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Why We Sing

by Jim Cain

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a four-sided digipack, with artwork by Filip Stevens and MiTro Photography.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Why We Sing via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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      €9.99 EUR  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 5 Jim Cain releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Why We Sing, Streets Before the Fall, Restless Hearts, It's All Here, and For The Road. , and , .

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1.
A Long Walk 03:13
Waiting in the dark time ticks slowly Stroking strings all along my neck Whispers coming through the red veil Those restless feelings now are back I longed to hear your steps down the hall Your first clap through silence sounding off the wall Treading into limelight is all I ever do Now I’m on my way, I’m on my long walk to you My long walk to you Standing back here nothing can be heard Hoping for that first word to rise I sing a prayer for my boiling blood And for the sweat blinding my eyes Here storytellers long for your faces in the crowd For perhaps our last chance we could stand tall and proud For the dreams in the eyes of old souls and new Yes, I’m on my way, I’m on my long walk to you My long walk to you As I’m fading out of time it all just slips away Tonight my pain and troubles are forbidden here to stay As I’m walking up the steps to put on my own late night show It takes just one look and you know There’s only here there’s only now There’s only here there’s only now… Well, I made it through, it’s been a long walk to you
2.
My tires are torn, the wheel has turned Since the last time my fuels burned I needed to go where I needed to be Ask the dust to tell a story about me I travelled rocky plains and muddy waters I drew pictures with the sky’s daughters I found wisdom in the frontseat of this car For the road tells stories about who you are People said you can’t cross the desert that way You either die or you will go back some day But I chose the hard way out Doubt and blame I could do without I travelled rocky plains and muddy waters Don’t worry darling we’ll make it across the border Well I found wisdom in the frontseat of this car For the road tells stories about who you are The edges of this car branded by rust Bruised and battered by unrelenting dust Even though it seemed foolish I knew what I could do Park this baby in the valley, next to you I’ve got to keep on walking We’ve got to keep keeping on, keeping on, keeping on…
3.
Nightwalker 03:47
I’m a nightwalker and I’m roaming ragged roads Where I’ve gone no one knows A wayward hero walking the lonely sleepless night Time moves on beneath moonlight And so I chase some slowly bygone dream Of old haunts who never seem To get closer to my reach because It’s what a nightwalker does Well I’m a searcher for time that’s slipped away Seeking small glories every day A ramblin’ gambler wandering on the martyrs’ street Through smoke and mirrors of defeat At night I’m a prodigal son with no return Though many miles still left to burn Before I’m heading home because That’s what a nightwalker does It’s what a nightwalker does Now I’m drawn to the barroom lights Where only the lonely still remain I’ll raise my glass to all the writer’s tears Our ink the blood to ease the pain I’m an imposter’s dream in a fool’s night’s arcade Sharpening his pen into a shiny blade Trying to fight off the phantoms at my side As they do their best to hide And then I drink the devil back down his hole So he no longer dares to show His wicked smile to mine because Oh it could have been us It could be one of us That’s what a nightwalker does It’s what a nightwalker does That’s what a nightwalker does It’s what a nightwalker does
4.
As the long day turns into short night You shut off the light in your room Old poetry books and mystic lore Scatter the floor in this gloom Asleep you’re lost inside your mind The only shelter now you could find I promise when all of this is through I’ll shoot roman candles with you Spending our days outrunning the rain Away from our pain and our fear Now staying inside on our Fourth of July Means wondering why we’re still here Now shoot your sparks on over to me But save those fireworks for me to see I promise when all of this is through I’ll shoot roman candles with you Roman candles with you Roman candles with you Roman candles When morning comes and the dawn shines upon The lines we have drawn in cold days We’ll see all good things deserve a good time That it’s not a crime to stargaze
5.
Man On Wire 04:32
Look at the man on wire Near the ledge of his fear He’ll hold his head up higher leaving Than when he arrived here He steps out into the balance Above where all men go Somewhere down below he hopes They’ll enjoy the show With desire to be that man on wire There’s a tall man rising Where the crosswinds roar Without a tender lifeline he prays To the ones who walked before From a daydream to the plunge His skin starts to feel small Up here only this void Could break your fall It’s a dance on fire on the high wire A man on wire Look at that man on wire With his feet on cold steel He’s twisting, turning, twirling around The weak spot in his heel After a long climb there’s Only one step down Only one false move And then he’s gone To the world entire, that man on wire That man on wire A man on wire Has to face the fall Trust your feet to lead the way Or better never walk at all
6.
Prodigal Son 04:17
He sits down with the sinners roving the wild’s trusted trails Tired of all the heroes he heard praised in the old folktales Past spirits they call him back but he won’t answer the call On the other face of this fertile place’s wealthy mansion’s wall Now he’s looking for refuge He’s the prodigal son Yes, he’s looking for refuge And he’s not the only one Losing himself in cherry wine and sweet women of the night Life’s darkness it crept over him, then faded all the light Hungry scratching around in the dirt among the pigs on the ground It turns the dead into the living and the lost into the found But now he’s looking for refuge He’s the prodigal son Yes, he’s looking for refuge And he’s not the only one He left for what he thought was a quest for greed and gold After squandering his soul his story now must be told They stay he’s still out there somewhere and he’s hunting his way home You can hear his voice the way the wind and breeze are blown But now he’s looking for refuge He’s the prodigal son Yes, he’s looking for refuge And he’s not the only one He’s not the only one, he’s not the only one…
7.
I heard you’re moving soon after tomorrow Said you got some of your precious time left to borrow Before we go and you leave this place abandoned One thing I must confess to you my companion Sometimes I danced and I prayed for rain To change your mind about taking that train I only ever stayed to take you out to roam To get lost with you and take the wrong way home We always hunted one white line after the other We could’ve died so many times but we didn’t bother Never lost in thought but we were always caught up in talking Something always changed in me when away I saw you walking The end of the road now is drawing near Getting lost without you is still one of my biggest fears You made me see I can’t be on my own It’s why we made this turn baby and took the wrong way home And last night you got into my car as I closed the door I put my foot down to the floor You said “why don’t we take the long way ‘round, just like we did before?” We got one last chance now to roam All the streets we’ve known And these lies will be outgrown The way our dreams were blown Let’s buy more time now we’re still alone One more drive now taking the wrong way… Come on and take the wrong way home…
8.
You were fighting over good and over bad in the sounds that you shaped Thinking about better times coming your blues you escaped But now your fears that scared you here are taking their toll And now your dreams that brought you here they all fall It must be time for us to burn our sorrow now Caused by all the hurt we never could have helped anyhow… But it feels the most Like I’m listening to a ghost of you Everywhere that I go I’m listening to a ghost of you Everywhere that I go I’m listening to your ghost
9.
Why We Sing 03:34
For all who gather ‘round to listen to this song’s call For all the tired tongues standing still before some wall For all our heavy burdens and those who carry their own For all the men on wire dreaming with the birds back home We’ve got no choice but to raise up our voice It’s why we sing For all the rooms of heartbreak where we left our mark For all the faded friendships and the treason in the dark For all the stages conquered and those we failed to set alight For all the chances we got and the times we had to fight We’ve got no choice but to raise up our voice It’s why we sing For all the deniers that the dawn’s about to come For all hungry choirs singing their song all night long For all of our waiting on future heroes to arrive For all our lonesome thinking on a midnight highway drive For all love’s illusions turning into a different shade For all our rock ‘n roll that slowly starts to fade For all the deniers that the dawn’s about to come For all hungry choirs singing their song all night long It’s why we sing It's why we sing Shalalalala You’ve got no choice but to raise up your voice
10.
Some carry their past like it’s a heavy burden Pressing on ‘neath some slow burn Others looking back full of lonely longing Their only wish to one day return Hear me out, all you tired eyes looking back Do not forget just where your feet have gone You will survive though mornings they never seem that way Not looking back is never moving on So carry your past cause it’s all that’s left of The rights and wrongs that moulded you Think back on love there’s no time for sorrow Carry your past and you’ll make it through Don’t let the past get the better of you I shall use my time and you shall too We’ll carry the past and we’ll make it through

