One of my best friends is embarking on a cross-country journey to start a new job in Tacoma, Washington. Jake's last night in Pittsburgh was last night, and after countless "guys nites" and hangouts over the past several years, and having him share a house with me and some other great guys for the last year and a half, it's going to be pretty strange not having him around. We had a big farewell party on Saturday which was well-attended, but perhaps even more special was a more intimate gathering last night, with just a few close friends sharing one last conversation and one last drink.
This song is actually from the point of view of the one leaving friends behind, but it expresses the feelings well. The Celtic tune and lyric date back to the 1700s, and numerous artists in the modern era have sung it. I think I like this version best. The somber tone evokes the sorrow of leaving a loved hometown and cherished friends and family, and the a capella harmonies are exquisite:
Live version:
No matter how sorrowful the parting, however, we can take joy in knowing that our friend is moving to another great place, where he will have a rewarding job and surely make new friends, and that we'll see him again. Also, we now have an excuse to go to the Pacific Northwest, not that an excuse is needed to go to a place that awesome...
"but since it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not I'll gently rise and I'll softly call good night and joy be with you all..."
Rebecca St. James might have been my first crush. Pretty face, pretty voice, doesn't take much more than that. But seriously, this Aussie songstress may be off the market, but I still enjoy her music. This one has a lilting Celtic feel in 6/8 time, and is all about hope and faith that although we go through dark times, there is light ahead.
The title stems from The Last Battle, seventh in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia . One of my favorite authors, and possibly my favorite book of the series. The final chapter in the book, called "Farewell to Shadowlands" describes the end of the world of Narnia, and the journey of the main characters of the series "further up and further in" as the "shadowlands" of Narnia are destroyed and they discover that there is a bigger and better Narnia within and they are to stay there with Aslan.
"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."
"The shadowlands surround me now
but You walk with me through the cloud
into the sun..."
I spent the weekend at my parents' house, with my three brothers all there as well. On my way back into the city tonight, I listened to Thistle and Shamrock, a pretty cool show which "explores evolving music from Celtic roots in Europe and North America." When I got home, I looked up Scruj MacDuhk, one of the bands featured on the show, and couldn't find much in the way of audio from that band, but I poked around and found The Wailin' Jennys, one of whose members was also part of Scruj MacDuhk. I guess you have to be open to and/or in the mood for certain types of music, so hopefully you'll give this one a shot, or come back on another day when you're feeling more Celtic... but come on, any band whose name is a clever pun based on the name of an American musical legend has to be pretty cool, right?
