Grandma’s Box of Toys

Words and music by Briyan Frederick
© Brian F Baker | Published by Blind Mime Music, ASCAP
All rights reserved.

This Blind Mime Ensemble track began as an excerpt from an instrumental recording of piano and acoustic guitar, along with some sounds from a Native Instruments sample instrument called Kinetic Toys.

I brought the recording into Sunoai and, inspired by the toys, I wrote the lyrics about the box of toys my grandmother had for us when we came to visit. It’s still a very vivid memory for me, playing with my cousins in my grandparents tiny home. The smell of Thanksgiving turkey and all kinds of other things can be conjured up.

My grandma's box of toys
Was on the stairs, up the steps
Old toys from when my mom was young
Wooden toys and metal toys
Some girls, some for boys
Pieces missing from every single one

My grandma's box of toys
My mother has one too
And our kids and your kids make believe
The tend the store and take a call
Line the cars against the wall
They come to life in little hands on bended knees

Grandma's box of toys
Remember when? Remember when?
We shared a box of ragtag toys
And now we share the memories
Fading fast, so help me please
Remember grandma's box of toys

She had a stash of heavy paper
We used to draw and color on
The Crayons seemed to change over time
Toddler scrawls in Underalls
Brady's pages belonged on walls
But adults talked of adult things and never dreamed

Grandma's box of toys
Remember when? Remember when?
We shared a box of ragtag toys
And now we share the memories
Fading fast, so help me please
Remember grandma's box of toys

Grandma's box of toys
Remember when? Remember when?
We shared a box of ragtag toys
And now we share the memories
Fading fast, so help me please
Remember grandma's box of toys