I hadn't written a complete song in quite a while by the time I first visited Santa Fe. It was to be the first of innumerable trips to that city and its surrounding lands that captured my imagination. Upon returning home, I sat with the guitar and a progression and melody came together instantaneously. Once I had the structure of the song relatively intact and began focusing on the lyrics, the first two verses and chorus came out line by line in succession. By the next writing day the rest of the lines emerged, containing all the magical elements I had absorbed from my experience of the southwest and this fascinating town. It was my intent to capture and embody in song what I felt to be the essence of Santa Fe.
MOON OVER SANTA FE
(Jerad MacLean)
Like an Ansel Adams photograph,
A lone adobe pales in the moonlight's path
Mesas loom in the distance between
Me and a moon big as I've ever seen
A perfect picture to end a picture perfect day
Over the Sangre De Cristos in hovers round
Like a beacon above this New Mexico town
Where Spanish tongue and flamenco guitar
Work their magic on affairs of the heart
But blame it on the moon over Santa Fe
(chorus 1)
Lovers stroll around the village square
To the music-making in the air
When the light in the distance
Reaches the night down in old Santa Fe
Shadows play unusual tricks on the eye
In a land enchanted with indigo skies
Indian legends and history
Take on the shades of a mystery
Written in the moon over Santa Fe
(chorus 2)
People walk around the village square
To the music-making in the air
As the light in the distance
Reaches the night down in old Santa Fe
Just like an Ansel Adams photograph
A moment caught in time as it drifted past
Moonbeams fall in invisible lines
Chiseling faces on the mountain sides
A perfect picture to end a picture perfect day
Blame it all on the moon over Santa Fe
Moon over Santa Fe
Let's take a walk with the moon over Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
We'll fall in love with the moon over Santa Fe
Moon over Santa Fe
Old Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
Old Santa Fe
Moon over Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
Moon over Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
Moon over old Santa Fe
At the time this song was came to be, I was deeply involved with a dancer. We had an emotionally charged and painful breakup like nothing I had experienced before. I was alone in my house in the Santa Cruz mountains for days on end trying to make sense of what had happened. One afternoon the title and lyrics came out in one sitting with very little rewriting. It helped me out of wallowing in remorse for certain actions and words that were said. This piece represents, for me, a hard breakup song.
DON'T HOLD BACK THE RAIN
(Jerad MacLean)
On the horizon a storm has been brewin'
And it looks like it's coming your way
Thunder and lightning — everything frightening
Seems to echo your feelings today
You'd like to think it's just atmospheric pressure
That's building up in your brain
But you're lady is leavin'
You know that you're grievin', so
Don't hold back the rain
All of your noble intentions started changing when
You let her under your skin
Setting in motion rivers of emotion that
Pour over you again and again
You've grown to love her but now you run for cover
It hits you like a hurricane.
There's nowhere to hide
From that feeling inside you, so
Don't hold back the rain
Slowly love starts to drift away
Questions will always remain
Memories are all that she left for you
They scatter like the wind in the rain
Spattering down on your windowpane
Look out above you the sky is ripping open and
So is your heart and soul
No matter the weather you always stuck together
But now you're alone and out of control
Your only hope is if maybe she were coming back
You might see through the pain
But there's no denying a part of you is dying so
Don't hold back the rain
No there's no use denying the heart of you is dying so
Don't hold back the rain
This is no time to hold back the rain.
This was the last song I wrote for this recording project. It started with a kind of jazz chord progression I had been carrying around for awhile, but for the longest time I had no idea what the song was to be about. One day as I was looking through my writing notebook, I noticed the line "Go A Little Easy On My Soul" I had saved from some writing session. I wasn't sure what that really meant, but it spoke to my sense of spirituality and the beating it can take in the day-to-day experience of the world. And so this has became an affirmation of sorts to commit my heart and soul to love before all else, even though it's been a very hard promise to keep alive in the light of day.
