DAY 3 “Thoughts On The Albums” : ‘YOU, ME & THE HORSE’ (2008)

I wanted to make a mainly acoustic record but with a really full sound like Gordon Lightfoot’s early albums. I also wanted to write some folk ballads, words that had a narrative. The ghost story in “Daddy’s Lantern”, “Raspberry Bush” inspired by an old Toronto cold case and the Northern Ontario love song “Mansion Round The Bend” started to come out of my pen. Other tunes like “Drive Away Tonight” and “Warning Sirens” had a cinematic quality. Most of these were written in a dreary basement apartment I was living in at the time. I remember going for a long walk one night with a tune in my head, coming through the door and writing “Love’s Abandoned Your Heart” in a flash of lightning. I started hearing the new album being formed in my head.

I played some of these songs to Josh Finlayson (of the band Skydiggers) and found he too loved the idea of trying to get that Lightfoot sound. To also play and co-produce, I wanted Tim Bovaconti involved because he always brings something special and can adapt to anything. He’s got an amazing musical mind. We recorded it in a circle on the 2nd floor of ‘Diggers sound tech Phil Presnal’s house, very relaxed. It introduced a couple new members to the fold on record, Dan Mock on bass and James McKie on fiddle. Kyle Sullivan appears on the only track with (cocktail) drums, the closer “My Little Crook.”

This album seems to have become a favourite among some fans and friends. It was also the album I was supporting when I first toured the US as a duo with Dan Mock. The first time I’d ever been out of Canada.

‘You, Me & The Horse” is currently available on CD and as a download on Bandcamp, which will be waiving their share of revenue June 5th. Consider buying it on that day if you don’t have it already. Stream and listen now:https://jerryleger.bandcamp.com/album/you-me-and-the-horse

Source: Jerry Leger