Stone's Throw was the first song I brought in for Crow the Culprit.
I'd been playing the song in my solo acoustic repertoire for about seven years and when the band first got together and was brainstorming original song ideas, I had this fully formed song that was easy to play and learn. All the band had to do was figure out an instrumental arrangement and vocal harmonies to accent my songwriting.
I thought the song's structure was well suited for an unplugged vibe, so you'll notice the only percussion David plays live is a kick drum and shaker, which is harder to do than you would think. The song has a folky style and Kevin chose to play the banjo on early live recordings and occasionally plays mandolin. Aaron didn't want to add any other strings, so he wrote a nice harmonica part. The song has not been officially recorded in the studio, so the instrumentation still could evolve when we finally get around to recording it, but one thing that will remain is the vocal harmonies, which really highlight the chorus.
When I originally wrote the song, I was trying to express and capture the essence of my relationship with my Mom, through the journey of growing up in good times and through hardship. Ultimately, I found that it became more of an anthem about amazing mothers than one specific mother. With that said, whenever she's in the audience, I make sure to dedicate it to her, because she is a wonderful mother and was the inspiration for the song.
The specific hardship referenced in my lyrics relates to our family's experience during Hurricane Katrina. Our house was destroyed by the thirteen feet of storm surge that Katrina brought to Diamondhead, MS in August of 2005. Even though we lost most of our possessions, Mom kept up our spirits and made sure that we we knew we were safe and loved, despite what seemed like devasting circumstances at the time. She has always provided me with a sense of calm support and is the glue that holds our family together, like I find that the majority of mothers are to their respective families.
This one is for all the Mom's out there, especially mine: Ms. Anita Sanderford. Here are the lyrics:
Eyes first sight.
Sounds of a gentle cry.
Didn't know that I,
Wouldn't ever be alone, tonight.
The warming hand,
Or was it the calming touch?
The whispers in my ear.
How you couldn't ever love, love someone this much.
And she said,
Go to sleep, my little one,
Sweet dreams and Goodnight.
I'll see you with the rising sun,
And know I'm not too far behind. (Not too far behind)
Just a stone's throw away.
The storms they came,
And they got bad.
Took everything we owned,
But they didn't take, everything we had.
And she said,
Go to sleep, my little one,
Sweet dreams and Goodnight.
I'll see you with the rising sun,
And know I'm not too far behind. (Not too far behind)
Just a stone's throw away.
Words and Music by Crow The Culprit, copyright 2022.
The song is a great show starter or second set starter and really shines in smaller, intimate spaces.
What are your thoughts on the song?
Tell us about a mother that you think about when you hear the lyrics.
Let us know in the comments!
~ We$