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.
Lens Cap
David LaMotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's studying her light
Trying to find a still frame
Of the gracefulness of flight
Shooting up the pictures
Like a needle in his arm
Burning down the world around him
For a shot of something warm
There's no room for them to fly
The distance is too short between
The corners of the sky
The light is warm and precious
At the turning of the day
His shadow falls between them
Her shadow falls away
But he just can't seem to get it
Must be doing something wrong
Maybe chose the wrong exposure
Or held his breath too long
She watches while the sun sets
He sees the glowing tears
He slowly drops the camera
She disappears
And her wings won't fit on paper
There's no room for them to fly
The distance is too short between
The corners of the sky
The song "Lens Cap" by David LaMotte tells the story of a photographer who is trying to capture the grace and beauty of a woman he is observing through his lens. The photographer is so consumed with capturing the perfect shot that he is losing his grip on reality. He is "shooting up" pictures like a drug addict and "burning down the world" around him for a "shot of something warm." He is transfixed by the woman's wings, which he sees as a symbol of her beauty and gracefulness. However, he can't seem to capture her essence on paper. The distance between the corners of the sky is too short, and her wings won't fit on paper. He is trying to freeze a moment in time, but he can't seem to catch it.
The woman, on the other hand, seems to be aware of her own beauty but is not attached to it. She watches the photographer's futile attempts to capture her essence, but she knows that her wings won't fit on paper. She is not defined by her physical beauty but rather by something deeper and more elusive. She disappears into the sunset, leaving the photographer to ponder the beauty he witnessed but could not capture.
Overall, "Lens Cap" is a poignant meditation on the relationship between art and life. The photographer is trying to capture a moment of beauty and grace, but he can't seem to find the right exposure. The woman, on the other hand, embodies that grace and beauty but is not confined to it. The song reminds us that sometimes the most beautiful moments in life are the ones that can't be captured on film.
Line by Line Meaning
She's living in his lens cap
He's obsessing over her, constantly trying to capture her image in his mind or through photography.
He's studying her light
He's fascinated by her radiance and unique qualities that make her stand out.
Trying to find a still frame
Of the gracefulness of flight
He's searching for the perfect moment to capture her in motion, to showcase her ethereal beauty and free spirit.
Shooting up the pictures
Like a needle in his arm
Burning down the world around him
For a shot of something warm
He's consumed by his desire to capture her, willing to do whatever it takes to obtain that one perfect photo that he believes will bring him happiness.
But her wings won't fit on paper
There's no room for them to fly
The distance is too short between
The corners of the sky
Her beauty and essence cannot be contained or captured fully through photography. She is too vast and magnificent to be confined to a flat, two-dimensional image.
The light is warm and precious
At the turning of the day
His shadow falls between them
Her shadow falls away
Despite the beauty of the moment, there is still a barrier preventing him from fully connecting with her. His ego or sense of self may be getting in the way and creating distance.
But he just can't seem to get it
Must be doing something wrong
Maybe chose the wrong exposure
Or held his breath too long
He's frustrated with his inability to capture her fully and is desperate for a reason why. In this case, it may be that he's not in the right place emotionally or mentally to appreciate and connect with her.
She watches while the sun sets
He sees the glowing tears
He slowly drops the camera
She disappears
She is present in the moment, enjoying the beauty of the sunset, while he's consumed by his desire to capture it. Ultimately, his obsession and inability to fully connect with her causes her to slip away from his grasp.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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