Bigger Than the Rear View Mirror

1990s Nashville country, polished yet organic radio production, driving 115 BPM four-on-the-floor country-rock groove; bright acoustic guitars, driving electric rhythm, clean guitar-and-pedal-steel intro, expressive steel, warm bass, punchy live drums, subtle piano, restrained fiddle and mandolin; strong gritty male vocal, conversational half-spoken verses, natural Southern inflection, climbing top notes, open-throated chorus with layered male harmonies and gang-vocal shouts on the hook, lingering sustain

[INTRO | signature electric guitar lick, pedal steel answer]
(Yeah...)
Come on, now...

[VERSE 1 | warm, conversational male vocal]
Found an old picture of my father
In the glove box of my truck
He was twenty something years younger
And I was still his youngest pup
We were parked beside the river
The window rolled down on my side
He was teaching me 'bout life
I was sure I'd always have that time

[PRE-CHORUS | drums building, vocal lifting]
I've spent too many miles wishing
I could turn those years around
But you can't see where you're going
With your eyes fixed on the ground

[CHORUS | big melodic lift, full band]
There's a reason the windshield
Is bigger than the rear view mirror
What's behind you's a fading story
But what's ahead keeps getting clearer
You can carry what you learned
But looking back leads nowhere
There's a whole lot of road ahead
And someone who needs you there

[VERSE 2 | stronger groove, confident delivery]
Dads old truck's still in the driveway
Same dent beside the door
He's still got that coffee thermos
And the cap he always wore
I've said, "We'll get together soon"
More times than I can count
So I called him up this morning
Said, "Dad, let's take that old truck out"

[PRE-CHORUS | rising energy]
He said, "Son, I'll be ready
Give me just a minute or two"
Funny how the smallest memories
Can be the ones that matter most to you

[CHORUS | full band, layered harmonies]
There's a reason the windshield
Is bigger than the rear view mirror
What's behind you's a fading story
But what's ahead keeps getting clearer
You can carry what you learned
But looking back leads nowhere
There's a whole lot of road ahead
And someone who needs you there

[BRIDGE | stripped acoustic guitar, intimate vocal]
We pulled off where the river bends
Same place as that old photograph
He said, "You remember being here?"
I said, "of course," and we both laughed
Then I told him what I'd never said
How much those years had meant
He just squeezed my shoulder and smiled
Said, "Son, I'm glad we came again “

[BUILD | drums rise, steel swells]
You can't get those old days back
But you can make some new ones last...

[FINAL CHORUS | explosive drums, soaring male vocal]
There's a reason the windshield
Is bigger than the rear view mirror
What's behind you's a fading story
But what's ahead keeps getting clearer
You can carry what you learned
But looking back leads nowhere
There's a whole lot of road ahead
And I'm gonna meet him there

[OUTRO | signature guitar lick, pedal steel fade]
Windshield, Bigger than the rear view mirror...
Behind you's a fading story
What's ahead keeps getting clearer
Windshield...... Bigger than the rear view mirror.
[end]

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[INTRO | signature electric guitar lick, pedal steel answer] (Yeah...) Come on, now... [VERSE 1 | warm, conversational male vocal] Found an old picture of my father In the glove box of my truck He was twenty something years younger And I was still his youngest pup We were parked beside the river The window rolled down on my side He was teaching me 'bout life I was sure I'd always have that time [PRE-CHORUS | drums building, vocal lifting] I've spent too many miles wishing I could turn those years around But you can't see where you're going With your eyes fixed on the ground [CHORUS | big melodic lift, full band] There's a reason the windshield Is bigger than the rear view mirror What's behind you's a fading story But what's ahead keeps getting clearer You can carry what you learned But looking back leads nowhere There's a whole lot of road ahead And someone who needs you there [VERSE 2 | stronger groove, confident delivery] Dads old truck's still in the driveway Same dent beside the door He's still got that coffee thermos And the cap he always wore I've said, "We'll get together soon" More times than I can count So I called him up this morning Said, "Dad, let's take that old truck out" [PRE-CHORUS | rising energy] He said, "Son, I'll be ready Give me just a minute or two" Funny how the smallest memories Can be the ones that matter most to you [CHORUS | full band, layered harmonies] There's a reason the windshield Is bigger than the rear view mirror What's behind you's a fading story But what's ahead keeps getting clearer You can carry what you learned But looking back leads nowhere There's a whole lot of road ahead And someone who needs you there [BRIDGE | stripped acoustic guitar, intimate vocal] We pulled off where the river bends Same place as that old photograph He said, "You remember being here?" I said, "of course," and we both laughed Then I told him what I'd never said How much those years had meant He just squeezed my shoulder and smiled Said, "Son, I'm glad we came again “ [BUILD | drums rise, steel swells] You can't get those old days back But you can make some new ones last... [FINAL CHORUS | explosive drums, soaring male vocal] There's a reason the windshield Is bigger than the rear view mirror What's behind you's a fading story But what's ahead keeps getting clearer You can carry what you learned But looking back leads nowhere There's a whole lot of road ahead And I'm gonna meet him there [OUTRO | signature guitar lick, pedal steel fade] Windshield, Bigger than the rear view mirror... Behind you's a fading story What's ahead keeps getting clearer Windshield...... Bigger than the rear view mirror. [end]

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