(woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by The Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.

[guitar intro, playing in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ I'm riding down these roads ♪ ♪ Burning through a life well-lived ♪ ♪ I'm looking for something to give me a sign ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Suddenly as if time knew ♪ ♪ I woke up from a daze and I found you ♪ ♪ Lookin' at me trapped in a scene ♪ ♪ ♪ I was full of mud ♪ ♪ Hair messed up ♪ ♪ All around with nothing good ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ There's times I wish I would ♪ ♪ Look at how you see this world ♪ ♪ And how you find its beauty ♪ ♪ All the time ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ ♪ ♪ But standing still now it's clear ♪ ♪ I never met a soul that's so kind my dear ♪ ♪ I'm just a broken heart lover girl ♪ ♪ Trying to beat my best time ♪ ♪ Still scared to trust ♪ ♪ Little by little you're showing me ♪ ♪ How to be a better me ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ ♪ If this world could be ♪ ♪ A little more like you ♪ ♪ If this world could learn ♪ ♪ A little more from you ♪ ♪ This Minnesota farm girl ♪ ♪ And all ♪ ♪ She be ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ There's times I wish I would ♪ ♪ Steal away from that lonesome road ♪ ♪ Stubborn restless woman ♪ ♪ I'm known to be ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ August skies carry me away ♪ ♪ Dreaming of a world with better days ♪ ♪ You turn my frozen morning to a summertime ♪ ♪ Afternoon ♪ ♪ Oh that warm compassion ♪ ♪ It takes a woman like you ♪ ♪ For my heart to feel some ♪ ♪ Truth ♪ ♪ If this world could be ♪ ♪ A little more like you ♪ ♪ If this world could learn ♪ ♪ A little more from you ♪ ♪ If this world could love ♪ ♪ As deeply as you ♪ ♪ This Minnesota farm girl ♪ ♪ And all ♪ ♪ She be ♪ ♪ ♪ All she be ♪ ♪ All all ♪ ♪ All all all all ♪ ♪ She be ♪ My name is Skarlett Woods , I'm from Brainerd, Minnesota.

I just released my sophomore album, Letters to the West.

And it has a kind of chill Americana folk vibe to it.

I got started in music by listening to music.

Music was the place that I go to when I want to escape this world and when I need to have some sort of comfort in my life.

I just gotta talk about "You and I."

I love playing that song, and I love singing that song.

I think that's the first song that I felt like I found something, I discovered something in songwriting.

I love, it's a beautiful melody, has beautiful chords, and it perfectly describes that vibe of that Santa Cruz surfer vibe with the beat that it has.

[softly finger-picking] ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ ♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ [smooth surf rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ I always felt that D was my key ♪ ♪ To sing with the bees ♪ ♪ Come on out and play ♪ ♪ With me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We'd gather little dreams for our shelf ♪ ♪ Spent afternoon Sundays ♪ ♪ Rocking a display ♪ ♪ Of your smile ♪ ♪ ♪ Mm-mm-mm mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Yes see oh ♪ ♪ I can't tell you enough ♪ ♪ What you mean to me ♪ ♪ ♪ Took the trail to your sail ♪ ♪ And tucked myself inside your wing ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh what a time we had floating ♪ ♪ The Pacific life ♪ ♪ And the whale and its tail ♪ ♪ Became something of a fairytale ♪ ♪ ♪ In a time when it was just ♪ ♪ You and I ♪ ♪ ♪ I was this little ship ♪ ♪ Sometimes I admit ♪ ♪ I'd run to escape ♪ ♪ Ran out of things to blame ♪ ♪ All the time ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now can a friendship grow from a broken mess ♪ ♪ Can a heart learn to heal ♪ ♪ Into another place ♪ ♪ Give it some time ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ You see I can't tell you enough ♪ ♪ What you mean to me ♪ ♪ Took the trail to your sail ♪ ♪ And tucked myself inside your wing ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh what a time we had floating ♪ ♪ The Pacific life ♪ ♪ And the whale and its tail ♪ ♪ Became something of a fairytale ♪ ♪ Mm mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ In a time when it was just ♪ ♪ You and I ♪ ♪ ♪ The next song, "I could be a Monster" is about feeling like you don't belong in a community.

and feeling like people hate you.

