Look! It's Another Day!
The weather is a deep cold here in NE Ohio. It might be seven degrees, but feels colder. Yet the sun is out and brilliant against the snow, and the sky is crisp and blue.
Transparency. Sweet clarity.
Many of my friends have admitted to a fog over the last several days. Maybe it was the approaching full moon, or the fact that some of us were under the weather. But the power of the quickening moon is felt this bright morning for those who are able and willing to do the work of life.
Despite the unhappy moments and a few unhappy memories in my life, I am a happy person. I thrive on making things work, and I have beautiful family and friends that make that very easy. I love my job, my music, and I love the joy and excitement that takes over every new conversation I have about it, with everyone from complete strangers to my own children. I've been down a time or two but there is so much to do, I can't imagine not wanting to do it.
Here's to all the hard working dedicated people I know, who influence me in the best possible way, and encourage me to follow my passion and my talent. Here's to all of us who put our noses to the grindstone -- and love it. Here's to lifting the cup to life, even when it tastes bitter. Here's to beating the dragons, walking away from the not-so-Gladiators, giving it all back to the ones who tried to stop us.
After all, it's Another Day.
Another Day
by Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott
Another DayFrom Traveler(Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott, Universal Music Corp/Howdy Skies Music/Famous Music/Sheddie Songs/ASCAP)
This world is made with sweat and toil, pushing muscle and elbow oil
We can't lie too long in the shade, cause every day must be remade
Some days you fall some days you fly, but in the end we all must die
Our rotting flesh and broken bone will feed the ground that we call home
Feed the ground that we call home
But a new sprout grows from a fallen tree, my sons will go on after me
So lift your heart and dry your eye, it's another day to live and die
Another day to live and die
I've run naked in the wild, seen the beauty of a newborn child
Like the alchemists of old, I've tried to spin my straw to gold
Most times a giver, sometimes a thief, so full of hope but prone to grief Between freedom and despair, I know that truth is lying there
I've seen the truth, it's lying there
And a new sprout grows from a fallen tree, this world will go on after me
So lift your heart and dry your eye, it's another day to live and die
So go on now, don't you worry 'bout me, you've miles to go and a world to see
My life's been long and full and good, I've run this race the best I could
It's a short time here and long apart,
But the same song rings in both our hearts
So take my guitar when I'm gone, write your own rhymes, then pass it on Just take your hit and then pass it on
Let a new sprout grow from a fallen tree, this song will go on after me
So lift your heart and dry your eye, it's another day to live and die
It's another day to live and die, just another day
3 Comments:
Before Tim released his rendition of "It's Another Day... to Live and Die"(with Bela Fleck on banjo and John Doyle (!) on guitar,) he recorded an INCREDIBLE version with Karan Casey on her CD "Distant Shore" (with Dirk Powell on banjo.) Tim plays mando and provides duet vocals. Notice that the lyrics are slightly different. It's REALLY tough to pick which version is better.
Tim says that his family got him the DVDs of Bill Moyers' ground breaking interviews with Joseph Campbell on The Power of Myth. After watching a couple of hours, Tim went to bed and woke up at 3:00 in the morning with this lyric running through his head.
So, he called Darrell Scott and woke him up and tried to sing him the song. Darrell came up with the melody on the spot and "Another Day" was born.
(Must be nice having one of the world's greatest songwriters on yer speed dial...)
Yeah, and ANYONE you can call at 3 in the morning to get up and work with you! LOL! Then again, if Tim called me at 3 p.m. to work on ANYthing, I'd wake up in a hurry.
EARL!!! It's SO GREAT to hear from you. I've missed your voice. (Are my emails misfiring??)I hope y'all are ok out there in the West Country.
I love that Karan Casey version, too. I'm now fully addicted to Folkalley.com and they play lots and lots of Karan so I'm gettin REALLY spoiled.
Thanks for sharing the story of how this great song was born. I often have great ideas in the middle of the night. Hard to tell I keep them all to myself, isn't it?! ;-)
Welcome back!
MM
WOOPS, I meant, 3 AM. Ok, I'll admit, if Tim called me at any hour of the day, I would most certainly drop what I was doing to pay attention.
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