Accidental Days
Lyrics & Credits
The third studio album
by Chase Tremaine
Released March 10, 2023
Independent, in partnership with Post Emo Records
Download the digital album for free
Purchase the CD on Bandcamp
1. “One Day”
All this work for just one day
Tomorrow should worry for itself
But I’m worrying
All these words but whose to say
‘Cause I’m not the type to ask for help
So I’m hurrying
All these needs, no time to pray
For burdens I took upon myself
And I’m carrying
The week on my shoulders
The month on my back
The year by my ankles
Convinced of my lack
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
No kidding, man
But what can I do by the work of my own hands
My own hands?
All these accidental days
Spent trying to make sense of each plight
Yet I’m bare again
All striving to dig our graves
Til that becomes where we spend the night
Now I’m buried in
All these debts to earn my stay
Forgetting the load I’m offered is light
Still I’m carrying
The week on my shoulders
The month on my back
The year by my ankles
Convinced of my lack
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
No kidding, man
But what can I do by the work of my own hands
My own hands?
Lay it all within the soil
My unraveling
Or give into the endless toil
Anxious traveling
To anywhere on earth
But right here, right now
Run away for life
Or learn to turn and seek out
One day, one day
One day, one day
No more carrying
The week on my shoulders
The month on my back
The year by my ankles
Convinced of my lack
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
No kidding, man
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble
No kidding, man
But what can I do by the work of my own hands
My own hands?
2. “Distracted”
The first day we met
You knew you’d be too good for me
But I wasn’t looking for a girl
The next day you bet
I’d begin thinking differently
Still I wasn’t looking for a girl
Then our eyes looked into each other’s
Deeper than what can be seen
And our voices matched as we’d talk
And we’d laugh and we’d sing
You’ve got me so distracted now
Should our eager love be disavowed
Before our three months run out?
‘Cause a man devout doesn’t need a summer love
Our first week was spent
Drunk on our crush, no consequence
Acting like we couldn’t come undone
Enter our descent
Into a week of recompense
For all of the good we’d left undone
Forced to reckon with our commitments
Weigh them against our romance
Will my vision falter each time that I offer a glance
Is this our only chance?
You’ve got me so distracted now
Should our eager love be disavowed
Before our three months run out?
‘Cause a man devout doesn’t need a summer love
God is breaking my heart before I can give it to you
God keeps breaking my heart before I can give it to you
But I don’t want to lose you before I can prove it was
True what we had
Real what we held
All the ways we felt alive
Wishing to look in your eyes one last time
With no risk of becoming blind, blind
Blind to what God’s doing
You’ve got me so distracted now
Should our eager love be disavowed
Before our three months run out?
‘Cause a man devout doesn’t need a summer love
You’ve got me so distracted now
We came here to plant the seeds and plow
For this short slice of our lives
And a man of Christ doesn’t need
The love of anyone but Christ
He just wants someone to share it with
3. “Tired Side of Content”
I’m on the tired side of content
Exhaustion is my privilege
What’s the point of getting to heaven
Being well rested and well fed?
No, I want to be spent
‘Cause everything we have is lent
Oh, I want to be used
To give honor to the accused
Pass on the comfort I received in Christ
To see my need for his sacrifice
It’s my turn to give it to others
As we become sisters and brothers
I’m on the tired side of content
Because I was taught the secret
Of being in plenty or in need
I can do all things through Christ in me
And I want to see Christ formed in you
He is the only person who
Can take our evil and turn it for good
And make you feel wholly understood
Oh, I want to be spent
‘Cause everything we have is lent
Oh, I want to be used
To give honor to the accused
Pass on the comfort I received in Christ
To see my need for his sacrifice
It’s my turn to give it to others
As we become sisters and brothers
True rest is not found in bed
Or made up inside our head
We find it in Jesus’ yoke
When we let him bear our load
He can spend us all he wants
Though our bodies wear the cost
Find joy in that crazy claim
Lose our lives, we’ll call it gain
This is where my soul finds rest
On the tired side of content
4. “Heart Reset”
I’d write you a love song to wrap up the day
But unfinished verses would keep me awake
Why can’t my mind put you to rhyme?
I’m finished ignoring the problems that stayed
And not done exploring the prices we paid
Where’d the time go, who knows, who knows?
If we could go back to the start
Is that where I’d find my heart
If we could go back to the start
What would I change on my part?
I’ve every intention to find someone new
But would I just use them to get over you?
When a heart’s set, takes a hard reset
Pretending is easy when you’re not around
Yet when you are near me, so quickly I’m bound
When a heart’s set, takes a hard reset
If we could go back to the start
Is that where I’d find my heart
If we could go back to the start
What would I change on my part?
Is it true, does it just take time
Is it true, does it just take time
Are you here too, does it just take time?
If we could go back to the start
Is that where I’d find my heart
If we could go back to the start
What would I change on my part
All healing begins with a crawl
Is it better that we’re here after all?
