natalie hemby, “Lake air,”
from: Pins and Needles, 2021
“There’s always one
You can never forget
Of all the nights you’ve had
It overshadows
All the rest
There’s a certain cold
Plays on your skin
And you remember the feeling of being
Higher than you’ve ever have been
We were silhouettes
Ghosts in the rain
And we almost froze
Where we left our clothes
By the water bank
Every single word
Felt like a dare
When you kissed my lips
I breathed you in
And held you there
Lake air
There’s a certain sound
When the world disappears
And your heart is beating so hard
It’s all you can hear
I still dream of you in secret
I still see you on the shore
You’re out there giving me something
That I don’t get anymore
We were silhouettes
Ghosts in the rain
And we almost froze
Where we left our clothes
By the water bank
Every single word
Felt like a dare
When you kissed my lips
I breathed you in
And held you there
Lake air”
The mood of this song and indeed of the entire recording has a spirit of inspired recollection, The difficult territory of the entangling aura of a lost relationship. A familiar theme among songwriters, but here it is done with such grace. It’s high mindedness lurches into the arena of transcending grief by refusing to let go of what made the union work when it did. Just my speculations. The guitar arrangements in the piece are perfection. Ms. Hemby is also a member of the supergroup, The Highwomen. A talent to be reckoned with.
