His song Dark and Deep was selected for inclusion on Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter One, a benefit CD to raise money for adult literacy campaigns. Other artists on that CD include Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Grace Slick and Bruce Springsteen.
David has performed on the main stage of the internationally known Kerrville Folk Festival, and he was featured as the headline act at the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival. While there he was awarded lifetime membership in the Guitar Association of New Zealand, only the third international performer to be given that honor in the history of the organization.
David is the co-founder and director of Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas, a non-profit organization that funds projects to improve schools in Guatemala. For more info, check the web site: www.pegpartners.org.
In the last year LaMotte has published a children's book based on his award-winning children's song S.S. Bathtub, a live concert DVD and a retrospective collection of Peace and Justice songs from his previous records, as well as his latest CD, Change, a collaborative project with cellist Stephanie Winters.
Constellation
David LaMotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say goodnight with one last kiss and no decision
Takes all my strength to get into my car and drive away
Interstate reflectors flying past the edges of my vision
The stars above are shining through a million years of night
I'm painting on the sky to form a lion
Following the storylines between these points of light
Looking through my windshield at the road and my old friend Orion
Look up at the sky with me
There is nothing so romantic as the stars
We can make a constellation
A brushstroke here and there and there you are
Pictures of the evening wander back across my mind
How my finger traced the freckles on her arm
I can't see past my headlights, or the dreams that I've designed
Following this broken painted line and wishing on a star
Look up at the sky with me
There is nothing so romantic as the stars
We can make a constellation
A brushstroke here and there and there you are
Seems Orion's always been there when I needed company
I really ought to go and visit him sometime
But for all the miles together, I'm not sure what I would say
All the things I once saw clearly always seem to move away and realign
I will call her on a cell phone from the road tomorrow night
From the safety of six hundred miles away
With my nebulous impressions of the woman smiling bright
In the picture in the sunlight on the dashboard, 'til the photo fades away
Look up at the sky with me
There is nothing so romantic as the stars
We can make a constellation
A brushstroke here and there and there you are
In David LaMotte's "Constellation," we see the singer driving away from a romantic encounter, struggling to leave behind the connection he has with this person. As he drives through the darkness, he looks up at the stars and notices the timeless beauty of the constellations. He likens his longing for the person he's leaving and the beauty of the stars to each other, saying they both can be made into a constellation with a brushstroke here and there. As he continues to reminisce on his evening with this person, he notes that it's hard to see past his headlights and the dreams he's created for himself. Then, he mentions Orion, the constellation that's been his "friend" throughout the journey. Despite all the miles they've traveled together, he's uncertain if he would have anything to say if he visited it. The song ends with him planning to call the person from a distance, still holding onto the memory of her and gazing up at the stars.
Line by Line Meaning
I step out of her porchlight choosing darkness over day
Leaving my significant other's porch in the night, unsure of what the future may hold
Say goodnight with one last kiss and no decision
Saying goodbye to my partner, but uncertain about the fate of our relationship
Takes all my strength to get into my car and drive away
It's hard to leave her and go on my way
Interstate reflectors flying past the edges of my vision
Driving down the highway, memories of my last moments with her rushing through my mind
The stars above are shining through a million years of night
Watching the beautiful stars that have existed for centuries before me
I'm painting on the sky to form a lion
Trying to create a beautiful constellation in the sky
Following the storylines between these points of light
Creating a beautiful story with the stars in the sky and connecting them into a beautiful constellation
Looking through my windshield at the road and my old friend Orion
Driving along the highway, admiring the beautiful constellation of Orion
Pictures of the evening wander back across my mind
Memories of my time with her come back to me
How my finger traced the freckles on her arm
Thinking back to picking out the small details of her skin
I can't see past my headlights, or the dreams that I've designed
I am stuck thinking about my own dreams and plans for the future
Following this broken painted line and wishing on a star
Driving on the road, thinking about what could have been
Seems Orion's always been there when I needed company
Reflecting on how Orion has always been a constant in my life
I really ought to go and visit him sometime
I should take some time to appreciate the beauty of the stars
But for all the miles together, I'm not sure what I would say
Even though I have always been surrounded by the stars, I don't know how to connect with them
All the things I once saw clearly always seem to move away and realign
My previous clarity about life seems to have drifted away and everything appears uncertain
I will call her on a cell phone from the road tomorrow night
I will reach out to my partner with a call soon
From the safety of six hundred miles away
I will make the call while being far away, to protect the heart
With my nebulous impressions of the woman smiling bright
I remember the happiness that she displayed in front of me
In the picture in the sunlight on the dashboard, 'til the photo fades away
The last memories of her are preserved in a photograph that I am looking at until it disappears
Look up at the sky with me
Take a moment to gaze at the sky with me
There is nothing so romantic as the stars
Stars are the symbols of romance and beauty
We can make a constellation
We can make a beautiful creation with the stars
A brushstroke here and there and there you are
Small gestures can make a big impact in life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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