And you don't understand why they're hating you.

[softly finger-picking] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey there girl could you be nice ♪ ♪ To me ♪ ♪ Hey there boy ♪ ♪ Funny how your fear always leads ♪ ♪ Do you always believe ♪ ♪ What the limelight shows ♪ ♪ Do you ever take the time ♪ ♪ And listen till the end ♪ ♪ Or at least ♪ ♪ Try to comprehend ♪ ♪ ♪ I could be your monster ♪ ♪ Just by loving whom that I do ♪ ♪ I could be your monster ♪ ♪ By changing into somebody new ♪ ♪ I could be your monster ♪ ♪ By defying the roles you're pushing me in ♪ ♪ It's a hard life spending your time ♪ ♪ Hating for no good ♪ ♪ Apparent reason ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Where is the man ♪ ♪ The one with integrity ♪ ♪ ♪ I could hold his hand ♪ ♪ For eternity ♪ ♪ Do you always believe ♪ ♪ What the limelight shows ♪ ♪ Do you ever take the time ♪ ♪ To listen till the end or at least ♪ ♪ Try to comprehend ♪ ♪ Try to comprehend ♪ ♪ Try to comprehend ♪ ♪ I could be your monster ♪ ♪ Just by loving whom that I do ♪ ♪ I could be your monster ♪ ♪ By changing into somebody new ♪ ♪ I could be your monster by defying ♪ ♪ The rolls you're pushing me in ♪ ♪ It's a hard life spending your time ♪ ♪ Hating for no good ♪ ♪ Apparent reason ♪ ♪ ♪ [finger-picking in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ Tall tales dark roads ♪ ♪ The way is never what is seems ♪ ♪ A blind man walks a life ♪ ♪ Choosing steps he'll never see ♪ ♪ Higher tides rolling in ♪ ♪ A tree is worth more dead than alive ♪ ♪ A digital world of lies ♪ ♪ Praising greed as the bottom line ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind working out deep philosophical ♪ ♪ Issues now ♪ ♪ Oh this ♪ ♪ Life somehow ♪ ♪ Go chase a dream or climb that ladder ♪ ♪ Ya yelled out loud ♪ ♪ Either way I want you ♪ ♪ Inside my life somehow ♪ ♪ ♪ Somehow ♪ [imitating a trumpet] ♪ Da da-da-da-da-da da-da-da ♪ ♪ ♪ Da-da-da da-da-da da-da-da-da da-da-da ♪ ♪ Time runs in old shoes ♪ ♪ Laces break and you learn to make-do ♪ ♪ A self-worth journey ♪ ♪ Befriending my enemy ♪ ♪ Lonesome make-believe ♪ ♪ Holding hands not a blue-lit screen ♪ ♪ Breathing every chance ♪ ♪ That reminds you of ♪ ♪ What's real ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind working out ♪ ♪ Deep philosophical issues now ♪ ♪ Oh this life ♪ ♪ Somehow ♪ ♪ ♪ Go chase a dream or climb that ladder ♪ ♪ Ya yelled out loud ♪ ♪ Either way I want you inside ♪ ♪ My life somehow ♪ ♪ Oo oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ ♪ I hope you don't mind working out deep philosophical ♪ ♪ Issues now ♪ ♪ Oh this life ♪ ♪ Somehow ♪ ♪ ♪ Go chase a dream or climb that ladder ♪ ♪ Ya yelled out loud ♪ ♪ Either way I want you inside my life ♪ ♪ Somehow ♪ ♪ ♪ Somehow ♪ ♪ My drum setup, I started to do, I had the idea to do that probably 6 years ago.

I didn't have the courage to add rhythm to the rhythms that I was already playing with my left hand, my right hand, and my voice.

I mean it took me some time to muster up the courage to add a drum because a lot of my music is in 6/8 or 3/4-- ♪ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

♪ [demonstrating the rhythm] You know, kinda that groove.

I noticed that some folks had a hard time hearing that, so I decided I'm like, okay, I need to add a beat, I need to add some drums to my sound so people know where to tap their foot.

