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ŅThe FiddlerÓ tells the story of a vibrant culture thatÕs been supplanted by something lesser in southwest Wisconsin.

The persona of the song was inspired by an old man during one of my performances at a local nursing home. I donÕt recall which song I was playing at the time, but I do remember being perplexed by the manÕs jerky gestures with his right forearm in the back of the room. Then it hit me: heÕs a fiddler. . . .

After IÕd put up my guitar, I talked with the man, and he told me about his music, and how he wished he had his fiddle with him, but no one really wanted to him him play now, anyway. But he enjoyed my music.

A few weeks later when I played at Greenway Manor again, I looked for the old man, but didnÕt see him. When I asked about him afterward, I learned heÕd passed on.

ItÕs one of the hard things about playing nursing homes.

But every time I sing ŅThe Fiddler,Ó
I think of him. And sometimes
I tell this story.

This is the first song I wrote for Some Kind of Sign, finishing it on
October 3, 2003.

Songs to listen to. . . .

Prairie Gold (from Some Kind of Sign)

The Fiddler (from Some Kind of Sign)

Just Around the Corner (unreleased)

Government Work (unreleased)

Somebody ElseÕs Alibi (from Just Where We Are)

You Can Get There from Here (from Just Where We Are)

DonÕt You Worry Õbout Falling (from Just Where We Are)

Sunny Side of the Street (Pogues cover; SG General Store, 11-22-2008)

 

* Except for ŅSunny Side of the Street,Ó all songs & recordings
© Nathanael Dresser

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