kickin’ a stone
What inspired the song?
I go for a 3-and-a-half-mile walk each morning, on narrow country roads around our home. I pass cows and chickens, sheep and their little lambs, and sometimes a few miniature horses pulling a small coach that my neighbor Peter drives around. It’s my favorite time of the day, and over the years I’ve developed a group of friends that are passing the other way and we stop and chat. So, what inspired the song was, literally, kicking a stone down the road like I used to do when I was a kid—like we all did, trying to see how far I could get it to go, and realizing that such a pursuit is not a frivolous waste of time. Doing the mindless things we did as children—daydreaming, playing with direct, kicking rocks down the road, these things are good for the soul.
Is there a significance behind the song title?
It is what it is - there’s no double-meaning in the title.
What is one key point that makes this song unique?
The juxtaposition of playfulness with existential pondering. Yes, I’m kickin’ a stone down the road on this tiny little planet we call home, but it’s activating my stream of consciousness, and I’m thinking about the seven-year-old me who used to do this and wondering where he went, I’m asking where we all came from and where we’re all going and reflecting on the fact that what we have in common is that none of us know. And that’s no small point of connection. We all live with existential dread. But we talk about the weather instead of the deep, deep mystery that is life, instead of talking about the things that keep us awake at night.
What are two descriptors/adjectives that best describe the emotion or melody in this song?
Childlike and active.
Do you have an interesting story about the songwriting or recording process? If yes, elaborate. Please highlight any noteworthy collaborators.
I worked with Ross Peterson on the song. Ross was one of the engineer’s on Bruce Springsteen’s last album, “Letter to You.” The demo of the song had a great electricity and presence and energy to it, and it was really hard to recreate that when I started tracking the acoustic guitar in my home studio. I did over 37 takes on the guitar and more than that on the vocal to get the guitar sound and vocal intimacy I was looking for. I tired it much slower. I tried it much faster. Once we had a good guitar and vocal combination, we added Tony Garnier on upright bass. Ross had programmed some drums that were helping a lot, so we had John O’Reilly recreate them - he used a cardboard box for the snare! The Ross worked his magic on the mix and I’m really pleased with the groove and the dynamics we achieved. It’s a quick little song. It was not easy bringing this one to life.
Do you have a favorite lyric from this track?
“”From where do we come? To where do we go? We’re all living together in the ‘I don’t know.’"
Is there a mission statement or certain core themes prevalent in all of your songs? Any guiding principles that inform your music?
I’m in awe of the mystery of life. I’m fascinated by the questions. I don’t have many answers. My music is an inquiry into the nature of the human condition, and the shared experience we all have of just being here, in the wonderful and infinitely strange thing called life.
Does your main drive come from musical exploration or lyrical exploration? Both?
Both! I have heard it said that a great melody can rescue a bad lyric but a great lyric cannot rescue a mediocre melody. So I’m constantly trying to get better at both.