Thank God For Memphis

I wrote the lyrics and melody for Thank God For Memphis, but did not record my own version of the song. Instead I paid Elliott Sheridan: to record it for me.

Song Title: Thank God For Memphis

Click Here to download the MP3 file for Thank God For Memphis

Thank God For Memphis

Verse 1:
When I was a boy
I ran all over this town
there was a fire in my eyes
nothing could slow me down

In the Mississippi River
on those hot summer days
I let the beauty of the South
wash all my cares away

Pre-Chorus:
Barbeques, picnics
and hot apple pies
going to the church on Sundays
where I was baptized

Looking down the highway
towards the future unknown
feeling safe in the arms of a city
that I called home

Chorus:
Under the moon and stars
where I had my first kiss
a special place in my heart
Thank God for Memphis

Verse 2:
I felt like a king
walking in blue suede shoes
at home in the birthplace
of rhythm and blues

The sounds of Elvis
kept my spirit alive
making my feet and my hips
want to dance, jump and jive

Pre-Chorus:
I often think about those days
when I'm sad or feeling down
lost in the memories
take me back to my hometown

Chorus:
Under the moon and stars
where I had my first kiss
a special place in my heart
Thank God for Memphis
Thank God for Memphis

---------------

Reviews of Thank God For Memphis from the ReverbNation.com Crowd Review service (song score: 7.7 out of 10):

A funky blues beat in the opening that serves as a good intro for a vocalist who has a lot of talent and passion in their lyrics and the tone they bring to the track.
COOL THIS ONE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A JAZZ FEEL TO IT AND MAKES YOU FEEL HAPPY AND WANT TO SING ALONG WITH THE MUSIC AND JUST FEEL IT.
Good song but I think the beat is a little outdated. I did like the tone of the song and how fun this was to listen to. I would buy this because I love Blues and jazz I would purchase this sounds great.
Great beat vocals and instruments. I cab picture hearing this at a shopping mall and a fashion show. I enjoyed it nothing negative to say.
I like the beat and swing to this song and the bluesy sound to it. The vocals work with the music too. He has a very flexible voice.
I like the rhythm and beat of the song. It has a good beat to move to. The lyrics are good. The vocals could be stronger.
I loved the fun and carefree vibe of this song. I loved the lyrics and it makes me want to go to Memphis. The music had elements of jazz and blues to it which I loved.
I really liked the blues overtone. Good song. It worked, all over ... The beat, the lyrics, the vocals. All good. I would play this on a jukebox in a bar.
I really liked the vocals in this song. I thought it was very easy going and relaxing to listen to. I think the lyrics in this song were well written too.
Loved the start of the sound. The song started out ok. The vocals were ok, but maybe a little soft. More power there would be good. Just an ok song.
Loving that organ sound on this one. Kinda reminds me of watching a Blues Brothers movie. The music sound be a little stronger like the drums for example.
Nice and easy to listen to song. I loved the artist's singing. The instruments were jazzy without being too over the top. It could be played in a lot of venues and radio.
Not bad, has a nice Blues influence to it. The vocals are excellent and the lyrics fit the title well. The instrumentation is funky and laid back sounding, while the production is superb.
Overall I thought it was a great song, minus a couple of elements that seemed to be lacking. The quality was there for sure and I would listen to again.
Sounds like it wants to get close to funky but misses by just a tiny bit, could use some more swing. The vocals are okay for the most part.
The singer did not have a nice voice, which distracted from how good the rest of the song was. The rest of the song actually sounded really good too and seemed to be pretty catchy.
The tone of this song is more blues than pop, or even country. Definitely not pop, though. The melody is okay and the singer's voice nicely fits the tone of the song, and he's easy to understand, which is good. But it's definitely not pop.
The vocals are great, they match the lyrics and music perfectly. I like the growl that I can almost hear with the vocals. The lyrics are great too!
This song had soul and a bit of funk. It really told me a story. I liked the whole concept of the song. I would love to hear more. Thank you.
This song has a very older sound to it. It reminds me of older music that focused on the lyrics being great! I would surely seek more this artist!
This song just feels like it's fun. It's got a nice swing beat to it and a very cool chorus which calls back to an earlier time.

