From the recording A Little Compassion Sometimes
A LITTLE COMPASSION SOMETIMES
Rick Gaspa - Blue Wave Revival
I wrote this song because I know what it's like to be hurting on the inside while the rest of the world thinks you're doing just fine. As a Vietnam veteran, I've had my own battles with PTSD, depression, and some pretty dark days. There were times when I didn't need somebody to give me advice or tell me to toughen up. I just needed someone to sit with me, listen, and remind me that I wasn't alone. That's really where A Little Compassion Sometimes comes from.
We live in a world where everybody seems to be in a hurry. We pass people every day without knowing what they're carrying. That quiet guy sitting alone with his coffee might be fighting the hardest battle of his life. The person who smiled at you this morning might have cried themselves to sleep last night. And sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can mean more than we'll ever know.
I didn't write this song just for veterans. I wrote it for anybody who's ever felt forgotten, overwhelmed, lonely, or like nobody really understands what they're going through.
Because I've learned something over the years. We don't always need someone to fix what's wrong. Sometimes we just need someone who cares enough to listen.
❤️ I'd like to invite you to click the link or image below and give this song a listen. Maybe you'll hear a little of your own story in it, or maybe it'll remind you of someone you know who's going through a difficult time. Either way, I hope you'll take a few minutes to listen and really hear the words. I've always believed that music can reach people in ways ordinary words sometimes can't. That's why I do what I do with Blue Wave Revival. Because to me, "The Music Is the Message."
If this song reaches even one person who's struggling and reminds them they're not alone, then it was worth writing.
We could all use a little compassion sometimes. And we could all stand to give a little more of it. ❤️
— Rick Gaspa Blue Wave Revival
Lyrics
[A LITTLE COMPASSION SOMETIMES]
[INTRO — SOFT PIANO, WARM ORGAN, GENTLE GUITAR]
[OLDER MALE VOICE — QUIET, CONVERSATIONAL]
You know...
Sometimes people are hurting,
And you never even notice.
Sometimes the ones who smile the most
Are the ones who need somebody.
[VERSE 1 — INTIMATE, HONEST]
I got up this morning,
Put the coffee on again.
Stared out through the window,
Wondering where the years had been.
I told everybody I was fine,
Like I've done a thousand times.
But there's a whole lot going on
Behind these tired eyes.
Some days I can handle it,
Some days I barely can.
And sometimes all I'm looking for
Is someone who understands.
[PRE-CHORUS — VOICE BEGINS TO RISE]
I don't need you to fix me,
I don't need some grand advice.
Just sit with me a little while,
And tell me it'll be alright.
[CHORUS — BIG, WARM, EMOTIONAL]
We all need a little compassion sometimes,
A little understanding, a little peace of mind.
Someone who'll listen when the words are hard to find,
Someone who won't leave us behind.
We all carry something nobody sees,
A little broken heart, a painful memory.
You don't have to save the world or change somebody's life,
Just show a little compassion sometimes.
[FEMALE BACKING VOCALS — SOFT HARMONY]
(A little compassion...)
(We all need somebody...)
[VERSE 2 — PERSONAL, CONVERSATIONAL]
I knew a man who never cried,
At least not where folks could see.
He'd laugh and joke and shake your hand,
Say, "Don't you worry about me."
But late at night the silence came,
And all his troubles found their way.
He just needed someone to ask,
"Hey, how you doing today?"
And I wonder how many people
Are walking through this life,
Hiding all their heartache
Behind a practiced smile.
[PRE-CHORUS — MORE EMOTIONAL]
You don't have to know the answers,
You don't have to understand it all.
Sometimes the greatest thing you do
Is pick up when somebody calls.
[CHORUS — FULLER INSTRUMENTS, FEMALE HARMONIES]
We all need a little compassion sometimes,
A little understanding, a little peace of mind.
Someone who'll listen when the words are hard to find,
Someone who won't leave us behind.
We all carry something nobody sees,
A little broken heart, a painful memory.
You don't have to save the world or change somebody's life,
Just show a little compassion sometimes.
[BRIDGE — MUSIC DROPS TO PIANO AND ORGAN]
[OLDER MALE — RAW, NEARLY SPOKEN]
I've had days I didn't want to talk.
I've had nights I couldn't sleep.
I've carried things inside my heart
That nobody could see.
And I've learned something getting older,
Something I wish I'd known back then...
Being strong don't mean you never hurt.
Sometimes it means you need a friend.
[FEMALE SOLO — GENTLE, CLEAR, HEARTFELT]
You don't have to hide your tears.
You don't have to stand alone.
[MALE LEAD — SOFT RESPONSE]
Sometimes all a person needs
Is to know somebody cares.
[FINAL CHORUS — KEY CHANGE — POWERFUL OLDER MALE LEAD, SOARING FEMALE HARMONIES]
WE ALL NEED A LITTLE COMPASSION SOMETIMES!
A little understanding, a little peace of mind!
Somebody to hold on when the road gets hard to climb,
Somebody who won't leave us behind!
And if you're feeling lost tonight,
If the world has worn you down,
There's no shame in saying, "I need help,"
No shame in reaching out!
[FEMALE BACKING — RISING HARMONY]
(You're not alone!)
(You're not alone!)
[MALE LEAD — POWERFUL, SUSTAINED HIGH NOTE]
We all need a little compassion...
SOMETIME—S!
[OUTRO — RETURN TO SOFT PIANO]
[OLDER MALE — ALMOST WHISPERED]
So be a little kinder tomorrow
Than you were today.
Because you never really know
What somebody's going through.
And one day...
That somebody might be you.
[FEMALE HARMONY — SOFT]
(A little compassion sometimes...)
[FADE OUT]