When I Go
I've mentioned Dave Carter's song "When I Go" before, but only in passing. I'm not quite sure why I didn't put it on my list of favorite music; I had previously rated it as four stars, but these days I'd give it five.
It's a sad, haunting, defiant song that feels to me like a near-perfect blend of raging against the dying of the light and acceptance. The review of it at Rambles notes that it was originally written for Carter's mother, but is even more poignant now in light of Carter's death, from a heart attack at age 50, a couple of years ago.
I decided this morning it was time I learned the lyrics, which are many and complex, and I found that singing along with the recording at the top of one's lungs while driving can be kind of cathartic. I recommend it.
You can get a taste of the tune at Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer's website (scroll down to the album When I Go at the bottom of the page, then click the "listen" link for that song. You can also click the "lyrics" link for full lyrics; here's a sample, though as usual with lyrics I doubt they have nearly the same impact without the music:
Come, lonely hunter, chieftain and king,
I will fly like the falcon when I go.
Bear me, my brother, under your wing,
I will strike fell like lightning when I go.
I will bellow like the thunder drum, invoke the storm of war,
A twisting pillar spun of dust and blood up from the prairie floor;
I will sweep the foe before me like a gale out on the snow
And the wind will long recount the story, reverence and glory, when I go.
The whole album is good, and I adore about half the songs on it—a much higher ratio than usual for me. The lyrics are complex and rich, the tunes compelling, and though it took me a while to get used to Carter's voice, now I like it a lot. If you want one other sample to try, listen to the snippet they provide of the song "Lancelot"; probably my second-favorite song on the album, though it's hard to choose among several excellent songs. Sadly, this album isn't yet available at the iTunes Music Store, though two of Carter and Grammer's other albums are; I keep meaning to listen to the samples of those and decide whether to get them.