Below is an acoustic version of Thank God For Memphis by Douglas Haines:

Reviews of the acoustic version of Thank God For Memphis from the ReverbNation.com Crowd Review service (song score: 6.4 out of 10):

The lyrics in this song are very strong and original. Extremely poetic and sweet. Again, the twang of the southern vocals and acoustic guitar are well done and not so southern that it can't be enjoyed by non-southerners. The melody is bittersweet as well, which I suppose is a common theme with this artist. I like the backup vocals adding a special depth to the singing. Well done.
This singers voice doesn't quiet go with the acoustics that he chooses. This song along with many of his others have a very great message as well as story behind them, yet the person singing them doesn't have a great melody, the lyrics don't rhyme so it can not be considered a catchy song, the words don't mesh, the singer and the backgrounds voices do not mesh, in any way at all. while the person singing likely put a lot of effort into this song it isn't that great.
The intro to the song is very upbeat and in with the modern country music these days. The singer sticks with theses lyrics throughout most of the song and can really get them stuck in my head. I think this singer is one of the best country singers I have heard in a while. HE has an amazing voice, with great tempo and flows with the guitar smoothly not like most singers that their guitar is off and doesn't go with their voice. This song is one off the better country songs it is most likely on my top 10. I look forward to buying it on Itunes.
I liked how the guitar in the beginning was quite and subtle. i also liked how what he was saying had emotion and feeling. at times his voice did nit really match up with the rest of the song and it seemed a bit scattered. but overall it was a good song.
Classic sounding american music with the artist showing you something. The artist takes the listener on a short journey through his neck of the woods and serenades with sleepy guitar sounds. This is a great example of how less can be more. Not much other than the vocals and guitar is needed for the artist to present an honest feeling of a beloved hometown. America needs more music like this!
This song sounds similar to many other songs that I've heard. The sound of the guitar, and even the raspy vocals remind me of tons of other songs. My question for this artist would be, "What's so special about your music? What's your X factor?" I'm not exactly stating that this song doesn't have any market potential, but you'd have to want to listen to the same song over and over again in order to want to buy it. Another thing this artist would need to work on, since they're only trying to make it right now, would be writing meaningful lyrics. I'm not from Memphis, so this song had absolutely no meaning to me. Keep working!
The bass caught me right away. Whoever is playing the guitar is obviously quite talented. The vocals fit perfectly. It's a very fun song, and the chorus effect is nice in what I assume is the refrain. Thank God For Memphis- that's a great hook. It's not overused, and in fact, I don't think I've ever heard a song about how great Memphis is. All in all, a solid track about going home. Only suggestion, could use some light drumwork in the background.
The steady build up of music in the introduction is awesome. I love the singers voice. The music and the instruments used are just so enchanting and whimsical and I love how the lyrics are so beautifully written, in depth, profound and written so that people can very easily relate to it. I love just about everything in this song. The beat, the lyrics, the music, the vocals... Perfect!
The song is amazing and full of grace and soul the singer has a wonderful voice to. He is mind blowing and amazing in his work and songs. I love these songs and i hope to hear it again. I would rate the song a 20.
The beginning is very soft but clear, the instruments balancing each other out. When the artist begins to sing he comes into the song perfectly, matching the tone of the guitar almost effortlessly. The quality of the song is very rich, something like a Ed Sheeran song. The lyrics are very clear and tell a descriptive story of the author's love for his home and the simpler things in life. This would be an incredible song for a movie soundtrack or a commercial about small towns or simplistic items that people take for granted in today's world of technology and the future.
This singer has a great tone of voice for this storyteller style of music with lyrical content reminiscence on days past. The guitar playing is a simple quick tempo strum that sounds good. The lyrics of this song give glimpses into the past via the singer or his character and I think it is all quite likable. However, this song is not a strongly commercial style in terms of radio potential.
The song is very nice. The guitar tune is very catchy. Also the vocalist has a very nice voice. The guitar tune does not get boring, for it is a bit mesmerizing. Also, the song portrays a very vivid scene. I could picture a group of people having a picnic during the middle of fall under a tree while chatting.
The introduction to this song had a greats country vibe and I can defiantly say this song had a great beat. I love the sound of the guitar being played in the beginning . To me this sound song is beginning to sound Bluegrass. The vocalist has a great raw and powerful dynamic voice. He sounds like a folk singer which is great at singing and telling stories.
Really I'm not a big fan of songs that sound like country. The person who sings the song sounds really good and his lyrics are alright but not the best. The guitar or the instrumental is really good but like I said its not the best. The song seems too peaceful which is what really killed it for me so it wasn't really my taste. I would rate it 4 out of 10.
This song is a softer country song. I love these lyrics but this song only fits certain situations. His voice is a great country voice. Where is his concert i want to go see it!! The more I listen the better it gets. I would love to listen to more pieces of this guys in the future. Good song I would give it a eight out of ten for this type of music. I want to add this to one of my playlists.
The beat is smooth and rhythmic, it has a great country sound that would be very attractive to american audiences. the guitar really brings the song to life as it backs the country style of the song. It is a great relaxing tune to sit back to.
