Peter describes the record as “soulful and smooth, but with a rough edge” and says listeners can hear his love affair with the 1970s sound on the tracks. Bill Withers, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye were his musical heroes during the writing process for Wall of Fire. Their influence served him well.
“It is inspiring music for songwriters, romantics and fans of honest soul,” says Joel Plaskett, fellow Canadian songwriter and musician. “Aspiring soul men must take note: Wall of Fire causes jealousy and then inspiration,” he continues. The first time Peter heard the final master of the album, he was actually driving to Ottawa to play a show with Plaskett. “I’ve never been so excited,” he remembers. Using the last few minutes on his pay-as-you-go phone, he called Charlie Sexton, who helped mold the record. “I told him it sounded killer.”
Peter’s Wall of Fire odyssey began as he was promoting his first solo album – Party of One – in 2004. Before going it alone, he’d spent 12 years with the Montreal band Local Rabbits. He started making music with them in high school, but after three albums it was time for the group to part ways. Peter’s path took him to Party of One and gigs opening for Sexsmith, Plaskett, Feist, and k-os.
On tour Peter often found himself working solo on stage, thrilled to be getting his music out, but longing to be performing with the full band he’d assembled. “It’s one of the reasons I continue to play, the interaction with others. I’ll never grow out of that feeling of camaraderie. The fastest and best friendships I have are with other musicians,” he explains.
His band, jokingly referred to as “The Elkaholics,” is Doug Friesen on bass, Gavin Maguire on drums and Jeff Heisholt on keyboards. “I feel that strength-in-numbers thing is something I was missing on the last record,” says Peter. Having The Elkaholics on board was a new beginning, but there were others who joined Peter’s team and formed the foundation of Wall of Fire. In December of 2004, Peter met manager Larry Wanagas. Then the ball really started rolling. Wanagas encouraged Peter to record some demos as the first step in making a follow-up to Party of One. Armed with tracks written in a Toronto apartment while he was feeling “hopeful and revitalized,” Peter hit the studio to put together a four-song demo. Shortly after Wanagas mailed the demos out to potential producers, his phone rang. It was agent Jim Phelan on the line, calling on behalf of Charlie Sexton. Phelan thought Sexton and Peter would be a perfect match. Peter “started to get very excited about the possibilities,” when he heard the news.
Making an album with Sexton was an incredible opportunity. As a musician, Austin, Texas based Sexton has recorded with Ron Wood, Keith Richards and Bob Dylan. His producing credits include Lucinda Williams’ “Essence” and Edie Brickell’s “Volcano”. In the summer of 2006 Sexton pulled Peter and his band into a Toronto studio and pressed ‘record’. “I was really awkward and nervous. All I could do was start with our tightest song,” says Peter. “And to my relief, Charlie walked in and was like ‘You guys sound killer’.” That track was Wall of Fire.
“Choosing that song as the title track for the record made sense because it’s about transition, the transition from one relationship to the next,” Peter says. “And going from the last album to this one has been a real transition from being alone and self-managed, to getting the right people around me and the right friends who are as excited as I am about the project.”
As proof of their dedication, The Elkaholics and Sexton put in long hours with Peter in the studio perfecting each track.
The producer threw himself into the project. He had no desire to sit behind a glass wall in the studio, removed from the music. Instead, he joined the musicians, setting up his own makeshift drum kit and playing alongside the band. “I ran out of sounds and equipment and went to Canadian Tire and got a trash can,” remembers Sexton about the experience. Peter says by the end of the session, his kit was as big as Gavin’s.
Sexton says he felt like a true band member for the two weeks The Elkaholics made music in Toronto. “And I was glad to be in the band ‘cause they’re a great band,” he says. The admiration was mutual. “Whether recording or simply playing into the atmosphere, Charlie is more than a force with which to be reckoned,” says Peter. “His ability to seize the moment is what creates great music. I dare say he has left me and my band with a great record.”
Most of the tracks were recorded live off the floor, with everyone playing together. “We had fun,” remembers Sexton fondly of the Toronto sessions. “There’s a camaraderie that the guys in the band have with Peter that comes through on the album. It’s a good feeling record even in its darker moments.” In July 2006, Peter flew to Austin on his own to finish mixing and recording Wall of Fire on Sexton’s home turf. Their final days together were fruitful, with Peter penning the last of the lyrics of one song – Paid Back – on the producer’s patio in five minutes. When the dust settled, Wall of Fire was done.
Now Peter is handing it over to music lovers. “I want people to feel romantic about it,” he says. “It is a romantic record in the sense of romance between a man and a woman, but there’s also a friendship vibe going on. There’s a hopeful tone about it.” As Wall of Fire draws to a close, you can hear that hope. “And yeah it might be horror/Like a burning fiery wall/But then it might be glory/Where guys like us stand ten feet tall,” Peter sings in a verse of See It With Me, the last track on the album.
To that end Wall of Fire is an album about people getting together, taking a leap of faith and accomplishing something.
