About the Songs
A personal account of each song's inspiration and meaning
by Ricky j Taylor
Heavenly Light [The Edge of Light]
A summer night On my front porch…I had been up all night experiencing some pretty deep despair when the sun began to rise. I became bathed in warm sunlight. Unlike every other sunrise I’d experienced throughout my life…THIS sunrise was profound. Suddenly, inexplicably, I was filled with hope and a sense of profound wonder…I marveled at how amazing this light was, the unfathomable circumstances that resulted in this nuclear furnace floating in space millions of miles away, a component in an astoundingly complex world full of precious, perilous life, including mine. In that moment, something that I’d seen so many times and thought nothing about, seemed like an absolute miracle…as if I was awash in a literal Heavenly Light.
Saigon 68 [The Edge of Light]
Saigon 68 (originally titled “Saigon 69”) is essentially about a man who was motivated by a simple notion of always trying to do the right thing, regardless of the cost or risk. Perhaps this is the definition of bravery. As an illustration of this, the song tells the story of a young man who did what he believed to be the right thing by going to war when called upon by his country….the Vietnam War. This war was very controversial and many refused to serve. But there were who believed in their country and their obligation to serve and many paid the ultimate price. War is tragic and sometimes necessary, but not in every case. But history is replete with those who sacrificed in the act of doing what they thought was right even though they were mislead or simply didn’t know the ultimate truth.
In 2017 I was asked to perform for a special event at the Unity Church in Huntsville, AL. I did this song at the end of the set and immediately afterwards, an old man came directly onto the stage and in an excited voice said “I’M THAT GUY!” I said “excuse me?”. He went on to say that HE was the guy in that song, and went on to explain in detail how that song seemed to be written specifically about him and his specific experiences in the Viet Nam war. The then added, “Oh but it was 68 not 69”. So, I changed the title to “Saigon 68” from that point forward.
Corinthian's Mine [The Edge of Light]
My friend, producer and band mate Jim Wood and I were at his studio in TN discussing my songs one day. He accurately described my penchant for writing about what could be described as the “human condition”. I acknowledged that I am indeed motivated to write about the constant search for enlightenment, for truth, meaning in a world that seems filled with confusion and contradictions.
In the midst of this conversation, Jim abruptly stood up and said “hold on”. He disappeared for a few min and returned with a Bible. He opened it to 1st Corinthian’s chapter 13 verse 12. The description fit perfectly.
A couple of weeks later, friend and screenwriter Justin Newman was visiting from Tuscaloosa. During conversations late one night he began to discuss my songs. He said, “you know, your songs remind me of a Bible verse”. And much to my astonishment, he quoted the exact same 1st Corinthians Chapter 13 Verse 12.
Having two completely independent friends come to the exact conclusion, and the exact same reference to one of thousands of Bible verses, was remarkable. This was the motivation to write the song “Corinthian’s Mine”. In this song I describe the eternal struggle for enlightenment but use the metaphor of a minor, clawing and digging deep underground, searching for coal that is a source of light and warmth. The harder he digs, the more dust he generates, obscuring is vision. He struggles for meaning all the while and seeks the “clarifying light”. As in this world, the search for ultimate clarity and understanding can seem fruitless. Only after the physical world collapses (cave-in) and he is freed from the mortal world, does our miner find the clarifying light.
The Girl You Wish To Be [The Edge of Light]
This song is far more personal than any song i've ever written or will likely ever write...so much so that the first (and to date, only) time I've ever performed it live, I had to leave the stage afterwards...too emotional to continue. Its a song motivated by my daughter.
Sailin’ Man [The Edge of Light]
When I first married, the reaction from almost all of my close friends was that of amazement. I married later than most and had developed the reputation as the eternal bachelor. Not for the lack of opportunities, but I’d always been self-sufficient and self-made and was in no hurry to change. “Sailin’ Man” is essentially autobiographical…the story someone who enjoyed navigating the world alone….until. I didn’t take long to realize this first marriage was a mistake and an exit necessary. The song speaks of an epic battle with the fabled sea monster “The Kraken” – this was motivated by the wholly uncalled for legal battle where the antagonist (who’s name happens to resemble “Kraken” J) tries (unsuccessfully) to wrench-away our hero’s belongings. As our protagonist continues on his way, a vision leads him to true love.
