A song for summer into... fall. Hope you like it.

Written and produced by Jeff Shattuck Engineered by Jaimeson Durr and recorded at Hyde Street Studio C, San Francisco, and Timothy Young's house, LA. Copywrite 2014 The world He looked out on Looked free for the first time of danger And he smiled As he felt drawn To a life more friend than stranger And for the first time in years He held more hopes than fears And he breathed in the air without end But he was standing With his back To the ocean And the water Ebbed and flowed Pulled by the moon high above And he remembered And he let go He knew he could hate or love And for the first time in years He put forgiveness first And he dug in his heels to the end But he was standing With his back To the ocean And we all know that life isn’t fair But who’s to say what lady luck will share We might as well live with hope in the air It’s just too easy to give in to despair The world He looked out on Looked free for the first time of danger Vocals: Elliot Randall Harmony Vocal: Perri Temko Guitars and bass: Timothy Young Drums: Andy Korn

I remember when the title of this song came to me. I was standing on the beach in Virginia and watching my wife and twin daughters playing on the beach and they were all smiling and laughing in the warm air and doing silly things and I felt really good and I was amazed that they were my family, that I had a family, and -- me being me -- I wondered if it would all last.

And as I stood there thinking about the prospect of something bad happening that would cause me to lose all that I loved, the phrase "standing with his back to the ocean" blew coldly into my mind and I thought, "What a good idea for a song." (Full lyrics below.)

But that's the way I've always been. I don't think I'm a pessimist. I certainly don't believe that I never look on the bright side, but I confess, I can't help but consider the dark side. Not by choice. It's not like I was standing there on that beach and consciously trying to come up with ways to ruin a picture of happiness. It just happened.  

Am I happy with how the song turned out? Yes. I think it's one of my better ones. But it's emotional effect on me is rough so I struggle to listen to it as a whole. Instead, I try to parse out the individual bits to create some distance. I focus on Elliot Randall's vocal, the way Perri Temko's voice blends with Elliot's, Tim Young's masterful guitar work, especially his Tele licks, the bass part Tim concocted, Andy Korn's restrained drumming, Jaimeson Durr's polished but organic production and mix. (Man, I work with the best people and feel so lucky for this fact.) By listening this way, I can hear past the message. Sort of.

But back to that day on the beach...

Despite the dark thought that momentarily filled me with doubt and sadness, I know I am lucky to have lived that day and that good things can last. I am also glad I wrote the song. Doing something constructive with my destructive thoughts helps.

PS - Click here for a less-than-MTV quality video! 

Standing with His Back to the Ocean

The world
He looked out on
Looked free for the first time of danger

And he smiled
As he felt drawn
To a life more friend than stranger

And for the first time in years
He held more hopes than fears
And he breathed in the air without end

But he was standing
With his back
To the ocean

And the water
Ebbed and flowed
Pulled by the moon high above

And he remembered
And he let go
He knew he could hate or love\

And for the first time in years
He put forgiveness first
And he dug in his heels to the end
But he was standing
With his back
To the ocean