Ben Bullington : Kanesville Down To Pray

"Ben Bullington's work draws life-breath from the earth, rivers, sky and people of Montana," says Rodney Crowell, the Nashville songwriting legend who plays guitar and performs a duet on Bullington's second CD, White Sulphur Springs. "In the same way Guy Clark's jeweler's vision captures the eloquent essence of Texas culture without being regional, Ben frames the stillness of Montana winters, the strength of her women and the spiritual bankruptcy of no-account politicians with disarming ease. Plus, the guy's a pretty damn good doctor for a songwriter."

Bullington has just released his third CD, "Satisfaction Garage", with Rodney Crowell returning to produce two tracks, and guest instrumentalists including Will Kimbrough, Fats Kaplin, George Bradfute, Kenny Malone, David Jacques and Mike Dysinger. Vocals were added by Ben Bullington, Rodney Crowell and Joanne Gardner. "Kanesville Down To Pray" is from the third album.

One of the potent secrets in writing songs is learning to allow them to be lived in by others, to the point where the writer is not sure anymore what the song is about, beyond the specifics of his inspiration. It's a gift then. "Kanesville Down To Pray" bears the reflections of a war veteran. The song allows me to live in it. A friend has been lost. A hollowed maple tree is stronger than a man's fears of it falling, no matter how fierce the wind. For now the house is safe. The singer's forgiveness over the mess the raccoons make of the garbage is evidenced by his leaving food out for them, and his watching them at night through the screen door. A curiosity, perhaps even a recognition of something in common with them, something about what comes up inside a man at night when the town is asleep and the horrors of his memory are awake. I see the screen door, though it's never mentioned. And while the song talks of "sunny summer days", I set the video in the autumn when the leaves, nearing their death, let out colors they've been hiding all their lives. Because of the emotional and psychological toll of the war experience on those who survive it, my heart opens to the simple kindness of that act of leaving food "by the trunk of that old tree", food for these nocturnal, bandit-eyed scavengers. The first time I listened to this song, the image of the war veteran walking out to the tree with food was the one that moved me most. That's why I brought the raccoons back at the end of the video. Thanks, Ben, for letting me bring food to the song. DL

Category:

Music

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• Ben
• Bullington
• Kanesville
• Down
• To
• Pray
• Satisfaction
• Garage
• American
• Songwriter
• Montana
• War
• Veteran
• Rodney
• Crowell
• paganmaestro

[paganmaestro]

@Restlessjohn - Thank you, John. Good to hear from you. Wish you well.

[paganmaestro]

@benbullington - You write fine songs, Ben. Thank you.

[Restlessjohn]

Lovely song, inspired video Duke.

[benbullington]

Thanks, Duke. It's just lovely.