This is one of the first songs that I dreamed in 2011, inaugurating a relatively frequent occurrence for me these days. Dream songs are musically simpler than some of my other songs, and, given their proximity to the unconscious, don't make the same kind of logical sense—hence their appeal, perhaps.
The dream itself was strange. Teresa and I were investigating an unused factory as a possible new rehearsal and performing space for our band. After a little while, I left the factory and was walking out of the building, when I saw a small house nearby with all of its doors and windows open. Daylight seemed to be streaming out from inside; and yet, outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the weather was warm, with a light breeze. Confused and curious, I walked inside. The house was small, with antique, dark-stained wooded furniture. No chairs were visible, but in one room there was a table with several bouquets of flowers on it, and a dresser, the drawers of which I peeked into, seeing trinkets, jewelry, old pictures. After slowly walking through the house, I stepped into the bedroom, and saw, lying on an old, twin-sized, metal-framed bed, a long-dead and now mummified elderly woman. Somewhat shocked but now less confused, I then walked into the next room, which led directly into a movie theater. The film credits had just begun rolling, and I heard a version of this song, with acoustic guitar, bass, light drums, and duet vocals by Leonard Cohen and Joan Baez, singing a version of one of the verses and then the ending chorus, repeating it over and over again, with the violin part gradually being added.
When I awoke, I completed the song, and although our arrangement is somewhat different from what I dreamed, it remains true to the original inspiration.
lyrics
[Her] On a cold, country morning I was homesick, couldn't wait to get inside
[Him] On a winter's day was runnin' from a place that held me closely in my mind
[Both] Something in the air that was callin' us back from where we came
[Her] And I knew once I returned I would stop cryin' and losin' hands in every game
I was leavin' town tomorrow, when I heard that my momma had up and died
I was headed to the depot, feelin' lonely and regretful, 'cause I'd lied
Something in your eyes must have told me things are gonna turn okay
And I knew the dark night would be especially clear and bright for all my days
Oh, take a midnight train way down to Georgia
credits
from We Can Do Anything,
released May 8, 2015
words by Sumanth Gopinath, music by The Gated Community
copyright 2015
Katie Williams: lead vocals
Sumanth Gopinath: lead vocals, electric guitar
Scott Williams: backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Teresa Gowan: fiddle
Rosie Harris: banjo, cello
Johnny Becker: piano
Cody Johnson: electric bass
Paul Hatlelid: drums
The Gated Community is a country/bluegrass/Americana band with rock influences based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in
Minnesota and has been in existence since early 2006.
Bandmembers: Sumanth Gopinath
Rosie Harris
Beth Hartman
Paul Hatlelid
Cody Johnson
Nate Knutson...more
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