The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
Chant of the Wanderer
Nickel Creek Lyrics
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Take a look at the falls and the rippling rills
And the mountain so high where the cataract spills
Hear the wanderlust calls of the whispering hills
The rippling rills, the cataract spills, the whippoorwill trills
The rippling rills, the cataract spills, the whippoorwill trills
Let me live on the range where the tumbleweeds grow
Let the silver sands change where the prairie winds blow
Let the wanderers sing where the wanderers go
Let the melody ring for it's happy I know
The wanderers go, the prairie winds blow, the tumbleweeds grow
The wanderers go, the prairie winds blow, the tumbleweeds grow
The wanderers go, the prairie winds blow, the tumbleweeds grow
Let me follow the trail where the buffalo roam
Let a silver cloud sail where the setting sun shone
Let the local wolf wail in a broken-heart tone
Let it storm, let it gale, still the prairie's my home
The broken-heart tone, the setting sun shone, the buffalo roam
The broken-heart tone, the setting sun shone, the buffalo roam
The rippling rills, the cataract spills, the whippoorwill trills
The wanderers go, the prairie winds blow, the tumbleweeds grow
The broken-heart tone, the setting sun shone, the buffalo roam
The prairie's my home!
"Chant of the Wanderer" by Nickel Creek is a song that celebrates the beauty and freedom of the natural world, particularly the prairie landscape. The lyrics invite the listener to observe and appreciate the wonders of nature, from the skies where the whippoorwill sings to the falls and rippling rills. The mountain symbolizes grandeur and awe as it spills down in a cataract, while the whispering hills beckon with a call of wanderlust. The repetition of the rippling rills, cataract spills, and whippoorwill trills emphasizes the enchanting sounds of nature and creates a rhythmic quality to the song.
The second verse of the song continues the theme of wanderlust, desiring to live on the range where the tumbleweeds grow and letting the silver sands change with the prairie winds. The wanderers, who are free spirits, are depicted as singers and their melodies bring happiness. The connection between the wanderers and the prairie landscape is highlighted, suggesting that being in harmony with the natural world brings joy and contentment.
In the final verse, the singer yearns to follow the trail where the buffalo roam, embracing the movement and freedom of these majestic creatures. The silver cloud sailing where the setting sun shone evokes a sense of beauty and tranquility. The local wolf wailing in a broken-heart tone adds a touch of melancholy, yet even in the face of storms and gales, the prairie remains the singer's home. This reinforces the theme of finding solace and belonging in the vastness of nature.
Overall, "Chant of the Wanderer" celebrates the connection between humans and the natural world, inviting the listener to appreciate the beauty, sounds, and freedom of the prairie landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look at the skies where the whippoorwill trills
Observe the vast expanse of the sky, where the melodic call of the whippoorwill can be heard
Take a look at the falls and the rippling rills
Take notice of the waterfalls and the gentle flowing streams
And the mountain so high where the cataract spills
And witness the majestic mountain, from which a powerful waterfall cascades
Hear the wanderlust calls of the whispering hills
Listen to the enticing calls of adventure emanating from the tranquil hills
Let me live on the range where the tumbleweeds grow
Allow me to reside in the vast open plains, where tumbleweeds thrive
Let the silver sands change where the prairie winds blow
Allow the shifting sand dunes to transform as the winds sweep across the prairie
Let the wanderers sing where the wanderers go
Let the free spirits express their joy through song as they explore new places
Let the melody ring for it's happy I know
Let the harmonic tune resonate, for I am aware that it represents happiness
Let me follow the trail where the buffalo roam
Permit me to embark on the path that leads to where majestic buffalo freely wander
Let a silver cloud sail where the setting sun shone
Allow a shimmering cloud to gracefully drift across the sky where the setting sun has cast its glow
Let the local wolf wail in a broken-heart tone
Allow the nearby wolf to howl with a mournful sound, portraying a heartache
Let it storm, let it gale, still the prairie's my home
Even if storms and strong winds arise, the prairie remains my beloved home
The prairie's my home!
I proudly declare that the prairie is where my heart truly belongs
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB NOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind