This River

Mac

We live in the Cooley region of Wisconsin and I can see the Buffalo River from our house.  Just a couple miles downriver it flows into the Mississippi so, as easy a metaphor as rivers are to write about , I will stake a geographical claim to that metaphor. This River was one of my typically too slow dirge-like reflections on the meaning of life that I sent to Brad and he totally invigorated it with the up-tempo feel you hear.

Brad

Something about the sound of Mac’s guitars on the original track he sent reminded me of Buena Vista Social Club. So I just went that direction. The verses are in a pseudo Gua Guanco feel and the solo section shifts gears to a Montuno.

When God made this river
He dragged a finger through the dirt and sand
It brought water to the valley
And beauty to a barren land
And then He built that mountain     stone by stone
But He didn’t much like     being alone
So that why you and I are here
And now I’m lookin at life     through the rear view mirror

And that moment that just passed
Puts you one closer
To your last
Chance

I am not a young man anymore
I’ve made choices and mistakes     that I have no excuses for
But I am still     my fathers son
And he dreamed I was     the chosen one
Some dreams die     no matter what you do
And some of them die
While they’re waiting for you

And that moment that just passed
Puts you one closer
To your last
Chance

If you only had today     or ten minutes     or an hour     or a year
Would you behave a little different
Just knowing that the end was near
You gonna try your best     just to do what’s right
You gonna head for the hills
You gonna head for the light?
You best decide     because before too long
You’re standing there
and then
you’re gone

And that moment that just passed
Puts you one closer
To your last
Chance