Growing up in a musical household and exposed to his parents’ eclectic record collection that included the likes of Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder and Dire Straits, he was particularly drawn to the guitar – being taken by his parents to an Eric Clapton concert left the young Sayce awestruck and in no doubt about which was the instrument for him.
By the time he was 15 he was playing guitar in his first band; he was up and running. He soon became a regular fixture on the Toronto club scene, where his fluid soloing and mesmerising overall musicality turned heads an earned him many fans. With an insatiable appetite for jam sessions at the likes of Grossman's Tavern in Toronto, Sayce began rapidly distilling his own singular guitar style and tonal palette from a melting pot of influences that included such greats as Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Cray, and in particular Stevie Ray Vaughan, to whom he is, understandably, probably most often compared.
While still a teenager, Sayce was held in such high regard that, after jamming on stage with one of his heroes, guitar player and fellow Canadian Jeff Healey, he was invited to join Healey’s band. Sayce was now living the dream. He can still remember the first time he heard Healey – and the effect it had: “It was in a supermarket car park. I was 11 and my parents had gone into the store. This song, See The Light, came on and I was just overwhelmed. I literally punched the radio.”
After three-and-a-half years with Healey’s band, playing with them at the Montreux Jazz Festival and at gigs around the world, Sayce, the apprentice having learned well from the master, felt it was time to move on.
Looking to further expand his musical horizons, in 2001 he moved to Los Angeles. He joined Uncle Kracker, and was with the band when they had their massive US No.1 hit song Drift Away. He starred in and wrote the music for the short film Cockroach Blue, directed by the award-winning Robert Crossman, which received high acclaim when it was shown at the Woodstock Film Festival. Then, in 2003, Grammy and Oscar winner Melissa Etheridge came calling (“very talented – like Stevie Ray Vaughan,” she enthused), and he enjoyed an “awesome” time playing and recording with her band until 2008.
During his stint with Melissa, Sayce released his debut solo album, Peace Machine, using what he describes as Etheridge’s “shit-hot” band and producer Michael Nielsen. Recorded live in the studio in just a couple of days, it’s full of raw, high-energy, low-maintenance retro-blues delivered with startling punch and real style, and showcases Sayce as a soulful, powerfully expressive vocalist as well as a supremely talented guitarist and all-round musician. The album also includes a crunching version of the Neil Young classic Cinnamon Girl, the song often a resonant inclusion in Sayce’s thrilling live shows.
And live is where Sayce, his jam-club years in his pocket, shines brightest, he and his band performing with a potent mixture of power and finesse, the guitarist regularly pulling the trigger and unleashing visceral, mesmerising solos. And while they’re checking out the hot licks, it’s clear that many of the girls in the audience are equally taken by the good-looking guy with the swept-back blond hair and charisma to spare. If you’ve got it…
May 2010 saw the release of, INNEREVOLUTION, recorded with his live band - keyboardist Fred Mandel (Queen, Supertramp, Elton John, Alice Cooper), bassist Joel Gottschalk and drummer Ryan MacMillan (Matchbox 20). This collection of songs, some co-written with Richard Marx, busbee, Mike Bradford, Dave Cobb and Marti Frederiksen among others, further establishes Philip Sayce not only as one of the finest blues guitarists around, but also as a musician, singer and songwriter with tremendous talent and potential.
“Richard came out to a show and we immediately hit it off,” Sayce explains of how he came to write with Richard Marx. “He's a massive talent and to have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from him is something I am grateful for. Anyone I collaborate or co-write with, the goal is to be open and learn, and I've been blessed to work with some of the best of the best.”
More varied than Peace Machine, and overall more sophisticated and more polished in terms of songwriting, sonics and performance, Innerevoltuion is a stylish, engaging and thrilling album that should bring Philip Sayce to the attention of a bigger and wider audience.
With Peace Machine, Innerevolution, Ruby Electric, Silver Wheel Of Stars, and Steamroller, Philip Sayce continues to write his own chapter in the long and continuing history of popular music. And it’s clear that this gifted young musician has many more pages yet to write.
Dream Away
Philip Sayce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sets My Mind At Ease
Lost For A Moment As My Life Passes By
A Fading Memory
Midnight Star, Light My Darkest Hour
Search Through My Soul
Lead Me To A Mystic Garden
This Time, This Time
Fields Of Gold, Tales Untold
When I Drift Away
Butterflies And Rainbow Skies
Are Runnin' Through My Veins
Dream Away
Lookin' Through A Stranger's Eyes
Seems The Grass Is Always Greener There
And When You Find What You Thought You Wanted
You Let It Vanish In The Air
Goodbye, Goodbye
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
So They Say
I've Always Wished For Better Things
For What Is Meant To Be
Fields Of Gold, Tales Untold
When I Drift Away
Butterflies And Rainbow Skies
Are Runnin' Through My Veins
Dream Away
The lyrics to Philip Sayce’s “Dream Away” are a poetic commentary on the human experience of yearning for something more. The opening lines “Sunshine rains through an open cloud / Sets my mind at ease” convey a feeling of relief or release, but this is quickly undercut by the following lines “Lost for a moment as my life passes by / A fading memory”. Here, the lyricist is acknowledging that even moments of peace can be fleeting; they are only temporary reprieves from the larger, more complicated realities of existence.
