Brave Music
by @tjeff · @ericalbert
Liner Notes
#titular #randomcollab #folk #harmonies #nature #othebravemusic #dorothyevelynsmith #moors
@tjeff: I got paired with Eric for round 1 of the random collaborations. He sent me a fine lyric and I came up with this.
@ericalbert FAWM's Titular muse page (https://muse.fawm.org/titular) is a great way to start a lyric. This time, it gave me "There". I doubled that to "There, there" and answered with "We're here." An image came to me of a couple on a hill, comforting each other before separating. But which couple? Which hill?
I realized it was Ruan and her friend up on a ridge in the Derbyshire moors in England in 1905 or so, from the wonderful novel "O, the Brave Music" by Dorothy Evelyn Smith, which I highly recommend to those who enjoy reading about a girl growing into a (still quite young) woman. I wove together two scenes from that book.
Thanks to Jeff for his lovely playing and singing!
Lyrics
V1: Here on our ridge in a golden day Round us the moorland falls away I gently tap a stick against your wrist You will be missed
CH: There, there We're here Chapter by chapter, year by year Hear the cows, they're lowing, lowing It's true that I am going, going
V2: Here on the hot earth, side by side Under a raven's silent glide The pinkish purple heather sprawling near You will be here?
CH: There, there We're here Chapter by chapter, year by year Hear the sheep, they're bleating, bleating A distant drum is beating, beating
CODA: Beating through the time we'll be apart Beating like the moor's eternal heart
Comments
What a tender song about separating. I love the visuals and the way the harmonies make me see a whole wide landscape. Great collaboration.
Beautiful sweet poignant song and performance. I really enjoyed the imagery; reminds me of the countryside near my childhood home (not a moor). The vocal harmonies were wonderfully executed and reminded me of Crosby Stills and Nash. Really enjoyed this!
What an inspired collab! The incredible vocals bring these words to life, and I picture nostalgic pastoral scenes of my youth. Sweet guitar work, too.
This is beautiful! I have a book to add to my reading list. Wonderful visual painting with the lyrics. Music and vocal delivery paired so well with the painted scene. Great collaboration! - Natalie
This lovely lyric paints such a picture, fleshed out even more beautifully by the music. Fantastic collab.
Very smooth. Particularly like the melody of the CODA and the lyric "under a raven's silent glide". #tit4tat
Great folk sound to this, and wonderful storytelling with the lyrics.
love the performance and harmonies. the song sounds so cohesive like the music and lyrics came together at the same time. some lovely lines in the lyrics, all round beautiful collaboration Well done both!
Harmonies are stellar! This is so homey and cozy, love it!
I'm happy you found together during a random collab. This sounds so flawless. The lyrics, the vocal phrasing and the gentle guitar. Excellent harmony!
This is the kind of gentle, pastoral harmony singing I'd like to do, but somehow don't. I love the sound of this song, and the way the lyric combines the movement of time with the movement through a book, the colours and sounds of the moors with the sound and feel of music. And PS, thanks for the book recommendation -- woven through the song as well as in your notes.
Firstly, excellent lyrics. Very evocative, with enough mystery to retain interest balanced with more mundane observations that set the scene.
The tune suits the lyric well and the harmonies lift the performance.
I usually only listen once when commenting, but had to listen again. Good collab!
Excellent vocal harmony and lovely guitar playing. The imagery takes me there. Well done.
I felt relaxed and comforted as soon as this began. Love the lyrical imagery, so well-supported by the music. Definitely a successful collab!
Good lyric, good one for you to Jeff! Nice and gently done with that compelling rhythm.
Very nice. Really good guitar picking. Good vocal. Well recorded. I dont understand the lyric, which is not to say it's not good, or thought provoking, I just don't get it.
Lovely...The lyrics, lush guitar and beautiful vocal harmonies. Such an enjoyable listen. Really like the sound your are getting on the guitar, not to mention how nicely you are playing. This is a little gem...
Oh this is gorgeous. Beautiful Crosby Still Nash and Young harmonies. And the simple-yet-elegant single guitar is the perfect accompaniment. Love a good romantic, naturalistic piece.
Great collaboration! I felt the music connected with the lyrics.
The lyric and music go perfectly together! The lyrics are so full of lovely images and gentle loving mournful thoughts / the repetition of words works brilliantly. Jeff’s music shines with a lush tender warmth with the gentle guitar and beautifully layered vocals. Gorgeous, poetic, and moving!