His song "Cold Missouri Waters", about the Mann Gulch fire of 1949, was covered by the band Cry Cry Cry in 1998. His songs have also been covered by folk luminaries such as Roy Bailley and Garnet Rogers.
Keelaghan studied history at the University of Calgary and notes that two of his influences there were Drs. Margaret J. Osler and Siverman.
With international popularity from Australia to England, James Keelaghan plays a wide variety of venues from large festivals and concert halls to intimate folk clubs venues and often invites the audience for a beer after his performance.
Frequent guest musicians on his albums include Stephen Fearing, Oscar Lopez and members of Spirit of the West. His latest CD, A Few Simple Verses (2006), is a return to his roots with covers of traditional songs and old favourites. Guests include Danú, Veda Hille, James Fagan and Nancy Kerr.
ORION
James Keelaghan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's climbing the heavens, he's sweeping the skies
I can tell by the stars in his glittering belt
That it's time to start searching for how and for why
So many stars come and go
Some have names, some you know
Some will remind me of you
So many things here and gone
Some will remind me of you
I can feel the north wind make a kick at the window
It's seeking the weakness, it tries to come in
I can tell by the flame of the flickering candle
that it is succeeding, now winter begins
So many winds come and go
Some blow hot and some blow cold
Some will remind me of you
So many things here and gone
Some don't fit, some belong
Some will remind me of you
There's some part of you always will come though
Some small part of my day, some part of me
Always longs to be, just can't keep you away
I can tell by the clock on the wall
Time's advancing, it waits for no one
This much I see: that time is a river and on it we're flowing
We're rocking and rolling till we reach the sea
So many hours come and go
Some go fast and some go slow
Some will remind me of you
So many things here and gone
Some don't fit, some belong
Some will remind me of you
The lyrics to James Keelaghan's song "Orion" delve into themes of time and memory, using the imagery of the constellation Orion as a metaphor for our place in the universe. The singer describes seeing the "belt of the hunter Orion" and feeling a sense of urgency to search for meaning and purpose in their own life. The repetition of "So many..." emphasizes the fleeting nature of time and memories, with some things lingering in our minds while others fade away.
The second half of the song shifts from observing the natural world to reflecting on personal relationships. The north wind symbolizes a force trying to break into the singer's life, but they find comfort in small reminders of a loved one. The line "There's some part of you always will come through" suggests that even if a person is no longer physically present, their influence can still be felt in our daily lives. The song concludes with the realization that time is a constant force, and we are all "rocking and rolling till we reach the sea", an inevitability that reminds us to cherish the moments and people we have in our lives while we can.
Line by Line Meaning
I can make out the belt of the hunter Orion
I can see Orion's belt in the night sky
He's climbing the heavens, he's sweeping the skies
Orion appears to be ascending in the sky
I can tell by the stars in his glittering belt
I can determine the time by the positioning of his belt's stars
That it's time to start searching for how and for why
The stars prompt me to reflect on life's meaning and purpose
So many stars come and go
Stars are born and die
Some have names, some you know
Some stars have designated names, some are familiar
Some will remind me of you
Certain stars evoke memories of someone I care for
So many things here and gone
Many things enter and leave our lives
Some don't fit, some belong
Some departures are difficult, some feel natural
I can feel the north wind make a kick at the window
I can sense the forceful gusts of wind against the window
It's seeking the weakness, it tries to come in
The wind seeks entry through any vulnerability
I can tell by the flame of the flickering candle
The wildly oscillating flame signifies the wind's influence
that it is succeeding, now winter begins
Winter has arrived, enabled by the forceful wind
So many winds come and go
Like changes in life, many winds pass
Some blow hot and some blow cold
Some changes are pleasant, some are unpleasant
There's some part of you always will come though
A part of you always remains with me
Some small part of my day, some part of me
Each day brings reminders of you, a part of me
Always longs to be, just can't keep you away
I yearn for your presence, whether or not you're present
I can tell by the clock on the wall
The time is indicated by the clock's hands
Time's advancing, it waits for no one
Time pushes forward regardless of people's desires
This much I see: that time is a river and on it we're flowing
Time resembles a river, with our lives afloat on it
We're rocking and rolling till we reach the sea
We experience life's ups and downs until we die
So many hours come and go
Hours move by rapidly
Some go fast and some go slow
Time can feel subjectively slow or fast
Some will remind me of you
Certain moments evoke memories of you
So many things here and gone
Many things have disappeared
Some don't fit, some belong
The past has yielded both struggles and belongingness
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KEELAGHAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Lindamood
on Honore
He whispered, "Riel.". A reference to Louis Riel, with whom he and other Metis fought in the Red River Rebellion.