did his job and he always had known
I'd be OK even out on my own
But almost every day I find myself wishin'
For one more night of him talkin' and me listenin'
When you're full of life 92 years ain’t too long
And I still can't believe he's really gone
But, you know, it really hits home
When I see his name ... written in stone
Yeah it really hits home
When I see his name ... written in stone
PICTURES-
