The Day After Everything Changed Musings- Final Installment!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hello All! Welcome to the final Installment of my inner thoughts on the songwriting and production of the new album! Please feel free to make comments and leave your own thoughts about the songs and songwriting, I love to hear what y'all have to say.
"Dragonfly" is a little zen love song written about a dragonfly that makes it's way into a bedroom after a woman leaves a man's house, The dragonfly represents the woman: how did she come to me? It was written with Sam Baker, an Americana star down in Austin. I recorded this one in my bedroom. "Red dress on my door step/ honeysuckle blooming through the front porch screen/ perfume on my pillowcase/ empty bed in an empty room/ there's a dragonfly flying and a red dress hanging from the moon"
"Sometime, Someplace" is about a bar in Charlottesville, Va. It's most famous for being the place where the Dave Mathews band got their start. There are some references to them in the song, which is about finding love, "There's a ghost of a rock star, playing his horn in the corner where the fiddle player sways/ there's a crowd at the front bar, all the locals and the cronies talking 'bout the sugar days/ she tells me gypsy fortunes, lies about the rain/ I love the way the bartender whispers my name/ I want to stand up on a bar stool, shout out to the night/ I don't need a love forever, I just need some tonight"
"Once Upon a Summertime" was written looking back at the innocence of my first girlfriend. I took a lot of the details right out of our lives...
'"the drive in we'd meet/ in the Buick's backseat/ and find the crackerjack prize in the dark/ back home your father would come out and say 'What was the movie about?' I said a ghost, you said a great white shark"
"Waking Up to Me'" is about a long drive back to a loved one. Based on a drive I took from Maine to Virginia to get back home. Everyone has had one of those drives at some point—one that they never forget taking. "Out on the highway lately, the miles, they just fall back/ they roll beneath the wheels behind me/ it's a toll road winding/ you give time, but you never get time back/ just an aching that reminds me"
"Walking after Midnight" is a hybrid song with Patsy Cline and Sam Bakers "Change". It's a medley, I fell into it one night horsing around on the guitar and I liked the way the imagery played against each other in the two songs. "There was a dry good store, a flower shop, a barber with no nose, one alcoholic cop, a beauty parlor were they sat in chrome chairs, and it smelled just like they burned some poor lady's hair"
"The Cotton's Burning" is about a colonel in the 14th Tennessee regiment in the Civil War. He's headed back home after the Fall of Richmond. I am civil war nut and had to read some history to get away with this one. "Tell your captain, I have come claim my dead/ and let the flags of truce arise/ Richmond's burning all the politicians fled/ we are te last men to survive..."
"Paper Dolls" was written for a New Year's Eve wallflower whole alone at a party in a big city. New Year's Eve can be a lonely holiday. Kristian Bush is in a duet with me here, and the voices flow like two different streams of thought- One motherly on the outside offering comfort and one internally having doubt, "All the people at the party left you/ sitting at the table all alone/ you can hear their voices chatter through confetti/ you're alone"
"Nothing Left to Take" is a timeline on a break up from seconds to minutes to hours.
"In the first thirty seconds, she told him she was leaving/ she picked up a one way suitcase/ he stood there disbelieving/ then a minute passed, she turned and walked/ left him without the means to talk, she was history"
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babyboosMonday, March 29th 2010 6:51AM
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WUMB ConcertMonday, March 1st 2010 10:29AM
What a great evening last night, hearing you on the small stage at UMass. Saw your new cd at Newbury Comics in Jan. and your fine songs have followed me through the winter season. I never tire of a song, just dance and sing along in the kitchen to Annalee and "na na na na na" with sheer delight. What joy listening to you in concert since "Stories" back in the '90s. Last night I went back to reading your Notes from the Road that I read in 2002 following a Somerville Theatre concert. (Haunted theatre, you write!) You capture the troubadour's life so keenly. Keep up the inspiring work, Ellis. I look forward to more great concerts and cds.