The Portrait [The Edge of Light]
This song is ultimately about true love….the kind of love that never leaves but rather consumes your soul. A love that creates a bond that can never be broken under any circumstances. The song started as an image of a man, whos true love wasn’t physically there, yet WAS there. I envisioned a meager apartment in a big city, a bedroom with a large window. The glow of a neon sign outside colors the room. There’s a bed, and beside the bed is a table. On that table is a photograph of a young woman in a gold frame. She is his one true love. Clearly, she’s been away for a very long time evidenced by the age difference. He speaks to the photo as if she’s actually there. He carries on conversations with it and every night before bed he tells her “good night love”, lifts up the photo and kisses her good night.
The song intentionally does not say if she’s still around, divorced or deceased. The intent of the song is to focus on the enduring love. A love so deep that it sustains him even in her absence.
In a number of my songs, I try not to be too literal, allowing the listener to engage their own interpretation and/or experiences which can make a song much more personal.
Weights & Measures [The Edge of Light]
This song was born as I was reading “Be As You Are” by Sri Rama Mahrishi, a Hindu spiritual leader. The concept that resonated with me was that of finding enlightenment through the extinguishment of the self which seems diametrically opposed to the typical thought process in the western world.
Here we are seemingly obsessed with our size, shape, color, age, weight….all things that ultimately don’t matter but we constantly use to define ourselves and more destructively, DIVIDE ourselves. But I would suggest that most people don’t necessarily chose these metrics but are rather forced upon them by thouse who stand to profit (money or power) by dividing us.
Weights and Measures refers to the insidious but trivial metrics that we allow to define us and suggests “leaving it all behind”. There’s a reference in the song to the concepts of finding ourselves, but loosing ourselves (our physical “weights and measures”).
Wait For Me [The Edge of Light]
Wait for Me was derived from my own life experiences and in fact this is quite autobiographical. Specifically that of enduring a painful divorce then finding my soul mate. It’s a story of death and resurrection in a sense.
The title and hook of the song “Wait for Me” was motivated by someone who did just that. Someone who literally waited years for me, forgoing all other opportunities. With no guarantee that we’d eventually be together. An act of true love.
To tell this story, I decided to set it in a simpler/story-book time of late 1800’s. I also took the opportunity to construct a full timeline…from the early missteps, divorce and finding the “right one” then extrapolating our lives into the future. The song concludes with a very old man and woman, still very much in love, As he draws his last breath, she takes his hand and prays “Wait for Me” as he ascends to heaven.
Could it be Reel [The Edge of Light]
This song was written by my guitar J. I’d recently purchased a guitar built by Chris Bozung and its such an incredible instrument that it seemed to play itself…and even compose songs! It came out sounding like an old fiddle tune. While discussing what songs to record on “The Edge of Light” with Jim Wood, I asked if this song would be considered a Jig, Reel or Hornpipe…he said it’s a Reel…and I need to name it. Without hesitation, I laughed and said “Could it be Reel?” We decided to do it as a duet with guitar and mandolin and keep it simple…old timey.
Battle for the Somme [The Edge of Light]
This song is from the perspective of a soldier in a trench on a battlefield in world war I, during one of the most horrific battles in history – The Battle for the Somme. I’ve always felt that a great percentage of soldiers who’ve suffered and died in war, were innocent souls just trying to do what they believe is right – even if “right” was distorted by those in power. World War I saw the first wide-spread use of chemical weapons unleashing unspeakable horrors on the poor souls in the trenches. This song imagines a soldier and his feeling of isolation and hopelessness…he’s endured such suffering that he see’s death as his only escape…and in fact he embraces death as a savior. Coming in the form of “White Star”, he is delivered from this hell on earth. “White Star” is a insidious blend of deadly chlorine gas and mustard gas used during WWI.
I Move On [A Journey to Here & The Edge of Light]
I was taking a walk one evening and as I crossed the street a couple of blocks from my house, someone drove past and yelled out the window “get a job you homeless piece of shit!”. Yes, my hair was long and I wasn’t exactly in my formal wear, but I had a home just two blocks away. Near this part of town there are a few homeless people, but I’m certainly not one of them. The callousness of this idiot was maddening as I thought of what it would feel had I actially been homeless…knowing that being that destitute is almost never a choice.
