for those of you who aren't in the know, brett dennen is a folk/singer-songwriter from northern california who has an amazing way with words. his voice is unique - some people love it, some dislike it (i'm in the pro-camp), but there's no mistaking how it stands out amongst his peers. his melodies are typically raw in a way that convey emotion rather than gloss, and it's a combination of these things that produce songs that evoke true connection rather than superficial enjoyment.
when i first heard so far from me, i liked it. that's it - just like. it was enough to stick on my ipod, but never enough, at the time, to put into any of my most frequented playlists. but then, every so often, it'd pop up during shuffles, and the more i listened to it - really listened - the more i appreciated it. it started out, like so many things, as like - then i crushed on it until one day, i realized, i was in love with it. and a lot of that love has to do with the story brett tells.
from his daytrotter session, here's brett's explanation behind so far from me:
I never wanted to write a song about being a musician who is always on the road, far away from his girlfriend. Too many bands have songs like that. But, what can I say? That was my reality. I figured at least, if I didn't make any references to the "road" or even traveling, and just kept it about being far apart from your lover, then maybe it would feel more universal....at least I'd have more fun singing it. The craziest thing is....soon after the album came out I went out on tour and over the course of time, everything I knew about love had changed. My girlfriend and I broke up, mostly due to the pressure of being apart and the reality of leading separate lives. I wrote the song as a testament to love. To tell my lover that even though we are far apart, our love can grow stronger. Now the song has a different meaning, and it brings up a whole different set of emotions for me when I sing it. Now it is about letting go....and growing apart, and understanding that sometimes even if you love each other, it is okay to go your separate ways.
the chorus is particularly powerful, especially with the way brett sings it. it's plaintive and honest, like anyone who has ever struggled with deep emotions that they can't get a grip on. if my heart wasn't such a jungle maybe you wouldn't feel so alone, he sings, completely able to own his role in the difficulties faced. if your heart wasn't such an ocean, i wouldn't sink like a stone.
anyone who's ever been in love only to find it slip away from them can relate.
crows ravaging a field of wheat
stars jealous of the moon
scarecrows know their own defeat
envy and the heart that it consumes
today i walked without you
like an empty bottle drifting out to sea
i would change it if knew how to
but it don't come that easily
if my heart wasn't such a jungle
maybe you wouldn't feel so alone
if your heart wasn't such an ocean
i wouldn't sink like a stone
if you weren't so far from me
i could hold you while you're sleeping
and hear you breathing softly
and be there when you're waking
phone calls could not complete us
letters cannot replace
miles and miles and miles between us
another time another place
i have yet to meet another
who burns bright as you
i'm not looking for any other
i only want you
if my heart wasn't such a jungle
maybe you wouldn't feel so alone
if your heart wasn't such an ocean
i wouldn't sink like a stone
(mp3) so far from me (daytrotter version) by brett dennen
did you know he's also a painter? here he is, talking about being both a musician and a visual artist:
Presenting Loverboy: Part 7 from Brett Dennen on Vimeo.
go HERE to download brett's entire daytrotter session, including so far from me, for free. go HERE to buy loverboy, brett's latest release (including the very awesome song for leaving, which is featured in the video above).
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