I was at my studio working on a Sunday afternoon. Just doing some mixing. All the sudden, there was a knock on the door.
Very strange thought I, as I lived way out in the country and my studio is at the same location as my residence.
I answer the door, and it was Wayne. Wayne (not his real name) was a guitar player that I had been in a band with a few years earlier and we got along quite well. Well, I could tell Wayne had been indulging in the spirits. He had with him a young lady.
I greeted them, and showed them into the control room. I had a nice big comfy couch and they sat down.
So I asked what was up, because there was no logical reason for Wayne to stop by on a Sunday afternoon unannounced.
“Well, we were at the boat (Casino) and decided to take a ride. We were driving by your turn off and I was telling Jane (not her real name) about you and your studio and you and your wife’s music”.
Now Wayne looked to be a little on the tipsy side but Jane, was pretty far gone. Like he had to help her sit down gone.
Now to get some context of this, I lived about 40 plus miles from the Mississippi River. On the river there were Casino’s, but because of gambling laws in that state, the casino’s had to be floating. So some casino’s would have cruises where the boat would go up and down the Mississippi with people gambling, and others would just dock along shore and folks would come and go gambling on the tied up boat.
I wasn’t sure if Wayne and Jane had been out all night but it was around four in the afternoon when they showed up at the studio.
But I did learn that they had won some money and were out celebrating.
So Wayne says, “I’ve been telling Jane about you and Terri, and how well you guys are doing.
“I was hoping you could play something for Jane that you guys have recorded”.
Well, I put on a song that I particularly liked, and it was really good IMHO. It was called ‘I Don’t Know Why I Just Do’ and it was simple, acoustic, waltz time…
Terri and I recorded what we had always called ‘Children’s music that the whole family can enjoy’.
The particular song was about a mother talking about her daughter and son and how as they grew she could see herself in them and told them to always remember that she loved them.
Ladies wore lace in the summer Flowers and hats in the spring
They pulled back their hair They were gentle and fair
As their feet dangled from the porch swing
I was like you Little girls grow up And you will too
Always remember I love you forever
I don’t know why I just do
Little boys jump over fences And hang from the branches of trees
They play in the dirt Wipe their hands on their shirt
And wear patches on both of their knees
I was like you Little boys grow up And you will too
Always remember I love you forever
I don’t know why I just do
From the song ‘I Don’t Know Why I Just Do’ from the recording ‘Orange Tea And Molasses‘ by Chad and Terri Sigafus
You can hear the song here
Well, the song got into the second chorus and Jane just started to sob uncontrollably. I had no idea what was going on. She was really breaking down. I had no idea what to do. Or what I did wrong
Both Wayne and I were asking her what was wrong, but at some point I left the room for a bit to let Wayne deal with whatever was going on. I went to an office room I had at the studio and just kind of waited.
After a bit Wayne kind of stumbled into the office. I asked what happened. Seems that Jane had had some problems a while back and had to actually give up her children. That hit me hard.
The song really hit a nerve. She obviously was listening to the lyrics and was feeling guilty about whatever she was going through.
I apologized and tried to explain that I had no idea. I really felt bad. Wayne said it’s all fine, that there was no way I could have known. We said our goodbyes and Jane was already in the car.
What a bummer.
I realized then how powerful music is.
A song doesn’t just move people when it brings good, happy thoughts, but can stir up very negative things in a persons life, even if the song was originally meant to be positive.
I’ve had a few times I’ve experienced folks not being able to listen to a certain song because of the memories it stirs up.
Music is powerful. I still really love that song. But I wish I never would have picked that one on that day.