Sunlight
Peter Elkas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Like some old blues song might say
You had your rambling ways
Waking up in different beds in different parts of town
You turned away the day to befriend the night
And so your face grew pale beneath the barroom lights
With no
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sewn through you and the folks you met
Was a long and lonely common thread
You could see it in their wandering gaze
Looking past each other for a better place
And it's too dark to see what your looking for
And a borrowed cigarette is not much of a torch
You need
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
You drove that speed for quite a spell
We all agreed it did not suit you well
Searching at the darkest hour
Seems so silly when you look back now
Then out with friends one Sunday afternoon
You splashed and splished
And laughed and wished for june
How rare the feeling to be at your best
With the sun riding high upon both the east and west
Hey yeah your search might still be a while
But it's much less work when you can see for miles
With all that
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
The lyrics of Peter Elkas's song "Sunlight" is a compelling commentary on the life of someone who has been drifting away. The verses throw light on the rambling ways of an individual who spent all of last year like a clown without a care in the world. The singer was waking up in different beds in different parts of town, turning away the day to befriend the night, and his face grew pale beneath the barroom lights. The idea here is of a person who is lost and has no direction in life. There is an indication of the loss of the sense of time and the commonality of his experiences with the people he meets. The common thread of loneliness and longing runs through him and the people he interacts with. There is a sense of searching for something beyond himself that's all too familiar but doesn't quite become clear.
As the song progresses, the lyrics elaborate on the difficulties he encounters while looking for direction. It is too dark to see what he is searching for, and a borrowed cigarette is not even adequate as a torch. Being confined within the darkness of his mind, he longs for the sunlight, a symbol of hope that will allow him to see beyond the darkness of his confusion.
In the last verse, there is a change in his condition. He is out with his friends on a Sunday afternoon, and suddenly he feels free from his old self. He splashes and splishes, laughs and wishes for June. There is a rare feeling of being at his best with the sun riding high upon both the east and west. Although there is still a possibility of a longer search, it is suggested that finding the direction when the sunlight is bright is easier than when one can't see anything at all.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunlight
Repeated use of the word 'Sunlight' signifies its importance in the song and possibly serves as a metaphor for hope or positivity
Like some old blues song might say
Introducing the idea that the song will discuss themes of wandering and loneliness, which are often expressed in blues music
You had your rambling ways
Acknowledging the subject's tendency to wander and move around often
You spent all last year acting like a clown
Suggesting that the subject wasn't taking life seriously or perhaps acting foolishly
Waking up in different beds in different parts of town
Further emphasizing the subject's wandering lifestyle and inability to settle down
You turned away the day to befriend the night
Indicating that the subject may have preferred the nightlife or possibly had a nocturnal lifestyle
And so your face grew pale beneath the barroom lights
Emphasizing the subject's lifestyle of staying out late and possibly drinking heavily
With no Sunlight
Reiterating the importance of having light/hope/positivity in one's life
Sewn through you and the folks you met
Implying that the subject and others they have met share a common thread of wandering and loneliness
Was a long and lonely common thread
Stating that the common thread is a feeling of loneliness which can be seen in their eyes
You could see it in their wandering gaze
Highlighting that the feeling of loneliness can easily be seen in someone's eyes
Looking past each other for a better place
Suggesting that the subject and others are searching for something better, but not seeing what is right in front of them
And it's too dark to see what your looking for
Perhaps indicating that the subject and others are searching for something but in the wrong places or at the wrong time
And a borrowed cigarette is not much of a torch
Implying that seeking temporary relief (such as borrowing a cigarette) won't lead to real happiness or fulfillment
You need Sunlight
Reiterating that light/hope/positivity is essential for a better life
You drove that speed for quite a spell
Referring back to the subject's rambling ways and possibly hinting at reckless behavior
We all agreed it did not suit you well
Suggesting that the subject's wandering lifestyle was not healthy or beneficial for them
Searching at the darkest hour
Highlighting the difficulty of searching for something when things seem the bleakest/darkest
Seems so silly when you look back now
Reflecting on past actions and acknowledging how they may seem foolish or unnecessary in hindsight
Then out with friends one Sunday afternoon
Introducing a moment of happiness or positivity, possibly indicating a turning point in the subject's life
You splashed and splished
Describing the subject having fun and enjoying the moment
And laughed and wished for june
Reflecting on a happy memory and possibly wishing for more happy moments like this
How rare the feeling to be at your best
Noting that feeling happy and content is not always commonplace, possibly highlighting the importance of cherishing those moments
With the sun riding high upon both the east and west
Painting an idyllic picture of a bright and sunny day with endless possibilities
Hey yeah your search might still be a while
Acknowledging that the search for fulfillment or happiness may still be ongoing
But it's much less work when you can see for miles
Implying that having hope/positivity (i.e. 'Sunlight') can make the journey toward happiness feel less strenuous
With all that Sunlight
Reiterating that light/hope/positivity is necessary for a fulfilling life
Contributed by Kennedy J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Maria jose Tenesaca Carpio
me encantó la historiaa😍😍😍😍
antosen
omg that's sad! He's sitting there all his life, playing her song on the radio just waiting for her to come back :'( LOVE the song!
Maria jose Tenesaca Carpio
like si viniste a verlo xq lo viste en una publicación en Instagram 😂💕😍
ToriV
I love it
Carlos Manuel Vilasanchez
Bonita canción y vídeo para su año,,pero más bella aún Lisandra😍❤❤
Eddie Holguin
Lisandra looks gorgeous as a mermaid
Y.A.S
Bello el video
Lesli Funez
lo vine a ver solo por Lisandra silva😍😍😍
Tim Hirtle
awesome
caxoasno
Yo voy a pescar y nunca m pasa esto jaja Ya m diras donde es para ir. Un beso, Lisy, y q t vaya muuuuy bien.M tenias q haber firmao un autografo xD No pases mucho frio x milan y q no m entere q no vas al gim jajaja Un besote. Javier.