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Before the dawn

by Philip Jonathan

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Herb Borger
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about

This song is about being emotionally asleep to someone who loves you and waking up to this before it is too late, realising they are still waiting for you.

It came to be as an early experiment with my loop pedal. I wanted to introduce violin into my live performances. I try to use the loop like any other instrument with quite a lot of restraint, but on this one I let loose and built an entire string section before the first lyrics come in. During recording we played around with the ‘noise floor’, starting it as quiet and sparse as we dared before gradually building the track.

So this is a slow-yourself-down, lean-in and pause song. A song that I hope creates a moment for you to simply stop and breathe. To remind yourself that there's still (nearly always) time enough not to rush into the next thing.

lyrics

In the winter before the dawn
I slept, you were knocking, I woke, you were gone
I searched through those empty corridors
In the winter before the dawn

So I will look out to the west for you
For out of the wilderness you drew me
Leaning on your love I knew you
My saviour, my friend
My beginning, my end
My saviour, my friend
My beginning, my end

For all that you've been, and all that you’ll be
Wrapped in a moment, of startling clarity
You are my garden, and you are my wall
You are my purpose, my vision, my all

Your love is like a raging fire
And many waters cannot sweep this love away

credits

released December 10, 2021
Music and lyrics by Philip Jonathan
Female vocals Alicia Barwick
Produced by Paul Worthington
All other instruments Philip Jonathan

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Philip Jonathan Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Songs from the North | One foot by the sea, the other in the hills.

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