AUDIO: The Evening Rain, version 2
This is the almost album-ready, version 2 of “The Evening Rain,” missing only some harmony vocals in the chorus. More on the Zen-ish roots of the song after the jump.
“The myriad differences resolved by sitting. All doors open … In this still place I follow my nature, be what it may. Through the one hundred flowers I wander freely. The soaring cliff my hall of meditation. With the moon emerged – my mind is motionless. Sitting on this frosty seat – No further dream of fame. The forest, the mountain, follow their ancient ways. And through the long Spring day – not even the shadow of a bird.” ~ Reizan (1411)
As is often the case with the development of a song, a single line or phrase may drop a seed into the crevices of the brain, where it lingers awhile. Then, weeks, months, years later, a song springs up. I first came upon a version of the quote above from the site I use as my homepage, DailyZen.com, which has for years started my days out with the cool breeze of Zen-ish thought. The image of sitting high on a mountain, mindful and at peace, no further dream of fame, stuck with me. The following song resulted some years later.
For years, I titled the song “No Further Thought of Fame.” But since “The Mountains of Instead’ begins with the line “I won’t be famous … “ I thought I was protesting too loudly about fame and the resounding lack therof. So, I renamed the thing “On the Mountainside.” But that has confused my bandmates, who ask in rehearsal: ‘Is this that one mountain song? Or the other one?’ Now, it’s called “The Evening Rain.” For good. I think. PS – I love Albert’s sinuous guitar work on this. He once averred, smilingly, that he plays a thousands notes on this one — an exaggeration, but not by much.~ douglas imbrogno
“THE EVENING RAIN”
by douglas Imbrogno
copyright 2012 | thewebtheater.com
No further thought of fame. No more to play the game,
Of how to elevate, your reputation and your name.
No further thought of gain, no more to feel the pain.
When no one pays you heed and sings your virtues in refrain…
CHORUS: On the mountainside — the country stretches wide.
The sky to me confides,
the glory of the evening rain (2X)
The glory of the evening rain. (2x)
—– SHORT INSTRUMENTAL
One day a useless log, fragrant as the Irish bog.
This body I once loved, evaporates — just like the fog.
No matter who you know, no matter where you go
To mountain, tree or shrine … My blood will soon reverse its flow.
Your blood will soon reverse its flow.
CHORUS: How long I’ve wandered now. How many lives we plow…
What matters anyhow? Across the stream the teachings row. (2X)
Across the stream the teachings row. (2X)
—— INSTRUMENTAL to outro