Ephemeral

by @danvaillancourt

Liner Notes

ephemeral /ĭ-fĕm′ər-əl/

  1. Lasting for a markedly brief time.
  2. Having a short lifespan or a short annual period of above ground growth. Used especially of plants.

#baritoneguitar #folk #acoustic #singersongwriter #fingerstyle #fingerpicking #story #onetake

Lyrics

Ephemeral - February 15, 2025

We were all going to the show but You weren’t picking up the phone But if I have only known I wouldn’t have left Without you Without You

That club on the corner, they've torn it down All my favorite things are not here now All disappeared over night But my life goes on Without you Without you

CHORUS: Beautiful things can’t last forever Is what you’d always say Ephemeral flowers in the spring Short-lived but captivating But now gone without as much…. of a trace

That metro park by the cemetery Where we’d hike, it was our sanctuary I look just over the fence And see your headstone

I still visit every spring Just to see what might be blooming You knew each of them by name And this walk will never be the same Without You Without you

Trout Lillies, mayapple, spring beauties Trilliums, bloodroot, the things you'd taught me Little reminders always pop up When I least expect them to

Comments

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Love this line: Little reminders always pop up When I least expect them to

The imagery of all those things that spark memories is so vivid. The sparseness of vocals adds to the drama.

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Lovely track. Last verse is especially poignant. Really well sung too.

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Touching and tender. I can feel the longing. The little reminders is the line for me. Very much enjoyed.

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The title brought me here (I've joked that when my spouse someday opens a restaurant we should call it ephemeral, because -- since he doesn't cook from recipes -- nothing is ever repeated).

This is amazing. I like how the the small events/things (going to a show, the club on the corner, etc.) stand in for the big loss -- and how the reveal is so gradual (and then sudden), and ties back to to vignette in the first verse and how much that small story means.

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I'm going to sleep and will now have sad dreams. Thanks, Dan. But seriously Super vivid and beautiful. You crafted a keeper.

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A Sad and Wistful tune, well done. Each verse is a winner along with the chorus. I like how you name the various flowers too. The nice guitar playing and vocal really elevate this strong lyric.

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Nice write. Little captured moments that tell the story of before, right after, and longer after a loss.

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Lovely melody, and so delicately delivered, so tender in your upper register. What an emotional whallop as the song and story unfolds. The emotion in your voice and restraint in the guitar part are so powerful. Thank you for sharing this one with us.

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Oh man, this one really hits hard. That headstone line and pause is HEAVY. Especially as it starts as if it’ll be a regular old end of a relationship song. Love the repetition of ‘without you’ - takes on a whole new weight when you realise the context. Beautiful tune man, got me crying on a Sunday morning 😢

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Diggin the finger-picking. Sounds great. A sad story. The emotion is conveyed well.

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Daaaang. Beautiful. A captivating melody, lovely bobbing rhythm, and a striking story. Really nice, Dan. ❤️

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@mbmusic

Great voice and melody! The guitar picking and lyrics are really nice too. Well done!

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