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about
“Trumpeter Swans” is a song I wrote for my photographer friend Craig Blacklock when he published a book called “The Enduring Gift”, a collection of photos celebrating the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers. I live near the St. Croix River here in Minnesota, and sometimes see these magnificent birds flying overhead. They are one of the largest birds in North America, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet. When I first wrote the song, the lyrics spoke of a single swan as it passes by. But Craig and his wife Honey pointed out that they virtually always see the birds flying in pairs, so I changed the lyric from “bird” to “birds”. I hope you enjoy this piece, which I think of as a celebration of nature and our connection to it.
lyrics
TRUMPETER SWANS
At the first light did I wake
And put on the cares of the day
The worries, the news, the thousand to-dos
And ventured out into the morning
The day had grown brighter by then
When I heard a sound overhead
A trumpeting call, and that's when I saw
Saw you fly over me, great white birds
I stood staring up at the sky
And watched you as you floated by
The sight of you made time go away
And time took a long time returning
And in that long moment it seemed
You reached out and swept my heart clean
Of all its heartaches and put in their place
The beauty and grace of you, great white birds
Trumpet the sun with its light on your wings
Trumpet the wind, the kinship of things
Trumpet this bright, shimmering life
This magical flight, day into night
Everything turning
Trumpet the sun with its light on your wings
The summer and fall, the winter and spring
Trumpet the trees, the river, the sea
That brought you and me, to which we will be
One day returning
It hasn't been too many years
Since you nearly disappeared
But the wise and the brave struggled to save you
Now you are saving me, great white birds
credits
released August 23, 2021
Music and Lyrics by Peter Mayer
Peter Mayer: vocal, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboard
Mixed by Peter Mayer
Mastered by Randy Gildersleeve at GilderSound Recording
Artwork by Luciana Mayer
Minnesota's Peter Mayer has been singing and songwriting full-time for 25 years, performing in venues across the United
States and beyond. He writes songs about science, nature, and spirituality. His work has been included in song books, church hymnals, and folk radio playlists across the country. Peter has eleven albums to his credit. He lives in Stillwater, Minnesota....more
supported by 4 fans who also own “Trumpeter Swans”
Father's War. Emotional kick in the balls. Everytime.First heard him play it live and I might have cried a little. Glad it's on record now. Masterpiece in the virtually peerless Josh Ritter canon gernick
supported by 4 fans who also own “Trumpeter Swans”
This is a great album, but if you want to be totally blown away, try J Byrd's seminal album, Law & the Lonesome. It's on my top 10 albums of all time. Song writing of the highest order through every track. And by the way, check out Chris Kokesh's October Valentine---another album for the ages. William Gray
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