5. “Middle of My Words”
(Read the Story Behind the Song)
What do you see in the middle of my words?
Can I speak a blessing, yet you hear a curse
What do you see in the middle of my words?
Wings for the fall, air for the birds
What do you see in the middle of my words?
What do you hear, babe?
Please talk to me, please explain
What you’re hearing, babe
I don’t want ghosts or thoughts of ghosts to haunt us, babe
Yet I ask what’s the matter and you turn away
It won’t matter if it’s weightless
And I don’t want to cause stress
So I’ll sit within this mess
We can process
In the space between my words, I have hurt you
Yet I’d fill up the sky if just to love you better
In the shadows that you heard, a phantom caught you
So help me shine a light and face your fears together
What do you see, babe?
Please show your face, please explain
What you’re seeing, babe
I want what I meant and what you heard to be the same
And I’ll repent if I hurt you along the way
It ain’t wrong if we’re not thinking quite the same
I swear I’m not accusing you of anything
I’m just trying to get us on the same page
When I ask how you’re feeling, you can say
In the space between my words, I have hurt you
In the shadows of my soul, you saw a man who scared you
I’ll fill up the sky to let you know how much I care for you
And I will shine a light, we can face our fears, both old and new
I’ll give you wings when you fall and a rose when you rise
‘Cause we won’t be perfect, but I know we can get it right
What do you see in the middle of my words?
Can I speak a blessing, yet you hear a curse
What do you see in the middle of my words?
Wings for the fall, air for the birds
What do you see in the middle of my words?
6. “Gloriously Mundane” feat. Nick Schrader
There’s work to do and money to earn and people to see
The balancing act is a twenty-four-hour forgery
Seven days cannot contain just how weak I feel
Sundays offer hope that every Monday aims to steal
Fiction only makes it worse
We live in dreams and feed the curse
But when your dollar lets you down
True riches can be found
It takes different kinds of glories
To tell our full stories
The special and repetitive
The debts we earn, rewards we give
Don’t die for your wages just to live
There’s work to do and joy to be shared and people to see
The balancing act is a labor of love in delivery
Necessary evils can be voluntary goods
When we steal back our privilege from self-imposing “should”s
Real life happens when we see
Into our shared humanity
And drop the dressed up masks we wear
We don’t have to be scared
It takes different kinds of glories
To tell our full stories
The special and repetitive
The debts we earn, rewards we give
Don’t die for your wages just to live
It takes different kinds of glories
To tell our full stories
The special and repetitive
The joy we get, the love we give
Don’t die for your wages just to live
It could all drive you insane
Till you see it’s gloriously mundane
7. “Settled in the Unsettled” feat. Theo MacMillan
(Read the Story Behind the Song)
I wouldn’t bet my savings on a roll of the dice
I wouldn’t build a house on top of a sheet of ice
So why do I try to get settled in the unsettled?
Every room, a shelf of books that I’ll never read
Every closet, lined with clothes I don’t even need
I’m just trying to get settled in the unsettled
Why do I do it
When I always knew it would fail me?
I’m ready to propose before we go on a date
I swear that I’ll be fired after my first mistake
Oh, why do I try to get settled in the unsettled?
I dream up conversations that’ll never take place
Get lost reliving memories that I cannot erase
Always trying to get settled in the unsettled
Why do I do it
When I always knew it would fail me?
Why do I do it
When I always knew it would fail me?
I can’t use science to pretend that all can be known
Or heap up all my stuff, sit down, and call it a throne
So why do I try to get settled in the unsettled?
Why do we try to get settled in the unsettled?
8. “Choose”
So self-assured, it’s not a fling
Started saving for a ring
I’m buying less and praying more
Needs I haven’t known before
God, if I give my plans to you
Can I trust you’ll see me through?
Surrender is a funny thing
Nothing in my hands I bring
What will I do if
You take back your gift
Given just to lose
Do I have to choose?
Ten or so months were all planned out
Till you filled my heart with doubt
Tip-toeing into every day
Terrified what you might say
I’m learning fast, tomorrow’s fake
Lie down, don’t know if I’ll wake
Surrender is a crazy thing
Much I have to which I cling
What will I do if
You take back your gift
Given just to lose
Do I have to choose?
Will I turn my ear
If my greatest fear
Becomes your command
Will I fall or stand?
What will I do if
You take back your gift
Given just to lose
Do I have to choose?
Lord, don’t take her please
I’m down on my knees
Give me confidence
Is this providence?
Do I love her so
Much to let her go?
Lord, I really hope
I can have you both
9. “The Checklist”
The numbers don’t lie
Made sure my checklist was just right
If there’s no match, then there’s no time
Why bother to try?
