Old Toronto

I'd been trying to write a song about Davy Crockett for the past year. I read his autobiography and was inspired by this man who fought bears, walked around, opposed Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act ("I bark at no man's bid"), and fought at The Alamo. A frontiersman, a patriot, one of the few American figures I look up to for their values.

Well, the song never took shape the way I'd envisioned, because I was trying too hard. I wanted a lyrical tribute, complete with clever factual information about the man's life and death. Instead I wrote a song about the decomposition of skin, and how it's returned to the earth after it's done protecting our delicate souls. Once free, our skin can travel anywhere the wind, a cowboy boot, or a gypsy paw can carry it. When Crockett went down in Texas, his spirit returned to Tennessee; his skin became American soil. I was born from the same dirt, ready to roll.

"Old Toronto" is about rebirth and rejuvenation. It is (in my mind) a tribute to Davy Crockett. This was the last song recorded in our loft apartment, where all Eastern Phoebes tunes have been written and captured. It was time to move out and move on.

The bulk of this song was recorded drunk on Easter Sunday. Frank played all the percussion for his EP recording debut. Meg sang her backups right before we moved out. Rick overdubbed his guitar parts once we were settled in the new place. And Davy whispered "always be sure you are right, then go ahead" in the background. Somewhere.






Old Toronto by easternphoebes