The irony of this moment was that I had written “I Move On” not long before what could have been the exact motivation for writing it….like the song came first, then the inspiration. In the song, I attempt to convey the notion that being homeless isn’t a choice and that more often that people realize, it’s because of something that was beyond the control of the person in that situation. In this case, I envisioned a man who was previously a well to do, functioning member of society who was a hard working, loving father of a young boy. Faced with the death of his young son, the man suffers a complete emotional breakdown, he’s in an unbearable state of eternal morning, rendering him unable to function. He drops off the grid and is now homeless.
“Sundown comes in the morning” describes how he’s up all night wandering the streets, foraging through trash looking for food and such. But when daylight comes and all the “normal” working people start their day, it’s his “sundown”, the point a which he looks for a place to rest….and a place to hide in shame of what he’s become. The phrase “I move on” is intended to be literal except for the last chorus…where I leave it open for interpretation that perhaps he moves on in a more profound way.
This is the only song I’ve recorded on two different albums. My 1st album “A Journey to Here”, gave rise to the formation of “Live Roots Ensemble”. As the band evolved, so did most of the songs. I selected this song to rerecord to as an example of that evolution.
Goodbye My Love [The Edge of Light]
Written many years ago after a breakup…one that was justified but sad nonetheless. This instrumental is intended to convey the feeling of sadness blended with a quiet resignation that this was ultimately for the best.
Another Day Over [A Journey to Here]
I wrote this song early in my life while still somewhat naïve; while I was still learning how different the real world is from the ideal. A time when a mild heartache seems like the end of the world. Oh if I had only known then....
My Blue Friends [A Journey to Here]
This song isn't necessarily tied to anything personal but rather an attempt to write an old fashioned country song about love and loss. I wrote this on my front porch very late one night and was absorbing various stemuli of the night. There are lines in the song that come from these: moonlight shining through the trees, a train goes by horn-blowing and there’s a candle by which I was writing,.
The Ballad of Katie Lynn [A Journey to Here]
I’ve personally know many instances where men had led a woman along only to abruptly leave. And quite honestly, the initial villain that inspired the song was me. I’d let a relationship go on too long , one where I knew I wasn’t in love but couldn’t bring myself to end it in a timely manner. Ending it was the right thing to do but it caused a great deal of pain.
The song is a chronology of a women who experienced abandonment thoughout her life and ultimately ends up alone in a nursing home. The basis of her profound sadness is however, that she never lost the desire to find her true love. While recording the lead vocal track, I actually choked-up with emotion and was barely able to continue. After the cut, I told my Producer, that I’m gong to need to do a retake…but he responded immediately saying “no, that emotion is perfect for the song and we should leave it just as it is”. You can hear a place or two in the song were I was fighting back tears.
I Do It For Love [A Journey to Here]
Sitting on my porch one day chatting with a female friend and she began to confide in me about her marriage. She was with a man who was an abusive alchaholoc and I became amazed that she had been dealing with this for quite a long while. It raised the question in my mind “Why would anyone put up with this!?” Knowing my friend, I concluded that she does it for love…thus the phrase “I do it for love”.
The song takes this and applies the idea to more than just a man-woman relationship and describes unconditional love that a parent has for their children and suggests the same from a non-terrestrial parent.
But for us mortals, it turns out that even love has its limits, especially if the adult person you’re trying to love, consciously chooses not to love you back or love themselves. She ultimately divorced him.
Funny, I was doing an interview at a radio station in Lawrenceburg TN and was asked about the motivation for this song and I gave the background but excluded the unhappy ending while on the air. During the break however, I told them the “rest of the story” and asked that they not mention that. Now granted, these something mildly amusing about how the all-caring, sacrificing woman ended up dumping the guy, but I intentionally leave out that detail. Driving home from the interview, I switched on the radio and hear the two DJs snickering about this as the told the “rest of the story”!
It's All The Same [A Journey to Here]
Somewhat self-inspired ,This song is essentially about being young and failing to understand the value of someone’s love. I imagined a young man who cast aside a sweet innocent love in favor of a wild lifestyle with little responsibility of care for others. Someone who became self indulgent to the point of addiction. The phrase ‘Its all the same!” is intended to express exacerbation and futility.
In the song, he’s attempting to break free from his “loosing ways” , to “take control”, and return to the love that pushed away many years ago only to discover that life (and lovers) don’t sit around and wait. When he returns, she is long gone. He’s now resigned to revert back to the things that consume him.
