I am biting off a big hunk here.
I was going through some of my photos this morning and realize that I need to pay more attention to them. I came upon this one that I took at the San Francisco Free Folk Festival. I had been asked to sing a song that I wrote in honor of Faith several years ago as part of the closing concert on Sunday night. The organizers had chosen to name the stages after Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Faith. I am not sure of the reasoning, but I am sure she appreciated the recognition, if not the adulation.
Faith has played a huge part in my life. Her photo is on my living room wall. I was going to recount our relationship here, but realize that mostly, I did it in song, so here are the lyrics I wrote some ten or so years ago.
Remember The Years We Had Faith
words and music ©1996 Bob Reid
Chorus:
Remember the years we had Faith
And now we must make do with hope
That somewhere inside us she's planted the seed
We'll carry and then pass along
When we raise our voices in song
Well I knew it was love at first sight
The first time I saw her onstage
About to go hitching to circle the world
And showing us all that her age
Was a springboard instead of a cage
When we met I was just 22
My wings were broken and bent
Her family had found me and took me inside
I found hope in a town made of tents
And Faith helped me heal my torments
Chorus:
We'd crowd in dodging the smoke
While she'd tell some bawdy new joke
There was never a twinkle in anyones' eye
Brighter than hers round the fire
as we sang together in choir
She'd leave us for months at a time
But there's a lot more of us than we knew
Songs would stick to her as she flew flow'r to flow'r
And some would remain in return
And we'd all have new songs to learn
Chorus:
She nurtured and tended the songs
She showed us the strength of one voice
She was a bridge to those come before us
and she asked us to join in the chorus
Oh! She asked us to join in the chorus
We sing this as if she is gone
Cause we want her to know while she's here
How much she is loved and while we have the chance
Let's sing her song so she can hear
So, sing it loud so she can hear!
Chorus:
Remember the years we had Faith
And now we must make do with hope
That somewhere inside us she's planted the seed
We'll carry and then pass along
When we raise our voices in song