"An Eclipse came Along" I’m not sure if using an eclipse blocking the sun as a metaphor for depression blocking out hope is super effective, to a degree, I suppose, it is. The key point lyrically is the idea that I KNOW THE ECLIPSE WILL PASS, and happiness and contentment will again be mine. As you can hear I sort of enjoy that George Harrison/Klatuu Slide guitar style. Also the guitar solo in the middle sort of reminds me of Jimmy Page when he’s playing that "All of my Love" style, double stops, 2 note bends, etc… There was a guy who I am friends who said:"You used to play so fast, and like really WAIL, I wish you still did that." I’m not sure if he’s aware that a musical statement with some sense of purpose and style is what I desire. Bless his heart anyway!
"Filled with Joy" This is about being determined to be joyful. I didn’t see it then, but it’s a good one thematically to follow "Eclipse." I hear the determination in the song, but I don’t think I hear the joy.
"No Man is an Island" Pretty dang poppy, my mum likes this one, so do the ladies of her generation; That’s Ok, I like them as well.
"Dear James" My best pal right after high school slept w/ my then girlfriend. I forgave him and broke up with her. He couldn’t accept the forgiveness, and drifted away into oblivion. Really cool violin and I like the fretless bass stuff. The bass playing thru-out is really good I think, Chris Donohue, who was one my best buds in Nashville, played. He would always come over to record, and I would try to give him money; (at least once in a while!) He would never take it. His pal Antoine Silverman played the violin stuff.
"Someday" (There’s that word again) People were always telling me: "SOMEDAY you’ll have a meaningful relationship, SOMEDAY your music career will come together, SOMEDAY…blah,blah.blah. SO this is in response to that. Had a friend ‘s 12 string Rick over to the house, played it on this one and "Filled with Joy." Actually, now that I think of it, the guy who owned the gtr. played it on this song.
"Set Free" Sort of a gospel thing, had some fun singing it with a couple of pretty good buds, Dave Powell, whom I played with in his brother Doug Powell’s band, and Rolff Zweip, a guy I became pals with in Nashville... Written when a good friend from days of old committed suicide. It devastated a lot of folks. I like BGV arrangement pretty well, in retrospect, maybe could have done without the "Whiter Shade of Pale" ending.
"The Great Unknown" Gotta learn to trust the universe, or God, or whatever you want to call it; (I prefer to call Him Jesus!) I like the "So let’s set sail upon the Ocean, green" line, and solo and the end is kinda neat. I remember recording all those guitar parts for this disc, really loud, and like, I had some pretty gracious neighbors.
"Heaven Knows" Just an affirmation of some feelings I had for this girl. She has lived in L.A. for quite some time, and I am actually grateful that we didn’t end up together! Woulda been a disaster…Cool Violin, and stand up bass. Sort of developed an interest in sort of classic American styles with this one, "Dear James", & "I could be one of them." There are a few more of this type on the tape.
"The Luckiest Man" Another tune for the California Girl, ancient history, fer sure...
"I could be one of Them" Really like this one, I have developed compassion where there was none or little, esp. for some of these. It could be me so easy, I’m sure the chances of that are less, since I am Sober. Some of them have made bad choices, some are irresponsible, substance abusers, criminals, etc. but some have just had bad luck… I know ,I’ve talked to some of them.
"Man of Vision" Written with a pretty wacked open tuning, I go in and out of being fascinated with them. Chris plays Chapman Stick. I felt at the time this was written, that I had lost sight of where I needed to go, and I was just longing for that sense of sight to return to me…. It did, eventually. I think Brad Peterson plays some cool drum stuff on this…. He would have liked to have played his Drum kit, but I did not have access to any decent mics, or a place to record drums, so we did the next best thing, Sampled drums and a Kat pad.
"Pedestal" Pretty firm conviction that, in my life anyway, there will be no unhealthy admiration for Rock stars, or fave musicians/artists. Don’t care if it’s Hendrix, Lennon, Morrison, Holdsworth, Gabriel etc. does not matter. I do believe, like the lyric says that they can "give us a point in the right direction" But hey, My Grandma can do that, too!
"Mysterious Ways" Hard to figure out what God is up to in our lives sometimes…Someday all will be revealed, and in the meantime, Ill do my best to trust in Him and not question things that I CANNOT HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR WHILE I LIVE IN THIS PLANE OF EXISTANCE.