My Love [A Journey to Here]
This song describes a relationship where two people found each other at a much younger age…when they didn’t yet truly understand love, or themselves. They were young, restless and needing someone. But over the years, the romance steadily diminished. They eventually realize that they’d actually be better off apart event though they still loved each other although no longer “in love”…at least one of them recognizes this. He realizes that the pain of leaving is no longer enough motivation for staying. He has moved on emotionally and finally, after many years, brings himself to leave.
Based on personal experience, the song acknowledges that life isn’t binary – not always all good or all bad…not either blazing passion or complete distain. Its possible (and all too frequent) that two people become trapped in a situation where there’s no passion…and end up relinquishing much of the joy that life can offer.
This song is on the album “A Journey to Here” where I had Claire Lynch sing a harmony part on the chorus. In the studio, after she had cut that track, she walked out of the sound booth and came up to me looking somewhat sad and asked “Are you and Jacquie getting a divorce”? I of course responded “no” but with a smile on my face. Claire is one of the best songwriters ever in bluegrass/Americana music and I was highly complimented that she was so convinced by this song.
Ghost of Rory O'moore [A Journey to Here]
I wrote this song after reading an account of one of Oliver Cromwell’s incursions into Ireland. It was a letter written in the mid/late 1600’s by him to the heads of state in England, boasting about the taking of the town of Drogheda. The letter was titled “The Fall of Drogheda”. I don’t have any personal connection to this story, but was captivated by it. The letter was written in such a cold-blooded tone, boasting about the number of Irish his troops killed.
There was an account of Irish patriots who were forced to retreat into St. Peters church, and Cromwell did nothing less than burn it to the ground with them in it. Cromwell quotes in the letter that someone in the church tower cried “God confound me, I burn, I burn!”. I used that line directly in the song in fact. Of course I took some poetic liberty and turn the valiant Rory O’Moore into a ghost who parishes in St. Peter’s tower and then, and forever, guards the tower.
Come here Stranger [A Journey to Here]
On That Train [A Journey to Here]
Too Late [A Journey to Here]
Turnin Round [A Journey to Here]
A personal account of each song's inspiration and meaning
by Ricky j Taylor
Heavenly Light [The Edge of Light]
A summer night On my front porch…I had been up all night experiencing some pretty deep despair when the sun began to rise. I became bathed in warm sunlight. Unlike every other sunrise I’d experienced throughout my life…THIS sunrise was profound. Suddenly, inexplicably, I was filled with hope and a sense of profound wonder…I marveled at how amazing this light was, the unfathomable circumstances that resulted in this nuclear furnace floating in space millions of miles away, a component in an astoundingly complex world full of precious, perilous life, including mine. In that moment, something that I’d seen so many times and thought nothing about, seemed like an absolute miracle…as if I was awash in a literal Heavenly Light.
Saigon 68 [The Edge of Light]
Saigon 68 (originally titled “Saigon 69”) is essentially about a man who was motivated by a simple notion of always trying to do the right thing, regardless of the cost or risk. Perhaps this is the definition of bravery. As an illustration of this, the song tells the story of a young man who did what he believed to be the right thing by going to war when called upon by his country….the Vietnam War. This war was very controversial and many refused to serve. But there were who believed in their country and their obligation to serve and many paid the ultimate price. War is tragic and sometimes necessary, but not in every case. But history is replete with those who sacrificed in the act of doing what they thought was right even though they were mislead or simply didn’t know the ultimate truth.
In 2017 I was asked to perform for a special event at the Unity Church in Huntsville, AL. I did this song at the end of the set and immediately afterwards, an old man came directly onto the stage and in an excited voice said “I’M THAT GUY!” I said “excuse me?”. He went on to say that HE was the guy in that song, and went on to explain in detail how that song seemed to be written specifically about him and his specific experiences in the Viet Nam war. The then added, “Oh but it was 68 not 69”. So, I changed the title to “Saigon 68” from that point forward.
Corinthian's Mine [The Edge of Light]
My friend, producer and band mate Jim Wood and I were at his studio in TN discussing my songs one day. He accurately described my penchant for writing about what could be described as the “human condition”. I acknowledged that I am indeed motivated to write about the constant search for enlightenment, for truth, meaning in a world that seems filled with confusion and contradictions.
