"Who'll be there to catch their dreams as they fall?
Who'll be there for the children
When their nightmares call…"
"Best Non-Traditional Holiday Song Ever" - Global Texan Chronicles
Another re-imagining of one of Wily Bo's popular tracks, 'For the Children (When the Nightmares Call)' originally featured on Wily Bo's album 'Moon Over Indigo' but this version was recorded with E D Brayshaw during the sessions for their double album 'The Roads We Ride'
'For The Children' is Wily Bo's topical anti-war, anti-corruption ballad that he has released to round off 2020 - a 'New Year Blues' if you like; not one mired in mawkish sentimentality but one which kind of reflects the mood after yet another year of 'populist promenading' by politicians, seemingly endless warring factions, yet more worldwide corruption and a year in which, again, we have seen so many creative souls lost.
As Wily Bo says, "I wrote this song for MY children but I hope the song's message will resonate with everyone in some way."
Here's to a brand new year, may it be a better one for all
Welcome to VoodooVille…
Said of this song:
"For a man so prolific; Wily Bo Walker somehow manages to maintain an exceptionally high quality standard with his songwriting; listen to the languid and darkly beautiful 'For The Children' to hear the words of a master of his craft.
He skirts ‘politics’ with the couplets ‘Oh Angel / I’ve heard so many lies / But with the wars in the East / Corruption to the West / How the Hell are we ever gonna survive?’ all alongside the chorus ‘And who’ll be there to catch our dreams as they fall / Who’ll be there for the children when their nightmares call?’" - Rocking Magpie Review
“Whew! what a song - absolute knockout!" - Tony Fitton, Blues in the Nite
"The impassioned 'For The Children' is a cri de coeur for sanity in this world with 'wars to the east, corruption to the west'. Utterly convincing." - Grant Moon, The Blues magazine
Recorded during their sessions for the globally successful album 'The Roads We Ride'
This single will also feature on the album 'Tales of the Mescal Canyon Troubadours' scheduled for release on 12th Feb 2021
Available as Hi Res Audio 24Bit 96khz FLAC or WAV download as well as regular MP3 etc
lyrics
OH ANGEL, MY SWEET ANGEL
I SEE SHADOWS CROSS THE SKY
AND MIDNIGHT EYES
ARE LOOKING AT THE WORLD TONIGHT
OH ANGEL, MY SWEET ANGEL
WHEN THE TRUTH COMES DOWN
IT’S GOING TO RAIN LIKE CRAZY
ON THE CHILDREN
AS THEY SLEEP TONIGHT
AND WHO’LL BE THERE TO CATCH THEIR DREAMS AS THEY FALL
WHO’LL BE THERE FOR THE CHILDREN
WHEN THEIR NIGHTMARES CALL?
WHEN THEIR NIGHTMARES CALL?
OH ANGEL, I’VE HEARD SO MANY LIES
BUT WITH WARS TO THE EAST
CORRUPTION TO THE WEST
HOW THE HELL WE EVER GONNA SURVIVE?
OH ANGEL, MY SWEET ANGEL
WHEN THEY LIGHT THOSE FIRES
THEY’RE GOING TO BURN LIKE FOREVER
BUT WE’RE NEVER GOING TO SEE THE LIGHT
AND WHO’LL BE THERE TO CATCH OUR DREAMS AS THEY FALL
WHO’LL BE THERE FOR THE CHILDREN
WHEN THEIR NIGHTMARES CALL?
COS TIME IS SLIPPING THROUGH OUR FINGERS
LIKE A STORM IN THE DESERT SAND
WHO CAN PLACE OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE
IN THE PALM OF SOME FOOLS HAND?
IF ONLY I COULD GET SOME ANSWERS
I WOULD LET THEM ALL IN ON THE PLAN
SO WHEN THEIR NIGHTMARES CALL
THEY CAN UNDERSTAND…
Soulful guitar interplay form the heart of this lovely Americana collaboration from Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 2, 2018
