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The Lights of Graceland

 

When the lights go on at Graceland

And the cool, Memphis night comes aglow

You could swear that you hear the king singing

To the sweet Prince of Peace he loves so

 

He'd dream of a white, white Christmas

But sometimes, they'd be blue, blue, blue

And so, he employed, take my hand, precious Lord

It's no secret what God can do

 

When the lights go on at Graceland

And the cool, Memphis night comes aglow

You could swear that you hear the king singing

To the sweet Prince of Peace he loves so

 

He thought he'd be home for Christmas

For it's here that the world went away

And each silent night, he'd pray that he might

Have peace in the valley someday

 

So come, won't you come, all ye faithful

As they came all those nights long ago

Here to sing with the king to the great king of kings

To the sweet Prince of Peace he loves so

 

So come, won't you come, all ye faithful

As they came all those nights long ago

Here to sing with the king to the great king of kings

To the sweet Prince of Peace he loves so

Here to sing with the king to the great king of kings

To the sweet Prince of Peace we love so

 

Written by: Charles Esten

Released on: 12/16/13

Stream or download here

 

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This

 

This ain't not get ya home early
A little front porch with a goodnight kiss
This ain't no hopping bars downtown
All out with a night like this

This moon is full
This scent is sweet
Like this cherry bomb lipstick you're leaving on me
This summer buzz
It ain't because
All the wine in our cups, it's what your love in me does
And if you wanna know what I want a little more of is
This

This, George Jones in the background singing
Cross-hanging with the buttons ain't snap
Girl, it don't get no better than this
Far as I'm concerned this is as good as it can get

This moon is full
This scent is sweet
Like this cherry bomb lipstick you're leaving on me
This summer buzz
It ain't because
All the wine in our cups, it's what your love in me does
And if you wanna know what I want a little more of is
Oh, baby, it's this

 

Ooh, girl you got my turned on turned up
Come on, girl, turn it on up

This moon is full
This scent is sweet
Like this cherry bomb lipstick you're leaving on me
This summer buzz
It ain't because
All the wine in our cups, it's what your love in me does
And if you wanna know what I want a little more of is
This

Baby, it's this
I said woo, woo, baby, it's this

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Justin Wilson and Jimmy Yeary
Released on: 6/30/17

Stream or download here

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This Town is Ours

 

It's been a long time coming
It's been a hard road running
Now, all that's done, and all we wanna do is play

Oh, I can hear that crowd, now
It's about to get loud
Turn the lights out
We got one thing to say

This town is ours tonight
Everybody feeling alright
Let the good times flow
'Cause all I know is it's on tonight
We gonna go until it's gone tonight
Ain't no doubt about it
It's written in the stars
C'mon, and get us started
This town is ours

We gonna walk it like we own it
We gonna drive it like we stole it
Rock until we roll, and everybody knows our name

We're gonna fire up the crazy
We're gonna light up all the ladies
Tearing up a stage, just me and my boys
Let me hear ya' make some noise

 

Oh, this town is ours tonight
Everybody feeling alright
Let the good times flow
'Cause all I know is it's on tonight
We gonna go until it's gone tonight
Ain't no doubt about it
It's written in the stars
C'mon, and get us started
This town is ours

This town is ours tonight
Everybody feeling alright
Let the good times flow
'Cause all I know is it's on tonight
We gonna go until it's gone tonight
Ain't no doubt about it
It's written in the stars
C'mon, and get us started
This town is ours
This town is ours
Oh, this town is ours
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Oh, this town is ours
This town, oh, this town is ours

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Chris Farren and Matthew West

Released on: 9/2/16

Stream or download here

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Through the Blue

 

Sometimes days are dark
Sometimes nights are long
Sometimes all that you can do is just keep hanging on
Staying strong, 'til the grey is gone
Everybody's seen a little, been through a little bit of hell
Lord knows I've felt the flames myself

Might be a song you sing
Or John 3:16
Might be a long walk, or a phone call
From a long, lost friend
Might be a steel horse ride
Or just cry, cry, cry
You just do what you gotta do
To get you through the blue

We don't fight the fire
We don't drag the chain
That ties us all like a cannonball
Through all the pain, just find a way right out the way
Everybody looking for, praying for a little bit of life
Whatever gets you through the long, dark night

Might be a song you sing
Or John 3:16
Might be a long walk, or a phone call
From a long, lost friend
Might be a steel horse ride
Or just cry, cry, cry
You just do what you gotta do
To get you through the blue

 

Might be a song you sing
Or John 3:16
Might be a long walk, or a phone call
From a long, lost friend
Might be a steel horse ride
Or just cry, cry, cry
You just do what you gotta do
To get you through the blue
To get you through the blue
To get you through the blue
To get you through the blue

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Timothy James and Kendall Marvel

Released on: 5/15/16

Stream or download here

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Two Sides of My Heart

 

Will one more drink
Lead to one more drink?
I need my head to think this through
'Cause my heart won't tell me what to do
Should I call?
Baby, if I call
Would you let that phone just beep?
Or would you pick it up, and rescue me?