In the midst of this conversation, Jim abruptly stood up and said “hold on”. He disappeared for a few min and returned with a Bible. He opened it to 1st Corinthian’s chapter 13 verse 12. The description fit perfectly.
A couple of weeks later, friend and screenwriter Justin Newman was visiting from Tuscaloosa. During conversations late one night he began to discuss my songs. He said, “you know, your songs remind me of a Bible verse”. And much to my astonishment, he quoted the exact same 1st Corinthians Chapter 13 Verse 12.
Having two completely independent friends come to the exact conclusion, and the exact same reference to one of thousands of Bible verses, was remarkable. This was the motivation to write the song “Corinthian’s Mine”. In this song I describe the eternal struggle for enlightenment but use the metaphor of a minor, clawing and digging deep underground, searching for coal that is a source of light and warmth. The harder he digs, the more dust he generates, obscuring is vision. He struggles for meaning all the while and seeks the “clarifying light”. As in this world, the search for ultimate clarity and understanding can seem fruitless. Only after the physical world collapses (cave-in) and he is freed from the mortal world, does our miner find the clarifying light.
The Girl You Wish To Be [The Edge of Light]
This song is far more personal than any song i've ever written or will likely ever write...so much so that the first (and to date, only) time I've ever performed it live, I had to leave the stage afterwards...too emotional to continue. Its a song motivated by my daughter.
Sailin’ Man [The Edge of Light]
When I first married, the reaction from almost all of my close friends was that of amazement. I married later than most and had developed the reputation as the eternal bachelor. Not for the lack of opportunities, but I’d always been self-sufficient and self-made and was in no hurry to change. “Sailin’ Man” is essentially autobiographical…the story someone who enjoyed navigating the world alone….until. I didn’t take long to realize this first marriage was a mistake and an exit necessary. The song speaks of an epic battle with the fabled sea monster “The Kraken” – this was motivated by the wholly uncalled for legal battle where the antagonist (who’s name happens to resemble “Kraken” J) tries (unsuccessfully) to wrench-away our hero’s belongings. As our protagonist continues on his way, a vision leads him to true love.
The Portrait [The Edge of Light]
This song is ultimately about true love….the kind of love that never leaves but rather consumes your soul. A love that creates a bond that can never be broken under any circumstances. The song started as an image of a man, whos true love wasn’t physically there, yet WAS there. I envisioned a meager apartment in a big city, a bedroom with a large window. The glow of a neon sign outside colors the room. There’s a bed, and beside the bed is a table. On that table is a photograph of a young woman in a gold frame. She is his one true love. Clearly, she’s been away for a very long time evidenced by the age difference. He speaks to the photo as if she’s actually there. He carries on conversations with it and every night before bed he tells her “good night love”, lifts up the photo and kisses her good night.
The song intentionally does not say if she’s still around, divorced or deceased. The intent of the song is to focus on the enduring love. A love so deep that it sustains him even in her absence.
In a number of my songs, I try not to be too literal, allowing the listener to engage their own interpretation and/or experiences which can make a song much more personal.
Weights & Measures [The Edge of Light]
This song was born as I was reading “Be As You Are” by Sri Rama Mahrishi, a Hindu spiritual leader. The concept that resonated with me was that of finding enlightenment through the extinguishment of the self which seems diametrically opposed to the typical thought process in the western world.
Here we are seemingly obsessed with our size, shape, color, age, weight….all things that ultimately don’t matter but we constantly use to define ourselves and more destructively, DIVIDE ourselves. But I would suggest that most people don’t necessarily chose these metrics but are rather forced upon them by thouse who stand to profit (money or power) by dividing us.
Weights and Measures refers to the insidious but trivial metrics that we allow to define us and suggests “leaving it all behind”. There’s a reference in the song to the concepts of finding ourselves, but loosing ourselves (our physical “weights and measures”).
Wait For Me [The Edge of Light]
Wait for Me was derived from my own life experiences and in fact this is quite autobiographical. Specifically that of enduring a painful divorce then finding my soul mate. It’s a story of death and resurrection in a sense.
The title and hook of the song “Wait for Me” was motivated by someone who did just that. Someone who literally waited years for me, forgoing all other opportunities. With no guarantee that we’d eventually be together. An act of true love.
