Lyrics - The Pioneers
Light comes to us, it lifts our heads.
We’re awake, we are ready, the waves are calm and steady.
But on this fair morning there’s a difference
Land ahoy, oh what inexplicable joy.
Land ahead, so they’re true - all the legends they said.
No port at which to land, our boots are wet with salty sand, there’s a newness to the pebbles.
Deserted to our eyes, but rich in all between the sea and sky.
And what lies inside?
We made it, we made it here.
There’s far to walk, but the seas are conquered.
Now mount your horse, go forth.
We set our compass, heading West.
How far could it be until we reach the Eastern edge?
I walk where no man has ever walked before.
Breathe the air, how it whispers through my hair,
Breathe it in deep, expectation in my feet.
No road for us to follow, we’re forgers blazing a hopeful trail, long and quiet and strong.
How could this land be here, waiting for us for all these years,
And what lies beneath?
We made it, we made it here.
There’s far to walk, but the seas are conquered,
Now mouth your horse, go forth.
Dare I go, dare I connect my soul with yours?
Dare I land upon the banks of your foreign shores?
For I am ill equipped, afraid, perhaps ashamed that you might not let me through your door,
And I’ll be left here in the wasteland,
But I long to cross your threshold,
Could I ever be so near, so bold?
Each Other
In fact, I am part of a fragile eco-system: I am a flower that must be pollenated. I am a stream that brings precious water to the roots of a tree. I am the fish that rests in the shadow of the whale. I am the turning of the leaves in autumn, and the rejoicing bloom of spring.
One of the biggest blessings of this tour so far has been the wealth of creativity and creators that I have met along the way. For me, being on the road is often a very dry time creatively. And I think for many artists, even though travelling is such a rich and intense period of stimuli, we find it hard to convert it into something that takes the form we want while we are there. Being away from our studios, our safe spaces, our favourite writing spots or our usual collaborators, we struggle to capitalise on the new experiences, and we can feel like we are wasting infinite opportunities.
Preparing for this long trip, I knew that this was going to be something I struggled with. And I think I had come to be OK with that - there’s often no point trying to force something out if it is not coming naturally. I just make the effort to journal a lot of my thoughts, jump on creative thoughts if they come, and pile up my memories ready to draw from when I am in the right space.
But one thing that I wasn’t counting on was the effect that other people’s creativity would have on mine along the way. When I have met a fantastic songwriter, or musician, or painter, or stylist, I feel like I have been refuelled and incredibly inspired by the way they approach their craft, the passion and the details they share, the differences in opinions that we debate over, and the common goals that we all work towards.
To have this continual refuelling and reviving of my creative well is a precious gift. It is allowing me to write more, to dream more, see more, experience more. Just this morning, we were talking with an art collector about stopping and taking time to truly look at a painting. And so, as we visited Angel Oak this afternoon, instead of just taking a few snap shots and leaving, I took time to walk, to think, to soak, to look, to smell, to smell, to ask.
And I was moved.
The other side of the coin is that I am able to be that source of inspiration to others. Of course, there are the shows I play - whether it’s in a living room for eight hand-picked guests or in a beach bar with flip-flopped, sun-burnt, holiday makers coming and going all evening, I know that the music I share is able to bring something good. And when I sit down and share with other artists, they’re often inspired to do more; better and truer.
We need each other so. Artists are perhaps more fragile souls than some. So lets collaborate, share, support and promote each other and our work, so that all the more striking our works and worlds will be.
No Song
Well, this morning, I am sitting in McDonalds, using the wifi, and taking some time to post. And I have been delaying posting, because I don’t have a Song Of The Week. I’m kind of ashamed!
It’s very strange that, here I am, dedicating myself to getting on the road and doing music full time for the next four months, and I haven’t listened to one new piece of music in the last ten days that I can post to talk about. At the beginning of this journey, I thought I would have bags of time... to write, to compose, to listen, to practice singing scales and scat and sumptuous melodies.
But I don’t. Life on the road is consuming in a slow, relentless way. Meals take longer. Finding a place to camp takes time. Meeting people, catching up and sharing ourselves is a joy and essential, but takes plenty of time.
But I think, when something is taken away, it is always replaced with something different. And that “something different” has come in the form of meeting artists along the road. And as we talk, collaborate and share soul-stories, I am incredibly enriched. Just a few days ago, I reconnected with Whitney, a painter who I studied with in Sydney years ago. To be artists together, to talk of the higher things, to analyse and dream and share was a wonderfully fulfilling time. Just like when you discover a new musician that you love and it enriches your tapestry.
I am blogging on www.thetravellerstwo.com about all of the artists that we are meeting. Please follow our journey with them.
And, I do have an artist who I hope will be song of the week next week, thanks to Whitney, who I am going to check out... I just need to remember to bring my headphones to McDonalds next time!
Lyrics - Sail On
But, of course, as soon as I sat down and started to try to sum up my Valentine’s Day emotions, it got deep... and it got intense!
So Sail On is the song that came out... it has become the title track of the album, a beautiful metaphor for love through the thick and thin.
--
I love it when you laugh, golden cheeks, golden sound.
Black pearl eyes, lights to all.
I love seeing what you see,
You hold my hands and gently guide me on to the sea.
Love is sailing on an ocean of trust and truth and tears and turning round.
And I will sail with you when it’s dark,
When my compass is stuck, when I’m all out of luck,
Sail on, sail on my sweet one.
I love it when we fight together for the same cause, winning wars,
Bringing light to what’s right.
I love it when we climb together to a new height,
Breathing in the sights we see.
Love is sailing on an ocean of trust and truth and tears and turning round.
And I will sail with you when it’s dark,
When my compass is stuck, when I’m all out of luck,
Sail on, sail on my sweet one.
In The Living Room
House concerts are, in my opinion, one of the most wonderful movements in the modern music scene. Here’s why: ...
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Song of the Week
We’re road tripping, and this song by the “long lost” Rodriguez is the perfect driving song.
For anyone who hasn’t heard of Rodriguez, watch the film Searching for Sugarman! A humbling, inspiring and almost unbelievable story!
Lyrics - Make It Right
I wrote the first part of the lyrics for this in January 2014 when we were in the mountains in Poland and were walking by the light of the moon, along the crest of a mountain between Poland and the Czech Republic. I had never known the moon to be so bright; it created the perfect light for our midnight walk and set the scene for a song that I would write months later. This song is about a couple who are fighting to save their relationship...
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