During his career, Texas singer-songwriter Smith has recorded in folk, country and pop settings. He has co-written songs with a British rocker, released 10 critically-acclaimed albums, created works for dance theater, done symphonic collaborations and taught music to children. Smith has made himself at home in studios in Manhattan, Nashville and London, as well as Austin. As this CDs show, his style is always shifting, yet remains true to his roots.
As melodic a collection as he has ever recorded, Field of Crows shows Smith continuing to explore rhythms, sounds and lyric themes. As it has on all of his recent Dualtone albums, his work on the nylon-string guitar adds a distinctive texture to the music. He plays more piano on this album than any of his previous collections. “I tend to write sitting at the piano, holding a guitar, and go back and forth between them.,” he says. “Over the last 10 years, the keyboard has become more involved in how I hear songs.”
Departing from the way he has recorded other albums, Smith cut Field Of Crows almost live in the studio with the band all in the same room collaborating. Co-produced with Stewart Lerman, the entire record was recorded and mixed over the course of three weeks in May 2005. Field of Crows is highlighted by contributions from drummer Sammy Merendino, multi-instrumentalist Steuart Smith, bassist Roscoe Beck, steel guitar and violinist David Mansfield, percussionist Jose Galeano and co-producer/guitarist Lerman.
“I’ve known these people a long time,” comments Darden Smith. “They are my friends, which makes them better collaborators. I feel really blessed to be able to work with people I enjoy so much, who are also musicians of such a high caliber. They make me want rise to the moment.”
The themes on Field Of Crows alternate between hope and despair, which Smith says is a reflection of our troubled times. Most of the songs came together over the past year, and were highly colored by the war in Iraq, the 2004 election, and the Tsunami in Southeast Asia.
“It always strikes me that in times like these, with all the craziness in the world, all the personal loss and tragedy, that hope holds a high value. It means something when there seems to be so little of it. These days as well, it’s obvious the world is pretty small and we’re all joined. We need each other for the place to keep working, on a personal level and for the big picture. We crave connection. It calms us and can drive us mad at the same time. The songs on ‘Field of Crows’ are about our connection with others-- finding it, holding it, losing it, and the never ending desire for more.”
The album’s philosophical underpinning is the folk-pop title tune. Like a lonely scarecrow beset by flocks of crows, we must all stand and fight, even though it seems hopeless, Smith seems to be saying. The stately, inspirational piano ballad “Fight for Love” sings of peace and brotherhood. “Golden Age” sounds jaunty, but its lyric is a dark meditation on how much pain there is in this world.
There are further musical contrasts and shadings on Field of Crows. The bluesy “Spinning Wheel” is about uplifting love. Yet the dreamy soundscape of “Wide Open” backs a lyric of heartbreak. The airy, soaring “Talk Me Down” is comforting. But the whispered, folkie “All That I Wanted” is as downbeat as anything on the record. The coolly percussive “Mary” is a single father’s conversation to his young daughter. On the other hand is the jazzy, smiling “It Takes Two.” One key track is “Satisfied.” The ballad’s lyric speaks of true love residing in everyday reality while an eloquent acoustic guitar figure weaves a lovely spell.
Smith’s wrote or co-wrote all the songs on Field of Crows. His co-writers include Gary Nicholson (“Talk Me Down”, “Mary”, and “Anyway to Treat Your Lover”), J.D. Martin (“Satisfied”) and Phil Roy (“Fight For Love.”)
All in all, Field of Crows is a fine illustration of why a critic once dubbed Darden Smith, “a Texas Van Morrison.”
That Field of Crows is another musical exploration will surprise few who have followed this restlessly creative spirit’s career. Born in 1962, Darden Smith was raised in rural Brenham, Texas. He says that Leon Russell’s Carney LP of 1972 was one of his earliest musical influences. When he was in the fifth grade, Smith’s guitar teacher taught him the songs on Neil Young’s Harvest and After the Gold Rush albums. She explained to the boy that Young was the composer of his songs.
“That was the first time it clicked to me that every song is written by somebody,” Smith recalls. “I was already writing poetry at the time. She said, ‘All it is, is just poems and melody.’ That’s all I needed to hear.”
