Meyer & McGuire
Songwriter Notes
Song
of the Month #14 - “Chasin’ the Sun”
(Track #5 on the Caught
in the Middle CD)
Lyrics: If your web browser does not support
the Flash Player* included with the
Lyrics, or you are uncomfortable allowing/downloading the plug-in/add-on,
you can still listen to this song while you read. Just go to our Downloads
Page and click on the
link, “Buy Caught in the Middle Songs from
Napster”. Then, click on "Chasin’ the Sun." You can listen to it for free (not available outside
the USA).
*Not being a
techie, I use the term “Flash Player” loosely.
I believe, if we look carefully, we can find ourselves in
almost all aspects of our surroundings.
For example, if we analyze the weather closely, we can see our own moods
reflected in it. Emotionally, we go
through high pressure, low pressure, sunshine, clouds, fog, rain, tornados,
blizzards, etc. While most of us
recognize our metaphorical connection to the weather, I am not sure many of us
realize how beneficial it is to contemplate such an analogy. For me, such ponderings bring great
relief. It comforts me to understand I
am not alone in my journey through life.
The more I find myself in my surroundings, the less I feel alone, and
the more I see us all interconnected as one big entity.
In the fall of 2006 and the winter of early 2007, Siobhan
and I lost our two beautiful dogs, Riley and McMeyer. Riley succumbed to a kidney disease, and
McMeyer just died of old age. Throughout
the time they were with us, they, too, often reminded me how much we all are
interrelated. Their anger, frustration,
jealousy, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, forgiveness, and unconditional love
were all qualities I easily saw within my own character. Of their many traits, their ability to
persevere never ceased to amaze and inspire me, and it was their persistence
that inspired the writing of “Chasin’ the Sun.”
Before I get into the event that stimulated the writing of
the song, it is important to give you a feel for its setting. Siobhan and I live on the east side of the
city of Canandaigua, just outside the city limits. Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens, a beautiful
estate built in the late 1800s, and the VA Hospital lie about one half mile
north of our house. These properties are
adjacent to each other, and they take up about 200 acres of land. This land is filled with all kinds of
critters, but squirrels and rabbits, Riley and McMeyer’s favorites, seem to
dominate the territory. So, needless to
say, whenever Siobhan and I said the magic word, “Walk,” Riley and McMeyer’s
ears shot up, and their tails started pounding the floor and the
furniture.
One summer night in the mid to late ‘90s, the four of us
headed for Sonnenberg and the VA grounds.
It was a beautiful moon-lit evening, a perfect night for the rabbits to
graze peacefully. Nevertheless, this
serene setting was short-lived with the arrival of Riley and McMeyer. It was “game time” for them, and throughout
the walk, several rabbit sightings stimulated some intense pursuits and
passionate whining and barking.
Fortunately for Siobhan and me, the long leashes restraining these avid
hunters never broke, and the rabbits managed to elude their pursuers every
time. While we were walking, I started
thinking about how even though these dogs never caught any critters, their
enthusiasm and energy remained steady during every chase. For them, it seemed the joy was more in the
chasing rather than the catching. I
thought a little more about this idea, and I realized the same condition
existed for me as a teacher and musician.
To a certain extent, the instructing and playing appeared to be more
important and pleasurable than the achieving.
As I reflected on the concept of the process being more
important than the result, I also thought about us all having the constant
ability to rebound and start over again.
It was at this time the chorus of “Chasin’ the Sun” began to emerge with
these three words, “before, score, and more.”
I played around with these words, and I developed the three-line chorus
by the time the walk was over. At home,
the chorus kept repeating itself over and over again in my head, and I knew it
was not going to leave me alone until I finished the song. So, with guitar in hand, I went to work. Since the chorus generated the idea that
bouncing back from any situation was inherent in all of us, the verses needed
to reinforce this theme by illustrating that playing the game was more
important than its outcome. What
unfolded was a little story about a dog chasing a rabbit, and a new song came
to fruition.
“Chasin’ the Sun” is pure
Americana. It is a fast moving somewhat
bluegrass-like country song that will easily bring a smile to your face. With a guitar, a fiddle, a mandolin, a banjo,
a harmonica, a bass, drums, and backup harmonies, John and Joe Dady and Tim
Chaapel help Siobhan and me in creating one of those exhilarating tunes that
restores the spirit. The exquisite
interplay of the instruments deftly allows the listener to feel and hear the
action of the song’s story. If you are
thinking about giving up on one of your undertakings, this tune will bring you
back into focus and keep you going. It
will remind you that the ride is more important than the destination. Hope you enjoy the song! I like it, and I hope you do too!
I dedicated this song to Riley and
McMeyer. While they were with Siobhan
and me, they taught us many things. They
enhanced our ability to forgive, respect, understand, persevere, be patient,
accept, and love. Of these many
qualities, the capacity to carry on despite the odds is the one I reflect on
the most, and whenever I am considering giving up on some endeavor, I often
hear them chasing a squirrel or rabbit in our back yard. It cures me right away, and I am ready to get
back in the game and start over again.
We recorded this song in 1998 at The Garage, a little
studio in Rochester, New York. The
Garage, as I have told you before, is owned and operated by John and Joe Dady,
two quintessential musicians. When you
record with them, you can always count on great coffee, good stories, and an
aching stomach from laughing. I highly
recommend John and Joe if you are interested in recording. Also, The Dady Brothers, John and Joe’s
group, have many recordings of their own, and they tour the United States and
Ireland. Check them out on the web at www.dadybros.com.
Tim Chaapel owns Mobile Music, a great music store in
Canandaigua, New York. If you think you
might be interested in playing an instrument, stop in. Tim will get you off to a great start! He has guitars that make you look really
sexy! Also, if your instrument has
fallen on hard times, Tim will get it sounding like new in no time. Check him out on the web at http://www.mobilemusic.downtowncanandaigua.com.
Well,
there you have it. I’ll have another
song of the month for you next month. If
you have any comments or suggestions, please pass them on to me. This is a work in progress, and I am always
looking for new ways to improve it.
(E-Mailed 5/18/08)
E-mail us at McRiley@Frontiernet.net