Shine Along

Shine Along was "[r]ecorded at Levon Helm's home studio, "The Barn" in Woodstock, NY in front of a small audience," and released on . . . Until the Freeze. I was lucky enough to hear Shine Along live at the Penn's Peak show and it was incredible. I know a lot of people have criticized . . . Until the Freeze, but I love it and so far, Shine Along is definitely my favourite song off it! It's already been play 11 times live and I think TBC is enjoying playing it on the road during this tour so I expect that number to increase.

I want to point out this amazing interview/article Jambase posted about BTF . . . UTF because I'll be quoting it as I talk about songs from both albums. I think this part of it makes a really good point, in general, about the current tour.

"There's always some people on a nostalgia trip, but for the most part people coming to shows are up to date. We wouldn't be having this conversation if we weren't making original music and were just a greatest hits package," scoffs Robinson, who shares this writer's feeling that Dickinson and MacDougall really shine on the new stuff. "I think they did on the last one, too, but as time moves on they've definitely found their place. But that will change, too. It's dynamic material and there's architecture for them to inhabit. Luther is dynamic and soulful and masterful on anything. One of the things I really like about the new record is how strong Adam is on it, how expressive and strong his playing is."

I really love the entire feeling of both BTF . . . UTF and Shine Along is definitely part of that feeling. It makes me think of sun on my face, riding in a car at twilight with perfect weather and the windows down, and to me, it really feels like fall. So I suppose it's apropos that I talk about Shine Along during this first week of fall. My favourite lyrics from Shine Along are, without question, "If you see my old rider / If you see her out on some Friday night / Tell her I don't miss her / Won't you tell her time has been treating me right." I so know this feeling and I love it in this song -- it's this waiting, and you don't want to think about the past but sometimes, you can't help it. Although, there's also this hope . . . waiting for something to change and again, isn't that what fall is all about?

Well my rider done left me
Mama wouldn't even close the door
Now I'm drunk and I'm ornery
Sitting here on my dirty floor

Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home
Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home

Now I'm broke and I'm hungry
I've been out on the rails too long
Got a mind that is worried
That the end is coming up on me strong

Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home
Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home

Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home
Shine along shine along
Someday love's gonna take me home

If you see my old rider
If you see her out on some Friday night
Tell her I don't miss her
Won't you tell her time has been treating me right

Shine along shine along
Someday love is gonna take me home
Shine along shine along
Someday love is gonna take me home
Shine along shine along
Someday love is gonna take me home