The first song was written to tie together Midnight Train and Steel Blue. Still Blue and Steel Blue sing the same. As I began going to the local jail with Metanoia Prison Ministries (www.pcamna.org / metanoia-ministries) and visiting the women’s pods, I learned there were several wives of men who were serving time, some for multiple years, while their husbands pined away at home without them. I personally knew one of these husbands who cried bitter tears to me on more than one occasion about his wife behind steel bars. “Nothing’s bluer than steel” was the comment he made to me during one of those sessions talking about the emotional unnatural severing of temporary separation by jail and the eventualities involved. Midnight Train was written by myself and one of my best high school buddies for fun 37 years ago. I thought they went together well collage style.

Bluer Than Steel (Close to the Heart Songs, 2016, Kerry Belcher, all rights reserved)

Nothing’s bluer than steel, nothing bluer than steel I’ve cried all day, I’ve cried all night, I tried to sleep in vain-you up and left the other night and you’ve taken the midnight train
Cold Steel, Old Steel, oh how I’ve pined for you Cold Steel, Old Steel, oh darling, believe it is true! nothing’s bluer than steel my love, and darling, you’ve left me steel blue

Midnight Train (Close to the Heart Songs, 2016, Kerry Belcher, all rights reserved)
Written and performed with William Owens, Jr. on banjo

Everybody’s got their problems, and it seems like every problem causes pain
That woman, she’s leaving-she says she’s going to take that midnight train
Chorus That Midnight train, it’s sounding lonesome-that midnight train, it’s moaning low You said you loved, why don’t you show some before you pack and take the midnight train v2 Everbody’s got their problems and it everybody’s got their time to die
That woman up and left me, said to her sister’s aid she had to fly Chorus v3 As she rode, she felt a little angry, while she rolled, she felt a little pain, when she reached her destination, she found I engineered the midnight train Chorus

Steel Blue (Close to the Heart Songs, 2016, Kerry Belcher, all rights reserved)

The truth is never easy but it’s clear And love always seems best when it is near
I can hear the whistle blowing on another lonely morning, all alone in our home
You never should’ve gone back to that town You never should’ve gone where they tore you down Now they took you for a ride and you’re not here by my side and I’m blue without you
Chorus The truth is still true-no lies The sky is still blue outside
Still living my life day to day in mainly the same old way
Still waiting for the day you return but iron bars won’t let our hearts don’t burn
Like they once did and now I’m blue-Steel blue
V2 I’m holding down the fort, so they say I’m getting tired and turning old and gray
And if absence makes love fonder, you being over yonder
Makes the tender side of me run and hide Nothing can replace your loving touch No matter where I go nothings ever hurt this much and I’m praying every night that I could hold on tight and wait this out but there’s growing doubt!
Chorus 2 The sky is still blue outside-the chicken’s still best pan-fried
I’m trying to make a new start with a tangled up heart Can’t believe you’re coming back to me Can’t believe I’ll ever be free And I’m blue, real blue-Steel blue
My heart is still yours alone-please come back home it’s true I’m blue real blue Steel blue and I’m so blue without you, Steel Blue repeat