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The Snow fell thick and fast last night. I sat in my living room and watched the transformation. Everything appears newly born and uncovered. It made me think of the relationship that I have with the Burns songs I am recording. The words and melody are there, and have been for a very long time, but I want to sing them with fresh heart - to lightly dust fresh snow on aincient lands.
It has taken a long time for my heart to move on from a Parcel O Rogues. I have been twisting this way and that, playing around with songs, melodies and instrumentaion. Finally, feeling completely lost, I posted a question on facebook asking for some guidance.."any favourite Burns songs out there?" I had told myself that I would record whatever the first song was that came back to me. It seemed as good a way as any to choose - to let the universe decide. Back came Elaine Robertson, an old school mate from thirty years ago, quick and simple, with the song - "Aye waukin' O" . Thank you Elaine.
So here we go again.
I first approached this song as a woman who has lost her lover - who is now alone and grieving - blurring her eyes wi' weepin' - so says the song. Try as I might though, with every note I sing, I feel joy. The bliss of anticipation. The sweet sadness that brief parting holds. And now I know.
I am lying in bed, chasing sleep with foolish hope. The church clock strikes and another hour is taken from me. It is in these quiet hours that race and yet lengthen that I can be most present. All is silent - all is my love - all is now.
As with A Parcel O Rogues, this song also features the piano. I tend to get the chord structure there, letting my hands fall until my heart pulls. Once the foundation chords are there, I record the piano and lead vocal. The rest of the instrumentation should be carefully chosen and dance around the song without disturbing the equilibrium. Oh yes - and harmonies - only a couple sparingly placed. The song will let me know when it's ready. That much I have learned - to listen to the song and what it's saying, however much the ego is tempted to promenade!
This is a joyful journey - an album of the twilight hour. I was reading Neil Gunn's "The other Landscape" yesterday and came upon these beautiful words that best describe that place betwixt one world and another.
"Many are susceptible to the peculiar power of the twilight particularly in lonely places. Two orders of being - the visible and the invisible, pause on the doorstep of this grey hour"
It is A pleasure and an honour to unveil that voice which comes from me, but is not of me. My mother often tells me that my Grandfather dearly loved Robert Burns, committing many poems and songs to memory. Though we never met, I feel his warm hand on my shoulder ..................."Aye, you're doin fine lass, keep goin'"
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