From the recording Songs from the Vault 1985-1995
I met my first true songwriting mentor, Doug James, in 1994. Doug was famous for co-writing "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" with Michael Bolton. After our meeting, (set up by a girlfriend who would become my wife in the 90's, Lori Schonewolf) Doug mentioned he was considering starting a new publishing company and wanted to know if I would be his first staff writer. I was honored and thrilled. He teamed me up with Geoff Vernon who was a local journalist and brilliant lyricist...and this was the first song the three of us wrote. I always imagined Gordon Lightfoot singing it. Doug thought it would be perfect for Kenny Rogers or Willie Nelson. Doug reached out to Kenny's team but the song never got cut.
We've since altered the Chorus a bit. This is one of the songs that both my son and daughter point out specifically when reminiscing fondly about these early recordings.
Lyrics
Sara's Hair
c2013 Geoff Vernon, Sol Knopf and Doug James
It was funny, Sara's Hair
and flopped about her face
To this 3rd grade boy behind her
When we dashed to second base
It gave a handle in the chase
Long, dark and silken then,
at the prom we left the rest
When Sara's hair cascaded down in rivers 'cross my chest
I knew that I'd been blessed
CHORUS
Sara's hair is always there
in black and shimmering streams
Smells of wind and sunlight
in the refuge of my dreams
Sara's hair is always there
Sara's hair with pearls was woven
on the day we joyfully wed.
My heart, much tighter bound by midnight locks upon the bed
Than by the vows we'd said
And when her love had given me a daughter and a son
Her hair was even finer then, than when we'd just begun
Burnished ebony in the sun
CHORUS
Sara's hair is always there
in black and shimmering streams
Smells of wind and sunlight
in the refuge of my dreams
Sara's hair is always there
Bridge
Sara's hair runs fine
through all my memories
And like a river through my mind
It brings a flow of love and life and laughter
To make the pass of tide and time seem kind
And I will see her hair, still wondrous
When we stroll through twilight's glow
Softly swirlin' 'bout her face
like fleecy wisps of snow
When winter winds begin to blow
CHORUS
Sara's hair is always there
in black and shimmering streams
Smells of wind and sunlight
in the refuge of my dreams
Sara's hair is always there