Playing open mic sessions is both a rite of passage and a privilege for performers like me. This song recounts my experience playing at one of the most well-known open mic venues on the west coast—the Pig 'N Whistle in Los Angeles.
Lyrics
There’s a small stage in the corner
Under pale blue light
A couple of silver microphones stand ready for the night
Someone checks the sound board with cables here and there
And people start to trickle in and whispers fill the air
Before a small stage in the corner under pale blue light
On a small stage in the corner Wednesday night
There’s a rapper from Seattle who doesn’t want to stop
There’s a folkie from the 60s who looks like ZZ Top
There’s a girl singing her heart out, she just arrived from France
And a couple of hip hop crazy boys who bust out this weird dance
On a small stage in the corner under pale blue light
On a small stage in the corner Wednesday night
There’s the nervous and the lonely who cut their songs in half
There’s one stand up comic who strains to get a laugh
There’s the ranters and the ravers and the terminally shy
Who for the life of me I couldn’t tell you why
They’re on a small stage in the corner under pale blue light
On a small stage in the corner Wednesday night
Then a guy steps on the stage in an unassuming way
He takes in one big breath and then begins to play
People put their drinks down or look up from their phones
For this voice that’s straight from heaven and nobody’s alone
Cuz there’s a small stage in the corner where life somehow unfolds
Melodies go everywhere and stories will get told
Some are taking chances, some are on a lark
Some are baring demons in the dark
And there’s me
I hear my name and I climb onto the stage
I stare out at an audience that’s prob’ly half my age
Then I sing these songs of mine and wonder how they’ll land
And when I hit my final chord they give a friendly hand
On a small stage in the corner everything’s okay
And I am oh so thankful for the chance to play
On a small stage in the corner where everything’s alright
On a small stage in the corner Wednesday night
On a small stage in the corner everything’s alright
On a small stage in the corner Wednesday night
© Gary Poole 2020