The Story of a Song

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it”-author unknown

“Git on Back to Ealum (when you get the North Walton Blues), is a song which uses real places in the Florida Panhandle, metaphorically, as a gateway to help remind us of universal and age-old truths. In our busy, complicated, and often very harsh existence, it is easy for us to forget that we, as unique beings of our Creator, have far more in common with each other than this world often lets us remember. In all of Heaven and Earth, there is nothing more powerful, nothing more complete, nothing more transformative; nothing as everlasting, nothing as emancipating, as love. It is the common bond which unites, heals and outlasts the passage of time and events. Whenever any of us earnestly searches for the single reason of “why we are here”, our answer is found in the pot-of-gold which resides in this rainbow of life. Here lies our own personal answer, and, yet inside, the reward, the reason, is the same for us all. It’s love!

This is the story of a song. Its name is, “Git on Back to Ealum.” It came out of nowhere, a long time ago. I was riding home from work (my trip had just begun). I wasn’t especially in a song writing mood (I come up with one every now and then). When it began to take form, it was like steam rising off a river in the early morning fog. I gave it no help on its path to creation. I sat in my car, and like a sponge, absorbed its soul. The tune delivered lyrics and music, all in one. All that was missing was the bow-crowned gift package in which it should have been contained. It didn’t take long for the song to be constructed before my eyes and ears. “Eyes, you say?” Yes, I could see this song. The lyrics, that is, and the images they related. The metamorphosis of the song from absolutely nothing was very brief. In less than just a few minutes, the song was mine. My trip was about an hour long. So, I had plenty of time to sing it and to get the feel of it before I got home. When I walked in the door, I ran to get my guitar. I wanted to play the song and imprint it before it slipped away. Songs can do that, you know. I don’t recall how long I played it that first day. I wrote down the lyrics and put them in a safe place. It didn’t take me long to realize that I would never forget these words. I had no idea what they meant. But I knew that they meant and mean more than meets the eyes and ears.