Hive Open Mic ( #openmic ) is a global community of music lovers, for music fans and musicians. Each week is a new invitation for expression and connection.
Here's a whimsical folk song about friendship. It's only on a rare occasion that I sing this one, because it stretches me to belt it out full-blast—the melody is high! The song is filled with birds, after all. I remember singing it to a thunderstorm once. I sang it to a horse pasture. I sang it to my family at our wedding reception, seven years ago. I sing it to you.
The song lyrics are inspired by a National Geographic article about flamingos who gather at lakes that freeze at night. A photo showed hundreds of flamingos flocking together at an icy mountain lake. These flamingos huddle closely together, sleeping while standing with their legs trapped in the ice until the sun comes up and warms the waters, freeing them to fly. When I first read this, I was touched by the romance of being stuck side-by-side with a loved one. Birdiful! :)
I often think of distant friends and relatives when I sing this song, because it focuses on lasting connections and deep conversations. This song helped me to transition from a drifting nomadic lifestyle into a secure home place: Austin, Texas, where I rooted down and found my family.
Climb Into Another Lifetime
A song about the value of a good conversation
Lyrics
In my next life
May the same be true for you
May you know me and I know you too
May the two of us take a trip
To a coolish mountain lake
Where our reflections ripple pinkly
As we wade
Until our legs become trapped
In the water when it freezes at night
Beaks facing each other
Our breaths defrosting each other’s eyes
Dipping into the depths of our innermost abysses
As we talk
Until we climb into another lifetime
In my next, next life
May you know me
May the style of your knowing be closely
May you be even closer to me than
The eggshell I am born in
May we play like squirrels in an evergreen
Neighbors to some pinecones
Until we find a home in a fine pine tree
Dip knee deep in some pine sap
Share a sticky branch up at the top
Glue our feet to our favorite spot
Allowing time for a transcendental conversation
As we talk
Until we climb into another lifetime
In my next, next, next life
May I know you once again
May you be my best, best friend
May the two of us learn to offend
All the other rascals in our seagull flock
Until they ask us both to leave
May they beg us to leave
Until we follow the sun west
Heading out over the middle of the ocean
Faster than a hummingbird’s heartbeat
Stronger than an ostrich’s footprint
More flashy than a peacock courting his peahen
Grinning like a penguin sliding down an iceberg
Chasing that sun until the night falls and we follow
As we talk
Until we climb into another lifetime
Acknowledgements
This song is performed in the key of C, which brings it to mind for this week's Hive Open Mic invitation. All words and music are original, composed in 2009 and recorded July 23, 2020. I'm thankful for the spark of inspiration that led me to this moment, with this song for this occasion. I feel grateful for the opportunity to share my art with a worldwide audience.
Hive Open Mic - Week 15 is underway right now, with the current theme: "The Key of C."
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Bio
I’m Cabe Lindsay, a rad daddy with three kids and a lovely wife: @wildfamily, enjoying life in Austin, Texas. Outside of family life, I’m a media maker, serving as the director of ARISE Video Studio. I am a writer and illustrator of published books: Brave Spirit, Be Well Bee, WYLD, Big Idea Patterns... I am a bandmate of Cosmic Butterflies [And A Bear] with new music releases: Brave Spirit, Home, Colors Flying... And I am happy to be here on Hive!
Ahhhh really amazing music. love it and follow you
Thank you! Happy to hear from you, and grateful for the encouragement.
Nice song Cabe.The guitar part reminds me of The Fugees version of No woman No cry.You should try a cover of this some day...
Yeah, totally, No Woman No Cry is one of my all-time faves. I used to rock Bob Marley all the time. I hadn't recognized the resemblance in the chord structure until you mentioned it, but yeah, I think you're right. I hear it too. :) The Fugees—wow, that's a talented bunch.