ABOUT The Solidary Song
When I wrote this song, I was thinking of people who are perhaps at their darkest place because of this virus. Maybe they have lost a loved one, are sick with the virus themselves, lost their job. I wrote it for anyone who has that whirlwind of worry swirling in their minds and hearts. But in the end, I realised that I also wrote it for me.
Many evenings when the kids were playing outside, I’d take the opportunity to hop on the keyboard and experiment with chord progressions. There are moments when I write something and it just clicks in. Sometimes it’s just a phrase, a melody that feels right within me, so I take that piece and add around it. I wanted the lyrics of the song to be very straightforward because in moments when we are filled with stress, I think we need a direct and clear message. And the message that I wanted to share was barefaced: PEACE.
The thing is, as I would work on the song often in the golden hour with the sun departing out my window, I couldn’t help but let some tears fall on the keys. My own heart was longing to hear the message that I wanted to get out into the world. Whether because of this pandemic or not, everyone out there is walking around holding their own secret sorrows, and I believe all of us in need of that extra dose of grace and peace right now.
I also reached out to my fans with this question, “If there was one phrase you could have whispered in your ear during this crisis, what would it be?” Some of the phrases ended up in the song. “This too shall pass,” “You are enough.”
For this song, I started with an invite to bassist Dominik Kraemer. We met when I was on The Voice of Germany. He’s been playing in that amazing band and other German TV Shows. He then invited drummer Lukas Berg (Lokee, Roosevelt, Maxim, Raashan Ahmad) who then invited guitarist Philip Breidenbach (Charlotte Haesen, Stefanie Heinzmann, Maxim). I kept hearing strings on the song, so I reached out to Joy Stuhr (The Radiance, The Musical Ambassadors), a fellow American who I met in Berlin years ago, but who now is based out of Beijing, China.
When I started thinking about the music video, filmmaker Daniel Juan Martinz, from my home state, Michigan approached me to join up to direct and edit a music video. I was very excited for this opportunity and we got to work brainstorming on how to create a music video together with a big ocean separating us.
At one point in the process, I was in my living room, I had the camera on a tripod, then my phone on another tripod directed at the camera’s viewfinder that was on a video call with Dan so that I could get in the frame and he could tell me where to stand how to change the camera settings so he could direct from afar (Oh yes, Digital we are!)
We wanted the video to have an element of the beauty of nature because for me, having the luxury during this time to get out in nature has been something that has helped me feel grounded. So Dan created a beautiful collage of time lapsed blooming flowers and spinning starry skies. I projected the scenes of nature upon myself. I also joined up with Roman Wreden to help film other scenes in Stuttgart and surrounding areas.
We also wanted to capture the “whispering in your ear” idea and in the end I projected a video of me singing to me. It all came full circle to sing the song to myself that I needed to hear.
I truly hope that this song will bring a moment of peace to anyone feeling overwhelmed at this time. I hope the reminder to just take it one minute and one breath at a time will help us collectively get through it all.
lyrics
The Solidary Song
In the midst of all the chaos,
In the midst of all the grief,
I wish you peace, peace, peace
I see the tears that have fallen
Upon your fearful face
And I wish you peace, peace, peace.
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you be restored
As the darkness of your mind, awakes you in the night,
I wish you rest, and sleep and peace
Moonlight’s dark shadows
Creep upon your sleepless face
And I wish you rest, and calm and peace
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you restore
Oh take it on day, take it one hour, take it one minute at a time
Take it one breath at a time.
Oh, Peace upon you, Peace I wish you
Peace to your core, let peace in you be restored
Peace upon you, peace I wish you
Let peace in you be restored
Like a sweet breeze cooling off your panicked thoughts
Like a warm comforter, covering your isolated mind
Hush! You are enough. You are enough right now
This is not forever.
This is not your forever
This too shall pass
Peace
I wish you peace
Peace
credits
from SONIC FEVER, track released June 5, 2020
Sally Grayson: lyrics, vocals, guitar
www.sallygrayson.com
www.sallygrayson.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/sallyjgrayson
www.facebook.com/sallyjgrayson
Dominik Kraemer: bass
www.instagram.com/dominikkraemer80
Lukas Berg: drums
www.instagram.com/_lukas.berg_
Philip Breidenbach: guitar
www.philipbreidenbach.com
Joy Stuhr: cello
www.joystuhr.com
All Songs from SONIC FEVER mixed and mastered by:
Arno Jordan from Castle Studios
castle-studios.com