[playing a smooth soft rock beat] ♪ ♪ Can I talk with you again ♪ ♪ Been watchin' the hours till then ♪ ♪ Staring at a picture of you willingly shared ♪ ♪ Light blue eyes brown hair ♪ ♪ A little crease when you smile right there ♪ ♪ Wooing me under a moon of rockets red glare ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't stop thinking ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking about you ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't stop thinking ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking about you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo oo ooo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-ooo ♪ ♪ Skin shadow in the steam of a room ♪ ♪ I look away close my eyes and swoon ♪ ♪ Hold me and touch me now ♪ ♪ My body's speaking ♪ ♪ If words spoke as loud ♪ ♪ As how you look at me now clearly I hear you ♪ ♪ Wanting me inside your house ♪ ♪ Um-um um-um I can't stop thinking ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking ♪ ♪ About you ♪ ♪ ♪ I can't stop thinking ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking ♪ ♪ About you oh-oh oh-oh oh ♪ ♪ ♪ Could be more could we be something more ♪ ♪ ♪ Mm-mm-mm mm-mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Could be more could we be something more ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo you're ♪ ♪ Catchin' me now ♪ ♪ Catchin' me ♪ ♪ Now ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo you're ♪ ♪ Catchin me now ♪ ♪ Catchin me ♪ ♪ Now ♪ ♪ I can't stop thinkin' ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking ♪ ♪ About you ♪ ♪ I can't stop ♪ ♪ Thinking ♪ ♪ Oh I'm thinking ♪ ♪ About you ♪ ♪ Oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Mm-mm-mm mm-mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ [playing in bright tempo] ♪ ♪ I spoke a little secret ♪ As you stepped out of the room ♪ ♪ I leaned a little closer ♪ ♪ After all the springs in bloom ♪ ♪ Thawed away ♪ ♪ What I waited to say ♪ ♪ I'm feeling a little braver these days ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You came into my life ♪ ♪ Placed your prints all over me ♪ ♪ Called us to become like one ♪ ♪ That night gave me a song ♪ ♪ I got hooked by your smile ♪ ♪ Pulled me from a mile ♪ ♪ I'm feeling a little braver these days ♪ ♪ Oh I'm feeling braver ♪ ♪ Braver these days ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ Close to you ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ Close to you ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ My heart hurries to love ♪ ♪ Steady moves leading this time ♪ ♪ Was feeling for a beat ♪ ♪ Where our steps would fall aligned ♪ ♪ I got hooked by your style ♪ ♪ Pulled me from a mile ♪ ♪ I'm feeling a little braver ♪ ♪ These days yay ♪ ♪ I'm feeling braver ♪ ♪ Braver these days ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ Close to you ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ Close to you ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ I'm close to you ♪ ♪ When I'm ♪ ♪ I'm close to you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [open chord intro] [playing rhythmic rock] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Two thousand miles away from home ♪ ♪ Sitting on a Portland porch ♪ ♪ Alone ♪ ♪ ♪ I know you think I'm crazy ♪ ♪ But I wouldn't have it ♪ ♪ Any other way ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I know this world is full of fear ♪ ♪ But I just need to feel you ♪ ♪ In your bed ♪ ♪ ♪ Can't wait to see your face again ♪ ♪ Two years too long since me made love ♪ ♪ That fed ♪ ♪ Oh oh that fed ♪ ♪ Pull my mouth ♪ ♪ Into yours ♪ ♪ Feel my hands ♪ ♪ Inside yours oh ♪ ♪ Oh-oh oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oh oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Ooo oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ How 'bout we head out to the coast ♪ ♪ She's been such a long-time ♪ ♪ Good old ♪ ♪ Friend ♪ ♪ ♪ They say this place will be the last ♪ ♪ The human race would have ♪ ♪ Their resting place ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Well I'm so glad I have a niece ♪ ♪ Scared to death if I had others ♪ ♪ To feed ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh but this feeling in me right now ♪ ♪ Pulls and pulls me ♪ ♪ Wanting to grow ♪ ♪ You in me now ♪ ♪ Pull my mouth ♪ ♪ Into yours ♪ ♪ Feel my hands ♪ ♪ Inside yours ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo-oo-oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ (woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by The Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.