I wrote this song back in May, driving home from a road trip. I was at a point in my life where I was thinking about what I wanted to do next, and I’d gone up to the Adirondack Mountains to visit my friend Mark. He’d quit the corporate grind of New York City to life a life of quite contemplation and serenity in the woods. It was a great time to catch up an relax.
Like I said, I wrote on the drive home, cruising down the highway. At the time my band was learning the song Right Place Wrong Time by Doctor John, so although you might think the music to this number would be jingle-jangle country folk rock, it is in fact a soupy, swampy urban funk soul groove replete with clavinets and horns. Oh, and ironic.
I don’t know when I’ll get around to recording it. I’ve been getting back to recording of lately, and I’m finishing off three songs right now for the second side of Elixr. I have two more songs to go after that already in the pipeline to finish the record. Maybe I’ll include this as an eleventh track, or maybe it’ll be first track on album number four. I’ve started teaching some of my originals to my jazz group and my rock group, so the whole thing may take on a life of its own. Who knows?
…
Leave the City Behind
You know I gotta leave the city behind
I got rivers to cross and I got mountains to climb
I got miles to go and I got things on my mind
But first I gotta leave the city behind
Drivin’ cruisin’ coastin’ passin’
Let the brake up put some gas in
Hikin’ strollin’, glidin’ rowin’
Rough or smooth time to get goin’
And so I gotta leave the city behind
I got rivers to cross and I got mountains to climb
I got people to see and brave new worlds to find
So yeah I gotta leave the city behind
Jumpin’ pumpin’ holdin’ foldin’
They won’t listen but I told ’em
Standin’ walkin’ runnin’ gunnin’
Rest or motion keep it comin’
Yes I gotta leave the city behind
I got miles to go and I got things on my mind
I got rivers to cross and I got mountains to climb
But first I gotta leave the city behind
Oh yeah I gotta leave the city behind
I got rivers to cross and I got mountains to climb
You know I left once before but always come back in time
How can I ever leave the city behind?
– John Szinger 05/2015