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Water Song

by Brian Blain

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Toronto’s fingerpicking, story-telling elder blues statesman, Brian Blain has released a new track and video for “Water Song”, the first single off his forthcoming album For The Mother I Never Knew, due to be released May 10, Mother’s Day 2020. Mixed by Margaret Stowe and mastered by Peter Moore, “Water Song” features some exotic sounds from kora master Sadio Sissokho and some soulful slide from Harry Manx on his signature instrument, the Mohan Veena. Sudanese singer Ruth Mathiang added some haunting vocals to this dark “ear movie.” Patrick Merner plays bass and synth and Michelle Josef provided the driving rhythm alongside some djembe from Sadio. Says Brian, “I wrote this after watching too much CNN and being subjected to a continuous stream of horrible images coming out of Africa. Friends reminded me that we have a serious crisis a lot closer to home, so I added another verse about Attawapiskat. Even though we have another crisis at the moment, I don't want us to forget about water and climate change.”

lyrics

The woman needs water – She's dying of thirst
Asking why has her life has been so cursed
Her children starving - she's praying for rain
Tribal war brings more hardship and pain
There's water yonder but nothing for her
A cry in the desert, can you hear her?

Donner Moi de L'eau….J'ai soif

Baby crying in the dark of night
Mother desperate - no help in sight
Hiding the child - so they won't be found
No turning back - village burnt to the ground
They killed her son and they raped her daughter
And it's been days since she's had a drink of water

Donner Moi de L'eau….J'ai soif

In Attawapiskat there's water in the sink
But half the time it's not safe to drink
It's no wonder things have gone so wrong
With the water protectors all beaten down
Now it's come to haunt us and it's going to get worse
When the so-called civilized world is dying of thirst

Donner Moi de L'eau….J'ai soif

Words & Music by Brian Blain

credits

released March 22, 2020
Brian Blain (guitar & vocals) Harry Manx (mohan veena), Patrick Merner (bass, synth), Michelle Josef (drums), Ruth Mathiang (vocals), Sadio Sissokho (kora & djembe)

Produced by Brian Blain.
Mixed by Margaret Stowe
Mastered by Peter Moore

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Brian Blain Toronto, Ontario

Brian Blain has been called an"elder blues statesman" and is this year's recipient of the lifetime achievement "Blues Booster" Maple Blues Award from the Toronto Blues Society. He's been a sideman, frontman, producer, publisher, blogger and has played with top blues players in Canada at his popular "Campfire Jam", and backed blues legends like Kathi MacDonald, Long John Baldry and Hubert Sumlin. ... more

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