Fifty-five years ago, Marilyn Bell took a plunge and traversed Lake Ontario. Back then, being a Great Lake swimmer was a big deal; now, it's an astonishing physical feat taken for granted. It's a rapidly forgotten part of history, like a faded map or a tattered photograph. Or a lost channel.
Tony Dekker's Great Lake Swimmers have spent the past seven years performing on stages around the world - though, like Bell, they should never be taken for granted. LOST CHANNELS, their fourth album set for release on March 31st, finds them once again recording at historic locations. This time in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario and New York state, telling tales of hidden histories, still "mining for light in the dark wells," still "tuned to an instrument of greater and unknown design."
The instrument in question is the singular voice of Tony Dekker, a voice that summons ghosts from times past. It’s a voice that is capable of conveying heartache and comfort all in the space of a single phrase. Though his supporting cast has changed over the years—with the exception of longtime right-hand man Erik Arnesen — Dekker has always encircled him self with sympathetic players who value spacious arrangements that frame his vocals. Over time, the band has evolved from a sparse, delicate and hushed unit into a well-rounded folk rock band, sacrificing none of their original intimacy while upping both the volume and tempos when necessary.
Dekker chooses to record in old churches, community halls, abandoned grain silos and rural locations. It's easy to hear why. His voice doesn't need any studio embellishment, standing at its strongest when bathed in natural reverb and enriched by the historical context surrounding it.
To record LOST CHANNELS, Dekker and company went upstream on the St. Lawrence River to the Thousand Islands, halfway between Toronto and Montreal, a historic and picturesque area that straddles the Canadian/American border, and has been designated a World Biosphere Region. Great Lake Swimmers arrived at the invitation of fan and Thousand Islands photographer/regional historian Ian Coristine (www.1000islandsphotoart.com).
Coristine was able to arrange for the band to record in a number of acoustically unique spaces within the region, including one of the area's most storied landmarks, Singer Castle on Dark Island, near Hammond, NY (www.singercastle.com); as well as the historical Brockville Arts Centre (www.brockvilleartscentre.com); and at St. Brendan’s Church in Rockport, ON.
Additional recording took place at Halla and the Lincoln County Social Club in Toronto and the album was woven into a cohesive whole at the House Of Miracles, in London, ON, with long-time Great Lake Swimmers collaborator, Andy Magoffin.
That the album was created in both rural splendour and urban Ontario makes perfect sense for a band that has always navigated the parallels between natural and urban rhythms. River imagery recurs throughout LOST CHANNELS; the title of the album is a reference to a certain passage of the St. Lawrence, close to the recording locale, where a reconnaissance boat from a British warship went mysteriously missing in 1760. There’s no specific reference to the incident in the lyrics, though there are plenty of night skies, howling winds and raging rivers in almost every song which captures an elusive sense of mystery. As the album closes, Dekker sings the final lyrics—“Like the unstoppable river… Your beauty is gentle/ but forceful, and fast”—before the band ends on a suspended note. There is no resolution there, only eternity, a continuum, an endless river.
LOST CHANNELS also features the talents of Julie Fader (flute/backing vocals), Greg Millson (drums), Darcy Yates (bass), with appearances by Erin Aurich on violin; Mike Olsen on cello; and Paul Aucoin on vibraphone; along with special guests / Swimmers collaborators Serena Ryder with vocals on “Everything Is Moving So Fast” and Bob Egan on pedal steel.
Four albums into an already-rich and storied career, Great Lake Swimmers’ live show has won them ever-expanding audiences in the United States and Europe, and of course their native Canada. In 2008 Great Lake Swimmers shared the stage with an impressive list of artists, including Feist, Bela Fleck & The Sparrow Quartet, Hayden, Goldfrapp, Bill Callahan of Smog, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.
Falling Into the Sky
Great Lake Swimmers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under the water, and holding my breath
But we were made to drink in the earth
Its river and gutters, its mountains of worth
Fur and feathers, and leather, and scales
They'll tear you apart if they get the chance
Fur and feathers, and leather, and scales
Up in the rafters without any lift
Equal parts laughter, intention, and gift
It was an accident, there was no thought
With no concentration or steadiness there
Falling into the sky
Up from the earth and into the sky
Lift off the ground and hover awhile
Do you think you could fly if you tried
The song "Falling Into the Sky" by Great Lake Swimmers is a dreamy and introspective piece about the cycle of life and the relationship between humans and nature. The opening lines "Breathing this poison, alive but near death, Under the water, and holding my breath" convey a sense of struggle and the feeling of being trapped. The poison mentioned in the lyrics is a metaphor for the negative impact human beings have on the environment. The image of being "under water" and holding one's breath hints at the struggle for survival.
The lyrics continue with "we were made to drink in the earth, Its river and gutters, its mountains of worth". This line suggests that human beings are meant to be a part of nature and not separate from it. The reference to "mountains of worth" signifies the importance of nature as a source of inspiration, spirituality, and wisdom.
The chorus "Fur and feathers, and leather, and scales, They'll tear you apart if they get the chance, Fur and feathers, and leather, and scales, They'll rip you apart, I swear that they will" uses animal imagery to emphasize the vulnerability of human beings in the face of nature's power. It also highlights the importance of respecting and protecting the environment as it can easily turn against us if mistreated.
The imagery in the final verse "Up in the rafters without any lift, Equal parts laughter, intention, and gift, It was an accident, there was no thought, With no concentration or steadiness there" suggests that life is a series of accidents and moments of uncertainty. It reflects on the idea that there is a certain unpredictability in life, but we must embrace it and find wonder and beauty in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathing this poison, alive but near death
Surviving in a dangerous environment, but not without consequences
Under the water, and holding my breath
In a perilous situation, with no way out
But we were made to drink in the earth
Humans are a part of nature and must coexist with it
Its river and gutters, its mountains of worth
Nature has intrinsic value that goes beyond economic gain
Fur and feathers, and leather, and scales
Animals possess unique characteristics that make them formidable
They'll tear you apart if they get the chance
Animals can be violent and unpredictable under the right circumstances
Up in the rafters without any lift
An unexpected situation that defies expectations
Equal parts laughter, intention, and gift
An experience that is both enjoyable and meaningful
It was an accident, there was no thought
A circumstance that occurred spontaneously without any deliberate planning
With no concentration or steadiness there
A lack of control or direction when navigating the situation
Falling into the sky
A surreal experience that defies gravity and the laws of physics
Up from the earth and into the sky
A journey from the mundane world to the sublime
Lift off the ground and hover awhile
A moment of liberation and weightlessness
Do you think you could fly if you tried
A challenge to push the limits of what is possible
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANTHONY DEKKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
njc2o
this song reminds me of "teenager in love"