Always
Debuted 04.17.99

The first Station song that I wrote simply came from a poem that I had written about my long-time girlfriend Jennifer . It was in 1998 and I was going to school in Champaign . But I can't fully take responsibility for all of the music. The poem was called "Always" and there was this obscure (at the time) Dave Matthews song called "Always" (a.k.a. #40) that I had been really getting into. And it had the same ending lyric as the poem that I had written: "You're my always." So, I thought, "what the hell? Use it." So, if the music sounds similar to Dave 's "#40," that's because it is! For this reason, this song hasn't really been a staple of The Station, although it was played a lot in the beginning. But we have been throwing around ideas to just put new music to the old lyrics. Lyrically, I have been happy with it, knowing that it was essentially my first stab at trying to put words to music and turning them into lyrics. It simply traces the course of our relationship (up to that point anyway): from not knowing each other in high school, passing each other in the halls and not even understanding what lay before us, to finding each other under some "interesting" circumstances. Vague, yes, I know, but some element of consideration or privacy must be kept on my part. She pulled me out of some very dark times, and we became inseparable friends. Something that "Always" has made me wonder about countless times, and it's something I really enjoy thinking about this: the idea that a nameless face that you pass on the street, or sits next to you in a class, or stops next to you at a stoplight could be some one who, in the future, will bring you joy, or drive you crazy, or watch you fall asleep.

He began not to notice the nameless faces that he had

Seen in the hallways, or bouncing round his dreamways.

But as the story goes, these birds fly not together,

Yet bouncing round each other.

Saying "why bother?"

He had lost his place. He was looking for that special place,

But he couldn't find one, so he looked toward the sun.

His ship sailed away.

But the way was hiding, not abiding.

The waves over his head, just when he thought he was dead

He woke up the next morning, won't ever forget that morning.

He woke up to the nightingale's song.

The sun was bright, the storm was gone.

Whispering summer breezes had helped him to his knees.

With a thousand lives, a poet could never begin to describe

The feeling of that precious morn.

He had been reborn.

Could finally clearly see. The nightingale said "Follow me.

I'll take you to the mountains, to our everlasting fountain".

She touched his soul, he grabbed her hand and said:

"Will you promise me my always?

You're the nightingale who dances in my head.

Will you stay with me my always.

Cause you are the vision that woke my in my dreams.

All I could do was scream out 'You're my Always'".

Dancing in the rain, with her he could feel no pain.

Took her to their place, finally found that special place.

Up on Strawberry Hill, that's where he found his nightingale.

Didn't know what she would say, but he asked her anyway.

She touched his soul he grabbed her hand and said:

"Will you promise me my always?

You're the nightingale who dances in my head.

Will you stay with me my always.

Cause you are the vision that woke my in my dreams.

All I could do was scream out 'You're my Always'".

So come out from under the shadows.

We'll drink the sun, we'll swing on the willows.

Float away across the golden meadows.

Destination, no one knows.

So why don't ya come out and play with me?

Always.

Why don't ya come and stay with me?

Always.

So why don't ya come out and play with me?

Always.

Together we'll dance around the day.

Always.