Colleen Dillon's favorite tracks

by Colleen Dillon

0:00

3:13

The Practical Gardener

Uploaded August 10, 2020 8:58am.

312

(Remastered 22/10/2021)

And here’s another song from 1994, with a sparkling new “Andrew Russe Band” arrangement fresh from the broom-cupboard.

Like most of my songs, it was written with an acoustic guitar, a pen, and an A4 pad. The ones written like this all have some sort of arrangement in my head, some sort of idea how it’s meant to affect you (and me, if I were to perform it on a stage).

And that’s all this one had until the other week when I was sifting through the papers in the shoe-box, playing the songs on them to Mrs R. I’d actually forgotten that this song even existed, I’d obviously dismissed it last time I was going through the pile - because it wasn’t on my list of “1994 possibles” that I compiled some years ago.

The moment I played it, though, we knew this one just had to be recorded.

The piece of paper has “Lament” written on it, but it’s obviously meant to be called The Practical Gardener. That made me wonder about the ending, “life finds a way” and all that… So I tried very very hard to change it and give it a hopeful ending… but it simply did not work like that. This one’s a “glass completely bluddy empty” lament, and there’s no use tinkering with it…

The Practical Gardener - A A J Russe

The days and the nights
That we spent alone together
They seem now a life-time away
When all that I had
Was yours for the taking
All that you took was my heart

The hue and cry was heard for miles
Nobody
Nobody lifted a hand
And still today

Trimmed to the roots
By the practical gardener
Left to grow back in the spring
But spring never came
And after eight years of winter
It’s doubtful I’d know it again

Download

Kris King said April 5, 2021 12:37pm

Genius lyrics !

James Michael Taylor said October 8, 2020 2:12pm

Exactly!

James Michael Taylor said October 8, 2020 1:50pm

Hey, I was just describing the love of my life. The girl I write all those sad songs about...gone, 13 years now and she is still ever-present in my thoughts.

Sister Savage said September 11, 2020 5:16pm

Oh man, Andy, will you stop breaking my heart?!

Anton said September 10, 2020 10:05pm

Very emotional song, loved the fuzz guitar and solos!

James Michael Taylor said September 9, 2020 6:24pm

Love how you g from the simple to the huge...great guitars. And the lyric, so intense.

Radio Roswell said September 2, 2020 2:25pm

this is really moody and really well produced. dark and and Pink Floyd vibes.

Reefwalker said September 2, 2020 3:13am

Nice song. Like the stop up at 2:00. Pretty intense. I’m laughing a bit about the name ‘lament ‘which obviously was supposed to be ‘the practical gardener’. That sounds familiar with my stuff too., lol. 15 years can put a new perspective on almost anything. Cheers.

GONeil said September 1, 2020 8:53pm

Very Cool Song my Friend. G

Pat Bondy said August 14, 2020 5:10am

Ah yesss! This is fantastic :)

sammymann123 said August 13, 2020 5:54pm

1994 offered just the kind of eye opener a nano second can unexpectedly bring you. You have a great soundtrack going for 1994. Please continue to indulge us.

Paul Matthews said August 13, 2020 2:43pm

Good to get a discussion going now, even if a bit round the houses!! Glad it wasn’t just me re the Floyd thing on this track, and now reading other comments from your thread, I can agree some Tull influence too...a rather excellent combination! I was late to the Floyd party, to be fair, being a total Genesis nut since forever, but then when I was invited to join a PF tribute in 2008 for a few years, grew to love their music totally.....

Paul Matthews said August 13, 2020 2:15pm

Hi there...this is the only was I can see to thank you for your regular positive comments for my orchestrations and Soundscapes!! But can I also now say that I love the feel of this track...may I say a bit reminiscent of Pink Floyd?....especially the lead solo..

Colleen Dillon said August 11, 2020 7:53pm

That shoe box from 1994 must literally be vibrating with energy.... Like someone up in outer space could see it's energy field from a million miles away. This one is gut wrenchingly beautiful. Amazing emotion.

slkrell said August 11, 2020 2:04pm

Oh so descending front ending then ascend to a massive middle eight . Great forward motion . Cutting slicing lyrics. Does it for me Jethro

Shed Sounds said August 11, 2020 12:38pm

Absolutely top-drawer in terms of composition, performance and sonically 👏

Greg Connor said August 10, 2020 2:15pm

Different and beautiful. I like the build and drop, high/low contrast in the song.

KCsGroove said August 10, 2020 10:34am

Love the slow pace of this piece, gives it a bit of a solemn vibe Very well written and performed Good one, Andrew! KC

Guest said August 10, 2020 10:13am

Haunting ... and beautifully arranged. Definitely well described as “glass completely bluddy empty” though

view all