To tell this story, I decided to set it in a simpler/story-book time of late 1800’s. I also took the opportunity to construct a full timeline…from the early missteps, divorce and finding the “right one” then extrapolating our lives into the future. The song concludes with a very old man and woman, still very much in love, As he draws his last breath, she takes his hand and prays “Wait for Me” as he ascends to heaven.
Could it be Reel [The Edge of Light]
This song was written by my guitar J. I’d recently purchased a guitar built by Chris Bozung and its such an incredible instrument that it seemed to play itself…and even compose songs! It came out sounding like an old fiddle tune. While discussing what songs to record on “The Edge of Light” with Jim Wood, I asked if this song would be considered a Jig, Reel or Hornpipe…he said it’s a Reel…and I need to name it. Without hesitation, I laughed and said “Could it be Reel?” We decided to do it as a duet with guitar and mandolin and keep it simple…old timey.
Battle for the Somme [The Edge of Light]
This song is from the perspective of a soldier in a trench on a battlefield in world war I, during one of the most horrific battles in history – The Battle for the Somme. I’ve always felt that a great percentage of soldiers who’ve suffered and died in war, were innocent souls just trying to do what they believe is right – even if “right” was distorted by those in power. World War I saw the first wide-spread use of chemical weapons unleashing unspeakable horrors on the poor souls in the trenches. This song imagines a soldier and his feeling of isolation and hopelessness…he’s endured such suffering that he see’s death as his only escape…and in fact he embraces death as a savior. Coming in the form of “White Star”, he is delivered from this hell on earth. “White Star” is a insidious blend of deadly chlorine gas and mustard gas used during WWI.
I Move On [A Journey to Here & The Edge of Light]
I was taking a walk one evening and as I crossed the street a couple of blocks from my house, someone drove past and yelled out the window “get a job you homeless piece of shit!”. Yes, my hair was long and I wasn’t exactly in my formal wear, but I had a home just two blocks away. Near this part of town there are a few homeless people, but I’m certainly not one of them. The callousness of this idiot was maddening as I thought of what it would feel had I actially been homeless…knowing that being that destitute is almost never a choice.
The irony of this moment was that I had written “I Move On” not long before what could have been the exact motivation for writing it….like the song came first, then the inspiration. In the song, I attempt to convey the notion that being homeless isn’t a choice and that more often that people realize, it’s because of something that was beyond the control of the person in that situation. In this case, I envisioned a man who was previously a well to do, functioning member of society who was a hard working, loving father of a young boy. Faced with the death of his young son, the man suffers a complete emotional breakdown, he’s in an unbearable state of eternal morning, rendering him unable to function. He drops off the grid and is now homeless.
“Sundown comes in the morning” describes how he’s up all night wandering the streets, foraging through trash looking for food and such. But when daylight comes and all the “normal” working people start their day, it’s his “sundown”, the point a which he looks for a place to rest….and a place to hide in shame of what he’s become. The phrase “I move on” is intended to be literal except for the last chorus…where I leave it open for interpretation that perhaps he moves on in a more profound way.
This is the only song I’ve recorded on two different albums. My 1st album “A Journey to Here”, gave rise to the formation of “Live Roots Ensemble”. As the band evolved, so did most of the songs. I selected this song to rerecord to as an example of that evolution.
Goodbye My Love [The Edge of Light]
Written many years ago after a breakup…one that was justified but sad nonetheless. This instrumental is intended to convey the feeling of sadness blended with a quiet resignation that this was ultimately for the best.
Another Day Over [A Journey to Here]
I wrote this song early in my life while still somewhat naïve; while I was still learning how different the real world is from the ideal. A time when a mild heartache seems like the end of the world. Oh if I had only known then....
My Blue Friends [A Journey to Here]
This song isn't necessarily tied to anything personal but rather an attempt to write an old fashioned country song about love and loss. I wrote this on my front porch very late one night and was absorbing various stemuli of the night. There are lines in the song that come from these: moonlight shining through the trees, a train goes by horn-blowing and there’s a candle by which I was writing,.
The Ballad of Katie Lynn [A Journey to Here]
I’ve personally know many instances where men had led a woman along only to abruptly leave. And quite honestly, the initial villain that inspired the song was me. I’d let a relationship go on too long , one where I knew I wasn’t in love but couldn’t bring myself to end it in a timely manner. Ending it was the right thing to do but it caused a great deal of pain.
