8/5/26: “Tiny Silver String,” by Gordon Wright
Gordon Wright is a Chicago-area musician who will be sharing music on the 5th day of the month all year long. Long ago, he fronted an East Coast pop/rock band called Fooled By April. These days you can find him singing jazz in the Chicago Jazz Dads.
This is a lullaby. I don’t know that I would’ve known that from the lyrics alone, but when my good friend and songwriting partner Dave Stanke shared these lyrics he put at the top, “Tiny Silver String (A Lullaby).”
So I tried to take special care in writing the music. Usually when Dave sends me lyrics, I try and push the melody and chord structures, try to unearth something that feels a bit new, or just slightly unexpected. (Only slightly, after all these are pop songs.)
This time I tried to steer myself back into a place of warmth, of comfort, of tenderness. I remember making up songs when I would rock my daughter to sleep, and wanting the melody and repetition to convey safety and even a little bit of repetitiveness to lull and soothe. Oddly, this approach can actually be harder than a more straightforward song!
So, if you’re still awake, take a listen, and maybe you’ll drift off into slumberland.