A few years ago a song came across my speakers that I had somehow made an instant connection with. It could have had something to do with lots of late nights while working on new songs. Now as I’m getting things finished on a new single I’m running into that same feeling of attachment and late nights. The song I got that connection to years ago was Breath (2 AM) by Anna Nalick off her album Wreck of the Day. Such an interesting title for an album. It’s still resonating years later with a very appropriate suggestion – to just breath. Definitely something we all need to do from time to time in this world.

Breath (2AM)

2 AM and she calls me ’cause I’m still awake,
“Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,
I don’t love him. Winter just wasn’t my season”
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You’re all here for the very same reason

‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe… just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

May he turned 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
“Just a day” he said down to the flask in his fist,
“Ain’t been sober, since maybe October of last year.”
Here in town you can tell he’s been down for a while,
But, my God, it’s so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him. Maybe I’ll just sing about it.

Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable,
And life’s like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe… just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

There’s a light at each end of this tunnel,
You shout ’cause you’re just as far in as you’ll ever be out
And these mistakes you’ve made, you’ll just make them again
If you’d only try turning around.

2 AM and I’m still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it’s no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you’ll use them, however you want to

But you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable,
And life’s like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.

by: Anna Christine Nalick

A couple of years ago I was visiting home during the holidays. I ended up running into an old friend who invited me out to yet another person’s house for an evening of drinking and music. I said sure, what the hell. That night I was introduced to a musician who also grew up in the Park City, but whom I had never met as she was several years younger. Her name was and still is Alexa Wilkinson. We started exchanging songs in a bit of a song circle type of thing. I admired her playing, she admired mine. That was the extent of the evening. She’d been living on the east coast – actually still there, though is now a gourmet chef. She gave me a copy of her CD and I always enjoy when it comes on my iTunes or through my streaming server when I’m out and about. I suppose I’m waxing rhapsodic as the music event I’ve been planning for Park City (a 9 day music event with over 100 bands) got it’s permits the other night and is now a go! At a time of year where we probably get a little Vanilla Rain. June 2014.

Vanilla Rain

Never been so let go
Never been so composed
From my fingers to my toes
I’m callin’ out
Never been so advised
And finally realized
From the tele to my room
I feel it too

Spin me round like a child
I need some to be satisfied
My arms are open wide

Cause I miss you on a Sunday
Just smiled cause things are going our way
Your suitcase gets bigger every time
Will I ever sleep tonight
Now you’re mine

You were a surprise
Like vanilla rain from the sky
From the ocean to my room
I feel it too

Kiss me like the first time
I need some to be satisfied
My arms are open wide

Cause I miss you on a Sunday
Just smiled cause things are going our way
Your suitcase gets bigger every time
Will I ever sleep tonight
Now you’re mine

Lying right down next to you
The sun is rising soon though
We both could use some sleep before the dawn
All the things I could do without
The only thing I doubt ‘s your
Company in the middle of the night

Cause I miss you on a Sunday
Just smiled cause things are going our way
Your suitcase gets bigger every time
Will I ever sleep tonight
Now you’re mine
Cause I miss you on a Sunday
Just smiled cause things are going our way
Your suitcase gets bigger every time
Will I ever sleep tonight
Now you’re mine

Being the product of wannabe hippies I got to listen to a lot of old school classic rock from an era long before me. One of the tunes I can remember my dad blasting in the van while driving me around was “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac. So listening to the song right now as I’m typing this I can envision driving around some city (I don’t remember where it was) but he was looking for a skatepark to take me too so we could skateboard. See, that’s how cool my father was – he took me skateboarding and he skateboarded himself. Pretty wild. Maybe the vibe of the lyrics really rubbed off on me because I do tend to go my own way. Don’t you?

Go Your Own Way

Loving you
Is it the right thing to do?
How can I ever change things
That I feel?

If I could
Maybe I’d give you my world
How can I
When you won’t take it from me

You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way

Tell me why
Everything turned around
Packing up
Shacking up’s all you wanna do

If I could
Baby I’d give you my world
Open up
Everything’s waiting for you

You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
go your own way

(Chorus)

You can go your own way…
Call it another lonely day…
you can go your own way…

Enjoy!

p.s. – no Tony Alva is not my dad. It’s just a cool pic from a fun documentary.