Story Behind The Song

I had the idea for the song a year before I wrote the whole thing down. Pieces kept showing up, and finally I was asked to sing at a church service devoted to humor. That gave me the impetus to get out of my own way and finish it!

Song Description

We so often get in our own way. This is about handling that.

Lyrics

THE BUT SONG
(Teri Wilder c. 2006)

THERE'S THIS THING I'VE BEEN DRAGGING BEHIND ME
SEEMS TO WEIGH ABOUT A HUNDRED POUNDS
YOU COULD CALL IT EXTRA BAGGAGE ALL I KNOW IS IT SLOWS ME DOWN
I FEEL LIKE I'M IN ARREARS SO I MUST BE.... BUT FOR WHAT?
BUT WHY... BUT HOW... BUT WHEN ... BUT WHAT IF... BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT.....

CHORUS
I WANNA GET RID OF MY `BUT' IT'S BIGGER THAN IT WOULD APPEAR
IT HINDERS MY FORWARD MOVEMENT WHEN I KEEP BRINGING UP THE REAR
ALL THE EXCESS GARBAGE I'VE HEAPED ONTO MY PLATE
IS JUST ADDING TO MY WEIGHT ... AND WAIT .... AND WAIT....
IF I'M WONDERING WHY I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH UP
I'M MOVING SLOW CAUSE I'M DRAGGING MY `BUT'

IT SURE CAN BE A BUM, BUM, BUMMER WHEN YOUR `BUT' GETS IN THE WAY
WHAT I NEED TO DO IS LISTEN TO WHAT MY GUT IS TRYING TO SAY
THE LIST OF REASONS WHY I'M NOT PROCEEDING
MUST BE FEEDING ME --- BUT WHAT?
BUT WHY... BUT HOW... BUT WHEN ... BUT WHAT IF... BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT.....

CHORUS
I WANNA GET RID OF MY `BUT' IT'S BIGGER THAN IT WOULD APPEAR
IT HINDERS MY FORWARD MOVEMENT WHEN I KEEP BRINGING UP THE REAR
ALL THE EXCESS GARBAGE I'VE HEAPED ONTO MY PLATE
IS JUST ADDING TO MY WEIGHT ... AND WAIT .... AND WAIT....
IF I'M WONDERING WHY I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH UP
I'M MOVING SLOW CAUSE I'M DRAGGING MY `BUT'

BRIDGE
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING LACKING IF YOU'RE BACKING INTO LIFE
IT'S NOT A DIET ---- IT'S A "DO IT" AND IT'S TIME I GOT DOWN TO IT
I'M DETERMINED TO GO THROUGH IT ...... ALL THE WAY (WEIGH)

SO IF YOU THINK YOU'RE TAILING BEHIND IN SOMEONE'S REARVIEW MIRROR
GIVE YOURSELF A GENTLE NUDGE IN YOUR VERY OWN POSTERIOR
YOU'LL JUST BE PUSHIN' OUT A USELESS CUSHION
AND IN HINDSIGHT... WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT...
THAT WHY, AND HOW, AND WHEN, AND WHAT IF... AND BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT... MEANS

CHORUS
YOU GOTTA GET RID OF YOUR `BUT' IT'S BIGGER THAN IT WOULD APPEAR
IT HINDERS YOUR FORWARD MOVEMENT WHEN YOU KEEP BRINGING UP THE REAR
ALL THE EXCESS GARBAGE YOU'VE HEAPED ONTO YOUR PLATE
IS JUST ADDING TO YOUR WEIGHT ... AND WAIT .... AND WAIT....
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY YOU JUST CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH UP
YOU'RE MOVING SLOW CAUSE YOU'RE DRAGGING YOUR `BUT'
IT'S BOTTOMS UP, NOW! MOVE ON! QUIT DRAGGIN' YOUR `BUT'

Spoken:
I GOT THE `BUT' THING BEHIND ME..... NOW I'M WORKING ON MY `CAN'!!