The clamour of the daily world draws our attention. With its insistent drumbeat it exclaims ‘Move forward, ever onward, no time to stop, no time to reflect,’ but … what if we do? What if for one moment we choose to withdraw from the incessant voices that assail our minds, from the push and pull of the world we have created?
There, in the distance, below the surface chatter is a gentle murmur, a soothing voice. ‘Slow, slow, slow’, at first it is barely audible, like faint static from a radio, yet as we tune in we realise it has been there all along, patiently waiting. It is the voice that asks us to trust the silence. It is the quiet self who observes and wonders, who wanders through the world in tune with the rhythm of life itself.
As we listen the pulse becomes stronger and we realise we are adrift, effortlessly guided, carried along on the current of the river’s flow, because the river flows in us, through us, ever onwards towards the sea.
This is River Poem.
"I had the initial words for River Poem come to me on a first wander down to the river on a much needed trip to the Lake District. I was taking photographs of the immense scenery simultaneously and accidentally sent one of them to Si. 18 months, or so later, we found ourselves recounting the story in a conversation about bringing more flow into our lives, and the importance of finding time to just be, when I remembered the poem I'd begun to write. Si began playing a beautiful melody beside me, so I pulled up the poem. Curiously enough, as I began to sing them, the words fit perfectly with what Si had begun playing and as he moved to what is now the chorus, out came the melody and words for that in real time too... We loved the synchronicity, and how the song organically took on a life of its own as Dan, Tom and Ryan came in to join us, weaving their own particular magic.
I have worked with Si on various musical collaborations over the last 25 years or so, but this is our first attempt at actually writing songs together!
I deeply love this song, along with its message. I hope you enjoy it too! If you do, there's more to come...
Love,
Heather xxx"
Slow, slow, slow
Spirit of the stream
Winding down the valley
Life is but a dream
Flow, flow, flow
Down the mountainside
Make it to the river
Afore the eventide
Crystal river Spirit song
Show me the way to where I belong
Rouse me up from my worldly sleep
Free my soul of slumbers deep
Flow, flow, flow
Unerring force
Yielding to the way
Return to Source
Slow, slow, slow
Down the mountainside
Make it to the river
Afore the eventide
Crystal river Spirit song
Show me the way to where I belong
Rouse me up from my worldly sleep
Free my soul of slumbers deep
Caught in the slipstream
Dragged through the daily grind
Worldly machinations
Pull the ties that bind
World spinning madly
The human race goes on
In the heart of the city
I guess my race is run
Born from the foundries
And black smoke from the coal
Lost in the shadows
Searching for a soul
Out in the distance
A new day slowly dawns
Bright new morning
Won’t you help me find my song
Slow, slow, slow
Spirit of the stream
Winding down the valley
Life is but a dream
Flow, flow, flow
Down the mountainside
Make it to the river
Afore the eventide
Let me show you where the love has gone
Where the love has gone
Listen to my never ending song
Won’t you show me how?
With each ripple comes another one
Where do they all come from?
Here and now you’ll find the lucky ones
Where the sea reaches the sky
Yesterday I was a snowstorm
Where the ocean meets the wave
And tomorrow I will be re-born
Oh, on the mountain high
Let me show you that we all are one
Now I see what you are
Be with me and I will take you home
Oh, I can feel it now!
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it, yeah?
Can you feel it?
Can you be like that?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it, yeah?
Can you feel it?
Can it be like that?
credits
from River Poem (WAV),
track released May 4, 2024
Music & Words written by Heather Findlay & Simon Snaize
Vocals performed by Heather Findlay & Simon Snaize
Drums performed by Tom Almgill
Guitars, bass, keyboards and percussion performed by Simon Snaize
Recorded & Mixed by Daniel Collins at Jack Clifford Recordings
Mastered by Ryan Morey at Ryan Morey Mastering
Arranged and produced by Simon Snaize & Heather Findlay
Single artwork created by Heather Findlay
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