When he was in junior high, his family moved to suburban Houston. Culture shocked and out-of-place, the former farm boy sat in his room and wrote songs constantly from that point onward. Smith studied the structures of the songs of writers such as Guy Clark and Townes Van Zant and John Prine. He had his head spun around by Bob Dylan, The Allman Brothers and Jackson Browne. He began playing in clubs while still in high school. By the time he graduated from the University of Texas in Austin, Darden Smith was a fully realized talent and a regular on stages in the city’s thriving nightclub scene.
The folk-flavored Native Soil appeared as his debut album in 1986. Fellow newcomers Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith provided harmony vocals. Signed by Epic Records, he issued Darden Smith in 1988. Produced by Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson, the collection spawned “Little Maggie” and “Day After Tomorrow” as country-chart singles.
At this point came the first of Smith’s shifts in direction. A song publisher teamed him up with Boo Hewerdine of the British band The Bible. The songwriters couldn’t have had more different backgrounds, but their collaborations resulted in the 1989 duet album Evidence.
“I pride myself in being a Texas singer-songwriter. It’s who I am, and I will never get away from that. But that world was all I knew until I met Boo Hewerdine. I’d never created music outside of my little niche. But I was listening to things like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and The Pretenders. And the experience with Boo showed me that I could write music from a broader place than I had ever done before.”
Following the critical acclaim of ‘Evidence’, the record company moved him over to its pop division, and onto Columbia Records, for 1990’s Trouble No More and 1993’s Little Victories, the latter of which produced the hit pop single, “Loving Arms.” In keeping with the crazy logic of the record business, the label released him from his contract after this, his most successful album to date.
The next several years were hard ones in Smith’s personal and professional life. Compounding the professional setback was the ending of his marriage.
Out of that dark time came a sterling collection of folk-tinged pop called Deep Fantastic Blue in 1996. It was followed by Extra Extra in 2000. But by then, Darden Smith was disheartened, discouraged and contemplating getting out of the music business.
“It was a tough time,” he recalls. “Then, in late 2000, I was having dinner with friends in New York. Sammy (Merendino) and Stewart (Lerman) suggested we should do one album more before I quit, but that we should do it only to have fun.” At the time I didn’t have a label, a manager or an agent. I started writing and recording purely out of the love of making music, and through that experience, fell back in love with the whole process.”
Smith signed with Dualtone Records and turned in the brilliant and acclaimed Sunflower in 2002. Its songs “Perfect Moment” and “After All This Time” climbed the charts in the UK, with “After All This Time” reaching ..3 on the BBC2. Stateside, he was embraced by the emerging Americana format. Darden Smith now views that record as another watershed, personally and stylistically.
“Music should come from the heart,” he says. “I had lost touch with that notion. Sunflower brought it back.”
Sunflower included guest vocals by Patti Griffin and Kim Richey. Both Shawn Colvin and Richey contributed vocals to Circo, his moody, adventurous 2004 release. Field of Crows features guest vocalist Eliza Gylkison as well as the invaluable contributions of Steuart Smith, Merendino, Beck, Mansfield, Galeano and Lerman.
“I still like to explore musically,” Darden Smith comments about his musical diversity. “Some people do their exploring with different styles before they ever start putting out records. I kind of did mine as I was making the records.”
Records are just part of his musical wanderings. Beginning in 1989, Smith began composing music for experimental dance-theater works. Three full evening works followed, and in 1999 he was commissioned to create an orchestral work with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The result was Grand Motion in 2000. He is currently working on a new theater piece. A radio documentary on Texas songwriters that he is creating for the BBC2, “Songs From The Big Sky”, will air March 2006. His ongoing “Be an Artist” program puts him in workshops, helping children see that they are all born artists and that creativity is inside all of us.
About his extraordinary career, Darden Smith says, “I don’t worry about a lot of the stuff I used to worry about. This is my 10th record and my 20th anniversary in this business, and I realize how fortunate I am to be able to make a living being a musician, doing what I love to do. Why fight it? This is who I am, so I’m just going to groove along and enjoy the ride. I feel great, better than ever. So here we go.”
