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Comment by Chris Reed on July 31, 2023 at 11:44pm

© 2023 James Christopher Reed, BMI. All Rights Reserved.

About the video: This is the 1913 short movie called "The Telephone Girl and the Lady", an early D.W. Griffith movie that is now in the public domain, and fortunately one of his less overtly racist ones. It stars silent film legend Claire McDowell as The Lady and Mae Marsh as The Telephone Girl. Ms. Marsh has the distinction of being a bit player in at least 5 oscar winning Best Pictures, and acted for over 60 years. Also in the movie is the great Lionel Barrymore as the Desk Sargeant at the police station and future western star Harry Carey as the thief. A little bit of trivia: Ms. McDowell and the actor playing the father, Charles Hill Mailes, were married when this was made. My song is a few seconds shorter than the movie, so I included the whole thing save for the opening credits. Credits can be found at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0003436/

As for the song itself, it was born out of a conversation with a fellow musician and friend who currently lives in Texas and about his fears for his teenaged daughter given how things are currently progressing there since the repeal of Roe vs. Wade. Once I had the topic I knew the song had to be of massive scope and feel, with layers of instruments, superb guitar solos, organ, strings (which eventually because the calliape you hear towards the end) and solid vocal harmonies. I wanted it to be sung as if by a world-weary man, so I sang in a lower register than I usually do in my music. All in all I'm pretty happy with the song, although pissed off that it was something I had to write. Like the song says, I can't see a reason for the fear that's in our time.

The guyzos (my bandmates) really delivered on this one.