GO A LITTLE EASY ON MY SOUL
(Jerad MacLean)
Through all the years of live and learn
There's something I've come to believe
That love is what we came here for
But what a sorry world we weave
Lately I've been workin' overtime
While I'm waitin' for my fortune and fame
But in the day-to-day love slowly fades away
The more I lose myself in the game
So there comes a time to turn
(So there comes a time to turn)
Back to where it all began
(Back to where it all began)
I'm headin' down that open road
(Down along that open road)
To follow love wherever I can
(chorus 1)
I'm returning to the way of the heart
Where my yearning is leading me back
Well, I'm learning to do what it takes
To go a little easy on my soul
I know that in these troubled times
We all could use a touch of grace
And still we try to reach the soul
As if we're running some kind of race
The world is all around me marking time
To the beating of its own drum
Me, I step along however right or wrong
So if you see me walk on by
(If you see me walk on by)
I hope you will understand
(Back to where it all began)
I'm headin' down this open road
(Down along this open road)
To follow love wherever I can
(chorus 2)
I'm returning to the way of the heart
Where my yearning is calling me back
Now I'm learning, and I'm taking some time
To go a little easy on my soul
(chorus 3)
I'm returning to the way of the heart
Where my yearning is leading me back
Yes, I'm learning to surrender to love
And go a little easy on my soul.
I'm taking some time, and I'm taking it slow
So go a little easy on my soul.
While the world all around me is taking its toll,
I go a little easy on my soul.
Now go a little easy on my soul.
Over the many years of recording projects, I always liked to include one song that I had not written myself - just for fun. While playing around LA for several years, I arranged and performed lots of songs from a variety of genres. When I came up with an arrangement for this song, my audiences loved dancing and singing along. So for this recording project, I decided to have some fun with it in the studio. I still get requests to this day to play my version of the We Five's "You Were On My Mind", written by Sylvia Fricker of Canada's folk duo Ian & Sylvia.
YOU WERE ON MY MIND
(Words & Music by Sylvia Fricker)
When I woke up this morning
You were on my mind
You were on my mind
I got troubles, oh oh,
I got worries, oh oh
And I got wounds to bind
So I walked to the corner
Just to ease my pain
Just to ease my pain
Said I got troubles, oh oh,
I got worries, oh oh
But I came home again
When I woke up this morning,
You were on my mind
And you were on my mind
I got troubles, oh oh,
I got worries, oh oh
I got wounds to bind
And I got a feeling
Deep down in my shoes
Said it's way down in my shoes
I got to ramble, oh oh,
I got to move on, oh oh
And I got to walk away my blues
But when I woke up this morning
You were on my mind
And you were on my mind
I got troubles, oh oh
I got worries, oh oh
I got wounds to bind
© 1964 Salt Music, ASCAP ~ Used by Permission)
"Make A Wish" and the following instrumental link, "Standing At the Crossroads", as well as "You're Going To Miss Me When I'm Gone", were all intended to be listened to in succession with no time lapse between them. It was meant to be listened to as a trilogy.
"Make A Wish" was written as a lullaby/love song for a lady friend some years ago. The instrumental link "Standing At the Crossroads" was a guitar piece of mine that just happened to fit easily right after "Make A Wish". It signifies a lapse of time that takes place during the progression of a relationship which later results in the breakup told of in "You're Goin' To Miss Me When I'm Gone".