about

In 2022 I've been singing my songs for ten years. It makes one think: why do we sing? In ten new songs I wanted to find out what makes me do the things I do and also celebrate my ten year anniversary.

From the elegiac opening of "A Long Walk" to the soulful "The Road Tells Stories" onto the rousing "Nightwalker", from the late-night intimacy of "Roman Candles" and "Man on Wire" onto the scorching rock of "Prodigal Son" and the romantic vibes of "Wrong Way Home", closing with the mournful "Song To A Ghost", the gospel-infused "Why We Sing" and the nostalgic folk song "Carry Your Past", this album tries to capture my journey in my most personal album yet.

A huge thanks to my family, friends and colleagues, to all of you for following me on the road, to the mighty Elisa for her musical advice and friendship, to Wouter for bringing the saxiest vibes, to Jo for providing the record with its heartbeat, to Silke, Kobe, Fien and Rianto for bringing the gospel, and - last but not least - to the magician David for working his magic with his endless patience, limitless creativity and above all his unfailing faith in my music. You’re why we sing.

Thanks for celebrating ten years of story and song with me. It’s been quite a ride and I'm immensely proud of this record. I hope you enjoy.

See you further on up the road.

Jim.

credits

released October 5, 2022

All songs written by Michiel Vaernewyck/Jim Cain

Michiel Vaernewyck: acoustic/electric guitar, keys, organ, harmonica, vocals
Elisa De Pauw: electric guitar, bass, piano, backing vocals
Wouter De Smet: tenor saxophone
Jo Soetaert: drums, percussie
Silke De Smedt: backing vocals
Kobe Ardui: backing vocals
Fien Druyts: backing vocals
Rianto Delrue: backing vocals

Produced by Michiel Vaernewyck
Co-produced by David De Pauw
Recorded, mixed and mastered by David De Pauw at Peacock’s Playground

Album cover shot by Filip Stevens (Image of Light)
Album artwork by MiTro Photography

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Jim Cain Ghent, Belgium

Jim Cain is a singer-songwriter from Ghent, Belgium.

Endlessly fascinated by his heroes he writes songs about love and hate, illusions and revelations, doubts and hopes ... without ever taking himself to seriously.

With his guitar and warm voice he brings together musical styles balancing between folk, soul, country and rock.

Inspired by many heroes, but even more by his own stories to tell.
... more

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