In November 2023, a friend of mine, Margie, was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). ALS affects the function of nerves and muscles. It is a terminal disease, with no treatment or cure. I knew Margie for many years, and she was a supporter of my music since I began, which meant a lot to me. So, in March 2024, I asked Margie if she would like to compose and record a song together and she said, “yes!” We started working together a couple of weeks later in her living room and continued for a few weeks until the song was complete. The song is called, “River of my Love.”
When I first asked Margie about a theme for her song, her immediate answer was, “live your life” – a mantra for all of us. So, we talked about what “living your life” looked like for Margie and she shared some the things she had done that held deep meaning for her. We talked about the some of the fears we sometimes experience as human beings and how we can choose to view fear as a gift that can guide us towards experiences that have the potential to bring us great joy and fulfilment, or how we can choose to turn away from it and shut ourselves down to possibility. We talked about the vital importance of exploring the world through travel and cultivating a strong relationship with the land around us. We talked about how paying attention to the everyday gifts we receive from the natural world and how its processes can bring feelings of peace, solace, and a sense of belonging. We talked about the power of being connected to others. For Margie, that included participating in contact improvisational movement and dance with others and singing in a large community choir called the Rainbow Chorus (of Waterloo-Wellington). Because the choir was so important to Margie, we decided to ask them to sing on the recording.
River of My Love
River of my Love Lyrics
I’ve climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro
I’ve stood at the foot of the great Goddess of the Sky
I’ve slept under a boundless night and seen a million stars
And felt grounded on the land beneath my traveling feet
And I love waking up in the red sandstone desert
With you and you beside me, living on the road
That wide open sky makes me come alive
Calls me to pay attention and be present to my life
Chorus
And the earth keeps turning, the earth keeps turning for you
And the sun teaches you to rise each morning unfailing and true
And the trees breathe in and out, and in and out. and in and out with you
And the river of my love keeps flowing home to you
Joining you through song and dance always lifts me up
We’re united in the harmony of our voices, bodies, hearts
When we share our lives, we resonate as one
We weave our souls together and feel the higher realm
Chorus
And the earth keeps turning, the earth keeps turning for you
And the sun teaches you to rise each morning unfailing and true
And the trees breathe in and out and in and out with you
And the river of my love keeps flowing home to you
Bridge
Fear can hijack our lives
It can seize us or free us
It’s a cosmic gift that drives us to the edge
So that we can thrive
And the time has come
To say goodbye
So, I want you to go live your life
Cuz, I’ve lived mine
Chorus
And the earth keeps turning, the earth keeps turning for you
And the sun teaches you to rise each morning unfailing and true
And the trees breathe in and out and in and out with you
And the river of my love keeps flowing home to you
Music credits:
Kael Reid: lead vocals, harmonies, acoustic guitar
Sequoia Baskin-Johnson: lead vocals (and featured on the bridge)
Shannon Baskin-Johnson: lead vocals
Members of the Rainbow Chorus Waterloo Wellington: harmonies and background vocals
Alison MacNeill: choir director
Doug Friesen: bass
Mike O’Brien: piano
Don Kerr: cello, drums
Once we finished composing the song, I worked with Don Kerr – sound engineer, producer, and musician extraordinaire to coordinate studio recording dates and studio musicians. Don was thrilled to be a part of this project. He and I worked for two full days in his studio in Toronto and were accompanied by bassist, Doug Friesen, and pianist, Mike O’Brien. Don added cello and percussion, and I played acoustic guitar and sang the lead vocal and did some harmony work. I also worked out the background vocals for the choir. Shannon (Margie’s wife), Sequoia (Margie and Shannon’s 11-year-old daughter), also sang on “River of my Love,” too. Sequoia is featured in the bridge and the two final choruses at the end. Shannon is also featured in the two final choruses. Margie joined us in the studio both days, on Zoom. It was awesome.
After the studio recording was done, Don traveled to Guelph to record members of the Rainbow Chorus singing their parts for the song. The recording took place in Harcourt United Church, where the choir does a lot of their performances. They are featured on the final two choruses. Margie was also able to join in and sing the final chorus along with her choir mates.
In the lyrics you will hear references to three of the (many!) places Margie traveled when she was younger – Mount Kilimanjaro, the basecamp of the Goddess of the Sky (the English translation for “Sagarmatha,” the Tibetan name for Mount Everest), and the desert landscape of the American southwest. You will also hear how singing and dancing in community with others is so important to Margie. In the bridge of the song, you will also hear a quote we borrowed from a gorgeous poem by Mary Oliver called, “The Summer Day.” We felt this particular quote fit very well with the theme of the song.
We hope you enjoy “River of my Love” and remember to take Margie’s message to heart: live your lives to the fullest.
