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Dear Friend

by The Bombadils

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    With printed lyrics, and beautiful artwork from Bee Stanton, Linda, and Veronica Chih Ming Frank

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1.
Bicycle 04:02
Speeding on a bicycle feels like I'm flying I feel invincible Truth is, I'm dying To get out of this town The world is calling And I'm longing To lean against the handlebars Hitch my wagon to a star Sail across the brilliant sky I wanna be a firefly So small but so bright I'm not stopping yet It feels too good to fly I’m not ready to rest but I love you best Racing at the speed of light I wanna fight the good fight Feels like I’m floating truth is, I’m falling away The world is crying My heart is sighing So I’m not stopping yet It feels too good to fly I’m racing on a hill And I love you still The road’s got its ups and downs It’ll break your heart Slow down or you could brake too hard But there's a spark in my spokes spinning round the brightest hope I've ever found I see it in you and all the people riding through So I'm not stopping yet It feels too good to fly Put your arms out and coast and I love you most I’m not stopping yet, it feels too good to fly... Speeding on a bicycle feels like I'm flying I feel invincible Truth is, I'm dying To get back home to you
2.
There’s a song I love that I want you to hear It’s one I wish I wrote, been stuck in my ear They say, “kids today, they don’t understand” But you and me, we got a different plan Meet you at the park by the Queen Anne’s lace Where the sun in the trees paint you a dappled face Close our eyes and let the music in Open our hearts, feel the breeze on our skin Ohh.. do you feel the way I’m feeling? Ohh... what’s it all revealing? Life’s got you reeling I wanna rest in this beauty Tell me I’m not dreaming ‘Wish I could pull off an old-time hat Nowadays they don’t make ‘em like that You can have anything in the world for cheap I want something to last, and something to keep Ohh.. do you feel the way I’m feeling? Ohh... what’s it all revealing? Life’s got you reeling I wanna rest in this beauty Tell me I’m not dreaming Rent is due, the bills unpaid But the sun’s got everybody out today Sitting on the edge, dipping our toes The river doesn’t worry bout getting old Ohh.. do you feel the way I’m feeling? Ohh... what’s it all revealing? Life’s got you reeling I wanna rest in this beauty Tell me I’m not dreaming
3.
We stayed up late on the beach Sharing the worries we keep The things that we hide Hoping the tide Would wash them away gently, gently You made me feel so at home Free as a kid skipping stones Our hearts set at ease It was just you and me And the waves whispered a poem By the stars in the sky, we wondered why And who we’re supposed to be You held me tight in the cool of the night And our cares rolled away with the sea, sea, sea Our cares rolled away with the sea Hopped on the train to Montreal Trees brushing by in shades of fall Played Saint Anne’s reel On silver and steel By a maple parasol And the man on the moon with milk in his spoon Poured a drop of white on your hair In a ripple on the water We saw our granddaughter Blowing kisses in the autumn air Blowing kisses in the autumn air Stopped on the hill, you had to be kissed Had a feeling we’d never forget this And the lady of the moon With silk in her loom Tied a knot around our promise That we’d always be loving, we’d always be true By the wax and the wane of the moon Though it can’t be said just what lies ahead I’ll love you through and through I’ll love you through and through As the tide rises, as the tides falls By the wax and the wane of the moon Though it can’t be said just want lies ahead I’ll love you through and through I’ll love you through and through
4.
