Americana Highways presents this premiere of Diane Patterson’s song “Somewhere There’s a Song Still Singing,” from her forthcoming album Satchel of Songs. Satchel of Songs was produced by Mike Napolitano (Ani DiFranco, Squirrel Nut Zippers) in New Orleans, except for two songs: “One Part Corn,” by Pedro Vadhar in Mexico; and “Turn Toward the Sun,” produced by Roman Morykit (Gypsy Soul).
“Somewhere There’s a Song Still Singing” is Terence Higgins (Neville bands, Ani DiFranco) on drums in bridge; Joe Craven (Garcia and Grisman) on drums, percussion and mandolin; Alex Smith on electric bass in the bridge; Rick Nelson (Rickie Lee Jones) on upright bass; Barbara Higbie on fiddles; Al Torre (Tina Malia) on lead guitar in bridge; and Diane Patterson on guitar and voice.
The practice of listening for songs emanating from natural landscapes is a beautiful one, and is brought to life in the wonderful storytelling and musical frollick here by Diane Patterson. Something so natural is almost completely missing from modern life, so the need to reintroduce the idea is immense.
“Somewhere There’s a Song Still Singing” celebrates the tradition of ancient migrating people who, when approaching a place would listen for the song, the ‘lay’, of the land. It is said that when a family would travel together to their summer lands, they might send a family member ahead of the group to listen to the land, to hear the song of the land, and to sing that song back to the land. I love this age-old connection of people, land, and song, and that’s what I’m conjuring up with “Somewhere There’s a Song Still Singing.” The first verse sings of Scandinavian people, including the Sami people, many of whom are still herding reindeer, whose descendants I know as friends. I have read about the indigenous folks of what’s now Australia, who walk their land with song and story and teach their tiny children about all the plants and rocks along with way, all woven into ancestral story, so each place and creature is known, is belonging. This, to me, is so beautiful, so I weave it into my memory with song. — Diane Patterson
Find the music here: https://dianepatterson.bandcamp.com/track/somewhere-theres-a-song-still-singing-2