My Martin guitar turned 50 this year! It was born in 1973, the same year we went off to Acadia university in Wolfville, what a great time to be alive!
We’ve written a lot of songs together over the years, a few good ones, many long forgotten. At my age now (66), I never know if there’s another song in me, so it’s a true gift when it happens.
Writing a song usually starts with one line for me. A few weeks ago, I was sharing some memories, struggles and strengths with some of my girlfriends, and later it struck me that I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately, and it felt like I wasn’t alone. Inspired by that mood, the one line that came to me was, “We were the girls in the bellbottom pants...”
That line rolled around in my mind for a few days, and then by the grace of the muses, a songful of lyrics spilled out. I picked up my old Martin D-28, it happened to be open-tuned, so the chords that came out at first were quirky with a Joni flavour, fitting.
Once my fingertips started to hurt, I switched to the keyboard to craft the rest of the music and arrangement. I won’t say it was easy, but when it got close to being an actual song, and after my husband and bandmate Mike joined in with bass and drums, that’s when it started to feel like fun.
There’s two versions below - one music track that’s more polished up for listening only, and one video version - stick a camera on a tripod and go for it (gulp). That’s not easy for me these days, playing live and letting go with flaws and all, but some people say they miss seeing me play live and this is as close as it gets now. Hopefully people will cut an old lady some slack.
Friends and locals may recognize a few familiar references, including the Atlantic Folk Festival (Nova Scotia’s Woodstock). The green tie-dye background is a shirt I bought at The Market in Wolfville and I still have it! (It still fits, but too tight for prime time - or should I say past-my-prime time…lol).
This song started out with a few specific friends in mind, but it makes me feel a kinship when I sing it, for those of us who lived then and now, the girls in the bellbottom pants, for all of us. We may not be where it’s at now, but hey kids, your grandmothers were cool! (And that will be forever.)
Thanks for listening!