I got two sides of my heart
So I don't know
One's saying that I should stay
One's telling me to go
There's a fight down deep inside
Tearing me apart
I got two sides of my heart

If you showed up
And we made up
And we started it up again
Would it all be better then?
And the pretty smile
Would it last a while?
Or would you do just what you do?
Would you break my heart in two?

 

I got two sides of my heart
So I don't know
One's saying that I should stay
One's telling me to go
There's a fight down deep inside
Tearing me apart
I got two sides of my heart

God only knows what I should do to make it right
To help me in this fight, but he ain't telling me tonight

I got two sides of my heart
So I don't know
One's saying that I should stay
One's yelling, and telling me I should go
There's a fight down deep inside
I'm being torn apart
By the two sides of my heart
I got two sides of my heart

Give me one more drink

 

Written by: Charles Esten and Andrew Rollins

Released on: 6/23/17

Stream or download here

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When it’s True

 

The fights I won, the fish I caught
Ask her for bar glory
I never let the truth get in the way of a good story
I told my share of lies
To the girl I've known before
God knows the things I tell him when I'd stumble through the door
I don't do that anymore

'Cause when it's true
You don't have to change a thing
Like me and you
Holding on together
Forever, whatever life brings
It's like gospel to your soul, like beer is better cold
Like one and one will always make two
Can't believe what love can do when it's true

I'd bend it, stretch it, fight it
I'd bury it if I could
And me and that old truth, we never got along too good
Until the day I met ya'
And your love rescued me
That's what set me free

'Cause when it's true
You don't have to change a thing
Like me and you
Holding on together
Forever, whatever life brings
It's like gospel to your soul, like beer is better cold
Like one and one will always make two
Can't believe what love can do when it's true

 

It's like gospel to your soul, like beer is better cold
Like one and one will always make two
Can't believe what love can do when it's true

Like the North Star coming into you
Your love guides me through the midnight blue
Your love, your love, your sweet, sweet love is true

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Radney Foster and Jay Clementi

Released on: 9/30/16

Stream or download here

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When Love Ain't Love

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It’s hard to know just how it happens

You start out fine you’re both laughing

Somehow somewhere something changes

You find you’re sitting there like strangers

 

I’ve been a stayer

I’ve been a leaver

The guilty betrayer

The broken believer

I’ve walked out and I’ve walked the floor

Been on both sides of that door

When love ain’t love no more

 

Somebody’s sorry somebody’s crying

Somebody found out that somebody’s lying

Somebody says please somebody says no

Somebody hangs on somebody lets go

 

I’ve been a stayer

I’ve been a leaver

The guilty betrayer

The broken believer

I’ve walked out and I’ve walked the floor

Been on both sides of that door

When love ain’t love no more

When love ain’t love no more

 

When love ain’t love no more

When it ain’t like before but there ain’t no because

Love ain’t love no more

It just is what it is when it ain’t what it was

Love ain’t love no more

When it ain’t like before but there ain’t no because

Love ain’t love no more

It just is what it is when it ain’t what it was

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Written by: Charles Esten & Jeffrey East

Released on: 1/5/24

Stream or download here

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When Loves Leaves

 

Find myself sitting
In my front seat
I'm home, but don't recall the ride
I sit a little longer
Then I grab my keys
Climb out, I guess I'll go inside

First you're flying
Then you're falling down
You're soaring through the sky
Then you're crawling on the ground
And in the end you'll find
By some cruel design
That you can't have the only thing you need
When love leaves
When love leaves

2 in the morning
Can't fall asleep
I pull your pillow to my nose
I guess this is how it goes

First you're flying
Then you're falling down
You're soaring through the sky
Then you're crawling on the ground
And in the end you'll find
By some cruel design
That you can't have the only thing you need
When love leaves
When love leaves

 

First you're flying
Then you're falling down
You're soaring through the sky
You're in pieces on the ground
And in the end you'll find
By some cruel design
That you can't have the only thing you need
There's nothing left behind
When love leaves
When love leaves

 

Written by: Charles Esten and Owen Danoff

Released on: 3/3/17

Stream or download here

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When Trouble Comes

 

When trouble comes
And it always will
Will you turn and run?
Or will you be here still?
Will you hold my hand?
Do you think you can?
When the hard times have begun
When trouble comes

When the clouds roll in
And they always do
And the lightning strikes
And it frightens you
We'd still be here
Or we'd disappear
When it isn't all so far
When trouble comes

It's easy when it's easy
And everything is fine
But will some heart tomorrow sorrow
Change your heart, and change your mind?

It's easy when it's easy
And everything is fine
But will some heart tomorrow sorrow

 

When trouble comes
And it always will
Will you turn and run?
Or will you be here still?
Will we find a way
On our darkest day?
To hold out for the sun
To hold on 'til it's done
Will I still be the one
When trouble comes?

