During my high school years in Chicago, I left one summer and went to work at a camp in the N Car. mountains. When I returned I found out my long time girlfriend had cancer. I had already decided to breakup with her after spending the summer with another girl. I was then faced with the dilemma of telling her we were through and convincing her it was not because of her condition. I am still haunted by the memory. I continued to visit the hospital while trying to move on and it was a tricky dance. She was gone in less than a year. She was the Valedictorian in our class of 1250 students and I was a two time high school dropout. She was a great girl and loved by everybody and a lot of people wondered what the hell she was doing with me. I'm forever grateful for the years we had together. So how do you boil it all down to a few verses? I'm not sure but I felt I should at least try. Sorry, don't mean to bring anyone down. Thanks for listening. Tom


https://soundcloud.com/tommyad/right-through-her-heart


http://tommyadamsmusic.com/music


Vocals and Electric Guitars, Tom Adams

Royalty Free Loops

RealTracks in song: 838:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopBalladClean Ev 085
RealTracks in style: ~362:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 2667:Pedal Steel, Background DreamySingleNote Ev 075
RealTracks in song: 2045:Piano, Acoustic, Solo-Accompaniment CountryPopJohn Held Ev 085
RealTracks in song: ~2262:Piano, Acoustic, Rhythm 80sPopBallad Held Ev 085



Right Through Her Heart


Fall moved in summers gone before we ever knew

Felt like winters coming on there’s nothing i could do


Is there a way that i could say i hate to let you down

Dreams don’t last please don’t crash fall gently to the ground


Always found the words to say

Why was this so hard

If I could have seen her tears pour out

That first night in the car

I might have turned and drove away

Right there at the start

Instead I drove a hole right through her heart



Hidden in that goodbye kiss this one’s all on me

i hope that she will never miss What never was to be

Guess i learned that once you’re burned you’ve only got yourself

Certainly because of me she learned that lesson well


Always found the words to say

Why was this so hard

If I could have seen her tears pour out

That first night in the car

I might have turned and drove away

Right there at the start

Instead I drove a hole right through her heart

©2017 Thomas Adams

What a tune, Tommy! It's instantly captivating, right from the first measure. A very sad story regarding the song - I'm sorry to hear you had to go through something like that. Things like that always seem to bring the most inspiration, for me at least.

A beautiful, honest song - I love it Thanks so much for sharing!

This is areal professional song.
Love the light and shade you have achieved with.
Deserve radio airplay.
My hats off to you.
Rob

Tom

A sad story expertly told. The music is wonderful - a brilliant mix and everything sounds just right.
Great vocal excellent guitars.
When is the album coming out?

Peter

Dang,

This one drove a hole in my heart too man!!!!

Well,

That's a very honest story. But, you've definitely managed to turn this one into a heartfelt one, with beautiful lyrics and especially beautiful vocal harmonizing on the choruses.

Rob

Hi Tom,

Wow ... this is so powerful!And yes, that's a compromising situation - no way to come out feeling good. I think you summed it up pretty danged good. Fantastic write and super performance. Di and I were both taken aback with the message in the lyric and your terrific vocal performance. As always ... great job!

Alan & Di

Tom,

This is a beautiful song. Stellar vocals, lyrics and production.

You really know how to tell a story...

Bob

Man, what a song!! And what a story too, heavy stuff.

Doesn't get much better than this, really well done.

Dear "tommyad"...

The experience of listening to your song, "Right Through Her Heart", validates a theory I've developed slowly over years of songwriting: the most emotionally moving songs are the result of the composer/lyricist's attempt to come to terms with very personal, unresolved internal conflicts, of the mind and also of the heart.

Somewhere I read something that a famous "bluesman" said, which is that the "blues" comes out of you after the crisis that caused them has passed, which makes sense to me because it would be pretty darn difficult to write the notes and lyrics of a song while your eyes are blurred with tears!

To your statement, "Sorry, don't mean to bring anyone down," I would only offer that at their best, songwriters can be purveyors of deep insight and sowers of inner peace. It's because their ability to interpret pain and sorrow through the medium of music has the very beneficial effect of universalizing the composer's feelings so that everyone who's gone through the same experience and who listens to the "sad" song can have their own wounded feelings validated, which for most of us brings relief.

For those reasons, and others that I find too difficult to articulate, I believe "Right Through Her Heart" could be as uplifting as it could be a "downer" for anyone who could relate to it personally.

Sincerely,

"bluage" (a.k.a. Loren)

Hi, Tommy !


What a beautiful and sad
tune ! I can relate to
this kind of songs - my wife
died of cancer !

Cheers
Dani

Deryk, Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I appreciate it. I almost didn't post this as it was so deeply personal. Then I finally said what the hell we're all friends here. Thanks again, Tom

OMG

Oh. My. God.

(I'll be back later.)

Just amazingly good!!! You are the master of the riff which draws in the listener from the first note. This is SUCH a cool song! Generally, "radio type" songs are not among my favorites. There are few exceptions: Don Henley, Sting and certainly Tommyad. You really thread the needle with something so catchy and singable but with depth and meaning. That is a great (and rare) place to be. AWESOME!!! Take care. Greg

Hi tommyad, Great work on this! I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal production on this. Fantastic piece!

Wow. Everything just works.

All the elements sound like they were tailor made for this song, which is quite a trick. The bit during the chorus is especially nice. There's a build to the mix. Nice harmony on the chorus.

Great vocals, and the chorus has an amazing payoff.

Really nicely done.

Hi Tom.

An amazing song.

Simply too sad for words.

ROG.

Tom...

