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We’re like leaves on the tree of life that is God,
and we’re all connected.
- Lacy J. Dalton
By: Gina Kay Singerhouse
Editor
Another morning, another day. She awakes and rises hoping that the pain would have faded away during the night. Nonetheless, the ache is still there; it still resides within her heart and within her soul.
Her mind cannot resist the journey back. A journey that she thought was right and one that she believed would last a lifetime. They had met and they had fallen madly in love; at least that is what she had felt. Twenty plus years, and then that fateful day had to come. She can remember it like it was just yesterday when he said those daunting words—I want a divorce…
No more tears, she had shed enough tears to the point that she could not spill any more. But the pain was still there in her heart. It was as if a dagger resided in her soul, while it pierces her heart. She wishes that she could tap her heart and screw a spigot on, just to let the pain flow to relieve her from its grasp. In reality she knows that just cannot be done; so she’ll just deal with the anguish.
Slowly she rolls out of bed, while her mind revisits the painful events. Over and over again, she lives those moments all the while asking herself—what did I do to deserve this? Once her mind plays out the events, she is left with despair that eventually turns to anger. Throughout the day, the scene is played time and again; like a movie that never ends. She wonders why she is torturing herself in such a manner.
The old saying ‘time will heal’ is bull in her mind. Whom ever came up with that saying, never went through the heartache she is going through. They have never endured the suffering, the misery, and the bitterness that is flowing throughout her body.
Somewhere in her psyche, she knows that she’ll get through it. Her very essence looks for ways to deal with the discomfort. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees her guitar sitting there in the nook of her room. Her mind doesn’t want to go there, but her orenda leads the way.
Life is not a journey to a certain spiritual destination. Life is about the journey of personal healing and the natural exploration of mending our wounded souls. Those of us who have done the healing work, cannot force the spiritual mending upon others. We can only simply share our experiences through our gifts. When we walk our truths filled with healing, we can lead by our actions.
In 2006, Lacy J. Dalton’s actions brought her to release her album The Last Wild Place Anthology. The album was Lacy’s introduction, to the fans, her true musical medium of healing music.
“Almost every song was chosen to, to give people hope.” humbly shares Ms. Dalton. “I know that this earth is not an easy school. It’s tough, a beautiful and a terrible place. Sometimes we just need somebody to say ‘hey, been there, done that and I’m surviving and you can too.’ That’s been the theme through my music ever since the beginning. It’s really why I do music.”
The seventeen cut album featured five of her well known songs mixed with a collection of twelve new songs, that are quite intriguing with their soul searching and healing resonance. The Last Wild Place earned Lacy several Spirit Awards; including President’s Choice Award for best well written song with “Boundless Skies” and the prestigious Pete Huttlinger Spirit Award For Music Excellence.
Ms. Dalton supervenes this award winning album with a brand new EP called Scarecrow. This album is being launched as a GoFundMe project to help pay for the production and artistic process. Interesting parties can Click Here for more information and to help share this form of healing.
In my twenty-six plus years in the music industry, I have never heard or seen such a extraordinary collection of songs. This unprecedented project contains four songs that take the listener on a journey of the human resources of love, gratitude, acknowledgement, and validation.
The EP opens with “It Takes An Earthquake Sometimes.” Performed in a gentle lullaby, one can hear the wounds that Lacy draws from to create this song filled with wisdom. People are drawn to healing thy self after enduring misfortune.
It Takes An Earthquake Sometimes
(Lacy J. Dalton)
Sometimes you need to be hurtin’, sometimes you need to be healed
Sometimes it takes an earthquake to shake loose the things that you feel
It’s easy to take love for granted, get stuck in a rut unfulfilled
Sometimes it takes an earthquake to tear down these walls that we build
It takes an earthquake, or a tidal wave, or a landslide, for a heart to be saved
Oh my darlin’, it takes an earthquake sometimes
Sometimes ya need to be tender, sometimes you need to be tough
Sometimes it takes an earthquake to tell us enough is enough
Our changes can make us or break us, we all have a choice I suppose
Sometimes it takes an earthquake to tell us it’s time to let go
It takes an earthquake, or a tidal wave, or a landslide, for a heart to be saved. Oh my darlin’, it takes an earthquake sometimes
An earthquake will shake your foundation, and rattle the bedrock below
Baby make no mistake, the strongest hearts break, if that’s what it takes us to grow, ow, ow, ow
Don’t know what makes us so selfish, or turns our poor hearts into stone
But sometimes I pray for an earthquake to show us the way to go home
People!
It takes an earthquake, or a tidal wave, or a landslide, for a heart to be saved. Oh my darlin’, it takes an earthquake sometimes
It takes an earthquake, or a tidal wave, or a landslide, for a soul to be saved. Oh my darlin’, it takes an earthquake sometimes…….sometimes
The album continues with the title track, a powerful song that became the foundation for this project. Lacy wrote the song twelve years ago after enduring an unforeseen, break-up of a relationship that eventually led to divorce.
“It’s absolutely authentic and true. It’s an experience that a lot of people have and I think if they will recognize themselves in it and then they will recognize that they can live through it.” shares Lacy about the title track. “That’s how I felt. In a dust bowl wind, no hope, flapping, hung there, paralyzed… really in some ways crucified.”
Scarecrow
(Lacy J. Dalton)
Scarecrow flappin’ in a dust bowl wind, never gonna pass this way again. An’ if by chance I’m back this way, nothin’ round here’s gonna be the same. ‘Cuz everything changes, nothing stays the same
Everything changes, And I’m just hoping I’ll outlast this crazy wastin’ pain.