 

Written by: Charles Esten and Sarah Siskind

Released on: 5/12/17

Stream or download here

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Whiskey Lips

 

When I rise in the morning
She's on my mind
'Til I hold her, I won't be okay
I can see she's killing me
This love isn't blind
Still, I just can't walk away

She's my weakness, and I give in
No matter how hard I try
My sweet addiction did someday win
I kiss those whiskey lips goodbye

Well, it was good for a while
And she used to make me smile
When I heard she was always there for me
But she ain't no good no more
And I'm just praying for
The day that I can say she finally set me free

She's my weakness, and I give in
No matter how hard I try
My sweet addiction did someday win
I kiss those whiskey lips goodbye

There are days when I'm strong
But they never last too long
I just can't resist when she's around
But it helps me to know
There's a place that she can't go
And I'll get there when they put me in the ground

 

She's my weakness, and I give in
No matter how hard I try
My sweet addiction did someday win
I kiss those whiskey lips

She's my weakness, and I give in
No matter how hard I try
My sweet addiction did someday win
I kiss those whiskey lips goodbye

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Matt Alderman and Philip Lammonds

Released on: 3/24/2017

Stream or download here

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Won’t Cry on Christmas

 

It's a cold December evening
I'm setting up the tree
Doing all those Christmas things you do
Bing Crosby sings out "Merry
And bright it all should be"
But the sun's already gone
And so are you

You'd best believe
I'll be a mess home Christmas Eve

But I won't cry on Christmas
No, I won't give in
To all the tears that try to fall
Like the snow out in the wind
It's the coldest winter
It's ever been
And I wish I didn't know what I was missing
Here below the mistletoe without your kissing
But I won't cry on Christmas

I used to take that silver angel
I'd put 'er up on top
You'd clap, we'd stand back
And just hold hands
And then I'd say "I love you"
And you'd say "Never stop"
And now I'm here just praying that I can't

 

It's hard to fight
This silent night

But I won't cry on Christmas
No, I won't give in
To all the tears that try to fall
Like the snow out in the wind
It's the coldest winter
It's ever been
And I wish I didn't know what I was missing
Here below the mistletoe without your kissing
But I won't cry on Christmas
No, I won't cry on Christmas

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Victoria Banks and Andrew Rollins

Released on: 12/23/16

Stream or download here

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Worst Day

 

No need to sugarcoat it
We both know that it ain't gonna be easy
Nah, we ain't got no money
Run around the country like a band of gypsies
Every minute, every mile
Long as I can see your smiling face
I know it's gonna be okay

Bring on the hard road
I take the long way
There's no way I can't go
'Cause I know I got you babe
I take the whole world
Do what I gotta do
Baby the best day alone
Can't beat the worst day with you
The worst day with you
The worst day with you
Baby the best day alone
Can't beat the worst day with you

Nah, you ain't gotta wonder
Baby when the thunder clouds roll our way
I'll be right there with you
Be the one to kiss you
In the pouring rain
Every up, every down
Long as I can feel your arm around me
I know it's gonna be okay

 

Bring on the hard road
I take the long way
There's no way I can't go
'Cause I know I got you babe
I take the whole world
Do what I gotta do
Baby the best day alone
Can't beat the worst day with you
Worst day with you
The worst day with you
Baby the best day alone
Can't beat the worst day with you

Every minute, every mile
Long as I can see your smiling face
I know it's gonna be okay

Bring on the hard
I take the long way
There's nowhere I can't go
'Cause I know I got you babe
I take the whole world
Do what I gotta do
Baby the best day alone
Can't be the worst day with you
Worst day with you
The worst day with you
Baby the best day alone
Can't be the worst day with you
Baby the best day alone
Can't be the worst day with you

 

Written by: Charles Esten, Julia Cole, Fred Wilhelm and Josh Ronen

Released on: 5/6/22

Stream or download here

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You’re Where I Belong

 

What do you want?
What are you holding out for?
Baby, please don't
Don't you ever doubt your own heart is safe
Your heart won't break in me

This life is hard
This road is long
I'll be right here
Where I belong
When it goes right
When it goes wrong
I ain't going nowhere
You're where I belong

What do you want? (I want a man I can trust)
What are you holding out for? (Someone who loves me too much)
Baby, please don't (Don't ever break my heart)
Don't you ever doubt your heart (I wanna know)
Your heart is safe (Your heart is safe)
Your heart won't break (Your heart won't break)
Baby

This life is hard (This life is hard)
This road is long (This road is long)
I'll be right here (Right here)
Where I belong (Where I belong)
When it goes right (When it goes right)
When it goes wrong (When it goes wrong)
I ain't going nowhere
You're where I belong (You're where I belong)

 

You're what I want
The one I was holding out for

This life is hard (This life is hard)
This road is long (This road is long)
I'll be right here (Right here)
Where I belong (Where I belong)
When it goes right (When it goes right)
When it goes wrong (When it goes wrong)
I ain't going nowhere
You're where I belong (You're where I belong)
Ohh, ohh (Ohh, ohh)
You're where I belong (You're where I belong)
Ohh, ohh (Ohh, ohh)
You're where I belong (You're where I belong)

 

Written by: Charles Esten and Karla Davis

Released on: 6/2/17

Stream or download here

Lights
This
Town
Through
Two
True
Leaves
Trouble
Whiskey
Cry
Worst
Belong
When Love Ain't
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