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.
WILD
Great Lake Swimmers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whisper in the dark
Colors burning brighter, hunger for a spark
? call me on the hearts
To challenge the alive, and summon the asleep
And the sun seems overexposed
The sky explodes on the ?
There's a new wild feeling dancing in the air
There's a new wild everywhere!
There's a new wild feeling dancing in the air
There's a new wild everywhere!
Rocks jump and jitter in bush surface roots
Dream not clay in water ?
The man breaks, the spirit shakes
Some things switches on
Running independent, rushing ? men gone.
And the sun seems overexposed
The sky explodes on the ?
[Chorus]
Fly up to the Heavens, anchored in the clouds
Fly beyond the night, love the blooming sounds
? and cries, neon lives wishing ?
Take a flight to wave in heights, turn on ?
And the sun seems ?
The sky explodes on the ?
[Chorus]
The lyrics of "Wild" by Great Lake Swimmers are open to interpretation, and they evoke images of fiery passion and the awakening of the senses. The song seems to be about a transformative experience that drives one to look beyond the ordinary and the mundane. The first few lines mention a fire in the study and a whisper in the dark, which suggest that something new and exciting is happening. The colors burning brighter and the hunger for a spark may indicate a desire to explore and discover new things.
The lyrics go on to allude to a challenging journey that involves summoning the sleeping and awakening the alive. The imagery of the sun being overexposed and the sky exploding suggests a sense of overwhelming brightness and intensity, a feeling of being swept away by a powerful force. The chorus seems to capture the essence of this transformative experience, with the repeated lines about a new wild feeling dancing in the air and a new wild everywhere.
The latter half of the lyrics continues with more images of transformation and evolution. The rocks jumping and jittering and the dream not clay in water may suggest a sense of upheaval and change, while the man breaking and the spirit shaking may indicate a struggle to adapt to new circumstances. The rushing meant gone and the neon lives wishing may suggest a sense of urgency and longing for something more.
Overall, the lyrics of "Wild" by Great Lake Swimmers evoke a sense of boldness, adventure, and the excitement of discovering something powerful and transformative.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a fire in the study
There is a passionate, intense fire in the room where they study and work
Whisper in the dark
Secret or intimate conversations taking place in the darkness
Colors burning brighter, hunger for a spark
Vibrant colors adding to the excitement and a thirst for inspiration or creativity
? call me on the hearts
An unclear phrase, potentially referring to a call to action or a metaphorical heart-to-heart conversation
To challenge the alive, and summon the asleep
Inspiring and provoking both those who are actively engaged and those who are in a state of dormancy
And the sun seems overexposed
The brightness and intensity of the sun is almost overwhelming
The sky explodes on the ?
The rest of the phrase is unclear, but this could potentially refer to the sky displaying a stunning and extravagant show
There's a new wild feeling dancing in the air
A sense of untamed excitement and passion is palpable and pervasive
There's a new wild everywhere!
This wild and free energy is present all around and accessible to anyone who wishes to embrace it
Rocks jump and jitter in bush surface roots
Stones and debris are moving and unsettled in the tangled roots of surrounding bushes
Dream not clay in water ?
An unclear phrase, potentially speaking to the unpredictability and fluidity of dreams and desires
The man breaks, the spirit shakes
Difficulties and hardships are causing damage and wear on both the physical and emotional body
Some things switches on
Something has been activated or turned on, potentially a creative spark or change in mindset
Running independent, rushing ? men gone.
Individuals are moving and acting with freedom and urgency, leaving behind outdated thinking and constraints
Fly up to the Heavens, anchored in the clouds
A sense of soaring to great heights and embracing ethereal and intangible concepts
Fly beyond the night, love the blooming sounds
Breaking through darkness and embracing new beginnings, enjoying the vibrant and blossoming world
? and cries, neon lives wishing ?
An unclear phrase, potentially referencing voices and emotions yearning for or longing for something undefined
Take a flight to wave in heights, turn on ?
Unclear, but conveys the idea of soaring to new heights and being inspired or motivated by something or someone
And the sun seems ?
Unclear, but the sun is mentioned as a powerful and overwhelming presence
The sky explodes on the ?
Unclear, but again signals a visually stunning and extravagant display in the sky
There's a new wild feeling dancing in the air
Repeating the earlier sentiment that a sense of untamed excitement and passion is palpable and pervasive
There's a new wild everywhere!
Repeating the earlier sentiment that this wild and free energy is present all around and accessible to anyone who wishes to embrace it
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANTHONY DEKKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@curlyQmay3
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVE this!!!! Great song-outstanding lead singer-awesome band, great sound. Wishing you guys tons of good luck. Am going to share this on facebook.
@CliveChip
Love this song and the whole album. London, 26 Nov. Can't wait!
@damonk3868
Love this band, love the message in this video, the only reason these guys aren't big is because they didn't sign their souls over to a label, good for them, so many awesome songs, I will always be a fan, thank you Great Lake Swimmers!
@HannahChapplain
<3 this video and the song. Puts me in an fantastic mood, no matter what happens.
@blackflame100
Congrats on 555th video !!
@Hapax007
I really like this song. I wish you guys would go on tour around my part of the country ! I would definitely come see you live !
@acapspawn
Cool ; sound so flying
@RyDan2011
nettwerk has a great eye for talent
@xtrebleclefx
Toronto. <3
@ndg43
Love this band! The video is so cool!