The show is over, it’s time to wind down I’m a little tired on the bus into town You ask if you can join me, coming in from the aisle There’s a softness in your eyes where I could rest a while I tell you about the one I love, and our sweet baby girl you smile and say, “I know what you mean, it’s love from another world” I share the times I’ve felt alone, the times I’ve felt at home And I see you seeing me, like a friend I’ve always known Some nights the fog rolls in, we can't make out the stars Tonight the sky let down its guard We are specks of stardust, little lights on a vine holding on to every minute and losing track of time You tell me about your demons, you tell me about your dreams How you moved to the city when you were seventeen You tell me about the one you love, you don’t wanna see her hurt Your voice gets soft and tender, I feel your love for her Some nights the fog rolls in, we can't make out the stars Tonight the sky let down its guard We are specks of stardust, little lights on a vine holding on to every minute and losing track of time Light from the street lamps falls through the trees like sand through our fingers, scattered by the breeze moments like these help me to believe in a love worth weaving into a constellation of every human heart Some nights the fog rolls in, we can't make out the stars Tonight the sky let down its guard We are specks of stardust, little lights on a vine holding on to every minute and losing track of time
5.
Heartbeat 02:50
You hoped for a baby, she never quite made it Cried about it quietly, bewildered and afraid To be a burden Oh friend, You’re a gem Please don’t hold back again Before I was born, my mother miscarried As a kid I never thought of the babies she buried My younger siblings and I were all alive Never realized how many dreams don’t survive Like we imagined Oh friend, come here, come rest, my dear Like the Beloved John, his ear pressed upon His best friend’s breast And he wrote of the heartbeat He wrote of the heartbeat The world moves quickly Too quickly for grieving The weight that you carry Don’t carry it alone The gifts that we’re given Are given for giving And I’ll give away my heart As long as I’m living Did you ever think Of the joy You brought your mother, Simply with a breath? Her love is stronger than death Oh friend, come here, come rest, my dear Like the Beloved John, his ear pressed upon His best friend’s breast And he wrote of the heartbeat He wrote of the heartbeat
6.
Landlord comes around, asks if I got cash I have Johnny and Rosanne And I recommend Crosby, Stills, and Nash He says, "you think you're funny You better show me the money" Well I got plenty of bills Bill Monroe, Bill Frisell, Billie Holiday I need shelter from the sun and storm A place to keep the records I've worn out Listening on long nights through and through I'm hell-bent on payin’ the rent And keepin’ records on the table And I won't be late If you'll take gold or platinum He says, "Rent is due, you must respond I'll say it like they do across the pond Give me Euros or a ten-pound note Heck I'll even take a cow or a billy goat" Landlord, don’t you understand I’m giving you the best I’ve got on hand He gets red in the face, "you're a bloody disgrace! I demand you hand over the keys" I need shelter from the sun and storm A place to keep the records I've worn out Listening on long nights through and through I'm hell-bent on payin’ the rent Keepin’ records on the table And I won't be late If you'll take gold or platinum You say you want keys, how 'bout Alicia? Songs in A Minor Way Over Yonder in a Minor Key Woody Guthrie and Billy Bragg, Brag, I don't mean to brag But if you're looking for dough I've got plenty Of do-re-mi In the key of C I need shelter from the sun and storm A place to keep the records I've worn out Listening on long nights through and through I'm hell-bent on payin’ the rent And keepin’ records on the table And I won't be late If you'll take gold or platinum
7.
I can't sleep at night, I lie in bed Watching shadows shift above my head On the wall where I should have seen the writing Silhouettes of branches twirl like smoke On the bench where I used to laugh at your jokes We lost ourselves in an illusion Can I have my heart back, please? And my secrets, dangling like keys I used to be an open book Now I can hardly find my page The maze of my mind spinning round The haze of the street lamps looking down Thought I could keep you if I gave a little more But that's not what love is really for We lost ourselves in the confusion Can I have my heart back, please? And my secrets, dangling like keys Snow blowin' in a cabin door I wanna push it closed forevermore But if I do that, how will the sun come forth, come the spring? It wasn't easy but it's what we've got I'd rather love and lose than never love at all I'd rather laugh and cry than be numb and dry I wanna feel it all So will you keep my heart safe, please? And my secrets, dangling like keys
8.
Sepia 04:16