True love or new friends
There’s no sense granting a difference
I’ll want what the list recommends
For my existence
Then you came along, my opposite
You came along, my opposite
If I’m combative
Please forgive a broken perspective
To seek the safest way to live
Not so creative
Yet you came along, my opposite
You came along, my opposite
When the threats of war abound
Let’s recall the peace we found
When your counsel invokes my disdain
Your kindness relieves all the pain
Letting the list steer, I’d adhere
But it has become clear
What I called “safety”
That was fear inside a mirror
Then you came along, my opposite
You came along, my opposite
Finding strength when we collide
Differences we must not hide
If we dare to hold them in
We’d drown in the shallow end
If “to love” means “to agree”
We’d all be on separate teams
Be opposed or by my side
Either way, we’ll have to fight
So dear friend, do beware
That I am gonna care
For every thing you do
And love you even when I don’t approve
And I will throw away that checklist every day
To throw away more time with you
10. “New Creation Gray” feat. Brendan Dorman
My body works pretty well
But I see cracks within the shell
Entropy is trapped in every cell
The symptoms are awfully clear
They scoff and taunt and interfere
Acting young is growing insincere
I don’t think I’ll really want my new creation body
Till I put myself in a wheelchair
I doubt I’ll appreciate what Christ bought for me
Before my mirror shows me gray hair
I’m already past my prime
I never learned to turn back time
Is decay the sentence or the crime?
So blind toward what I forsake
I praise the highs, ignore the ache
Pray life gives me more than death will take
But take what – isn’t life a gift?
And a greater gift is yet to come
I don’t think I’ll really want my new creation body
Till I put myself in a wheelchair
I doubt I’ll appreciate what Christ bought for me
Before my mirror shows me gray hair
What if that day comes
And we don’t look twenty-one
instead, we’ve all got silver and white
Upon our heads?
And those who died at a young age
Will wear the badge of decades,
And not a soul feels older
‘Cause futility is over
I don’t think I’ll really want my new creation body
Till I see what it took to get us there
I doubt I’ll appreciate what Christ bought for me
Before I’m wearing, like a badge, my gray hair
I’m wearing, like a crown, my gray hair
Full Album Credits
Production, engineering, and mixing by Brendan St. Gelais
Mastering by Sean Power at the Hilson Studio
Released independently in partnership with Post Emo Records
Lyrics written by Chase Tremaine
Music written by Chase Tremaine except:
– “One Day”: written with Taylor Tremaine
– “Tired Side of Content”: written with David Bartek
Music performed by Chase Tremaine except:
– “Gloriously Mundane”: piano and background vocals by Nick Schrader
– “Settled in the Unsettled”: piano and background vocals by Theo MacMillan
– “New Creation Gray”: trumpets by Brendan Dorman
– All songs: additional keys, synths, programming, percussion, auxiliary instrumentation, and/or background vocals by Brendan St. Gelais
Thank You’s
I long to have a heart filled with gratitude – to never take advantage of everything in my life to be thankful for – and the list for this album is surely a long one. My dear wife Paige, my greatest supporter and biggest fan, who encouraged me through the most arduous and terrifying seasons of making this album; Brendan St. Gelais, who expertly produced this album, with a keen ear for taking these songs to the next level, while consistently challenging me to be the best songwriter, singer, and musician possible; my brother Taylor, whose influence and inspiration will always be the bedrock of my songwriting; Theo M., whose friendship and artistry has made each of my albums better, whether he’s playing on a song or not; Sean Power, the king-of-all-trades who has helped me in my musical pursuits time and again with kindness and excellence; Manaen H., the most devoted of friends, who always helps me to believe in myself; the Crownovers, whose love and hospitality jump-started my music career in a way that can never be understated; my former church Immanuel, whose family and faithfulness inspired me in many of these songs and introduced me to a number of these collaborators – especially during those legendary Tuesday nights with Jon and Chad; Christ Church, for always making my wife and me feel known and cared for and important; ISTS, for proving year after year to be a caring and flexible employer, allowing me to prioritize music with trust and support; Scott, Josh, and the JFH staff, for helping me remain a passionate lover of music, despite my inclination toward cynicism; Daniel T., for being the most awesome fan-turned-friend a guy could ever wish for; Ben D. and the Post Emo crew, for keeping me focused on the greater purpose for why art and music are worth making; Brendan D. and Nick S., for imbuing my songs with life and joy that wouldn’t be possible without you; to my Grand Canyon and BSM friends, whose pivotal role in my life and maturation is evident throughout this album a whole decade later; David B., for being daring enough to write some crazy rock songs with me; Christian and Blind Breed, for years of musical partnership and for believing in “One Day” years ago in a way that encouraged me to make this album; my parents and Gigi, for decades of unwavering love and support – I owe you more than I could ever repay; Paige again, who probably deserves a truckload of thanks simply for letting me write love songs and breakup songs that I wrote before I met her; and the giver of all good things, Jesus Christ, who deserves thanks for everything I’ve already listed here and much, much more.