About -- I Believe (Hard Glass)

The bluesy melody line that became the verse arrived first and then I sought out chords matching the melody. The first line written was: "I found an old bottle, out on a beach head, on a windy day, when the waves had retreated." Life intervened for 8 hours & the rest of the verses spilled out quickly.

I suppose I needed a song with a little hope. That month, the US's war on Iraq had begun. The song developed a gospel-ish feel. (I really admire gospel music's energy.) As well, I like to try to sneak religion into things ("I believe").

Perhaps from lots of sailing and living beside water?) I often think that the wind is God or proof of God. This song helps me envision the "preachers' arm outstretched, eyes closed ("we shall not wait long") channeling the power" feel I admire in some music (and a memory I hold of my Dad, a UC Minister, @ work).

In Verse 3, I was thinking about intolerance, our dependent media, our language, our privacy and our selves being worn down by the war. (Were sandstorms slowing the war just God & Muhammad playing a friendly game of wind together?)

Originally in Verse 2, I had hoped it wasn't a bottle, for if it was, only a piece remains and the message it contained wasn't received. My wife convinced me it wasn't about the message getting through; the cool thing was rejecting all other messaging options and choosing a bottle on the waves as the best route.

The Bridge was difficult and limped through exactly 24 re-writes over 10 days. During this time I also changed a chorus line from: "So let's sit here, but just a little closer now"; to: "I believe we better, get a little closer now".

I've been teased for always writing songs with a pretty basic rhyme scheme. Actually, it was hard to not rhyme everything. For a little while I did want to change the chorus to: "I believe, a warmer wind is commin'// I believe, we shall not wait in vain

So lets sit here, but just a little closer now 'cuz // I believe it's comin' with the rain" But, that would have focused on rain instead of nice bright sun.


Also, I liked how the dawn of the chorus was mirrored in the bridge. The chorus end is stolen from my song Angry Man. It's possible I stole other chord sequences from One Night In The Northeast. But 2003 brought so many C-based, songs, it's hard to tell.


I first played it on June 17/03 at an SAC event in Halifax. Host Lennie Gallant came up afterward and said "good song". This was a big deal for me to hear that someone of his stature and experience would do such a nice thing.

Contact Me with who you think should record this song.