From the recording Dear Friend (MP3s)
No matter who you are, life brings its struggles, worries, and conflict. Yet sun and leaves make dappled light, rivers flow, people heal, and forgive, and beauty has a way of nudging through the noise in a persistent whisper. "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming," inspired by The Bombadils’ time spent living by the St. Lawrence River in Montreal's borough of Verdun, 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.
In “Tell My I’m Not Dreaming,” The Bombadils’ Luke Fraser and Sarah Frank collaborate with Halifax harp-player Ellen Gibling, and Ethan Jodziewicz out of Nashville, on bass. This arrangement finds a sweet spot between Gibling’s harp and Fraser’s guitar, allowing the hopeful lyrics to rest on river-like waves of sound, sensitively captured and mixed by co-producer Graeme Campbell.
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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
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Special thanks to Jayme Stone for workshopping this song with us.
Song written by Luke Fraser and Sarah Frank
vocals, guitar - Luke Fraser
vocals, fiddle - Sarah Frank
harp - Ellen Gibling
bass - Ethan Jodziewicz
recording, mixing - Graeme Campbell
mastering - J. LaPointe
album artwork - Bee Stanton and Linda Wei-Chun
single artwork Veronica Chih Ming Frank
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One-Stop, The Bombadils Music,
music@thebombadils.com,
1-904-495-1150,
ISRC: CA7W42200003
Master owned by The Bombadils Music
(Sarah Frank and Luke Fraser),
Instrumental version available,
Male lead vocal with female harmonies,
Acoustic guitar solo section,
Mid-tempo,
old-time, dreamy, hopeful, introspective, noticing beauty, reflective, searching, restful
Composed and self-published by Sarah Frank (SOCAN) 50% and Luke Fraser (SOCAN) 50%
Master Owned by The Bombadils Music (Sarah Frank and Luke Fraser)