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.
Northbound
David LaMotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Must think I'm losing my mind
Driving north at the end of November
Certainly I should remember
Idaho's winters aren't kind
A friend told me once for this country
This is the best time of year
I'm the only travelling musician
No one else would choose now to come here
I stop into these taverns for company
Where the music and laughter are loud
Only to find there's no loneliness
Like being lonely in a crowd
Northbound
Northbound
It's like standing in line at a wedding
Receiving the guests with a smile
For a moment a face fills my vision
I shake hands like a tired politician
And I'd love just to talk for a while
But the faces keep changing each minute
Guessing at names I don't know
It's so hard to keep on believing
Seems I spend so much time leaving
And so little time coming home
And I guess it's a bit of a pattern
How I find a warm place and then run
Like all I can see is the shadows
When I stand in the light of the sun
Northbound
Northbound
Today there's no sunlight to stand in
The sky's just as gray as the ground
And the birds are all leaving this town
The first verse of David LaMotte's "Northbound" begins with an observation about birds flying south for the winter and how they must think the singer is crazy for driving north at the end of November, when Idaho winters are notoriously harsh. The second verse reveals that the singer is a traveling musician, and the best time of year for him to perform in this country is during the winter, when there is less competition. However, he quickly realizes that this comes at a cost: he finds himself alone and lonely, seeking companionship in taverns with loud music and laughter, but ultimately feeling isolated in a crowd.
This theme of loneliness is further explored in the third verse, where the singer likens his experience to standing in line at a wedding and shaking hands with guests, only to forget their names and faces moments later. He longs for a genuine connection with someone, but the constant movement and changing faces leaves him feeling disconnected and disoriented. The final verse is a reflection on the singer's tendency to flee from warmth and comfort, seeking solace in the shadows rather than basking in the light of the sun. As he watches the birds leaving the town, he feels a sense of longing to connect with something more permanent and meaningful.
Overall, "Northbound" is a melancholy and introspective song that explores the themes of loneliness, isolation, and rootlessness that can come with a life of constant travel and movement. It speaks to the human need for connection and belonging, even when we find ourselves in unfamiliar and uncomfortable circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
The birds flying south for the winter
The birds have flown south due to the cold winter, but I am driving north, which may seem strange.
Must think I'm losing my mind
The birds might think I am crazy for driving north in the winter.
Driving north at the end of November
Driving my car towards the north indicates that I’m heading towards colder climates.
Certainly I should remember
I should remember how harsh Idaho’s winter is, but I’m still heading north.
Idaho's winters aren't kind
The winter in Idaho is cold and tough, it is not an easy place to be in the winter.
A friend told me once for this country
A friend indicated that this is the best time of year to travel for entertainment.
This is the best time of year
This is the best season for musicians to travel in this area.
There'll surely be no competition
There is no other musician who would choose to travel in this season.
I'm the only travelling musician
I am the only musician who chose to travel during this season.
No one else would choose now to come here
I am travelling alone because no one would choose to come to this area at this time.
I stop into these taverns for company
To avoid being alone, I am stopping at these taverns to meet people.
Where the music and laughter are loud
The taverns have cheerful music and laughter to make the customers happy.
Only to find there's no loneliness
Despite the socializing, I still feel lonely due to the lack of genuine connections.
Like being lonely in a crowd
Feeling alone even in a big noisy crowd of people.
Northbound
I am driving towards the northern part of the country.
Northbound
I am going in the direction of the North.
It's like standing in line at a wedding
It feels like being in a queue at a wedding.
Receiving the guests with a smile
I receive people with a friendly look on my face like I do at weddings.
For a moment a face fills my vision
Sometimes, when making eye contact with someone, I feel deeply connected for that moment.
I shake hands like a tired politician
I do what I need to do to express my greetings politely, just like a politician who is tired of shaking hands with people all the time.
And I'd love just to talk for a while
I would like to have a meaningful conversation with someone.
But the faces keep changing each minute
The people around me keep changing, so I cannot get comfortable with the same face for long.
Guessing at names I don't know
When I meet new people, trying to guess their names is difficult because I have no reference point.
It's so hard to keep on believing
It's tough to maintain a positive attitude and keep believing that I can make social connections and find meaning on this journey.
Seems I spend so much time leaving
Most of my time is spent moving on to the next location rather than staying and building relationships.
And so little time coming home
I have not been home long enough to develop genuine personal roots or connections.
And I guess it's a bit of a pattern
It’s becoming a repeated set of behaviours.
How I find a warm place and then run
Whenever I find a good spot to stay, I tend to leave quickly; it has become a pattern.
Like all I can see is the shadows
It seems like I can only focus on the dark parts of things, and I have trouble finding the bright side.
When I stand in the light of the sun
Even if there are good things happening around me, my focus is still on negative aspects.
Northbound
I am travelling to the north somewhere.
Northbound
I am headed towards the northern side of the country.
Today there's no sunlight to stand in
The weather is cloudy, and there is no sunlight to be seen.
The sky's just as gray as the ground
The sky is overcast, and the earth is also dull.
And the birds are all leaving this town
The birds are heading out of this town as well, indicating that this may not be a nice place to be during the winter.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@48PeterH
Thanks to John for introducing us to this singer-songwriter! Great rendition!
@DavidLaMotteCommunity
Lovely rendition, Lewis. Cheers, David
@LewisDLancaster
@drdll Thanks David ! Very kind of you! Great song!
@suGar4044
Good song! ...al