I rather often dream of my musical heroes. The most common one is jamming with Macca, Buddy Holly-songs. But a couple of years ago I had this very vivid clear vison where I met the Everlys in the army (having read that they served in the marine), they shared life and career advice and I ended up jamming with them. Exactly as the song goes, word by word more or less. So it was very easy to write. I just got up the morning after and put pen to paper.

The start of so much music I love, the basic backbone and heritage often circle back to the Everlys. And as time rolls by they have become one of those things I can put on at any time and just feel right at ease. Like they’re friends, relatives almost. With Andreas and Nino we’ve done a sort of jukebox-buffet-show at small venues in Stockholm, where we play 50’s & 60’s soul, rock’n’roll, r’n’b, poppy country and Brill Building-stuff etc. Sort of rootsy pub rock I guess. Partly as an style-exercise and learning lots of covers but mainly just for the joy of playing and singing your socks off and having fun with music. And a tip of the hat to one’s roots.

In a way the music of this track is more in line with that than most songs on this album, kicking up a rockabilly storm. It also was a chance for me to do some fake James Burton-playing; I will never be a proper country-twangster but heck I love that style of playing. But it’s all connected and I felt the lyric was aligned with themes of music, dreams, life, death and magic that goes through this album. I really wanted to have a harmony and co-lead to salute Phil & Don and thought of Eric D. Johnson aka Fruit Bats and also now part of the amazing Bonny Light Horseman. I’ve been a fan of Eric for years and we’ve met a couple of times through mutual friends like producer Thom Monahan and Vetivers Andy Cabic so I also know he’s just the kindest person with immaculate taste to boot. He really dug the song and picked up a Grateful Dead/”American Beauty”-vibe. Well why not… Loved his singing on it. And now gather this, speaking of spirituality and magic in regards to this record and music in general. Having worked on the track and listening to it in a tent, camping out in the Stockholm archipelago with my family in august 2021, I thought about Don knowing he was the brother still with us. Woke up next morning to the news that he just had passed. I don’t know, there’s just something there.

Credits:

Release: 2023-06-13 (June, 13, 2023)
© & ℗: 2023 SunYears Yep Roc, LLC

Peter Morén: Lead vocal, electric & acoustic guitars
Eric D. Johnson: Lead & harmony vocals
Andreas Nordell: Bass
Nino Keller: Drums & knees
Recorded by Ruben Engzell, Studio Skutan, Sthlm except Erics vocals recorded by Eric, LA, CA, USA

Lyrics:

Last night I dreamt that I saw Phil & Don
In a US-army-marine-canteen
It felt so real to me, it felt so strong
But at the same time kind of strange
I told them all about my life thus far
About my dreams and fears and hopes
They tipped me off on how to carry myself
And how to climb a slippery slope

To be honest I was kind of scared to be there
It was nice to see a friendly face
I didn’t mix that well with the other recruits
All fat and old and out of place
They looked at me as if I fled the war
Without really paying it my dues
Like I rubbed them up the wrong way
Blew up their cool
Put stones into their army boots

Phil told me not to worry, it would be fine
If I just learned to walk the line
Don said it’s true that we invented this trade
But you’re welcome to tag and ride our tail
And if you’re having trouble keeping up
And feel that you could use a break
Just remember the price of love
Of labour and lust
Will be bestowed on those with faith

I told them what an honour, what a treat
Joined up in three-part-harmony
Let it be me, devoted to a clown
It was a joy to be around
We harmonized ’til dawn in brotherly love
I felt so happy I could cry
But at the same time I felt so, so sad
When we said bye, bye, bye, bye
Bye, bye