On "Compass & Companion", Mark partnered with Kelly Willis for the title song.
He regularly tours in support of Kris Delmhorst, Lori McKenna and Catie Curtis, playing acoustic and electric guitar.
Mark has worked with producer Lorne Entress exclusively and co-produced "Hillbilly Pilgrim" and "Hope & Other Casualties'.
August
Mark Erelli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brown bats circle 'round the old house eaves
I can taste the ocean on a cool salt breeze
Blowing through a torn screen door
Can't believe I let the summer slip away again
Like watermelon juice dripping down my chin
There might be light enough for one last swim
A fool would ask for more
Bullfrog thrumming like a banjo string
Thought I heard a whippoorwill starting to sing
As the moon spilled silver over everything
But ain't that what the moon is for
Back porch drunk on a jug a red wine
Picking on a tune with some friends of mine
The music floating up into the bottlebrush pines
Ain't nobody keeping score
A fool would ask for more
I ain't restless tonight
I got you and the moon so bright
Hey, I'm alright
I'm alright
The laughter's still lingering in the evening air
We'll clean the bottles up tomorrow they'll still be there
Turn off the lights, let's go upstairs
Careful of the creaking floor
Such a beautiful boy, he's a picture of peace
Let's stand here a minute just watching him sleep
God bless this little vigil we keep
A fool would ask for more
The song "August" by Mark Erelli is a lyrical masterpiece that captures the essence of summer evenings. The ambiance of the song is set with the intro verse, where Katydid is heard fiddling on a summer's eve, and the Brown bats circle around the old house's eaves. It is as if the world is alive with creatures humming their tunes in the background, while the singer of the song savors the essence of the ocean's cool salt mist blowing through a torn-up screen door.
The feeling of melancholy sets in as the singer realizes that the summer has slipped away. The imagery used of "watermelon juice dripping down my chin" is an allusion to the fleetingness of youth and the sweetness of summer. However, there might still be light left for one last swim before the shore fades into the night.
The singer is at peace with the world, surrounded by his friends and their music, and a jug of red wine. They are not keeping score because life is not about how many points you get; it is about taking in the simple pleasures of life, and that is all they are doing. The song ends with the singer standing at his child's bedside, watching him sleep, and feeling blessed.
Line by Line Meaning
Katydid fiddling on a summer's eve
The sound of Katydid on a summer's evening is soothing and pleasant
Brown bats circle 'round the old house eaves
The old house is where brown bats circle around the eaves, an ordinary sight on summer evenings
I can taste the ocean on a cool salt breeze
The singer can feel and taste the salty breeze of the ocean
Blowing through a torn screen door
The cool salt breeze is blowing through a door with a hole in the screen, causing a whistling noise
Can't believe I let the summer slip away again
The singer regrets that the summer has gone by quickly yet again, and that they didn't make the most out of it
Like watermelon juice dripping down my chin
The summer has passed quickly, like the juice that drips from a slice of watermelon down one's chin
There might be light enough for one last swim
There's still some light left for the possibility of a final, last minute swim before the day ends
If we hurry on down to the shore
If we waste no time and quickly run to the beach to catch some remaining sunlight
A fool would ask for more
Sometimes, we must accept and appreciate what we have, even though we may want more
Bullfrog thrumming like a banjo string
The sound of the bullfrog is loud and rhythmic and sounds like it's being played on a banjo string
Thought I heard a whippoorwill starting to sing
The singer thinks they hear a whippoorwill singing
As the moon spilled silver over everything
The moonlight covers everything with a beautiful silver color
But ain't that what the moon is for
The moon is meant to make the world beautiful with its silver light
Back porch drunk on a jug a red wine
The singer and their friends are sitting on the back porch, drinking wine straight from the jug
Picking on a tune with some friends of mine
The singer and their friends are playing music and enjoying each other's company
The music floating up into the bottlebrush pines
The music from the back porch is reaching the bottlebrush pines and adding to the pleasant atmosphere
Ain't nobody keeping score
Everyone is relaxed and having fun, without any pressure or competition
I ain't restless tonight
The singer is at peace and not feeling restless tonight
I got you and the moon so bright
The company of the singer's loved one and the bright moon make the singer feel content
Hey, I'm alright
Everything is good and okay for the singer right now
The laughter's still lingering in the evening air
The joy and happiness from earlier is still present in the atmosphere
We'll clean the bottles up tomorrow they'll still be there
The empty wine bottles will still be there tomorrow to clean up, but tonight is not the night for chores
Turn off the lights, let's go upstairs
It's time to turn off the lights and head upstairs to bed
Careful of the creaking floor
The singer warns their loved one to be careful when walking on the old, creaky floor
Such a beautiful boy, he's a picture of peace
The singer thinks their child is beautiful and peaceful as they sleep
Let's stand here a minute just watching him sleep
The singer and their loved one watch their child sleep and enjoy the peaceful moment
God bless this little vigil we keep
The singer is grateful for this moment and prays that it lasts
A fool would ask for more
The singer is content and grateful for what they have and realize that wanting more than this would be foolish
Contributed by Joshua L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.