In 1983, a man named Lewis recorded an album named L’Amour, which was released on the unknown label R.A.W. And that’s about all we know.
The record itself is a delicate, whispered album, reflecting the way the artist himself – spectral, movie star-like – almost disappears into the grey of the cover. It should come as no surprise that it failed to shout loudly enough to be noticed, another private press album that sank without trace.
The ingredients are simple: smooth synthesizers, feather-light piano, ethereal, occasionally inaudible vocals and the gentle plucking of acoustic guitars. But the effects are arresting: a spine-tingling, sombre album that echoes Springsteen’s Nebraska or Angelo Badalamenti’s atmospheric soundtracks. Later, Arthur Russell would grasp for something similar on the epochal World Of Echo LP.
L’Amour is a true discovery of the blog age, uncovered in an Edmonton flea-market by collector Jon Murphy, passed on to private press fanatic Aaron Levin, shared on the internet and speculated over by lovers of curious LPs. There’s almost no information about Lewis or the album on the internet. There’s precious little on the sleeve: a dedication to Sports Illustrated supermodel Christie Brinkley, a photo credit for Ed Colver, the noted L.A. punk rock photographer, and credits for engineer Bob Kinsey and synth player Philip Lees. All that was known of Lewis is conjecture: a rumor that he was a con artist who fled after not paying for L’Amour’s photo-shoot and a dubious theory that he was not actually of this earth.
When Light In The Attic looked to release the album, they set out to investigate the mystery. They found some answers, but more intrigue too. Colver was able to fill in some blanks. Firstly, Lewis is a pseudonym. The man the photographer met was named Randall Wulff. He stayed in the Beverley Hills Hilton, drove a white convertible Mercedes and dated a girl who looked like a model. He paid for his photo session with Colver with a $250 check, which bounced.
Eventually, the trail led to Alberta, Canada, where that first LP had been found. Liner notes writer Jack Fleischer along with master detective Markus Armstrong found Randall’s nephew, who remembered Randall as a stockbroker. His vague recollections include a visit to Randall’s apartment, with all-white furniture and that beautiful girlfriend in situ. Crucially, he offered another name – another of Randall’s pseudonyms – which led to a Vancouver studio and the revelation that Lewis had recorded three or four albums of “soft religious music” there. Alas, even the new nom de plume led only to dead ends.
Lewis remains a ghost, a total mystery, but the music will be heard. The album is being pressed for the first time in more than 30 years, and widely distributed for the first time ever. Lewis’s royalties will be placed in escrow until he makes himself known. Perhaps you know Lewis. Perhaps Lewis is you. The only certainty is this: Lewis is about to find a whole bunch of new fans.
Counting Backwards
Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In "Counting Backwards," Lewis sings about the futility of trying to make up for one's mistakes and realizing that sometimes, our efforts may amount to nothing. The first line, "Pouring salt into the sea could not begin to repay every misstep that you took," signifies that the task at hand is monumental, and no matter how much effort you put in, you can't undo the damage done. The following line, "or mend all the holes you've made" further emphasizes this point, as trying to fill the gaps that one has created is a formidable task.
The chorus, "from nowhere to nothing," underscores the idea that despite our best efforts, sometimes things don't go as planned, and we end up with nothing to show for it. The verse, "your efforts rest within the ground," reminds us that time will pass, and our actions and exertions will ultimately fade away. The section, "the grasping hands will disappear," reveals that even people's intentions, both good and bad, will dwindle into nothingness.
As the song progresses, Lewis offers a hopeful note, suggesting that the way forward is to keep pushing, and that new opportunities will eventually present themselves, "hope the sun will bring new life." The section, "set out on your own, running from unhappiness, reactions become meaningless," indicates that sometimes one has to forge a new path and leave behind the past to find happiness. Finally, the song ends on the words, "from nowhere to nothing," underscoring the cyclical nature of life and the idea that we must keep moving forward, regardless of the setbacks we encounter.
Line by Line Meaning
Pouring salt into the sea could not begin to repay every misstep that you took, or mend all the holes you've made.
No amount of effort or action can undo the mistakes that you've made, nor can it repair the damage that you've caused.
Tossed upon the waves, the strongest rocks will be worn down.
Even the strongest of things will eventually succumb to the power of the world.
Your efforts rest within the ground, from nowhere to nothing.
All of your hard work and accomplishments will eventually fade away and become insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The hopes you hide inside, ravaged by the insincere, the grasping hands will disappear, from nowhere to nothing.
Your dreams and aspirations will be torn apart by those who don't truly care, leaving you with nothing.
What is necessary, now that the marrow has been dried, is to keep on pushing forward, hope the sun will bring new life.
Despite feeling drained and defeated, it's important to continue to move forward and have faith that things will get better.
Set out on your own, running from unhappiness, reactions become meaningless, from nowhere to nothing.
Trying to escape your problems by running away only leads to a meaningless existence.
Crashing from the wall, could you set things right again, breathe into the dust again, from nowhere to nothing.
Even after hitting rock bottom, there's always a chance to pick yourself back up and start again, no matter how difficult it may seem.
Contributed by Parker V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ricky Adams
beautiful track. Great to listen too when you want to reflect.
Unreal Gaming
the singer is my English teacher. talk about a career change.