Early life
LaMontagne was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1973, one of six children raised by his mother. In his early teens he lived in Morgan, Utah, and was more interested in drawing images of Dungeons & Dragons than in his school work. After graduating from high school, LaMontagne moved to Lewiston, Maine, and found work in a shoe factory. LaMontagne also spent a significant amount of time in Wilton, Maine. Other sources state that by his teen years he was living in Maine, spending time in Turner and Buckfield.
Style
LaMontagne has a unique vocal style which he says is created by singing through his gut instead of through his nose. He cites Stephen Stills, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko as strong musical influences while critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley.[failed verification] A Rolling Stone review of his album Supernova referred to his voice as an "impeccably weathered tenor croon" and his phrasing as "marble-mouthed."
Awards
For his debut album, LaMontagne won four awards, including three Boston Music Awards (Best Male Singer-Songwriter, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year) and an XM Nation Music Award for Acoustic Rock Artist of the Year. LaMontagne has received a nomination from the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards for Best New Touring Artist, the BRIT Awards for International Breakthrough Act, the MOJO Awards for Best New Act, and was given the title of Best Voice in 2006 by Esquire.
In 2011, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs received two Grammy Award nominations, and they were awarded the Grammy for the Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise.
Controversy
On July 23, 2014, during a show at the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, LaMontagne interrupted a song and walked off stage as a result of two fans talking during his concert, after having previously asked the audience to quiet down. The incident included yelling profanity at the couple before walking off stage. Once the couple was escorted away LaMontagne continued the concert.
On September 20, 2016, LaMontagne announced that he was canceling a September 22 show at the Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas at Austin, due to Texas's recently implemented campus carry law.
Personal life
In 2009, LaMontagne paid $1.05 million for a 103-acre farm in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the former residence of U.S. Ambassador William C. Bullitt, where he lives with his wife, Sarah Sousa, and their two children in the farmhouse built in 1830. Sousa is a published poet via Red Mountain Press and their sons are budding artists. He refers to himself as a "very private person" and rarely gives interviews.
Be Here Now
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And confused your will be still, don't try
Don't let your heart get heavy
Child, inside you there's a strength that lies (lies)
Don't let your soul get lonely
Child, it's only time, it will go by
Don't look for love in faces, places
Be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
Don't lose your faith in me
And I will try not to lose faith in you
Don't put your trust in walls
'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall
Be, be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
In Ray LaMontagne’s song Be Here Now, we find a message of resilience and persevering through trying times. The opening lines encourage the listener to not let their mind get weary or become confused when faced with obstacles. Rather, they should remain still and not to force their will. Furthermore, it advises not to let one's heart become heavy as there still remains a strength inside of oneself. The idea that time passes us by is reiterated in the following lines, as it beckons us not to let our soul become lonely, as it too shall pass. In the next stanza, it encourages us not to seek love in externalities such as faces or places but to find it within ourselves, as true kindness lies within.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of the present moment, reminding us to be "here now". This suggests that by living fully in the present moment, we can find peace from our worries about the past or future. The lines "Don't lose your faith in me and I will try not to lose faith in you" highlight the importance of trust and reliability in our relationships. The final lines of the song then take a more poignant turn, as it advises not to put trust in walls, as they will eventually crumble and could hurt or trap you when they do. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for becoming too dependent on external supports, which in the end can be confining and detrimental to our personal growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't let your mind get weary
Do not exhaust your mind
And confused your will be still, don't try
Don't attempt to control a confused mind
Don't let your heart get heavy
Don't be sad
Child, inside you there's a strength that lies (lies)
You can find strength within yourself
Don't let your soul get lonely
Don't feel alone
Child, it's only time, it will go by
Feelings of loneliness will pass with time
Don't look for love in faces, places
Love cannot be found externally
It's in you that's where you'll find kindness
Kindness comes from within
Be here now, be here now
Live in the present moment
Be, be here now, be here now
Stay focused on the present moment
Don't lose your faith in me
Don't give up on our relationship
And I will try not to lose faith in you
I will also try to maintain our relationship
Don't put your trust in walls
Don't rely solely on material possessions
'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall
Material possessions can bring disappointment
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Raycharles Lamontagne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dhruvgupta794
Lyrics:
Don't let your mind get weary
And confused your will be still, don't try
Don't let your heart get heavy
Child, inside you there's a strength that lies (lies)
Don't let your soul get lonely
Child, it's only time, it will go by
Don't look for love in faces, places
It's in you that's where you'll find kindness
Be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
Don't lose your faith in me
And I will try not to lose faith in you
Don't put your trust in walls
'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall
Be, be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
@jeffreybarkin3177
One of my FAVOURITE Albums for "Chillin' Out" with company...
RAY LAMONTAGNE's descriptive storytelling is Calming and Ideal for sharing with Wîné & Cheese and/or "Cave-women Seduction". ❤
Just LISTEN to his Voice and laid-back melodic Tunes, accompanied by spectacular band musicianship.
NOTE: Women seem REALLY Attracted to his moving Musical Style, and we've been ENJOYING Every Álbum, too, as his UNIQUE song- crafting style grows with each Recording.
Thanks RAY and YES... "Most Definitely"... It's BEST to let the LADIES Pick the Romantic Music! 😊 ❤
They KNOW what Works!!!
😂
GR8 that you're Touring Again, Too!
@julianvickery8341
"Be Here Now" by American singer, songwriter Ray LaMontagne, the second single (released on 18 June 2007) from his 2006 album "Till The Sun Turns Black". https://youtu.be/QgmBil4uQkc
Lyrics:
Don't let your mind get weary
And confused your will be still, don't try
Don't let your heart get heavy
Child, inside you there's a strength that lies (lies)
Don't let your soul get lonely
Child, it's only time, it will go by
Don't look for love in faces, places
It's in you that's where you'll find kindness
Be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
Don't lose your faith in me
And I will try not to lose faith in you
Don't put your trust in walls
'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall
Be, be here now, be here now
Be, be here now, be here now
@kristinaperez
One of the most beautiful songs I ever heard in my whole life... Its beauty touches me makes me cry
@anonymoose9907
This song can make tears run down any real man’s cheeks as well.
@1573elleinad
Same girl same
@mattemeny2606
Brothers in arm
@christophergranozio8502
Couldn't agree more. Transcendent!
@carollangford4466
Amen 😘
@drhicks76
I haven't been shaken to the core by a song like this in many years... I find myself wondering if EVER. The tension, resolution, tenderness of it... there aren't words to do it justice. I've been listening to Ray's music for a decade now and never encountered this song until tonight, if you can believe it. I will cherish this song until the end of my days.
@christinasamaras602
A dear friend who taught me yoga passed recently after a second difficult fight with a rare cancer. She always promoted the be her now philosophy and this song was like a gift from her. DL ♡
@sneetchyone
It’s like floating....in the stars, beautiful. 😌
@dennishigginbotham5132
This song haunts me. I lost my husband in June and he was 10 my senior, so this song resonates in my heart as I can see his face singing this to me to give me the strength of promise ahead of us. (I am using his phone, so his name shows as poster, but he's not)