MAKE A WISH
(Jerad MacLean)
Make a wish upon a star
Pick any one out there
Ya see Orion? There's his sword
And there's the Little Bear
Don't it make you stop and wonder
How Someone could care
Enough to go to all this trouble
For our little prayer
Make a wish upon a star
Blow out the candle light
The day is headed down the road
Now it's time to say good night
Dream a dream of good and plenty
Dream a dream of love
And when you wake up in the morning
Remember what you dreamed of
Close your eyes, now
It's alright
I'll be lying right by your side
Watching over you
Like the moon on the tide
Dream a dream of good and plenty
Dream a dream of love
And when you wake up in the morning
Remember what you dreamed of
So close your eyes, now
It's alright
I'll be lying right by your side
Watching over you
Like the moon on the tide
This song came to life while playing around LA, writing songs and pitching demos. I had been influenced by Nashville and country music quite a bit during that period. Little did I know that "You're Goin' To Miss Me When I'm Gone" would embody the eventual breakdown and breakup of my marriage. I don't write songs like this any more.
YOU'RE GOIN' TO MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE
(Jerad MacLean)
You turned away and disappeared into the night
I stood there beaten to the draw
Another notch for you to prove who won the fight
For me it was the final straw
(chorus 1)
So while you're sleeping off the damage that's been done
I'll slip away before the dawn
Now that you've gotten used to having me around
You're goin' to miss me when I'm gone
Tell all your friends I tried to play you for a fool
You'll plead your case like lawyers do
They'll nod their heads and all agree you played it cool
But they won't even have a clue
(chorus 2)
So when you finally read this writing on the wall
You'll tell yourself you'll carry on
But now you've gotten used to having me around
You're goin' to miss me when I'm gone
(bridge)
It's still the same sad do-it-your-way love affair
You're so damned quick to take control
Why not have a life you never need to share
With another living soul
I'd like to tell you, just in case you didn't know
I won't forget you when I'm gone
There's one more thing I'd like to say before I go
You won't forget me when I'm gone
(chorus 3)
So by the time you see the damage that you've done
I'll be somewhere beyond the dawn
Now that you've gotten used to having me around,
You're goin' to miss me when I'm gone
You're goin' to miss me when I'm gone
You're goin' to miss me when I'm gone
This was also written during my LA odyssey years. It was originally meant as a writing exercise based on a cliche, but ultimately turned into a love song. I was also being influenced by things that were coming out of Nashville at the time, so it has that kind of feel to it. I'm still in love with my friend Bill Walker's great electric guitar solos in this tune. He really gave it passion. Way to go Bill!
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
(Jerad MacLean)
It seems like only yesterday
When I was drifting town to town
Looking for love and truth
To build my life around
I always had this restless heart
I never thought I'd find a home, but then
You came into my life, now
(Chorus 1)
Home is where my heart is — with you
Home is where the heart is — yes, it's true
Those days of riding high on some highway
Are finally through
I thought I had it all back then —
The good times with my good friends
We swore we'd stand our ground
To the very end
But through it all it kept growing strong
My heart beat in need of a home, that's when
You came into my life, now
(Chorus 2)
Home is where my heart is — with you
Home is where the heart is — yes, it's true
The time for finding someone to believe in
Was long overdue
(Bridge)
I had a reputation that followed me 'round
For never being easy to please
It took the kind of woman that you are to set me at ease
(Solo)
I've always had a restless heart
I never thought I'd find a home, but then
I looked into your eyes, now
Home is where my heart is — with you
Home is where the heart is — yes, it's true.
Home is where my heart is — here with you
Home is where the heart is — yes, it's true
Home is where my heart is
"On Sacred Ground" is an instrumental that was written as a guitar exercise. At first I had decided not to include it on this recording project, but after playing it for a live audience I decided to include it here - the audience reaction was that positive. I had some fun layering various sounds and performances from my band, and this is what I got.
I had been learning to play Native American flute after collecting and listening to virtually every solo recording by Carlos Nakai I could find. So I had to have some wooden flute sounds to give color to that feeling in this piece. "On Sacred Ground" embodies several Native American musical influences and impressions from my love of the American southwest's native history. And although a European instrument, Don Lax's violin work really tied it all together in a very dramatic way.
This song was written based on a guitar progression and base line I had developed. I'm not sure how the title came about, but the lyric speaks for itself about the state of our county and how it is being exploited by certain entities. This was written before the GW administration but seems to speak to that era and those times we are still experiencing in our county today.
