The name has been changed, but the story is real. A song about someone with Autism doesn't sound like the most promising premise for a song, but this one came about a couple of summers back when I attended the Eaglewood Folk Festival. I was transformed by the surroundings and the music, and the experience brought back memories of doing volunteer work with Jeremy. Jeremy mirrored back to me what it is like to be transformed by music in its most naked sense. As I volunteered at the group home where he lived, bringing my guitar or banging out some nonsense on the piano while Jeremy watched and participated as best he could- I was taught by Jeremy to honour that part within me that needs to be transformed by music. And I wrote this song to honour Jeremy. I really thank Ken for grokking what this song was all about and coming up with a particularly moving arrangement.
| Jack Cooper | Vocals, Taylor 510 Acoustic Guitar |
| Ken Brown | Stand Up Bass, Calimba, Synth Piano |
| Matthew Shawn Fleming | Percussion |
| Karl Rainer | Violins |
Jeremy came to
a group home one day
"The boy's autistic"- that's all they'd say
They were gonna teach him how to be just right
But when he went to bed at night
He liked to hear music, he liked to hear music
When music played
his face came alive
His spirit danced and his eyes opened wide
Down to the basement where the old piano stayed
He'd rock and clap until I played
He liked to hear music, he liked to hear music
He liked to hear music all night long
There's music in
the air and I am a child
Listening late at night to the radio dial
The midnight DJ somehow always knows just what to play
I'll slowly drift away to Dobie Gray
I made it 'round
less and less each week
Life kept on coming and I had promises to keep
But when we played the music never died
The magic made his eyes open wide
He liked to hear music, he liked to hear music
One day they called
to say that Jeremy had left
They moved him closer to his family in the west
There was no long goodbye, no one last chance to play
Sometimes things just end that way
He liked to hear music, he liked to hear music
He liked to hear music all night long
There's music in
the night and jazz is on the street
The saxophone is wailing in the summer's moonlit heat
The people start to move and I am swept right off my feet
And in that moment my whole life is complete
Sometimes I lie
awake, wonder where he's gone
Open the window, play piano all night long
Let the music ride upon the night breeze cool and strong
Jeremy, can you hear this song?
He liked to hear music, he liked to hear music
He liked to hear music, all night long