I wrote this song in 2012. It was shortly after my grandmother died. My grandmother was a very positive and inspirational person. This is a song of hope, and to keep on trying no matter how hard things get. The light will shine through eventually.
I always intended this song to have a lot of voices singing counterpoint, not just mine. I started recording it in 2012 with just my voice doing all the counterpoint, this version is built off of that same original recording. For awhile my band, Diamond Jig, had adopted it and it became a frequent song in our set list. The Diamond Jig version was very different. It was much shorter and had a lot more electric guitar and less vocal counterpoint. But we did develop the "keep shining through" jam section at the end quite a bit more. Nick Divico's guitar solo in particular became quite a staple.
I wanted to make sure the album version kept true to my original vision of the song while carrying over some of the best elements of the Diamond Jig version. So I used my original 2012 recording but I made sure to have Nick come in to sing some of the vocal parts he came up with as well as play his guitar solo. Other Jiggies Jimmy Carlucci and Pete Threulson play on this track. I also had Pauline, my sister and cousins sing all the counterpoint melodies so that it wasn't just my voice doing everything. We all went a little nuts at the end there and perhaps the song goes on for longer than it should. But I don't care. This song is a celebration of life and hope. It can never be long enough.
lyrics
I. Eye of the Storm
I can hear their voices from the eye
And see the sun start shining through
Hear their hopeful voices way up high
and see the sun keep shining through
Voices guide us onwards through the storm
we see the sun keep shining through, oooh
We can see the storm break way ahead
we see the sun keep shining through
keep shining on, keep shining on through,
keep shining on, keep shining on
keep shining on, keep shining on through,
keep shining on, keep shining on
One day all the clouds will be gone
(repeating in the background)
We keep weathering that storm
from the day we’re born
know the end is near
the sky getting clear
We can cloud break way ahead
we see the sun keep shining through
there’s a new age rising from the haze
we see the sun keep shining through
Oh keep weathering that storm
keep shining on, keep shining on through,
keep shining on, keep shining on
One day all the clouds will be gone
Now we’re going home
(repeating in the background)
We keep weathering that storm
from the day we’re born
we’re tired and tattered and worn
know the end is near
the sky getting clear
II. Keep Shining Through
Keep shining through
(repeating)
Oh Keep shining on through
See that light shining on through
Keep shining through
credits
from Drakus,
released April 17, 2018
James Murray - vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, trumpet, percussion
Nick DiVico - backing vocals, second lead guitar solo of "Keep Shining Through"
Jimmy Carlucci - drums on "Eye of the Storm"
Bongo John - drums on "Keep Shining Through"
Peter Threulson - bass Pedals
Pauline Salotti - backing Vocals
Christina Wright - backing Vocals
Coreen Murray - backing Vocals
Michelle Healy - backing Vocals
Storm Sounds captured by Bruce Leech
Chugging, organ-laden motorik-psych from Spanish group Melange with lockstep rhythms and kaleidoscopic vocal harmonies. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 13, 2017