The Water In Between (Working Title)

All words and music by Laura Bird © Wigborough Music/SOCAN

SONG DESCRIPTIONS (in alphabetical order)

1. Am I Losing You
So many of us have experienced the devastation from the ripple effect of Alzheimer's disease - this is a positive love story and testament to an everlasting commitment.

2. Crescent Moon
Camping along Lake Huron - The solitude of a summer night, warm breeze, waves lapping on the shoreline and the smell of apples from the nearby orchard all with the stars and the crescent moon smiling down upon us. (How romantic...until next morning when I discovered the composting apples lying in a heap behind the tent! yum)

3. Heavy Load
Living next door to the neighbours from hell… We had to decide to either move or move-on. "… it's time to lay it down and let it go…" Emory Lester and I recorded this tune in 2006 for inclusion on the first North To Ontario bluegrass compilation CD that subsequently won 'Best Recording of the Year' at the Central Ontario Bluegrass Awards. The original recording will be included as a 'bonus track' on this project.

4. Long Walk In The Snow
Following what Pierre Elliot Trudeau described as his "long walk in the snow," he made a decision announcing his resignation from politics in February 1984. Leaving the public eye, he was never forgotten; How quintessentially Canadian to find peace and solitude while walking in a snowstorm.

5. Miracle
My incredible partner in life is a constant source of encouragement and inspiration. In October of 2006, Javier gave the 'Gift of Life' - the first 'non-directed' KIDNEY donation for the Living Kidney Donor Program at the Toronto University Health Network. There are over 1600 people in need of organ transplants and Javier hoped to help one person enjoy life free of dialysis. As far as we know, the recipient is doing just fine...

It was on my way to Toronto the night before the surgery, the absolute enormity of it all swept over me. All at once I was seeing through the eyes of family members of the recipient or a mother who's child was sleeping peacefully dreaming of Santa,or the woman who's husband just got his second chance at life. It occurred to me that from now on the recipient would probably feel like every day was Christmas. (Proceeds from online sales of this song will go to charity.)

6. Renovation Blues
Flat roofs in a winter climate you say?? Late last winter water stains began to appear on the ceiling. By the next day we had the Poseidon adventure happening in our living room. Ice damming. Luckily our insurance company covered the extensive damage and renovations would begin within a month. Just enough time to completely pack everything away and move every stick of furniture out of the main floor house! The week the construction crew arrived, my sweetie pie was enjoying a five-day cruise in the Cayman Islands (what's wrong with THIS picture?) business you know… work, work, work. "I can deal with this, no problem." until the night I got a small sliver in my finger. It kept me awake and I got grumpy, really grumpy. I got up, wrote this song and finally got some sleep.

NOTE: the second verse became 'prophetic' and the whole thing happened AGAIN this past December 23rd.! Renovations are now complete, a brand new roof is installed and I have one fine song!

7. Rosalita
Destiny. How incredible is it that two people find each other over great distances, from opposite ends of the earth, across oceans and fall in love? Written for the man with an inner cowboy who wishes me every night "Que sueñes con los angelitos - Dream with the angels".

8. Spring
I am not a winter person. Can't ski. Can't skate. Tobogganing is my winter sport of choice since I'm already on my ass. One very cold January day I dreamt of all things spring.

9. Takin' Me Back
This is one of those beautiful moments every songwriter hopes for - instant gratification. One spring morning just out of bed, I heard a familiar sound that immediately drew me to the window. Two little girls were zipping by on their bikes - two wheelers with training wheels. They laughed and squealed with delight and I found myself saying out loud 'there we go'. In my minds eye I saw my sister Anne and myself. I literally sat down at my keyboard and the song spilled out in one fell swoop. The music came about a few days later.

10. Too Far Gone
A few years ago I discovered there was a home outside of Orangeville specifically to house pregnant teenage girls. This song takes inspiration from several dramas observed over the years. The individual characters have become composites but the story is very real.

11. Try Walkin' Away
How often do we find ourselves offering advice 'If I were you.." when it hasn't been asked for? This song is a lesson in learning, how to be a good friend and offering unconditional love - nothing more.

12. Waiting
While wandering the streets and parks of Nice, France taking in the first day of Carnival, we happened upon a high wire act in progress. We stopped for a moment and watched the couple balance delicately across the wire. Dressed like the top of a wedding cake, she in full-length white gown, he in black tails. As he straddled the wire she made her way toward him - I took a picture and observed the fountain underneath, the distance above and commented out loud, 'I can't believe they do this without a net'. The words no sooner out of my mouth and she lost her balance. The pole dropped to the ground below - he held her by the leg, they swung 180 degrees around the wire… and as she literally slipped through his fingers and fell to the concrete below, the small crowd stood in a collective silent paralysis. In our horrified disbelief, the man still on the wire broke the silence. One arm extended out toward her and the other squeezing his head, screaming, 'Attendez-moi chere, attendez moi." Wait for me…

I wondered why the universe had led us there to witness that. The metaphor? the cliché" 'don't let life slip through your fingers - enjoy life and all it has to offer..'? I dunno - Whatever the reason, I began to research the psyche behind high wire acts and I discovered these people are very focused, positive thinkers. This love song is testament to the bond created between two people that enjoy full trust in one another. Two days following the accident we heard she lived - broke several vertebrae but was alive. (This is a very long description for a very short song!)

13. Waters Edge
My father was diagnosed with macular degeneration a few years ago. He rapidly lost his sight and before long was unable to enjoy one of his favorite pleasures… watching the action on his beloved St. Lawrence River from the cottage deck. I wrote this song to take him there in his minds eye.

14. Where's The Muse?
I worked as an exhibition designer for fifteen years and it never ceased to amaze me how we 'creative' types would arrive at a 9-5 day job and were expected to turn the creative button on along with our computer screens, like it was something tangible. I discovered I had similar expectations on myself when my songwriting muse took a vacation.