Years ago my nephew (who also happens to be in my band), was studying in Spain. At the time I was living in a little cabin on our family farm, and I began to think about the idea of "making it" in music, and how amazing it must be to tour around the world and sing your songs to new people you've never met. So while he was there in Spain I began to dream about this, and that's how this song, "Letter From Spain" was born.
Meanwhile, I also have a weakness for name songs, or names in songs. Over the years I've written Geraldine, Luann, Tyler, Oh Maria, Johnny, Angeline, Eliza's Song, John Crawford's March, and Eileen, just to name a few. This song though, is written about "Ellie Jane", which happens to be a popular name in my family; it's the name of my grandmother, (see below) and also my niece who currently lives on that same family farm.
"Letter From Spain" is written from the perspective of someone writing home about his success touring and making music halfway across the world, but lamenting the fact that he left Ellie Jane behind, and now wonders if he made the right choice.
Thanks again to @DSound and to you Steemians for your ongoing support, and words of encouragement.
*Photo above is from juanjorge on Pixabay, and below is of my grandmother, taken in1936, in the bank she worked at in Urbana, Ohio
Lyrics:
Oh Mama you should see how they are falling at our feet The lights here seem so bright and there’s more color in the streets The crowd sings when we sing and moves to every beat But at night I still dream of Ellie Jane And the men who introduce us oh they say that we are stars And we're drinking better coffee and we’re smoking big cigars But the moments when it’s quiet we remember what we are And I think of the words of Ellie Jane
When you’ve got people all around And they say they love your sound And they ask you how it feels To be a refuge and a thrill When you’re walking down some street in Spain Will you tell them what you did to Ellie Jane
I’ve been trying to tell myself she latched on for the ride And at times I believe this so I push her words aside But the day that she left something deep inside me died When no one knew me I was loved by Ellie Jane
When you’ve got people all around And they say they love your sound And they ask you how it feels To be a refuge and a thrill When you’re walking down some street in Spain Will you tell them what you did to Ellie Jane?
And these cathedrals here are pretty but they make me feel so lost I’m tired of seeing poor Jesus still hanging on that cross Flames and incense in the air makes you question what you tossed Oh those words of Ellie Jane But I’ve been told to take this train just as far as it will go So tonight we’ll bring them music oh tonight will be a show And they’ll never see the sadness and they will never know There was a time I only sang for Ellie Jane
When you’ve got people all around And they say they love your sound And they ask you how it feels To be a refuge and a thrill When you’re walking down some street in Spain Will you tell them what you did to Ellie Jane
► Listen on DSound
► Listen from source (IPFS)
My grandmother, Eleanor Jane, in 1936