Hands On The Wheel
Darden Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could count the days
What's the use in counting
You're gonna go anyway
Always knew you could
Be like the star in the western sky
Look like your falling but then you just fly on by
I knew you would
Keep your head out there
Baby, keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
I could tell you stories of some things I learned
Sing you the songs of some bridges I have burned
And you'd just laugh
You listen but you never hear a word I say
All along painting pictures in you head
Some different path
So just go with God, here's my love to hold
If you ever lose control
Baby keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
Just listen to your pretty heart
When the road's too dark to see
You might get lost but then you might get free
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your hands on the wheel
"Hands On The Wheel" is a poignant and heartfelt song by Darden Smith about bidding farewell to a loved one who is about to embark on a journey and hoping that they will stay safe and wise on the road of life. The opening lines of the song, "I could count the minutes, I could count the days, what's the use in counting, you're gonna go anyway," express the sense of inevitability and sorrow that accompanies the departure of someone we care about deeply. Smith acknowledges that he knew all along that the person he is addressing in the song, most likely a romantic interest, had the potential to shine like a star but also to lose their bearings and make mistakes. He offers his support and encouragement, however, by saying, "So go with God, take care, keep your head out there, baby, keep your hands on the wheel."
The verse that follows shows that Smith has had his own share of struggles and mistakes, which he is willing to share with the other person, but that he also respects their right to chart their own course and learn from their own experiences. He says, "I could tell you stories of some things I learned, sing you the songs of some bridges I have burned, and you'd just laugh, you listen but you never hear a word I say." He recognizes that sometimes you have to let go of people and let them make their own mistakes and create their own stories. The chorus reinforces the central message of the song that no matter where life takes you or what challenges you face, you should always keep your hands on the wheel of your life journey, trust your instincts, and follow your heart. The idea that even in the darkest times, there is a chance for growth and freedom is expressed in the lines, "When the road's too dark to see, you might get lost but then you might get free." Ultimately, the song is a touching expression of love, faith, and hope that transcends time and distance.
Line by Line Meaning
I could count the minutes
Although I could track time, there's no point in it as you'll leave anyway
I could count the days
Similarly, I could monitor each day, but it wouldn't change the inevitability of your departure
What's the use in counting
Why bother tracking time when it won't alter the fact that you're going away?
You're gonna go anyway
Despite the love and care that we share, you're still going to leave
Always knew you could
I always believed in you and your potential for greatness
Be like the star in the western sky
You have the capability to shine brightly and guide others towards their dreams
Look like you're falling but then you just fly on by
Even when it seems like you're struggling, you always manage to rise above and soar
I knew you would
I had faith in your abilities and believed that you would eventually succeed
So go with God, take care
My only wish is for you to have a safe journey and stay protected by a higher power
Keep your head out there
Be mindful of your surroundings and stay alert
Baby, keep your hands on the wheel
Keep yourself in control and don't lose focus of your goals
I could tell you stories of some things I learned
I have plenty of experiences to share that have taught me valuable life lessons
Sing you the songs of some bridges I have burned
I could also share some of my mistakes and missteps that have led to burned bridges
And you'd just laugh
I know that you have your own journey and sometimes my stories may seem trivial to you
You listen but you never hear a word I say
Although you're attentive, you're often lost in your own thoughts and don't fully absorb my words
All along painting pictures in your head
You're always dreaming and envisioning new paths and possibilities for yourself
Some different path
You always have a unique angle or perspective on things
So just go with God, here's my love to hold
Despite any differences or distance between us, I'll always hold you in my heart and wish for your success
If you ever lose control
In case things get out of hand or you become overwhelmed
Baby keep your hands on the wheel
Stay focused and in charge of your own destiny
Just listen to your pretty heart
Tap into your own emotions and intuition, trust your own instincts
When the road's too dark to see
In situations where things seem unclear or uncertain
You might get lost but then you might get free
Even if you don't know where you're going or how to get there, sometimes getting lost can lead to a greater sense of freedom or discovery
Keep your hands on the wheel
Regardless of any obstacle or challenge, stay in control and remain the driver of your own life
Keep your hands on the wheel
This line is repeated throughout the song as a reminder to stay focused
Keep your hands on the wheel
This line is repeated throughout the song as a reminder to stay in control of your life and your journey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Darden Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind