This is about the perplexed loneliness inside many of us and how it's made more acute (for me, anyway) by some appalling aspects of our modern culture.  Uncouth selfishness and a scorn for learning and higher aspirations have become the norms in parts of our Western society, and this boorishness is pandered to, and even celebrated, in parts of the media. It’s painful to see the upward progress of the last few hundred years towards a civilised society beginning to unravel.

There are of course many decent people, including those for whom religion provides guidance and meaning.  But sometimes false prophets seek to exploit the spiritual vacuum for personal gain, claiming to know the one true way; like politicians and hypocritical religious evangelists, or other snake-oil salesmen. Music gives some solace but maybe it's not enough.

This song started out about four years ago.  I got the lyrics and melody completed but just couldn’t decide on the right instrumentation, style and arrangement so after a number of failed versions I parked it.  I took another look at recently and tried out a ‘Neil Young/Poco’ feel and it seems to work.

Technical notes:  All recording and mixing done in Sonar X1. I programmed the drum part using Addictive Drums and the bass part using my Roland X6 synth.  The strummed acoustic guitar part (panned left) was done using Jammer Pro with the resulting MIDI track played back and recorded using RealGuitar 2.  The piano part was also done using Jammer Pro and the MIDI track played through my Roland. The lap steel and the ‘Strat’ rhythm guitar part (panned right) were done using Band In A Box RealTracks.  Lead and harmony vocals are me.  I mastered the end result using a preset in TRacks3 Deluxe and also added some extra limiting before that using FabFilter Pro-L.