For Chris Velan, arrival at the intersection of experience and opportunity … Read Full Bio ↴For Chris Velan, arrival at the intersection of experience and opportunity occurred in the form of a phone call from two college friends who were making a documentary about a group of musicians in war-torn Sierra Leone. Although he had been a student of classical guitar from the age of nine and a veteran of the Canadian band scene, he had recently embarked towards a career as a human rights lawyer in his native Montreal. After the grind of law school and a year of life as an apprentice attorney, he made the decision that would change his course personally and professionally; he opted for the meaningful over the mundane. His subsequent experiences in Africa left an indelible mark that would govern his choices as he contemplated future life once the film project was complete. His involvement with Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars (he produced their album and often performs with them) showed him that there is power in music that transcends even the law and put him literally on the road to making a career as a singer/songwriter.

Chris Velan’s current album (his third), Solidago, is a stunning culmination of influences. From the folk-rock of his youth to the reggae of his college days to the echo of his time in Africa, Chris has created a unique collection of songs that invite listen after listen. Not often will you find a record that juxtaposes the horror of sectarian strife with the hopeful musings of errant love. Solidago achieves this seemingly without effort. The jarring lyrical content of “Wobbly Bones” is brilliantly offset by the lilting dirge that draws the listener to the stark reality of man’s cruelty to man without causing them to look away. Few songwriters working today would be able to make the point without contrivance. Followed by “Oldest Trick”, a sly skewering of our technological world, Solidago reveals itself to have a gravitas missing from most contemporary efforts. Capped by the starkness of “May Your Soul Get to Heaven”, Solidago is an album that begs for a follow-up.

Solidago is available on NewSong Recordings and on Itunes. Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter. Look for the brand new Banker White directed video of “Oldest Trick” widely available. Chris will be touring the U.S. throughout the fall. Check www.chrisvelan.com/full-calendar for dates.

www.newsongrecordings.com
www.chrisvelan.com
www.twitter.com/chrisvelan
www.facebook.com/chrisvelanmusic
www.myspace.com/chrisvelan

Long way home
Chris Velan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take a plane through the skies
Touch down, step out, squint your eyes
Welcome all, shake my hand
There's not much you understand
Over here, we are good
We die younger than we should
What we make all gets spent
Better love our President

So they say every road's gonna lead to Rome, but

You're a long way from home
You're a long way from home

Trade a master for a thief,
We don't dare wish for relief
See here we have no safety net
Even the walls drip with sweat
Carry 'round a couple bills
Rebels massing in the hills
Prayers start you're out of light
Where you gonna stay tonight
Could it be were separated by a chromosome, 'cause

You're a long way from home
You're a long way from home

We don't want to envy you
But it's just too hard not to
See we can't leave the same way
Wish that we could have a day
To take a plane through the skies
Touch down, step out, squint eyes
Take some pictures, maybe learn
Then be happy to return
See you where you live
See you in your Superdome

And be a long way from home
And be a long way from home

Overall Meaning

In Chris Velan’s song Long Way Home, the lyrics explore the everyday experiences and struggles of people living in a country that is not their own. The song paints a vivid picture of the stark differences between the singer’s home and the environment of the person they are addressing in the song. The singer invites the listener to visit their homeland but warns them that they are a long way from home. The first verse touches on the differences in lifestyle and prosperity; the listener might not understand the struggles that people in that country go through every day. Despite poverty and lower life expectancies, the people in this country are portrayed as being good.

The second verse focuses more on the dangers present in their homeland. In contrast to the first verse's descriptions of a welcoming environment, here, the listener is warned about rebels massing in the hills and that there is no safety net. There is also a clear sense of desperation in the lives of the people in this country. The walls are dripping with sweat, and there is no relief to be found. The listener is given a stark reminder that they are far from their comfort zone and the life they are used to living.

The chorus connects these two verses, underlining the listener's differences from the people in the singer's homeland. The listener is too far removed from their home country that even a chromosome could separate them. The song ends with the singer acknowledging the listener’s life but still wanting them to understand that they will be a long way from home despite being only a plane ride away.

Line by Line Meaning

Take a plane through the skies
Board a flight, fly high in the sky

Touch down, step out, squint your eyes
Land at your destination, step out of the aircraft and take a moment to adjust to the new environment

Welcome all, shake my hand
Greetings from the locals or the feeling of being welcomed

There's not much you understand
The place or the culture might be unknown and confusing.

Over here, we are good
The situation is alright, but could be better.

We die younger than we should
Life expectancy is shorter, leaving less time to live.

What we make all gets spent
Income and earnings are quickly used up, and there's not much left at the end of it.

Better love our President
The ruling politician or establishment should always be respected and adored.

So they say every road's gonna lead to Rome, but
While the saying goes that every road leads to Rome, the reality is quite different and relatively difficult.

You're a long way from home
Feeling very far from your usual or familiar environment.

Trade a master for a thief,
Losing something or someone trustworthy for someone less dependable.

We don't dare wish for relief
Not daring to hope for a reprieve or escape from difficult circumstances.

See here we have no safety net
There's no fallback or support system in the case of any contingencies or accidents.

Even the walls drip with sweat
The environment is hot, humid and uncomfortable.

Carry 'round a couple bills
Holding onto some money for immediate or emergency expenses.

Rebels massing in the hills
There are groups or factions of people actively opposing the authority or establishment.

Prayers start you're out of light
Hopelessness and despair set in with the beginning of adverse situations.

Where you gonna stay tonight
Uncertainty around finding an appropriate or safe place to sleep for the night.

Could it be were separated by a chromosome, 'cause
The differences between us and the locals could be a result of genetics or biology.

You're a long way from home
Once again, feeling very far from your usual or familiar environment.

We don't want to envy you
The locals don't want to seem envious or resentful towards the traveler.

But it's just too hard not to
Despite their best intentions, it's difficult to not display envy in such situations.

See we can't leave the same way
The locals are trapped in the same environment and can't escape as easily.

Wish that we could have a day
The locals wish they were able to have a day off, or a leisurely day like the traveler.

Take a plane through the skies
Once again, boarding a flight and taking off.

Touch down, step out, squint eyes
This time, experienced with more familiarity and less intensity than before.

Take some pictures, maybe learn
Tourism, sightseeing, and learning about the new location and culture.

Then be happy to return
Then, eventually, returning back to one's familiar environment and feeling content with the experience.

See you where you live
Visiting the traveler at their usual place of residence.

See you in your Superdome
In this case, Superdome could refer to just a regular home or apartment, but perhaps one that is much better and safer than what the locals might have.

And be a long way from home
Perhaps the traveler will also be very distant and far from home at that point.

And be a long way from home
The final line reinforces the idea of being a long way from one's usual environment or habitat.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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