A song about Elvis. Poor Elvis. Such a tragic hero. Although the last verse is actually about Jeff Buckley, another great musician robbed before his time in Memphis. This song came to me in a dream. I know that sounds cliche, but it's true. I woke up and recorded a quick demo of it before running off to work. It's a country rock ballad, with that gorgeous pedal steel added in there again.
lyrics
Up through the dawn in a Vegas hotel
So alone, I do recall
Will the plane take me home to a Memphis summer dream?
Will I fall? Or not at all?
For a man is a soul that he knows what he been
It's a spirit in my bones that keeps on calling
When I walk through the gates of my own happy home
I will leave but a rose for dear ol' mama
Way on the hill off Highway 51
Is it all not said and done?
Once in a while I will sing another song
Before I go on tour again
For the Wolf River winds like a cold icy hand
That grips a man down to the bottom
As his spirit drifts alone to its own happy home
Will the song still live on and carry on?
credits
from The Nature of Things,
released October 7, 2010
Vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, organ and drums by Francis Friday
Pedal steel guitar: Jonny Lam
Modular synths sparkle amidst piano, vibes, and other organic instruments stringing together constellations of sound. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 22, 2023