I caught up with some old friends last week. My favorites were a pair of women, now in their eighties, who’ve been friends since they were little girls and still take joy in making each other smile with their old stories. Another old friend stayed with me for a few days trying to find some light in a life that’s being destroyed by dishonesty, booze, and the breakup of a relationship that goes back 35 years.
I ran across another old friend on Jones’ Beach and he shared a story with me that I’d now like to share with you. It’s a story about love (like most great stories) and it uses the familiar metaphor of light to express this love. It’s a common theme, with a simple melody and words that are small and ordinary but when John Fogerty sings it there’s something deeper than the Words & Music. There’s buried treasure in the vocals. They contain the honest emotion of a great artist and craftsman expressing himself.
This song was first recorded in 1970 by Creedence Clearwater Revival as the closing track for their 1970 masterpiece Cosmo’s Factory. Far be it from me to fuck with a J.C. Fogerty arrangement but I do (a bit) here. Instead of repeating the chorus at the end, I repeat the “Oh yeahs” because I really like to do it that way.
Put a candle in the window
But I feel I’ve got to move
Though I’m going, going,
I’ll be coming home soon
Long as I can see the light
Pack my bags and lets get moving
‘Cause I’m bound to drift a while
Though I’m gone, gone,
You don’t have to worry long
Long as I can see the light
Guess I’ve got that old traveling bone
‘Cause this feeling won’t leave me alone
But I won’t, won’t,
I won’t lose my way, no
Long as I can see the light
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Put a candle in the window
But I feel I’ve got to move
Though I’m going, going,
I’ll be coming home soon
Long as I can see the light
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Words & Music by Mike Power 