***
I interrupt our regularly scheduled absurdly over-ambitious challenge-on-top-of-a-challenge of writing a short story to go with every song that I'm doing this year (and what is my problem with these extra challenges, anyway? Like it's not hard enough to write a song DAMN NEAR EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH?? I have to make it harder on myself?), to tell you what's been going on in my life for the last 6 days and how it resulted in this song.
Here in Kingston, NY, we got an ice storm. A big one, that coated all the trees and made their branches beautiful and glistening, but also made them heavy. Including crucially, the big tree across the street from our house, which collapsed and took out the power line on its way to crashing apart on the side of our and our neighbor's house. and splintering all over the front yard. Somehow no windows or people were harmed when this happened last Thursday night, but the power went out, like it did all over town, and since we have no wood stove and it was 15 degrees outside (that's farenheit for you non-Yanks), we fled across town to our friend's apartment late the next day when it started to seem like maybe this wasn't going to be that fun to tough this out with sleeping bags and candles.
I brought my uke, I meant to keep Fawming- after all, I had heart surgery in the middle of Feb two years ago and I wrote a song from my hospital bed then ("Alone Again", a Willie Nelson-ish number that wasn't half bad as a matter of fact), but this, with the two kids and my wife all crammed into my friend's apartment for days on end, this was too much. There was to be no surreptitious songwriting in the bathroom or on the other side of the kitchen. So I gave up for a few days.
Power came back on Monday night, and I sat down and wrote this song, which was the only possible song I could have written right then. Internet came back today, so now I can post it and engage once again in the global songwriting community architecture that is FAWM.
Huzzah.
I've been breaking ice and chipping wood
trying to find my way into you
But you stopped me like I knew you would
I brought my tools, but it's no good, cause
There's power lines down around your heart
Until they're up, honey, we can't start
Got my truck running down avenues
I'm searching high for a low way through
Intersections dark like the night
I thought you'd be there but I heard the news,
There's power lines down around your heart
Until they're up, honey, we can't start
Why let me slip slide away?
I'm sweeping up to hear you say
Don't let those lines hit the ground
Let's power up, make our sound
@nahlej381 Feb 2022
I love ice trees lol a few years ago I got sucked into one for either 5 minutes or 2 hours (hard to say…trippin balls ya know lol) but this song is gorgeous I love your tunes dude! I do miss that upright bass you were playing during last FAWM…you’re such a good writer…damn you eargoggle!!!!!
@elainedimasi Feb 2022
Skillful.
And I agree with everyone's else's skillful comments.
Also I appreciate remembering, Long Island ice storms that - let's say - removed choices for days on end, when I lived there.
@gardeningangel1 Feb 2022
Very appropriate that this is "unplugged".
Really sweet, thoughtful, sad yet hopeful song making the most of a cold, dark situation. Welcome back to the grid, glad you got through it!
@davidtaro Feb 2022
Really glad I stumbled upon this. It's a gem. Lovely fingerpicking, particularly in those little Here Comes The Sun-style descending runs that you sprinkle in. The central lyrical conceit is so cool, and that hook is so catchy, you can't help but sing along. My wife is now looking at me very strangely. Thank you.
@ashphoenix Feb 2022
I'm in Woodstock, NY. It was quite the storm! I love the way you used the situation to write such a beautiful love song. Great metaphors. I appreciate your guitar playing style as well
@bachelorb Feb 2022
I thought this was going to be a funny song, but it is a legit love song! The lyrics are great.... especially the ending.... I loved it!
@thedutchwidows Feb 2022
One of the things I love about FAWM are the glimpses into people’s lives around the world and this is bang-on brand. It’s a lovely song, and you’ve turned what sounds like a difficult situation into something lovely. I’m sure you and your family are content with that deal, right?
I’ve looked up 15F - that’s pretty cold; sounds a good decision to move out for a bit.
A nice insight also into your other songs, and what you were doing. All makes sense now!
@evinwolverton Feb 2022
Strong, strong concept behind that title + key lyric. Extra love that first line — sets the tone real well. I quite like the picking flourish toward the end.
@wolfkier Feb 2022
What a great concept for a song... Loving the images of work (toil) to get closer, almost like rescuing someone caught in a mine, and the gentle delivery and little pain inflections in the vocal give it a personal touch. Well done. Good to hear you again! :)
@sheslin Feb 2022
Way to turn an unpleasant experience into art! We used to lose power a lot, for days at a time, so I totally relate. Beautiful picking and I loved your patterns, especially the intro and the solo Love how you used the power outage as an analogy for a relationship. So unique and clever!