The Song In My Head

A few weeks ago I was in Maryland to give a talk to the Maryland Ornithological Society and to lead a private bird walk at Huntley Meadows County Park in Alexandria, Virginia. While there I had the massive pleasure of playing a Saturday night session with my old band, The Flat World Band. These days, TFWB is known as Smithville and the group has expanded and morphed into its own unique musical thing.

My Charm City music pals have an abiding love of all things Bob Dylan (as I write this line, It Aint Me Babe is playing over the XM Satellite Radio through the TV. That's the Bob Dharma coming through) and, thus, also for all things done by The Band. We played several Band songs that Saturday night, including The Weight, Acadian Driftwood, and I Shall Be Released. One Band song we did not play, but which has been The Song In My Head lately is Twilight.

If you don't know Twilight, you need to know it and you need to hear it. There are great versions of the song, written by Robbie Robertson and sung by Rick Danko, on various Band albums. Then there's a nice version by Shawn Colvin.

I love the way the song starts;

Over by the wildwood
hot summer night
We lay in the tall grass
'til the morning light

But the last two stanzas of lyrics of the song are the ones that have sticking power, like a brainworm, they burrow into your cerebellum and stay. Give the song a listen and you'll see what I mean.

Playing these old songs with 'my boys' was one of those moments that makes life so rich. With special thanks to Joey, Billy, Chuck, and the boys...

Don't send me no distant salutations
or silly souvenirs from far away
Don't leave me alone in the twilight
Twilight is the loneliest time of day

Don't put me in a frame upon the mantel
Fore memories turn dusty old and gray
Don't leave me alone in the twilight
Twilight is the loneliest time of day