"Shooting Stars" genre: Folk
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	Being outside is my favorite form of therapy. Sharing it makes it even better. This song is a product of my overactive imagination and a long drive across Wyoming.
	CD: Secret Smile Credits: Produced by Finn Bjarnson (of Seriously Sofina)
	Story Behind the Song Anyone who has driven across Wyoming can attest that you have a lot of time to think. I had just spent a week under the endless skies of Eastern Wyoming, and on the way home I kept thinking about an image from a Gretel Ehrlich short story (that I have since not been able to locate, leading me to believe that I imagined it was an image from Gretel Ehrlich). A song needs a kernel of three things around which to form: an idea, a sound, and a phrase. A few days after returning, I was playing around on the guitar in DADGAD (my favorite tuning) and came up with the percussive strum and hammer-on combination (inspired by Chuck Pyle's sound, although this is definitely a different technique) that is the defining sound of the song. Now all I needed was a phrase. Enter magnetic poetry. I probably shouldn't be giving away my songwriting "secrets", but I guess I will. I bought three boxes of magnetic poetry after seeing some very cool phrases on a friend's refrigerator. I hadn't been playing around with it for more than an hour when the phrases "I was struck by shards of a star" and "masterpiece of moonlight and madness" struck me as being very descriptive of this image I had in my head. They were also alliterative, which I like. At this point, I had the kernal in place and the rest of the song came fairly quickly. I changed the magnetic poetry lines a bit to fit the meter of the chorus, and added the part about "all I learned that night remains" because I believe that it's important to allow special moments of insight to penetrate deeply, so that they may be recalled when things aren't so clear. I love everything about the way this song came together in the studio. My old friend Mark Phillips just happened to be in town and did the guitar solo in a half hour. I love Lindi Wiggins' voice (check her out on MP3.com, too), and Joe's bass line is very cool. From the beginning I knew this song had to have violin, and Rachel Bakes (from the band "Olea", also on MP3.com) came up with the perfect part. Yoni's subtle electric guitar and Finn's (both from "Seriously Sofina", which is, surprise, on MP3.com) taste in shakers and tambourines rounded it all out. It's my favorite song so far! Lyrics Wide open kisses in Wide open spaces Were lucky we didnt burn Wyoming down When we Danced with the wind Found ourselves again Said I love you without saying a word Clouds are sailing Over our heads I can see a hundred miles away I could get used to this kind of living I could get used to your smile every day (chorus) I was struck by Shards of shooting stars I turned my face into the rain Masterpiece of moonlight and magic All I learned that night remains This world can leave you Feeling small and tired It can leave you wondering why But being out here and Sharing this with you I think Im ok for at least a while Joey Dempster guitar, vocals, percussion Lindi Wiggins harmony vocals Gwen Juvenal additional harmony vocals Joe Ellsworth bass Rachel Bakes violin Yoni electric guitar Finn Bjarnson percussion

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