Edge of your World
Le touquet, France, summer 2016
I don't know where inspiration comes from, or what inspiration even means. All I know is, every now and then, I feel it's the right place and time to sit down with my guitar and write a song. This is one of these times.
I am standing in front of a carroussel set up on the sea front of Le Touquet-Plage on the West Coast of France. The light of day is dimming now and the cool breeze of the evening is settling in nicely. Wooden horses, elephants and cups swing round and round again to the sound of accordeons in a fairytale dazzle of lights. I like carroussels. I'm not sure why, because as far as I can tell I wasn't particularly fond of them as a child. But I feel good here. I'd like to sit down with my guitar and just play for a little while. I notice a couple of benches to my left. That would be perfect. Right, I'll go and drop of my stuff at the car and come back.
I turn around and head back up the Rue Saint Jean, the main walking street of the town where I have been playing for a couple of hours this afternoon. It was a nice little session. In fact now would be an even better time to play here, but I really want to sit down by the carroussel. As if some mysterious force is drawing there.
Arriving at the car I meet up with my friend Sophie who's travelling with me. I ask her if it's ok for me to go back and songwrite for a little while. I then head back towards the seafront with my guitar, my pen and my notebook.
It is dark now. I sit down on the bench I had noticed earlier. It's far enough from the carrousel so that I can still hear a bit of the 1930's french songs that are playing, but still quiet enough for me to write. From the moment I sit down it all goes very quickly. I have no idea what, or if I 'm gonna write a new song at all, but I can tell the mood is right. Time to give it a shot. I randomnly put on a capo on the 3rd fret, start of with a D chord followed by a F#m. The words « Meeting you somehow, wondering where you've been » come out almost simultaneously. From then on I know what the song is about, and the whole process of writing it goes down very naturally. Within a matter of 20 minutes or so I have it. The missing lyrics I will complete within the next few of days.
There is something trully magical about the whole thing. I know now that this song was waiting for me here. Maybe she was with me all along, and this was the place for her to come to life. All I know is that there is nothing like these few seconds in which a new song takes shape for the first time. It's just one of the best feelings in the world. Maybe like a miner who just struck gold, only so much better. Because this song isn't just for me. In time it will come to mean as much to someone else. Maybe even more. It will have a life of it's own through the hearts of those who'll take her in. I feel blessed to be the messenger.
****
Meeting you somehow
Wondering where you've been
Behind those tired eyes
The ghosts of everyone you've been
That paved the road to who you are
To who you used to be
Smiling to me know
Though you're not really here
Somehow lost inside
A life now lived in memory
And walking in the shoes of
The one you used to be
Needing you somehow
To put your faith in me
And if you take my hand
Know I need you like you need me
I'm standing at the edge of your world
Hoping you'll let me in
Standing at the edge of your world
Hoping you'll let me in
And as silence grows old
And the words break free
See the shadows fall over me
Needing you somehow
To share your tale with me
Feels I'm lost alike
If I help you you might help me
I'm standing at the edge of your world
Hoping you'll let me in
Standing at the edge of your world
Hoping you'll let me in
