from Colours In The Storm
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jim Betts
Sung in the show by Tom Thomson
This vocal by Jim Betts
Accompanied by Bob Ashley
“Northern River”
Standing in the shadows,
Looking towards the light
Wondering where the river goes.
Hovering on the water
Trees and sky unite
Flowing where the river flows.
Northern River
Can we ever know
Where these Northern Rivers
Go?
Pine wood arms to hold me
Dark and cool and still
I’m frightened how the river burns.
Wind sweeps up behind me
Rustling down the hill
Drawn to where the river turns.
Northern River
Can we learn to read
Where these Northern Rivers
|Lead?
Were I to step out of the trees
And dare the river
My face would ripple in the water
Open to the skies
And I would float
Like a seed in the wind
The colours on the river
The colours in my eyes.
Northern River
Dare we ever know
Where these Northern Rivers
Go?
Northern River
Changing greys and blue
Northern River
Take me with you.
This song is inspired by the “Northern River” painting by Tom Thomson, which now hangs in the National Gallery Of Canada. This is a thumbnail of that painting.
The song was written for Colours In The Storm, my musical about Tom Thomson. I remember writing the song in Muskoka, not far from Algonguin Park. I was part of a musical theatre Writers’ Colony, part of that year’s Muskoka Festival. Michael Ayoub was the Artistic Director of The Muskoka Festival at that time, and he went on to produce and direct the premiere of Colours a year later.
I wrote two other “Northern River” songs during that time before I came up with this one, which I knew almost immediately was the one I wanted to use. It’s possible that this is not the best song I’ve ever written, but it is in many ways my favourite; and when I established my own company a few years later, I named that company Northern River Arts & Entertainment.