Americana Highways brings you this premiere of Jacob Johnson’s song “Surviving the Dream.” This song was produced and mixed by Jacob Johnson.
Musicians on “Surviving the Dream” are Jacob Johnson on guitars and vocals; Mark Eshenbaugh on bass; John Henry on drums; and Rory Hoffman on accordion.
The whimsical introduction may at first keep you up in the air, but the guitars kick in and it all works out. Johnson gambles and it pays off.
When I wrote this song, my life was changing in some big ways. I had just gotten married, and I had, in my 30s, taken on my first “real” job teaching guitar at the college I dropped out of 10 years earlier. Those were all big moves, and it was an exciting time, but it left me wondering how my life as an artist and performer was going to fit in. I had spent the last 15 years betting on myself and my music, and this song was my way of saying that in the midst of all that change, I was doubling down.
We all have a calling to make the world a better and more beautiful place. That happens through our work, our art, our relationships, and a million other ways. I think about my sister who left her home and went overseas to be a missionary. I think about a friend who quit a high-profile job in media to move to the woods and build a farm. I think about folks who went back to school, or are serving their country, or started their own business. I wrote this song to inspire them, and myself, not to give up on their calling, even when it’s dangerous or difficult.
Given the topic, it somehow seemed appropriate to steal the melody of the old song, “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze”.
Find more information and the music too, here: https://jacobjohnsontunes.com/surviving-the-dream-single