Lyrics

Bluffer’s Guide to Lefty Singer

Fresh from the water
I’ve always found time in the wilderness to be immensely satisfying. It stokes the muse and provides a portal for reflection. Away from the usual treadmill of life, the peace and serenity of natural surroundings acts as a blank canvas for reflection and contemplation. Staring at a lake and its accompanying shoreline can seem a passive or inactive act but never for me. This song deals primarily with new beginnings, the birth of ‘fresh’ thinking and the relative comfort of uncertainty.

The Lefty Singer
This song seems to weave together two distinct concepts: the notion of acceptance and that of opposites. An instinct that many of us recoil from is that of accepting or embracing differing points of view or modalities of thought. Often transcendance or ‘lightbulb’ moments occur when we meet that opposing force in our consciousness and invite it in for tea. No easy task but immeasurably rewarding.

Pin Prick
I was struck one day by the image of a balloon and the volatile nature of its existence – that something so buoyant and joyful could, with just a pin prick, be rendered lifeless and inert. It seems that in life we are forever inflating our expectations to a sometimes unhealthy degree, only to finally burst the bubble of illusion and projection when wisdom finally prevails.

Vapor Trails
Following the somewhat cathartic ending of a long standing relationship I did what many people do: purge possessions, cut my hair and travel to a place where noone knows your story. Returning from abroad, I found the simple act of stepping off the plane extremely poignant in its suggestion of new beginnings, taken one step at a time.

Nothing to Say
I’ve long read debates about whether anger is a justifiable or valid emotional response to life’s frustrations and hurdles. While I do tend to believe that it plays an invaluable role in burning off the carbon of our subconscious, I’ll confess to being uncertain of its intrinsic value. Having said that, sometimes it is the place we need to go, to open up a more expanded perspective in our lives. Feeling walled off by silence and a growing emotional isolation from a companion, this track is a “nail in the coffin” final testimonial from my heart.

Phoenix at the Wheel
The title of my previous album, I was dogged by the image of the mythical phoenix driving the bus of life, forever abandoning its duties as the chauffeur of my destiny as it repeatedly bursts into flames and is reborn. Somehow the duality of relinquishing control while fearing its loss seemed to sum up the human condition. As Iggy Pop once sang, “I am the passenger, I ride and I ride.”

Unravel
An early recording of Bjork’s, this deceptively beautiful and simple piece has always stirred me since I first heard it. I’m not in the habit of recording other people’s material but the poignancy of the lyric and melody still moved me to do so. After deciding to take a run at it, I realized the contrast of my deep baritone in combination with this piece might at least be interesting to fans of her work. (For the record, I had completed my version long before a certain Oxford based band named Radiohead released their live webcast version. Who knows, maybe they’ll cover one of my songs one day!)

In your Sea
This track is another one inspired by the still surroundings of Canada’s north. With an almost ‘Group of Seven’ like landscape acting as my poetic easel, the images of water, fire, wind, the moon and more became lyrical conduits to my heart’s internal dialogue as it contemplated the longing for another.

Frida and the crow
The day after my birthday a few years ago I heard an insistent knock at my door. Answering it, I was met with the mournful, sad eyed face of my dear neighbour delivering the heartbreaking news that my cat Frida had been hit by a bus. Having long revered cats as much more than the ‘cold, independent’ creatures many believe them to be, I was devastated in a way I’d never experienced. The fact that it was the first day of the ‘next year’ of my life seemed to add additional weight to the loss. A week later, in an almost sympathetic gesture from ‘out there’, I learned of the strange circumstances that played out prior to her untimely passing. Somehow the knowledge of these events provided a sense of comfort.

Courier heart
For sometime now I’ve believed that in nature lies much, if not all, of life’s teachings, that in the cosmos and on earth are contained all of the so called secrets of the universe. And so it is in the pursuit and expression of love, we learn there are many ways to engage at that level and to cultivate its essence – some are better or worse for us depending on our distinct natures, but one thing seems universal, there is ultimately one way forward.