Let me tell you We ignored the alarm bells Tried to call them wedding bells, Dinner bells, School bells I’m looking at sepia Trying to remember the colour we used to live in The blush of our Mother Has been smothered By a sickly yellow Smog seeps in Sepia Do you remember The sun would lift her lashes across the sky Leaving a hush in my heart, a sigh Gentle magenta giving way to blue Oh, heavenly hue Where are you? I’m listening to static Feeling nostalgic For the birds and their morning song I used to sing along before it all went wrong The trees would tell their stories Of gladness and glory Now their leaves are but ashes on the ground The silence is thick Static Do you remember The sun would lift her lashes across the sky Leaving a hush in my heart, A sigh Gentle magenta giving way to blue Oh, heavenly hue Where are you? Ooohh… Tried to call them wedding bells, Dinner bells, School bells
9.
Little Days 04:55
Where did you come from? Who sent you here? Edge of the water, golden hour in your hair My heart aches, from being stretched so wide In the ocean of my heart, you’re the rising tide In the ocean of my heart, you’re the rising tide When d’you get taller? ‘Nother notch on the doorframe, Footsteps in the hallway, I hear you call my name You say, “did you know, blue and yellow make green?” You colour my world, in shades I’ve never seen You colour my world, in shades I’ve never seen Little days, they move too fast Thought you’d be a baby forever Sure as a seedling grows You grew out of that little red sweater I want to linger A little longer In the wonder of these little days The sun looks down at its face on the sea When I see you smile, it reminds me Could I be less heavy and a little more free? Lines on my face are like a weathered tree Winter brings snow, the springtime it’s rain You bring the sunshine and I’m a kid again But I’m lost in the thought, “Someday you’ll move on” To chase your own dreams and sing your own song Chase your own dreams and sing your song Little days they move too fast Thought you’d be a baby forever Sure as a seedling grows You grew out of that little red sweater I want to linger A little longer In the wonder of these little days
10.
You come with your magnifying glass Read the words upon my heart Trace your fingers along the lines Tangled in that secret part In darkness with your skeleton keys You open every box Softly read the letters to me Of faded and forgotten thoughts I've been keeping out the cold with stone Walls and ivy I'd build a fire but nothing warmed me Until you came calling my name No matter what you found You loved me just the same The veil of my heart falls to the earth You put your loving hands where it hurts You kiss the lining, delicate as a butterfly I'm stretched wide as a prairie sky You lift the dust when you breathe Dandelion seeds upon the breeze There's a pin prick of light in the deep, deep, deep Where I didn't know anyone could reach I've been keeping out the cold with stone walls and ivy I'd build a fire but nothing warmed me Until you came, your face lit by the flame No matter what you found You loved me just the same I must have been writing about you With every detail that came true But love fell in, long before the final pages Fumbling through the hidden spaces
11.
Dear Friend 05:31
Dear friend, I'm thinking of you April showers are pouring down As I sit to write this letter Spring is coming round I’ve been keeping warm with ginger tea Trying to move the chill in the air I’ve been dreaming of weaving Maytime flowers in my baby's hair How've you been, how's your lady Are you writing good poems these days? I've always liked the one you gave me Of dead sunflowers in Spain How'd it go last night in Toronto? Did you pluck the heart of your cello? Did you see the woman crying In the shadows of the back row? Did you feel your heart beating? And the whole world breathing? Late last night I had a dream I was walking along in a forest In a clearing ahead there was endless summer And people singing in chorus Do you remember when we were kids Come November we’d greet the winter We had too much fun to feel the cold Or worry about getting old We felt our hearts beating And the whole world breathing Even though I'm far away And the hours get shorter every day I think of you often, it makes me smile And the space between us melts away for a while I feel our hearts beating And the whole world breathing

