Forest Sun has regaled audiences around the globe with his wealth of songs and stories, all sung and told with back porch ease and bonhomie. Sun's music has been compared to everyone from Jack Johnson and John Mayer to Van Morrison and Bob Dylan but his unique style is entirely his own.
He's opened for Bonnie Raitt, The Beach Boys, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Keb Mo and Brett Dennen among others and collaborations on his many records include the likes of such musical luminaries as Jolie Holland, Sean Hayes, ALO, Hot Buttered Rum to name a few.
In 2007 he was awarded 1st place in the Pacific Song Writing Competition with Drops in the Ocean, and in 2009 his song Gurus and Rockstars from the album Harlequin Goodnight was nominated for best song in the Just Plain Folks Awards.
His music provided soundtracks for Land of Saints, A Common Thread, and 5th Symphony Document.
Forest Sun has been featured on KFOG Local Scene Vol. 1 and 3 and the Japanese compilations Surf Time vol. 1 and 2.
As well as producing his own records, (Not Afraid, Plenty, For the Story, Walk through Walls, So Nice, Harlequin Goodnight and the 2010 release of the children's record, Just for Fun) Forest Sun has produced Minneapolis song-writer Alex Goldfarb, the benefit CDs Songs for Laura Vol 1 and 2 and hosted the monthly Songbird Series at the Bazaar Cafe and Songbird Radio on KWMR.
Acoustically, he tours with Ingrid Serban singing harmonies and the full band includes David Phillips on lap steel, Steve Adams from ALO on bass and Michael Messer on drums.
It's one of those album closers that's enough to make you play the whole thing through again. 'Harlequin Goodnight' is altogether a quiet joy in a raucous world.
John Davy - No Depression
"Forest Sun is now my favorite new singer-songwriter... his songs are jaunty, timeless and spirit raising, even life-affirming." Mac McDonald, Monterey Herarld
“... alt country, folk-rock jams, creating a hodgepodge of comparisons that ranged from Jack Johnson to Ryan Adams to David Gray. ...even into Bob Dylan territory ... a daunting place to tread, but pulled off with the grace of a musical veteran”
Jessica Small, Santa Barbara Independent
"... a toe tapping adventure" Matt Kramer, Pacific Sun
"Music for for bright sunny days and warm nights. For getting it on and having a ball, for dancing naked in your kitchen." CD Baby
DAY BY DAY
Forest Sun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rustle of the leaves
The sigh of the breeze
And all the kids in the neighborhood
Out playing in the streets
Into the warm night you wander
Just to feel your feet on the ground
Cross the bridge over from silence
All the girls go by on their bicycles
Bouquet of flowers in one hand
And your heart feels just like an icicle
Dropped in a frying pan
Into the warm night you wander
Just to feel your feet on the ground
Cross the bridge over from silence
Singing just to hear the sound
La la la
And all the postcards that you wrote
All got washed out in the rain
And everybody wants to know
How long are you going to stay?
Take it day by day
You'll say la la la
The opening lines of Forest Sun's "Day By Day" describe the idyllic scene of a warm summer evening as the wind rustles through the cottonwood trees and the neighborhood children play outside. The singer wanders out into the night, feeling the earth beneath their feet and crossing a bridge from silence into song. The line "singing just to hear the sound" suggests a desire to connect with something deeper than words, to tap into the visceral pleasure of music for its own sake.
As the second verse begins, the focus shifts to the girls in the neighborhood, who ride by on their bicycles holding bouquets of flowers. The juxtaposition of their beauty with the metaphor of the singer's heart being an icicle dropped into a frying pan suggests that the singer is aware of his own emotional vulnerability and is perhaps struggling to feel a real connection with anyone else. The refrain repeats, encouraging the listener to take life "day by day" while the past fades away like the postcards that got washed out in the rain.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear the wind in the cottonwoods
Listen to the sound of the wind in the cottonwoods trees.
The rustle of the leaves
Hear the leaves making a soft, rustling sound.
The sigh of the breeze
Feel the breeze blowing through the air with a gentle, sighing sound.
And all the kids in the neighborhood
Observe all the children in the neighborhood.
Out playing in the streets
Playing outside on the streets.
Into the warm night you wander
You stroll through the warm night.
Just to feel your feet on the ground
Enjoy the feeling of the ground beneath your feet.
Cross the bridge over from silence
Move from a place of quietness and stillness onto a path of music.
Singing just to hear the sound
Sing just to listen to the melodies and lyrics.
All the girls go by on their bicycles
Observe all the girls riding their bicycles.
Bouquet of flowers in one hand
The girls carry a bunch of flowers in one hand.
And your heart feels just like an icicle
You experience a chilling sensation in your heart.
Dropped in a frying pan
An extreme sudden change of emotions and sensations.
And all the postcards that you wrote
Recall all the written postcards you sent.
All got washed out in the rain
They were destroyed by water damage.
And everybody wants to know
Everyone is curious to find out.
How long are you going to stay?
For how much longer are you planning to remain here?
Take it day by day
Deal with problems on a daily basis and not stress too much about what the future holds.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Forest Sun Schumacher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind