Greetings!
I first attempted to release this song several years ago, but complications at CD Baby — the company I use to distribute recordings to digital streaming platforms — led me to cancel that initial piano/vocal rendition.
Fast forward three years, and I am releasing a new version — this time recorded with my friends Molly Ruggles (playing piano and singing) and Carole Bundy (singing).
Molly also crafted our harmonies.
I co-write this song with two former bandmates, Scott Kowalik and Javier Pico, with whom I was in a pop-rock band a long time ago.
Here is a photo of us way back when…
Scott and Javier are on the right side, and I am leaning on Alan.
Robert sits in the middle.
That is when I still had a fair amount of hair.
I think Scott’s girlfriend at the time snapped this photo near the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
I am saddened to realize that some of the lyrics in this song (“and so we set off to fight another war…”) areeven more compelling today than when Scott (mostly the chorus) and I (mostly the verses) wrote them.
G-d only knows what will continue to unfold in the Middle East… and Ukraine… and so many other active human war zones…
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
I do not want my blog posts to be too discouraging, overwhelming or unhappy.
There’s already plenty of that energy in circulation here on planet earth!
That’s partly why I started sharing shorter, flower-filled Thursday Throwback blog posts this year.
And “Let The Day Unfold” offers a bit of hope and maybe even a smidge of wisdom.
I DO feel that many of us are caught in a losing battle — armored “with the righteous power of the either/or” — about all sorts of very important topics.
For example, I can easily find myself hunkering down in a judgemental, self-righteous, bike-riding, public transportation-using stance regarding our over-consumption of fossil fuels (leading to the increasingly erratic and dangerous weather here on planet earth).
But life is always — or almost always — more complicated and nuanced than a purely either/or position.
That’s why I love the yin/yang symbol — it so beautifully illustrates the concept of “both/and.”
And it reminds me that compromise is not necessarily a horrible option.
Sometimes it’s the only option.
Another deep breath in.
And deep breath out.
Thank you to the generous photographers and graphic designers at Pixabay.
Thank you to Javier and Scott and Molly and Carole and Doug Hammer (who recorded us and then patiently helped to mix and master this new version of “Let the Day Unfold.”)
And thank YOU for reading and listening to yet another one of my blog posts and songs!
You can click here to stream “Let the Day Unfold” on your favorite musical platform.
And you can click here to visit my website if you are curious.
amusicalifeonplanetearth 
What a beautiful harmony!😍👏👏👏💗💗💗
Thank you, Hitomi! The harmonies were crafted by Molly, bless her…
Kudos on your new release Will. I love the photo of you and your friends. Thanks for the reminders that either/or thinking is often limiting. To inclusive living and thinking.
Thanks, Brad! Yes to inclusive, collaborative, respectful living whenever possible…
🙏
I don’t know what your first version sounded like, but this version is beautiful, Will. And it’s a good reminder that few things are either/or; black or white.
I enjoyed seeing the photo of you and your bandmates!
Thank you, Merril. The first version was just me and pianist Doug Hammer. This one has Molly playing piano + lovely harmonies she crafted for her and Carole to sing. I think I cling to my either/or mindsets due to fear of change (which often can be traced to a fear of death/dying). Ahh, to be able to embrace the tao… BTW I, too, enjoy that photo of my old bandmates and me. We rehearsed 3-4 nights per weeks for around three years while holding down day jobs. We didn’t do that many gigs, but we were very serious about our music!
You’re welcome, Will!
It is hard to adjust and face fears sometimes.
Beautiful song, Will.
“But life is always — or almost always — more complicated and nuanced than a purely either/or position.” That’s so true. Yet society in general persists in black and white thinking.
Last year, I read the book “Think Again” by Adam Grant. In the book, he discusses the concept of confident humility. It’s about being confident enough to acknowledge there are things we don’t know and being open to new information. A quality that’s in short supply in our world.
Peace my friend!
Thank you, Michelle! I will see if I can track down THINK AGAIN via my local library. I love the idea of confident humility (“if we can listen with an open mind, who knows what unexpected wisdom we may find…” Peace for you, for me, for our fellow bloggers and for all beings here on planet earth!!!
The song’s lyrics are an eloquent reminder to contemplate things we oppose, in case there is something there we can relate to. But it’s hard to do, especially with all the divisive messages everywhere.
Yes. My song lyrics are aspirational (and maybe a little bit inspirational). The divisive messaging in our lives — much of it driven by a feeling of panic — does not help any of us sloooow down and listen to each other. I have one MAGA-oriented cousin (that I know of), and I will be seeing them at an annual family meeting next weekend. I hope I am able to shut up and simply listen if/when our conversation heads in a political direction. I just read a short article about how quickly TikTok’s algorithms (within an hour!) can start feeding one more and more intense content regarding issues like “what it means to be a man” and women’s authority over their own bodies… Blessedly I am spending a couple of months this summer with lots of trees and birds and sky in upstate NY. I hope you are able to experience some of nature’s grace this summer, too! Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
Yin/yang have great meaning and are meant to make us think, on all sides. I love how you include this in your post. Great music, and that old photo made me smile. Best to you, Will.
Thank you, Jennie!!!!!
You’re welcome, Will! 🙂
It’s so fun to see a glimpse of your past. People always joke about being in a band, but it’s no joke for you.
Yes. Three years in that band then a year or two in two other bands before I became enamored of piano + vocal performing. I was rehearsing this morning with a wonderful pianist who also comes up with great vocal harmonies. We are working on an hour of songs by The Beatles, and some of the songs were reminding me of my rock-n-roll roots… Thanks for reading and listening, Jane!
I love the song, Will. Also the ying and yang symbols, which remind that I must return to Robert Southwell’s poem “Times Go By Turns,” https://englishverse.com/poems/times_go_by_turns — wisdom from the 16th century.
Thank you! I did not know this poem but like being reminded that human beings have reflected upon life’s patterns and cycles for many, many, many years. This is my favorite couplet: “Times go by turns and chances change by course/From foul to fair, from better hap to worse.”