On a Roll

words and music by Tim Seston
© 2018 Tim Seston

CMN members who have attended conferences over the past few years have enjoyed the company of Tim Seston’s son Luke. Luke loves word plays and that, Tim tells us, was the inspiration for “On a Roll.”

Tim explains:

“When Luke said to Andrea Green over Sunday morning breakfast at the CMN conference in Zion, Illinois, that he was ‘on a roll,’ he was expressing the complex idea that he was in fact experiencing a prolonged spell of success. Though he was specifically talking about the jokes he and Andrea were sharing, it was a clear to me that Luke’s first national CMN conference was an uplifting and incredibly positive experience. Likewise, as a young boy with cerebral palsy who depends on his wheelchair for mobility, his statement could have not been more clear. He is happy and energized when interacting with others.

“As I began writing on the plane ride home, I began thinking of other ways the phrase ‘on a roll’ could be used. The third line of the chorus—‘I’m on a roll, not a bagel, or a muffin, or a buttered scone’—is one of my favorites. I also thought of our travel experiences together and places where we have both performed: Cape Cod, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. There are others; perhaps more verses will emerge. Overall, this song has become our anthem as we have performed more frequently together as father and son. Luke’s piano, percussion, and personality have added many layers to my show. Together we are on a roll.”