That Water Came
words and music by John Natiw
Around the first of the year, I had been doing some bike rides through a local parkway here that had been flooded. The good news was that the parkway was closed, so I could ride on the roads. The parkway is designed to contain floodwaters and closes frequently during heavy rains. I'm always amazed at the power of water, and these four or five rides didn't change that. After pondering this for a few days, I figured there must be a song in there. I didn't want it to be a Katrina song, or about ANY particular flood for that matter. But it is a serious song.
The date of this recording is January 3rd and it was probably the second or third take I recorded. I listened back to it this morning after not hearing it for a few weeks and although this is an extremely early and rough representation of the song, was pleasantly surprised. I was intending on re-recording this one at a later date (and still will), but I thought it was worthy of posting.
This one has a bit of a "bluegrassy, sittin' on the front porch, thinkin' about stuff, story telling" feeling. There may eventually be a bridge added, but we'll see.
THAT WATER CAME.mp3 [01.25.07]
Mary had a baby last Sunday
She was just seventeen
Brought her home just three days later
times were lean
Friday night she sang to that baby
wind started to blow
storm was comin' along the old highway
the sky started to glow
that water came
like it knew her name
Mary dropped to her knees and said dear God
I'll do anything
If you spare me and my baby
I'll never ask again
I know there's been some things that I've done wrong
some that I regret
But if you could just help us to hold on
I'd be in your debt
but that water came
like it knew her name
that damn water came
(it came) just the same
they say the risin' water can't hear you
when it comes to call
no emotion or human feelings
it just takes it all
there wasn't anything anyone could do
in the rise and fall
two little angels died in that bayou
when the devil called
that water came
like it knew her name
that damn water came
(it came) just the same
black water came...
THAT WATER CAME.mp3 [01.25.07]
2 comments:
John, it is a beautiful piece of work. The story, the lyrics and the rythm are in great harmony. I've already listened to it a couple of times...
It is a great reassurance of the fact that a song doesn't have to be musically complex to be good... Hopefully it'll inspire me in my efforts in writing...
Great work!
Hey, thanks very much Ali. Feedback like that is really nice to come home to.
I don't do "complex" very well, so "simple" is more my style. And I, too, am glad that simple can work within the context of a good song.
Thanks again,
John
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