The guitar intro is very good. The vocalist is very good. It's not a cookie cutter country song. It sounds like a good song you would sing around a campfire. I think it will do good in mainstream country music on the radio. I think it is a style the public would widely accept.
I like the sound of the guitar in this song. It provides an upbeat melody and an uplifting mood. The artist has a typical country twang to his voice. This is a very solemn and reminiscent song. For the right crowd, it would be a pleaser. The mood of the song is a little too nostalgic for me. I like how the artists talks about what seems to be his hometown. It is very nice and paints a nice image.
The track starts of with a nice guitar rhythm and keeps its nice pace and then the lyrics kick in with a male singer. This is a very nice song, with the guitar and the singing pulling together to make a really nice country song, it was a great listen. I really did enjoy it. It made me happy listening to it and reminded me of my best friend who quite like country music.
The guitar is repetitive but sounds good. The lyrics are good but a few words should maybe be changed to make the songs sound more smooth. Other than that I think the song is pretty good, probably something i would find myself listening to. It has sort of an old country feel but then again it feels kind of like modern country.
This is a pretty energetic and decent entry to a song. The guitarist seems to be following the rhythm whie playing with a good beat. The issue i have with this song is the old and side vibe that it gives. This country song is not my type i like but its fine.
This guitar melody is very similar to countless other songs I've heard over the years. It doesn't offer anything new. The vocalist has an accomplished voice and sings with conviction. Background vocals are also strong. The chorus about Memphis helps establish the song's nostalgic theme. However, both the melody and the vocals evoke a sense of sorrow. This is a depressing tune rather than an uplifting one, and I think a peppier and more positive song would pay more homage to the city and add to the song's commercial viability.
This song has a catchy melody, the mans voice is soothing and I enjoy The Lyrics it can be a song for light listening or a song where you really think about the lyrics and what they mean, though it may be annoying if played on the radio repetitively, I think that the song may have nice key elements to make it a hit.
The instrumentals were great, but your voice was a bit droll. I didn't like the chorus with the other guy, it doesn't work. And I think that I've heard your voice several other times in blues song. Be original, that's the problem with all these people on this website. But your band could do something better, maybe even out of their own genre. I believe this could be better.
Love the guitar. Varied and interesting. Not a fan of the voice. Lyrics are fairly interesting. Tells a story. Guitar carries well even though it is simplistic. Lyrics are not as repetitive. Enjoy the longer guitar intro and ending. Could listen to the guitar a lot long. Vocals could be softer and not as strained and would be better overall.
The old country music feel brings back pleasant memories. The lyrics give you a hardship vibe. I do not really like the feeling it gives me. But i could tell some people would like this type of song. I would give it a 4 out of 10. It is just not my style. The thing i did like is the instruments.
The beginning sounds really nice. Te chords are nice and clean and the lyrics aren't to bad. The flow gets a tad bit choppy. but the harmony is pretty, it'd be really good for easy listening and appropriate for all age groups. The only thing is getting thrown off occasionally by the slightly off beat lyric, if this is done on purpose then it's fine. The vocals are also fitting for this piece of music.
In my honest opinion i think this song was horible,the man had a nice voice but he did not use it in the right way i did not like what the singer was singing about and i also did not like the how the guitar sounded, this is not my type of music.
The utilization of the guitar is very smooth and flows great in the beginning. Not really upbeat, just a serious song, which is still great! Artist has a great country voice, meaning it is deep and rough. Vocals are on point! Lyrics sounded like they were put together with great thought!
Honestly, it's very repetitive to the majority of the country artists out. It's not much of a huge difference that I would've wanted to wait for. However, it's very well played and sung. In reality, I live in the south and know the majority of all the popular and not-so-popular country songs out there. Honestly, at least the unpopular ones are a little original to begin with. Although the guitar is glorious, but the fact that the lyrics are poorly written, makes the song almost unnecessary to the country music world at the moment.
The rhythm of the guitar is great, very melodic and catchy, nice to listen to and shows good technique. Although this is not my favourite genre of music to listen to I can still appreciate this song as it is a well structured song that has great lyrics. The vocalist has a good voice and it works well with the style of this song. I like that the tune stays consistent throughout the entire song. The structure is great as there is a clear verse, bridge and chorus.
Not a good song . It is not a good "vivid " song . It is a country song . The lyrics are not steady or no construction . It is not understanding. The beat is very bland . a religious song with religious lyrics. At the end the rhythm of the song goes down at the in . It is not a good song.
I don't like this song because I don't like country music. I prefer pop music. In the beginning of this song the lyrics took a long time to appear, which is something I don't like. This song is good for when you riding a horse in the country.
I enjoy the song. I think that the rythm was slow for this kind of song. The lyrics are very specific I like that. I don't belive the singer of this song is a talented singer. The song is is very calm. I don't like the beat.
The tempo is very upbeat and joyful. The lyrics have a nostalgic country vibe that brightens your mood up. The slightly religious lyrics are comforting. The lyrics are relatable and the singers voice is very sweet. There is also an underlying home town vibe that makes me miss the town that I grew up in.