All the Time
*From a live performance of Stations of the Heart at the Southern Theater, March 23, 2009
on Theater Latte Da's Latte Dark Series. Jeff Hal-Flavin, artistic director.
*Commissioned by Nautilus Music-Theater
- Ann Michels- vocals
- George Maurer- piano
- Jeff Engholm- bass
- Scott Chabot- drums
- Rich Manik- bari sax
Jim Payne- lyrics
It's not the fairy tale I expected
and yet, I'm perfectly content
to stay at home with you
eating from the china we selected.
Deciding when to walk the dog
and how to pay the rent
this domestic ending was an absolute surprise.
Sometimes the prince you're looking for is right before your eyes
All the time I spent looking for love
I watched the skies above, waiting
for the stars to rise
and the moon to climb.
All the time I spent looking for love
I never tired of debating
if silver lights would shine
or golden bells would chime.
All the time I wasted in dreams
imaginary bells can never sound
and moonlight is not what it seems
It cannot light the way to solid ground.
All I had to do was turn around
and I discovered love.
'cause baby you were here all the time.
From the program notes for the premier of the song-cycle Stations of the Heart
Getting to work with Ann Michels is like knowing you are not old enough to ride the roller-coaster at the amusement park, yet you lie through your teeth just to be on that thrilling machine. Then you get to the scary part of the you get an incredible view and impending disaster, all rolled into one thrilling moment after another.
(If asked again, I would still lie about my age.)
Jim Payne is thrilling, too, but in a different sort of way. Every song of his that made its way into my Yahoo inbox evoked a distinct set of colors, tones, and emotions for me. It was easy to figure out what each song needed, and none of these nine songs had any kind of false start. Jim’s quiet observations about moons in June, his comic sense of timing with philanderin’ ganders, and the melancholy found in the imagery of birds taking wing has allowed my music to soar alongside his words.
Yet another opportunity to ride, unharnessed, this time among the stars.
Special thanks to Ben Krywocz and Nautilus Music Theater, Jerry Rubino, and Jef Hall-Flavin for accompanying these developing songs, each at his own part of the journey. Thanks to Peter Rothstein and Latte Dark for giving us a forum to present in, and to all of you to share in this moment as we release these songs out into the world.
-George Maurer, from the program notes for the premier of Stations of the Heart, March 2009
