Oh Lord, I been hurtin', my back bent low with this burden
I been counting pennies, stacking these staves
With a flow that's running so low, no savior who saves me
I cried out, oh my soul, when may I lay down this heavy load
Oh, my soul it shouts down, “When you lay down your pride, you may wear
That Starry Crown, yeah yeah
That Starry Crown, yeah yeah
I found one – what is one? It's the power of the light & life that's reflected in the Sun
I found two, three, and four - Four is for the wedding canopy that shows us more is in store
I found five, what is five?
It's the fighting spirit that will keep you alive
I found six, seven, & eight - eight arrows that point the way to the dream gate
Yeah, yeah... yeah, yeah
Well, I found nine, what is nine? It's the night before the fight we may die, that we dine
I found ten, what is ten? It's the straw that broke the camel's back, it will make your mind bend
I cried out, oh my soul, when may I lay down this heavy load
My soul it shouts down, “When you can lay down your pride, you may wear
That Starry Crown, yeah yeah
That Starry Crown, yeah yeah
When you gonna lay down your pride, yeah yeah
Mm, Hmmmm, then you may wear That Starry Crown
about
Ten of Wands music video on youtube @dylanblackthorn
Gratitude
My dearest and most heartfelt thanks to all of the sponsors that
funded this project. Recording and producing an album during
the plague was not easy, but y'all made it much easier - I could
not have done it without the generosity of my family, friends, and
community.
My deepest thanks and blessings go out to each and every one of
you who supported my efforts at this unusual time. Whether it be
through pre-ordering a copy of this album, donating time, $, or
lending your talent and skill to the production of small flames -
blessed be.
I epecially want to thank by name my family & dearest friends
for being so very supportive of this effort: my wife Samantha,
parents Kirk & Su, adoptive gandmother-mentor Sherry Nāmakaola
Mayrent, my step-daughter Nrya Song for recording such a
beautiful version of Candlelight, Dr. $ick for giving so much of his
musical soul to this album, & Shoshona King for always being there
for my Sunday Squeezebox Serenade! Much thanks to Ham-jam
founder & inventor Darren Fire-eye, & all the other amazing players
who joined me in the studio: Tom Crail, Michael Rubin, Eldridge
Goins, David Ansel, and Gary Linsdsay.
Thanks to Matt Smith at 6-string Ranch Studio for his expert skill
& practical advice during production.
Artist's Statement
Most of us are confronted daily with fears about what we are
doing with our lives - Where is the meaning? What is the
meaning? What's the point... I hope that with this work, you may
find inspiration and hope, to find that what you do has deeper
meaning than you had thought possible.
We are constantly re-creating this world in our image, in our
imaginations, just as the old story goes. The world we live in was
created, and us, humanity, in spiraling mirror image illusions,
through the generations.
Our confusion comes out of the illusory nature of reality, and
how we comprehend our world. When we realize that our
fundamental preconceptions & perceptions of reality largely
determine our experience of that reality, we can begin to repair
ourselves, and in the bigger picture, the world.
Small flames is dedicated to that subtle spiritual experience of
candlelight that sparks warmth, hearth, home, ritual, creativity,
& new growth from within us all.
Best Wishes,
Dylan McNeill Goldberg Blackthorn
credits
released March 23, 2021
Written and composed by Dylan Blackthorn
Produced by Dylan Blackthorn
Recorded, mixed, & mastered by Matt Smith at 6-String Ranch studio in Austin, Texas.
Dylan Blackthorn - lead vocal, accordion, ukulele
Dr. $ick - fiddle, guitar
Tom Crail - bass
Michael Rubin - encylopediae harmonicae
Eldridge Goins - drums
Accordion-driven singer, songwriter, composer, and band leader at THAT Damned Band, Thee Harlequine, & Mazel Tov Kocktail
Hour.
Part time Quantum Mechanic with 999 EYES FREAKSHOW & SURREAL SIDESHOW.
Austiner Klezmer Bund member since 2013.
TIME TRAVELER'S Local 999 since 2030....more
This explosive duo has it all in this album: class, charm, slowburns, drugs, and veiled innuendo. Pure vaudeville, great musicianship. Dylan Blackthorn
This twisted songwriting duo has been pumping out witicism and biting social satire ever since I joined their cult in 1998. The album F features underground hit Life is Excellent! Dylan Blackthorn
Another songwriter favorite of mine who calls upon wit & laughter to bring you to tears about the state of the world. Sublime, personal, verbose, poetic, biting social commentary. Dylan Blackthorn
Beautifully played and full of moving vocal performances, the Bay Area singer/songwriter's latest is a stellar work of art. Bandcamp Album of the Day Feb 3, 2023