Am wondering, is the "River Rd" is the one from Boothbay to Damariscotta? Come back to Somervile Theatre and to the Opera House in Boothbay, soon! All the best, Jean
Fitchburg ConcertSunday, February 28th 2010 11:37AM
Ellis you are one of those beautiful troubadores whose music is truly heartfelt... , your voice is silky and soothing, your stories are rich as red velvet cake,... good laughs too! Such a pleaure to hear you soar... in a small venue.... even on that squeeky stage...where the secrets of your song were revieled...my little girl Aislinn and I couldn't wait to listen to your new album. P.S She loves it! Thanks ... for your gift of music...Listening Loudly Deb and Aislinn
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VERMONTThursday, February 25th 2010 10:24AM
It's high time you made your way back up to Vermont......suz
Concert in AshlandMonday, February 15th 2010 3:40PM
I was the "enthusiastic woman over on the side: when singing the na, na, na's. Just wanted to say that I love the new CD. "Annalee" keeps playing in my mind, but I also love "Hurricane Angel" Great lyrics, beautiful vocals as always and I love the banjo. Hope you'll be back in Ashland soon.
Denise Bennett
JeffMonday, February 15th 2010 7:56AM
Saw you last night at the White Mule in Columbia. First time in 10 years and it was well worth the wait! Great show! Glad to hear you're living in the South, maybe we'll get to see more of you!
thanks again!
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Concert in Ashland/New CDSunday, February 14th 2010 10:46AM
Thank you for a fabulous show in Ashland on Friday night. My first time seeing you live --should have started years ago!! Love the new CD----played it five times Front to back this weekend.
Would love to be able to buy a tabbook/songbook so I could play and sing your songs. Come back to Richmond soon.
Kevin
ThanksMonday, February 8th 2010 4:53PM
I just wanted to say that I absolutey love you and your music, and the meanings of your songs. Also, I'd like to say Thank You for making my days better with your music. I am a huge fan, and can't wait to see you this weekend in Charlotte. Safe travels!
Like Mother, Like Daughter?Friday, February 5th 2010 12:50PM
Just wanted to let you know our whole family is enjoying the new CD! Our 3 year old has become fixated on "Hurricane Angel", and requests it literally every day on the way to and from daycare. When the song ends, she shouts, "The river one again!!" (she associates it with the Cedar River flooding we had in 2008) and she starts whining if we get too far into "Heaven's Wherever You Are" (a song that I happen to really like! :) ). At least a couple days each week she also insists upon bringing the CD to the sitter's house to listen to the song there. You're developing quite a young fan-base in Iowa!
She also thinks it's really cool that you autographed our copy of The Dragonfly Races. Looking forward to see you play again! The show with Adam Ezra and Radoslav Lorkovic was excellent!
Kelly from Cedar Rapids
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ShelleyTuesday, January 19th 2010 11:29AM
Hey Ellis, love the new CD! I also saw you(again) at Canal St. on Friday - you were stellar as usual. I always love to see you live - I think you're incredible. In reference to Cheryl's post - I seriously doubt that anyone who comes to Canal Street "wouldn't be ready" to hear "She Loves a Girl". I agree that it is a great song, but Ellis has so many, it probably difficult to choose.
Cheryl LevineSaturday, January 16th 2010 4:36PM
Saw you (again!) at the Canal Street Tavern and loved every minute of it. Took two friends who are now hooked as well. Great to hear the new stuff and can totally understand why you're in love with playing new and don't want to be defined by the old. Just a question. Every time I see you, I always request "She Loves a Girl"--it was the first song I ever heard you play--on the World Cafe--and it made a huge impact on me. I'm not gay, but as a Jew, a woman and a psychologist, I hate the fact that we still have such homophobia and such unequal rights--and I thought that song made such a brave and profound statement on that issue. When you won't play it, it makes me sad and I wonder why you are letting such a powerful message go. You may think that Dayton Ohio is not ready for the message--and maybe it's not--but that, in my opinion, is even more reason to play it. My .02. Cheryl
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