The song is a chronology of a women who experienced abandonment thoughout her life and ultimately ends up alone in a nursing home. The basis of her profound sadness is however, that she never lost the desire to find her true love. While recording the lead vocal track, I actually choked-up with emotion and was barely able to continue. After the cut, I told my Producer, that I’m gong to need to do a retake…but he responded immediately saying “no, that emotion is perfect for the song and we should leave it just as it is”. You can hear a place or two in the song were I was fighting back tears.
I Do It For Love [A Journey to Here]
Sitting on my porch one day chatting with a female friend and she began to confide in me about her marriage. She was with a man who was an abusive alchaholoc and I became amazed that she had been dealing with this for quite a long while. It raised the question in my mind “Why would anyone put up with this!?” Knowing my friend, I concluded that she does it for love…thus the phrase “I do it for love”.
The song takes this and applies the idea to more than just a man-woman relationship and describes unconditional love that a parent has for their children and suggests the same from a non-terrestrial parent.
But for us mortals, it turns out that even love has its limits, especially if the adult person you’re trying to love, consciously chooses not to love you back or love themselves. She ultimately divorced him.
Funny, I was doing an interview at a radio station in Lawrenceburg TN and was asked about the motivation for this song and I gave the background but excluded the unhappy ending while on the air. During the break however, I told them the “rest of the story” and asked that they not mention that. Now granted, these something mildly amusing about how the all-caring, sacrificing woman ended up dumping the guy, but I intentionally leave out that detail. Driving home from the interview, I switched on the radio and hear the two DJs snickering about this as the told the “rest of the story”!
It's All The Same [A Journey to Here]
Somewhat self-inspired ,This song is essentially about being young and failing to understand the value of someone’s love. I imagined a young man who cast aside a sweet innocent love in favor of a wild lifestyle with little responsibility of care for others. Someone who became self indulgent to the point of addiction. The phrase ‘Its all the same!” is intended to express exacerbation and futility.
In the song, he’s attempting to break free from his “loosing ways” , to “take control”, and return to the love that pushed away many years ago only to discover that life (and lovers) don’t sit around and wait. When he returns, she is long gone. He’s now resigned to revert back to the things that consume him.
My Love [A Journey to Here]
This song describes a relationship where two people found each other at a much younger age…when they didn’t yet truly understand love, or themselves. They were young, restless and needing someone. But over the years, the romance steadily diminished. They eventually realize that they’d actually be better off apart event though they still loved each other although no longer “in love”…at least one of them recognizes this. He realizes that the pain of leaving is no longer enough motivation for staying. He has moved on emotionally and finally, after many years, brings himself to leave.
Based on personal experience, the song acknowledges that life isn’t binary – not always all good or all bad…not either blazing passion or complete distain. Its possible (and all too frequent) that two people become trapped in a situation where there’s no passion…and end up relinquishing much of the joy that life can offer.
This song is on the album “A Journey to Here” where I had Claire Lynch sing a harmony part on the chorus. In the studio, after she had cut that track, she walked out of the sound booth and came up to me looking somewhat sad and asked “Are you and Jacquie getting a divorce”? I of course responded “no” but with a smile on my face. Claire is one of the best songwriters ever in bluegrass/Americana music and I was highly complimented that she was so convinced by this song.
Ghost of Rory O'moore [A Journey to Here]
I wrote this song after reading an account of one of Oliver Cromwell’s incursions into Ireland. It was a letter written in the mid/late 1600’s by him to the heads of state in England, boasting about the taking of the town of Drogheda. The letter was titled “The Fall of Drogheda”. I don’t have any personal connection to this story, but was captivated by it. The letter was written in such a cold-blooded tone, boasting about the number of Irish his troops killed.
There was an account of Irish patriots who were forced to retreat into St. Peters church, and Cromwell did nothing less than burn it to the ground with them in it. Cromwell quotes in the letter that someone in the church tower cried “God confound me, I burn, I burn!”. I used that line directly in the song in fact. Of course I took some poetic liberty and turn the valiant Rory O’Moore into a ghost who parishes in St. Peter’s tower and then, and forever, guards the tower.
Come here Stranger [A Journey to Here]
On That Train [A Journey to Here]
Too Late [A Journey to Here]
Turnin Round [A Journey to Here]