Keep on walking
I feel like this might be one of the shorter “song stories” ….
The reason for this is that I don’t feel like there is a really strong memory attached to writing it and nor is there a particularly profound meaning behind the words …. Perhaps thats what makes it a weirdly important song on the album !?
I’ve learnt over the years that not every song on a record can be some life altering moment for the listener …. And nor should they be . I think those powerful songs are made all the more poignant for living next to tracks that compliment them rather than compete .
It’s the same when I’m playing live . A good set list is not necessarily my 12-15 best songs . It’s all about ups and downs and taking people on an emotional and dynamic journey .
So for me , “keep on walking” is just this . It’s a really important song for the flow of the record . It has a really good pace to it and a nice upbeat feel . It’s a much needed moment of levity that helps the more somber tracks to find the space that they need .
The first line “well last night I couldn’t sleep” and in fact the verses in general make me think of the awful jet lag that I used to get when arriving in to or coming back from Australia ….
Anyone that has made that journey will know how it affects the body clock .
Sometimes you can kind of get away with it and adjust relatively easily whereas other times it can take days / weeks to fully acclimatise ….
I remember waking up at unreasonable hours . sometimes these would be my loneliest moments . They still are in truth . When I wake in the middle of the night on the other side of the world - away from places that I feel comfortable and people that support me …. and everything seems difficult and scary .
I think in life it is always the moments of transition that are the most challenging . Starting something or stopping something and the moments before you level out in to a new rhythm . These are always the hardest times .
Anyway … back to jet lag …. When I was struggling with these moments , In order to avoid “staring at the ceiling in the dark …. “ I would get up and go for long walks .
I remember walking through central Sydney during that “interesting” crossover time when people are starting to get up and go to work alongside the few stragglers staggering home from the night before .
I think the verses were born out of these walks …. Noticing the different characters that I’d come across and briefly telling their stories .
This album is full of little snap shots of peoples lives . the mums on day time tv , the homeless guy and the single mother in “holes” , my best mate jamie and my uncle ben and here , the business men and the late night boys .
The main crux of the song though to me feels very transient . Which I was . I had no home , no relationship , no anchor . I was out in the world floating around on the breeze . Which was both exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure .
In essence Its a travelling song which tend to turn up from time to time when I write .
In truth - It won’t ever be my favourite song on the record but a really important piece of the puzzle and , say it quietly …. quite a fun little song … which is not what I’m famous for haha .