The lyrics move on to describe a search for something more, something mystical that might offer some greater meaning or purpose. The reference to a “midnight star” that can “light my darkest hour” suggests a yearning for guidance or direction; the search through the soul implies an exploration of inner depths. The lyrics go on to describe fields of gold and rainbow skies, images that suggest a world beyond the mundane reality we all know. This world is not only colorful and bright, but also full of mystery and potential: “Tales untold / when I drift away”.
The refrain, “Dream Away”, captures the sense of longing that permeates the whole song. The lyricist is not just urging us to forget our troubles, but inviting us to lose ourselves in our own imaginations, to envision a world that is richer and more fulfilling than our own. There is both sadness and hopefulness in these lyrics, a sense that while our earthly existence may be full of disappointments and letdowns, we can still find solace in our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunshine Rains Through An Open Cloud
The feeling of joy and happiness that illuminates my mind when I see certain things happening around me.
Sets My Mind At Ease
The peace of mind that comes from the positive thoughts generated by a given situation or occurrence.
Lost For A Moment As My Life Passes By
The sense of detachment or disengagement that arises as life happens and time slips away.
A Fading Memory
The fleeting nature of life and our experiences, and the need to cherish those moments before they are gone.
Midnight Star, Light My Darkest Hour
The need for guidance and hope during difficult times.
Search Through My Soul
The need for introspection when we are struggling, and the desire to connect with our deeper selves.
Lead Me To A Mystic Garden
The hope of finding a place of peace, beauty, and enlightenment within ourselves.
Deliver Me Home
The desire to find our way back to our true selves, to reconnect with what is most important.
This Time, This Time
The sense of urgency or importance that motivates us to seek out something we need or desire.
Fields Of Gold, Tales Untold
The beauty and richness of life and its experiences, and the stories that are waiting to be told.
When I Drift Away
The need to disconnect from the world at times, to go within and reflect.
Butterflies And Rainbow Skies
The feelings of joy and wonder that can come from exploring our inner worlds and discovering new aspects of ourselves.
Are Runnin' Through My Veins
The power and intensity of these emotions, which can be so strong they feel physical.
Dream Away
The hope and inspiration that comes from imagining what could be, and dreaming of a better world.
Lookin' Through A Stranger's Eyes
The sense of curiosity that arises when we see the world from a new perspective.
Seems The Grass Is Always Greener There
The temptation to believe that what we do not have is better than what we do.
And When You Find What You Thought You Wanted
The realization that what we thought we wanted may not be what we truly needed.
You Let It Vanish In The Air
The reality of how quickly life can change and how little control we have over certain outcomes.
Goodbye, Goodbye
The acceptance of what has been lost, and the hope for what is yet to come.
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
The reminder that patience is often needed to achieve our goals, and that persistence and dedication can pay off in the end.
So They Say
The acknowledgment that this adage may not always be true, and that sometimes we need to take action to see results.
I've Always Wished For Better Things
The inherent human desire for growth and improvement, and the hope of a brighter future.
For What Is Meant To Be
The acknowledgement that sometimes the best things in life happen naturally, and that we need to trust in the process and let things unfold as they will.
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pedro Ribeiro
Man, you're awesome! This generation needs to know more artists like you, working for music with great songs like that
FeelingShred
Great guitar work and great performer too, cheers from Brasil
Pablo Vilela
I`ve recorded this song of yours with the brazilian harmonica player Engels Espíritos in 2006! Very stunning song! Thanks to Engels for introducing me to your songs and making you one of my favorite guitar players! :)
Christian Fredlev Sand
Philip Sayce is my idol when it comes to guitar playing, absolutely top-notch musician IMO! Phil, you're intangibly great, please keep on making people happy!
KirA
Best guitar player out there. My idol.
Aaron Blubber
I enjoy philips playing too, but idolatry is a sin. Repent and keep Jesus Christ in your heart. He died for our sins. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and be with you and keep eternal love in your heart forever and ever ♥
RainyDaysMusic
Awsome song philip
Tony V.
Beautiful Music!...A Fan
Dr. X
Great!!
守谷滋
早く日本にも‼