Now everything is different without you, everything is different without you. Things are twisted, weird and strange, I’m come undone, I’m rearranged. Without you, without you, without you
Dark clouds racin’ across the moon, freight train blowin’ by here soon
Listen to what the old folks say, about how fast time slips away
How everything changes, nothing stays the same. Everything changes, While I was playing love for keeps, you were playing games
Now everything is different without you, everything is different without you. Thought your love was deep and strong, how could I have been so wrong. About you, about you, about you.
Friends all say that there is life beyond you, once this pain stops eatin’ me alive. For years and years I rested my trust on you,
And I just can’t believe how hard this precious ol’ dream dies.
Blackbird sittin’ in a dead ol’ tree, Well I had you and you had me. One of us should take the blame, but I ain’t callin’ any names. ‘Cuz everything changes, nothing stays the same. Everything changes, I’m standing at the railway station waitin’ for the train
‘Cuz everything is different without you, everything is different without you. You were shallow, weak and cruel, and I was just a crazy fool. About you, about you, about you. Things are twisted, weird and strange, I’m come undone, I’m rearranged. Without you, without you, without you, without you
Scarecrow flappin’ in a dust bowl wind,
never gonna pass this way again
“The last verse is I’m standing at the railway station waitin’ for the train. ‘Cuz everything is different without you...You build a life around a partner...and in my case that partner, really changed his spots. There’s a betrayal thing that happens...a lot of people have that experience. I think when I was having it, I probably thought I was the only person to ever have such incredible—‘cause we were together like twenty years and I think that I thought I was the only person who had ever had...the way I felt was how do people live through this?” painfully shares Lacy.
Even though the song contains lyrics of a grieving and agonizing nature, Dalton soothes the process by adding a light and airy melody.
Part of Lacy’s healing process led her to the realization that we do not have the control over our hearts as we believe we do. She captures this understanding and wisdom within her song “Can’t Tell Your Heart Who To Beat For.”
Can’t Tell Your Heart Who To Beat For
Lacy J. Dalton
You can ride the crazy wind, let it take you in the night
You can spill adrenaline, it’s a rush you cannot fight
You can let your feelings loose, you can rage and you can roar
But you cannot tell your heart who to beat for, who to beat for
You can race beneath the moon, you can run and try to hide
You can lie to yourself about the way you feel inside
But no matter what you do, you just can’t close that door
‘ Cuz you cannot tell your heart who to beat for
Howl, howl, howl, howl
You wish to God that somehow you’d forget him,
Or find somebody else to take his place
The thought he might come back, and you might let him
Makes you wish that you had never seen his face
Howl, howl, howl, howl
So you run out in the rain, with your long hair flying free
Wonderin’ how a love like that slipped away so easily
But you know you must move on, ‘cuz you know you will endure
But you cannot tell your heart who to beat for, who to beat for
Howl, howl, howl, howl
HOWL
The song is performed in a light, modern take on the 1980’s style of country music. If you listen closely, Dalton adds a touch of Native American influence with the use of a Shaman’s drum.
Dalton’s journey of healing, from this ‘earthquake’ in her life, comes full circle with the final song on this incredible EP. “Life’s About Now” is a gentle song that is performed in an encouraging and captivating melody.
Life’s About Now
(L. Dalton & Ira Ingber)
Life’s about now, it’s all I can trust
Tomorrow’s a daydream, yesterday’s dust
Life’s about now, it’s all that I’ve got
I’ve got to strike while the iron is hot
And yo oh-oh, everybody thinks I’m crazy
Yo ho, I don’t really know but baby
I believe in this wicked, sweet love somehow
Anyway we’re happy, and anyway life’s about now
Howl, Howl
Oh-oh-oh, life’s about now
Life’s about now, gonna dance while we can
Move to the beat cuz we both understand
That life’s about now, you get what you get
Live for the moment, have no regrets
And yo oh-oh, everybody thinks we’re crazy
Yo ho, we don’t really care but baby
We believe in this wicked, sweet love somehow
And anyway it works for us, and anyway life’s about now
Howl, Howl
Oh-oh-oh, life’s about now-ow-ow, don’t you wait
Give it up, let it go, don’t be late
Cuz life’s about now, we’re takin’ a stand
Keep your birds in the bush, we’ve got one in our hand
Life’s about now, no guarantees
Gone by tomorrow, sad as it seems
Life’s about now, life’s about now-ow
Oh-oh sweet life, oh yeah, life’s about now
Life’s about now
Life’s right now!
“Life’s about now...We could die tomorrow. I could die right here talking to you on the phone!” adds Lacy. “I don’t intend to, but you never know. Thing is life is about being here now and I have a problem with that because I’m always being here in the future! I never think about the past, I can’t even remember the past. That’s probably why I don’t think about it. I live in the future a lot—here’s where I’m going, I can’t wait to do this, or I’m going to do that, or this is what I need to do next—I’m always kind of a little bit ahead of myself and I realize that is not where wisdom is. That is not where peace is.”
Many of us live in the past and it is in the past we must heal. Society tells us to live for the future. However, from a healing stand point, we must live for the now.
The core of this project is about healing thyself. Nonetheless, the whole of the project is quite artistically defined. Indubitably, this album is the perfect example of authentic music to the point that we have nominated it for the 25th Annual Spirit Awards Album of The Year Award, with the songs “It Takes An Earthquake Sometimes,” “Scarecrow,” and “Can’t Tell Your Heart Who To Beat For” earning individual nominations in the category of Song of The Year Award.
Lacy J. Dalton has dismissed the commercial aspect of her craft to make way for authentic music that restores the soul. With her gifts, she is able to reintroduce and revive the sacred space of individual healing. On a journey to mend her own soul, she is inspiring others to restore theirs.
Life’s about now, it’s all I can trust
Tomorrow’s a daydream, yesterday’s dust...
(© Strictly Country Magazine - March / April 2019.)
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