The title track and apex of our musical journey! “Dawning”, the song, is an epic narrative of one individual’s journey to self-discovery and ultimate transformation – It presents an intimate look at the evolution of a human soul and is a personalized view of the same journey embodied, in grand scale, in “Dawning”, the album. The story in “Dawning” is told through two distinct musical settings: a deeply introspective acoustic ballad ‘outer shell’ which encases a robust, celebratory, middle section – a song within a song.

“Dawning” is the story of a lonely and lost soul who is desperately yearning to be found. Empty, frozen, and forlorn, his existence seemingly devoid of purpose, he rises each morning, mechanically, to greet the sunrise, the physical dawn. It is ironically apparent, however, that there is no ‘dawn’, or life, within him. As he speaks in first person, he laments his condition, his withdrawal from the ‘inconveniences’ of people, and ponders the disappointments that have ravaged his hopes and expectations. Longing for that fire of life that once animated him, he wonders where and how so much time has passed from him and notes how the forces of life and nature have robbed him of his senses and have all but silenced his voice, a metaphor for his ability to effect change in the world. At length he observes, “I think I’ve traveled this road before – I just don’t know, such a long time ago, a long time around”, marking the cyclical nature of so much sadness in his life.

Right at this point the song’s energy explodes, in the form of a vital and moving fanfare (which serves as a secondary theme in itself), and then moves immediately into a very robust and rock-solid middle section – with the appearance of a new character! This new entity – a friend, a spiritual guide, an angel? (you decide!) – comes to him providing a much-needed pep-talk, which is given in the form of an intriguing combination of both encouragements and warnings. The warnings, not frightening so much as they are sobering, primarily point to the human tendency to procrastination, highlighting the principle that life and time are precious and shouldn’t be squandered.

Halfway into the middle section the voice of the main character returns. Energized now by the message and power of his special instructor, he reflects on the unfulfilled dreams of his own father and sees an alternative path available to him. Now himself the messenger, he invites all, “So come on people, clap and shout together, toss another gilded sin to the fire; Either way, the wind’ll cleanse the weather, right down to the wire!”

After a bit, the music winds down gently, resuming the more introspective mood of the first sections, and we begin to see the tremendous change that has taken place in the heart of this person. Inspired by hope, and filled with purpose, he vows to reach out to others, in whatever ways he can, and to not leave the good deed undone. Now, embracing the dawn, he rekindles his inner fire and finds his lost voice, his Angel – he greets the dawn with resolve, hope, and confidence, because he holds and breathes the light of the dawn, and it is a part of him.