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Ascending Lullaby

by Norine Braun

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about

STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Ascending Lullaby is a song about my Mother’s passing and is symbolic for the transitioning from one life to another. My Mother deeply loved birds she had a bird bath in her front yard that she faithfully cleaned everyday and would sit in her swivel rocking chair and watch the birds come and go, drink and bathe. These sightings were often the focus of our phone conversations in her elder years.

When Mom was in hospital in the height of covid and declining we had to move her into hospice. After transferring and being moved from the stretcher to her bed despite being so ill and weak her face lit up as she saw that outside her window was a bird feeder full of birds welcoming her. Her deep joy despite the difficult circumstance taught me so much that amidst great suffering there can still be joy and gratitude. She fought so very hard to stay alive as long as she could she loved her life, family and friends.

In the song Mom becomes a Whippoorwill. I chose this beautiful bird as Mom and I both loved the Hank Williams song, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry and the lyric about hearing the lonesome Whippoorwill always stood out to me. When I researched this bird I found it’s habitat is greatly threatened in Eastern Canada and the US largely due to pesticide use, industrial development and climate change so I wanted to bring this awareness as well. In folklore to hear a Whippoorwill sing by a window is a sign of impending death. In other stories they can grant wishes and heal pain.

In the context of the album, Mom passed Easter Sunday that year the day before my birthday and then the day after my birthday I got word my biological father was alive, he knew of me and wanted to connect. One life had ended and another began. Perhaps somehow in the next world she helped grant my wish of uncovering my ancestry and knew connecting that with my Dad would help me move through the heavy grief at losing her.

lyrics

ASCENDING LULLABY

The beauty of the trail
Be still
And listen Whip-poor-will
You're a bird now
Whip-poor-will

Your heart is bright
It flutters light
To shine
Lullabies ascending lullaby

You wander wide
And chill beside
Blue fire in the skies
Ascending fly higher now
Ascending lullaby

Be here and now
It's perfect how you’ll sleep tonight
The wind winds down
Your wings breaks down
To still the night
No puffs or struts
Sunset erupts
The little ones

Come out to great
Catch and see

There's so much more
How you're adored I

The beauty of the trail
Be still
And listen whippoorwill
You're a bird now
Whip-poor-will
Fly higher now you’re ascending lullaby

credits

released March 28, 2024
Word and Music © Norine Braun
Produced by Adam Popowitz
Norine: vocals, harmonies and acoustic guitar
Adam Popowitz bass and slide guitar
Elliot Polsky drums
Alice Fraser keys and harmony vocals
Huggybear Leonard harmonica

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Norine Braun Vancouver, British Columbia

Her signature funky folk-blues sound simply cannot be matched. Best listened to as loud as your neighbours will tolerate. Abortmag

Her music sounds like the union of Nick Cave with Patti Smith & City and Colour deep in the Canadian forests.
MTM

An imaginative display of fine musicianship, potent vocals and heartfelt lyrics, talent like hers doesn't exactly come around too often. Music Emission ... more

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