THE RULES OF THE GAME
(Jerad MacLean)
A dark cloud gathers overhead
Stretching over the land
A time of reckoning comes to call
With the fate of the children at hand
Politicians up in arms
Huddle in on a plan
Does anybody believe it when they say
They're doing the best that they can
(chorus 1)
They make the rules of the game, my friend,
And they're running the country for you and me
Nobody's taking the blame, but then
They're still making the rules of the game
Still, they're making the rules of the game
The money lenders and business men
Are always keeping the score
No matter the cost of the souls that are lost
Believe it that business is war
(chorus 2)
They make the rules of the game, my friend
And they're wheeling and dealing for you and me
You know they're staking their claim these men
While they're making the rules of the game
While they're faking the rules of the game
(Bridge)
They tell us we'll wind up alone on the street
Without any money and nothing to eat
Then quickly explain we won't feel any pain
If we play by the rules of the game
So we play by the rules of the game
A dark cloud lingers overhead
A shadow covers the land
'Cause under the guise of sweet alibis
Are promises written in sand
(chorus 3)
They make the rules of the game, my friend
And they're shaping the future for you and me
They never feel any shame, these men
When they're breaking the rules of the game
While they're faking the rules of the game
'Cause they're making the rules of the game
This song was written entirely based on the title "Sweet Inspiration". It always felt like a love song title to me, and so here you have it! It rocks along pretty nicely.
SWEET INSPIRATION
(Jerad MacLean)
Everybody has something that they want to believe in
I believe in whatever sets the heart on fire
I still remember the look in your eyes
In the heat of the moment I realized
There's no denying the power of the heart's desire
It's like a burning light that always shines between us
Melting away whatever keeps a heart on hold
Nothing even compares with the grace
When I'm caught in the crush of your loving embrace
I get a feeling deep down within my soul
Sweet, sweet inspiration
I get a little sweet inspiration
Now if the world surrounded me with every possession
I'd give it all away to have a heart of gold (just like yours)
I never knew I was missing so much
Until I felt the love in the power of your touch
I get a healing deep down within my soul
I get a healing deep down within my soul
Sweet, sweet inspiration
Well talk about sweet inspiration
(Solo)
I know the music is never too far
When I thank God for the gift that you are
A song rises deep down within my soul
A song rises deep down within my soul
Sweet, sweet inspiration
I need a little sweet inspiration
Sweet, sweet inspiration
Well, talk about sweet, sweet inspiration
Sweet, sweet Inspiration
I gotta have sweet, sweet inspiration
This is a beautiful guitar progression with a unique melody. The lyrics came out of those times I spent living in west Michigan where I grew up, hanging out around late night fires telling stories, playing songs and contemplating our lives. The cello and piano arrangements by my friends Barry Phillips and Jay Jackson really showcase the song nicely.
The album closes with a simplified version of the ending of the first track, "Moon Over Santa Fe" - without vocals and with just acoustic guitar, piano, flute and congas. I wanted to leave the listener with the magical theme that the album opens with, titling this ending piece "Moon Over Santa Fe - Reprise".
WHEN WE MEET AGAIN
(Jerad MacLean)
Fire slowly fading
Sun is on the rise
Mist in the morning
Dusk is in our eyes
Having reunited
Long lost friend
We'll know each other
When we meet again
Talk about the pleasure it's been knowing you
Talk about the way we hold our wine
How we've grown to love these
All night revelries
How we've always hated
To say goodbye
Somewhere in a valley
Somewhere out to sea
Off in the distance
Someone's calling me
There I go in answer
To you my friend
Here's how I'll know you
When we meet again
Talkin' 'bout the pleasure
It's been knowing you
Talkin' 'bout the way we hold our wine
How we've grown to love these
All night reveries
How we've always hated
To say goodbye