about

– January 13, 2023 – The Bombadils, comprised of folk darlings Luke Fraser and Sarah Frank, are known for creating music with poetic lyrics, fresh metaphors, scene-setting details, and clever turns of phrase. Their new album "Dear Friend," is no exception; the album is a series of love letters of a certain kind—to family and friends, to strangers and neighbors, to cities and landscapes, to each other.

“...a tender and quietly beguiling affirmation of love, friendship and human contact across the years and the miles."
- Folk Radio UK

Dear Friend is the duo’s fourth album overall, and their first to feature all original songs, as well as their first full-length release after moving to Atlantic Canada and adjusting to new parenthood, a new city, and a global pandemic. The 11-song album was recorded with engineer Graeme Campbell between lockdowns and daycare pick-ups. The album features accompaniment and co-writing from a number of Atlantic Canadian favourites, including jazz bassist Patrick Reid, harpist Ellen Gibling, and songwriters Terra Spencer and Dave Gunning. The band's penchant for bluegrass is satisfied with guest appearances from Nashville's Ethan Jodziewicz (Milk Carton Kids, Sierra Hull) on bass, Kaitlyn Raitz on cello, and fiddler Ben Plotnick (The Fretless).

Throughout the album, the duo finds the threads of light that weave throughout – many of their songs offer bittersweet but hopeful narratives, combining poetic lyrics, fresh metaphors, scene-setting details, and clever turns of phrase. Stylistically, The Bombadils’ music offers dynamic arrangements and adventurous instrumental passages; Frank’s soprano and dazzling fiddle playing combine with Fraser’s soulful singing and prowess as an accompanist and dynamic soloist on guitar and mandolin. “Losing Track of Time" celebrates connection and cherishing the sweet moments in life where the stars align, " while “Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming,” is about holding onto beauty in the small things, finding rest in it, wondering where it comes from, and hoping it's not all a dream.

"...they end up making some of the prettiest music you’ll likely hear this year."
- Americana Highways

The Bombadils formed in 2009 as McGill University music students after meeting at a party, deciding on a band name inspired by the character Tom Bombadil from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings epic. In its early days, they made a name for themselves in the pub scene, performing from an expansive repertoire of time-honored folk, fiddle tunes, and old-time standards. The duo has previously released three albums; Canadian arts journalist Bob Mersereau describes their music as "folk tunes done with musical adventure and sophistication" and Elmore Magazine describes their music as "an enchanting folk romp." The Bombadils’ third album, 2016’s, New Shoes, was nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards and won Folk Music Ontario's “Album of the Year.”

“…picturesque songwriting and instrumentation."
- PopMatters

“This is our first album where we took our time instead of rushing. It’s more stylistically consistent, it’s dynamic, and it feels like the first album to call our own,” the duo says. “We wanted to uncover who we are as songwriters and find themes that matter to us. There turns out to be this theme of listening, of noticing where we see beauty and light — in people, in places, in nature. So maybe the overall idea is of discovery, of patiently letting things unfold.”

credits

released January 13, 2023

Produced by Graeme Campbell, Sarah Frank, and Luke Fraser

Recorded by Graeme Campbell in Halifax, NS, Canada from April 2021-June 2022
*except for bass played by Ethan Jodziewicz, and strings played by Kaitlyn Raitz and Ben Plotnick, which were self-recorded in their respective home studios in Nashville, USA

Mixed by Graeme Campbell
Mastered by J. LaPointe at Archive Mastering
Album art and design by Bee Stanton
Postage stamp and postmark design by Linda
Cover art for singles by Veronica Chih Ming Frank (tracks 1, 2, and 4)

Heartfelt thanks to:
Felicity Frank Fraser, the Kams, the VanSlykes, the Marmens, Leaf Music, Gang of Hearts songwriter group, Janice Jackson, Cari Cole, Adam Hurt, Jayme Stone, James Perrella, Julia Graff, Dave Reid, Gabriella Ciurcovich, Geof and Celene Lyon, all our friends and family, and our generous community of music lovers

We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, the Government of Canada, Music Nova Scotia Investment Program, and The Province of Nova Scotia.

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The Bombadils Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Canadian Folk Music Award nominees The Bombadils bring together bluegrass, Celtic, and contemporary folk music with front- porch style and classical grace. Canadian arts journalist Bob Mersereau describes their music as "folk tunes done with musical adventure and sophistication" and Elmore Magazine calls it "an enchanting folk romp." ... more

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