December 8, 2008
Hi folks,
Greetings and Gigs!
This may have been the least dedicated maternity leave a Nields sister has ever taken, and it's about to be officially OVER! Next weekend, Katryna and I (with little toothless 3 month old Johnny in tow) will be performing at two of our all time favorite venues: Passim in Cambridge, and the Iron Horse in our hometown of Northampton, MA. Both shows will be sensational. How do I know? I just do. I am itching to sing something other than Twinkle Twinkle or Organic Farm. I am itching to see all of you and hear how you've been doing. I can't wait to ask an audience how it feels after the historic election of a competent person for president. I am itching to stay awake past 9pm. And we might even sing a new song. Who knows? Anything is possible. Dave may even show up.
We are also performing December 31 at First Night Northampton: two afternoon Family shows, 2pm and 3pm at First Churches of Northampton. And then, in January, we are playing every weekend, but we'll tell you about that in January. Right this second, I am still on maternity leave.
Song
In the wake of the amazing events of November 4, I am reminded of a song I wrote for my father last February when we were just beginning to think that our wildest dreams might come true about getting our beloved Barack Obama into the White House where his daughters could play with their allergen-free puppy and where his awesome wife Michelle could dazzle the world with her gracious charm and intelligence. Here are the lyrics; the mp3 is up on our website.
When Katryna was in her last year of college, she said, "Daddy, how old were you when you became disillusioned?"
He thought about it. "I don't know. I don't think that's ever happened."
He is the most optimistic person I've ever met. I want to be like him when I grow up. In this day and age, we need hope more than ever. By "hope" I mean that quality that fuels our actions; the thing with feathers, as Emily Dickinson so famously said. We must have the kind of hope that leads to positive, loving actions towards ourselves and our communities if the human race is to survive.
Obviously, this song is also for my son, John Patrick Thomas Nields-Duffy.
Good Times Are Here
It's been so long since we had room to laugh
It's been so long we've been traveling the narrow path
It's been so long since hope had a season
Always trading sentiment for reason
And now you're showing me the sunrise
Oh, good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
You were right, you were right all along
Oh, good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
You were right, you were right all along
I though your love was too good to trust
You had enough dreams for the both of us
And so I let you dream while I worried
Always gave you love in a hurry
And now you're showing me the greatest surprise
Good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
You were right, you were right all along
Oh, good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
You were right, you were right all along
We ate our fear like the noble men
We built our walls to keep the children in
And every year our tribe became smaller
Trading in our heritage for dollars
And now you're telling me to turn it around
You're telling me to tear those walls down
That everything I lost can be found
It was there all along in the ground
Good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
You were right, you were right all along
Oh, good times are here, Johnny
Good times are here
I am glad, I'm so glad I was wrong.
Nerissa Nields
Feb. 21, 2008
Other Stuff
Nerissa starts a new session of Writing It Up in the Garden in January 2009. To find out more, go to www.nerissanields.com.
Nerissa and Katryna start a new session of HooteNanny in late January 2009. To find out more, go to www.nerissanields.com/Hoot.html.
Nerissa and Katryna are writing, like, 5 books and scores of songs and planning to make a 45 minute DVD of their music education schtick.
We are chock full of ideas.
We love you and can't wait to see you again soon!
Nerissa and Katryna
|