OK, let's get the regular praises out of the way first.

Production - impeccable.
Mix - Excellent.
Vocal - Engaging
Harmonies - Excellent.
Guitar work - nice.

You are always "on top of your game" these days in all those regards.
Goes without saying.
This should be on a record somewhere...

The true STANDOUT here is the writing (above all that other excellent stuff).

The story is devestatingly heartbreaking.
The fact that you told that in song without being specific and making it applicable to others (prehaps in lesser situations) is a real announcement of your writing talent (which seems to continue to grow/climb/refine).

You eased into it so "comfortably" with the fall/summer/winter reference without that being cliche.

"Is there a way
that i could say
i hate to let you down
Dreams don’t last
please don’t crash
fall gently to the ground"

Song poetry. Beautiful. Another real "writing talent" to have poetic lines in a song that "work" - and don't sound like "poetry that someone added music to".

And then... a chorus to die for:

"Always found the words to say
Why was this so hard
If I could have seen her tears pour out
That first night in the car
I might have turned and drove away
Right there at the start..."

That would have been enought to set most writers apart from the pack.
So honest, so sincere.

This last line of the chorus both cleverly turns "drove" around AND raises the chorus to incredible heights.

"Instead I drove a hole right through her heart".

A career chorus.

(The melody is outstanding, too).

THEN...even more amazing is that the 2nd verse is JUST as strong.
The mark of a "masterpiece" (in a songwriting sense)

"Hidden in that goodbye kiss this one’s all on me"
Amazing line.

"Guess i learned that once you’re burned you’ve only got yourself
Certainly because of me she learned that lesson well"

Heartbreaking.


This is pro-level writing.
But more than that.
When you write at that level, writing a good song is pretty much a regular event.
BUT... once in a while, everything falls into place... the stars align...
Magic Happens.

This is magic.

Thanks Rob. That's a wonderful description. Tom

First class tune Tom. Very heartfelt lyric. Very moving. Thanks for sharing this tune

Hey Peter. Thanks so much. What's an album? :)Tom

Even if I hadn't read the background on this song

you can the world weary sound of "there's nothing I could do"

there are some great lines in this heartbreaker,

as others here have said, it's excellent in every way

love the music build, the mix, your vocals

great write and a great song

Kenny

David, Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate it. Tom Rob, Thank you for the very nice comments. Tom

Great stuff, Tom. Enjoyed it.

Regards,

Bob

How do you convey such strong emotions and sentiments without completely breaking down? I would never be able to create a song like this knowing what story inspired it.

You are a very strong person indeed.

The lyrics are beautiful and touching. I don't feel there is much more to say here, as your story and the music speaks for themselves.

Very well done in all areas. Your vocals are top notch.

Great song writing and mixing.

And what a story! Wow, what a position to find yourself in. I can see how the memory of it has stuck with you all this time.

Loved it ,Loved it so much I went to your web page and spent the afternoon listening to your tracks ,while cleaning.abouslutey brilliant Tommy .
an excellent compostion that had a great melodic structure and sing along quality
thank you for sharing
cheers brad

This one will rip the paint right off of your heart.

I once heard Bill Monroe refer to "true life" songs and your backstory affirms just how much this is one. Janice pointed out that the backstory gives the listener an immediate deeper appreciation of the lyric, i.e., knowing that it is "true life"

The song is so well written, performed and recorded that we think perhaps it has indeed been a catharsis for you -- at least we hope it serves to that end.

We get so wrapped up in the lyric every time we listen that is is hard to step back and focus on how well done your performances are and the superb production.

On a lighter note "she was a valedictorian and I was a two time high school dropout" is a great line in itself!

Thanks for sharing this.

J&B

Thank you both for the wonderful review, Tom Bob, Real glad to hear you liked it, Tom

Thanks so much. I appreciate your continued support. Tom Loren, I agree with your theory and I thank you for taking the time to explain it. Tom

Thanks Dani, Tom Greg, I sure do appreciate your continued support. Your comments mean a lot to me, Tom Joe, Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment. Tom

Thanks David. I appreciate the kind review. Tom Thanks for checking in ROG, Tom

floyd, You have out done yourself with this review. Thanks for taking the time to thoughtfully comment on this song. You almost make it sound like I know what I'm doing! LOL!!! This review is way more than I could have asked for. I am truly grateful, Tom Thanks Scott, Tom

Kenny, Thanks for the very fine review. I'm glad you liked it. Tom Thanks for checking in Bob, Tom Thank you Ember. The only thing I can say is that it happened a long, long time ago. Tom

Lawrence, thank you for the thoughtful words. Tom Brad, Glad you're liking my songs. I surely do appreciate your comments. Tom J&B, I think Janice's point is on the money. The backstory adds an element that is somehow missing without it. Thanks for all the nice things you've said here. Tom

This song is surely one of your best.
I really like drums in this song. There are some parts when drums play in a great way.

Excellent production, you're ready for professional recording!!!

Sergio

Tom,

I sat down this morning to give your song a listen. I've been saving it because I knew it was going to be good and I wanted to give myself enough time to write a decent comment.

Then I read the back story and listened...

I don't know what to stay.

I honestly cannot remember ever having been moved so much by any song I've listened to before. I'll come back a bit later when my thoughts have settled down.

Regards,
Noel

Sergio, Thank you. Tom Noel, now I don't know what to say. That is quite a compliment. Thanks, Tom

A tough one to tackle Tom but you did so in such a fine way. The song is another great one from you. The production once again is top level. I found the backing used in this was exceptional and the parts you added couldn't be any better. Great!!! Torrey.