Op ‘Ten Good Sermons’, het album van de New-Yorkse singer-songwriter Eugene Ruffolo staat ook ‘Just to be Alone’.
In zijn nieuwsbrief legt hij de even toevallige als wonderlijke ontstaansgeschiedenis van die song uit, terwijl er ook een onverwachte parallel ontstaat met zijn eigen leven.
Het resulteerde in een van die weemoedige, sterke ballads waar ‘Ten Good Sermons’ vol mee staat:
‘Several years ago I read a fascinating story in the newspaper about an eccentric guy named Christopher Knight who-at the age of 20-unexpectedly and inexplicably walked in the woods of Northern Maine, and stayed there without any human contact for the next 24 years. Christopher found himself constrained to do many things in order to survive the harsh winters of the Northeast. Though he was gentle soul, some of those things were against the law.
He was eventually caught and spent a brief time in jail, but as his transgressions were relatively benign, he was soon released—much to his dismay. He didn’t welcome the challenges of living in modern society.
I found the whole thing intriguing and promptly wrote a song about it called “Just to be Alone”—which both tells Christopher’s story, and explores the long understood spiritual benefits of solitude.
When the pandemic struck in March 2020, I was just putting the finishing touches on my new album Ten Good Sermons and about to hit the road on a fabulous tour to Europe. Instead I retreated to my little house in the Catskills for what I thought was going to be a few weeks. I ended up living there for the next 3 years! Immersed in my own solitude, I decided to film a music video. It was a great way to spend my time, and the subject matter of the tune could not have been more apropos! Simple iPhone in hand, I set out to recreate the story of Christopher Knight. The video marks both my filmmaking AND acting debut!:).
Indeed the pandemic was a singular moment during which we all spent an inordinate amount of time alone. It carried with it a plethora of lessons and opportunities for self- discovery. Christopher surely enjoyed his solitude. How did you enjoy yours?
Just to be Alone (The Ballad of Christopher Knight)
Eerdere berichten over Ruffolo vind je in de categorieën nieuws, concerttips en Kippenvel Live, want op 27 april 2010 speelde hij zijn songs in dit programma.
Mijn recensie van “Ten Good Sermons’ vind je in de categorie singer-songwriter.