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Thereafter

by Jon Crawley

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1.
Right back where your mother left you Waiting for the world to find you In the bed that you were born in Waiting for your second life to begin You’ve been holed up for too long You’ve been holed up You’ve been holed up for too long Right back where your father let go On two wheels you made your name known In your bed you stare at the ceiling Waiting for your second life to begin You’ve been holed up for too long Lift your head up The darkest clouds are moving on Let the sunshine in Let the sunshine in Let the sunshine in Let the sunshine in Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Out of the foxhole Right back where your mother left you Waiting for the world to find you In the bed that you were born in Waiting for your second life to begin Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Coming out of the dark Out of the foxhole
2.
When we touched down in Lincoln square, We sunk the boat that got us there No turning back, no going home But the ground was frozen and the fields were closed, The streets were covered by a sheet of snow And it was cold as winter’s bone The sun will rise; the city keeps blowing The bells will chime, the crow keeps crowing Whatever map we’re unfolding We’ll keep rolling through Been a bit of a trying year, Figuring out what we’re doing here Holding on to something that we know Keep it steady as we go Keep it steady as we go Keep it steady as we go The sun will rise; the city keeps blowing The bells will chime, the crow keeps crowing Whatever hand that we’re holding We’ll keep rolling through Let’s see what we’re made of Let’s find out how strong we are Whatever don’t break us Will make us who we are Keep it steady as we go Keep it steady as we go Keep it steady as we go A little high, a little low Fighting off this vertigo The sun will rise; the city keeps blowing The harbor subsides, but the rivers keep flowing Whatever storms we’re beholding We’ll keep rolling through
3.
Endless Time 04:19
I’m caught up, caught up in the future, I’m caught up in the past But the present tense is the only thing that lasts When your heart beats for the billionth time And your feathers starts to loose their shine When the storm peaks and the sea gets wild We’ll float on to our backs through this endless time I’m caught up, caught up in beginnings, I’m caught up in the end But the middle way’s a lifetime better spent And if you don’t mind, I’ll spend mine with you And if the rivers gonna run let it run on through When your heart beats for the billionth time And our hands meet across the great divide When the storm peaks and the sea gets wild We’ll float on to our backs through this endless time Nobody knows where the wind will blow Nobody knows where the wind will blow Nobody knows where the wind will blow Nobody knows where the wind will blow When the storm peaks and the sea gets wild We’ll float on to our backs through this endless time
4.
I was on the border of the future and the past Not yet begun to be someone and going nowhere fast But that was before you, that was before you Sailing through my life without direction Wandering the night without a clue That was before you, that was before you All the wheels that I was spinning The shallow rivers I was wading through The tangled path that I was weaving The hidden pass winding its way to you Hat in hand I roamed the land chasing the midnight sun Losing track of who I am and who I might become That was before you, that was before you Lonely as I was I didn’t know what Was just beyond the trappings of my youth That was before you All the wheels that I was spinning The shallow rivers I was wading through The tangled path that I was weaving The hidden pass winding its way to you Sailing through my life without connection That was before you
5.
Thereafter 01:11
6.
Waiting for the other shoe to drop and take its toll on you But it might not, no it might not You’ve been here a million years and everything that brought you here Was not too late, it was not too hard Stand up and take a bow You made it this far even if you don’t know how You crawled out of the ocean to the shore If you had a feeling you were meant for more Well the choice is yours It could rain, it could be a flood, the light could go out in your neighborhood But it might not, no it might not You’re feeling small and incomplete but it took more than a single feat To bring you here and make you whole Stand up and take a bow You made it this far even if you don’t know how You made it through the jungle to the door If you had a feeling there was something more Well the choice is yours It could rain, it could be a flood Oh but it might not, it might not Stand up and take a bow You made it this far even if you don’t know how Stand up and look around This is water, make it count You crawled out of the ocean to the shore If you had a feeling you were meant for more Well the choice is yours
7.
It’s already over It’s time to unpack The circus is leaving And it’s not coming back If you can’t call yourself a friend If you can’t see yourself to the end Call me The grass is all trampled And the fields are left bare And you can’t return to What’s no longer there If you can’t call yourself a friend If you can’t see yourself to the end Call me You’ve been running on empty for a while Holding on to a daydream of a child You’ve been running on empty for a while You’ve been running on empty If you can’t call yourself a friend If you can’t see yourself to the end If you can’t be yourself again If you can’t see yourself to the end Call me
8.
I know you’ve been hanging around Your heart leaps at the sound Of galloping horses but there’s none to be found To carry you out of this town You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow streams but you’re meant to be free So kick ‘til you reach open seas I know you’ve been plotting your flight Your eyes glow at the sight Of cannons exploding and castles eroding You’ll slip off into the night You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow streams but you’re meant to be free So kick ‘til you reach open seas And they done left you for dead Shackled your feet to your bed and bound your hands But nothing can hold you If you set your mind to your plans You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow streams but you’re meant to be free So kick ‘til you reach open seas You’re diving in shallow water You’re diving in shallow streams but you’re meant to be free So kick ‘til you reach open seas

about

"Thereafter" is a collection of songs I’ve written since moving to New York four years ago and mostly recorded in my small Brooklyn Heights apartment with bits recorded down the street at Lindberg Palace Studios in Cobble Hill. I had the help of a lot of talented musicians and friends not least of all was Kerry Hutcherson who played pedal steel, mandolin, baritone and electric guitar, added a few backing vocals and provided some beautiful instrumentation and lead parts throughout. Check out Kerry’s band Exebelle and the Rusted Cavalcade at exebelle.bandcamp.com and stay tuned for a new double LP from the guys very soon! My old musical brother Boomer Muth added bass on the record and the very talented musician and composer Jeff Mercel provided the drums. Thanks to JB and Rob for their help recording the drums at Lindberg Palace Studios and to Josh Harris at Seiren Productions for mixing and mastering the record. Special thanks to Wynn Walent for being a good friend and providing guidance throughout. I feel very lucky to have worked with such talented folks.

All of the songs were written in Open D guitar tuning, which I picked up while playing Bob Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”, but with a capo on different frets putting each song in a different key. Bon Iver’s “Re: Stacks” is in Open D as well and was a big inspiration for the album. Getting out of standard tuning was a helpful trick to make the guitar feel new and fresh again after having played guitar in standard tuning for so many years. Most of the songs on the album were written shortly after making the switch over a few productive months.

The songs have many themes but to me what binds them together is the idea of persevering after coming through some sort of a life change. Not necessarily going through the event itself but that time after where you're trying to figure out how to adjust to and cope with life's new circumstances. For me it was moving to New York which was more challenging than I anticipated ("Rolling Through") and coming to grips with the brevity of life and dealing with the anxiety that it brings ("Endless Time"). I also saw my friends going through struggles of their own, like adjusting to life after divorce ("Out of the Foxhole"). This theme of what happens after the change inspired the title “Thereafter”. The lyrics can be found on each song page if you are interested in reading more.

The album is free to download, please just share it if you like it. Hope you enjoy listening and thanks for indulging me.

-Jon

credits

released February 10, 2015

- Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Baritone and Electric Guitars and backing vocals on "Call Yourself a Friend" by Kerry Hutcherson
- Bass by Boomer Muth
- Drums by Jeff Mercel
- Drums recorded by Jonathan Benedict and Rob Niederpruem at Lindberg Palace Studios
- Mixing and Mastering by Josh Harris of Seiren Productions
- Album artwork by Megan Crawley

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