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about
“I wrote this song in 2021 to sing at the YMCA Vancouver’s ‘Virtual Campfire’ livestream benefit. I was longing for a real campfire singalong under the moon. I wrote the song quickly with three chords so anybody could learn it and for the past two years it’s been a favourite at my live shows, both solo and with the Emergency. It’s nice to finally have a full band version down on tape.”
- JP
When the Greater Vancouver YMCA reached out to Joel Plaskett in the summer of 2021 to see if he’d be down to participate in their Virtual Campfire, he initially figured he would put together a video of him performing an older staple from his collection of tunes. But memories of his own experiences at Camp Wapomeo in Yarmouth County as a teenager—with pals who would eventually end up his co-conspirators in Thrush Hermit—inspired him to put together a brand new ‘round-the-fire sing-along.
“That first year of camp is where I heard Led Zeppelin for the first time, so I have very fond memories of camp for that reason,” Plaskett says over the phone from a Cape Breton highway. “It turned me onto “Stairway to Heaven.” By the next year we’d gotten our band Nabisco Fonzie going and we were covering Led Zeppelin. I had every Zeppelin record by year number two, because the first year I saw somebody lip-sync and air guitar “Stairway to Heaven.””
“Hey Moon (A Campfire Song)” conjures up the warm feelings that breezy, built-in-summer friendships bring on, buoyed by an earthy country-rock vibe that calls to mind communion with nature (and of course, the big, bright blanket of stars hovering far above our heads). The song’s choruses of campfire camaraderie and verses aimed toward the grand, mysterious moon—along with an easy, breezy three chord structure—will provide the next generations of campers with a new night time ritual. At least until they feel the need to get the Led out.
lyrics
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Hey Moon, have no fear
If you’re getting lonely
We got room down here
I know you're trying to catch a little sunshine
But come on down if you change your mind
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Hey Moon, are you full yet?
Can you light up my silhouette?
In a cruel world, on a cool night
Can you make everything alright?
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Hey Moon, what's your middle name?
April, June or Breezy Jane?
Hey Moon, come to think to of it now
We don’t know your last name either
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Hey Moon, where’d ya go
Can you hear us on your radio?
By the time you come around again
We’ll be going top ten
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
We’re right where we belong
Come on, love, sing me a campfire song
When the clouds roll in and the stars are gone
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Put your arms around me and sing a campfire song
Put your arms around me
credits
released August 18, 2023
Written and Produced by Joel Plaskett
Recorded at Fang Recording in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Engineered by Alex Burris & Ian McGettigan
Mixed by Thomas Stajcer & Joel Plaskett
Mastered by J LaPointe at Archive Mastering in Mineville, NS
Joel Plaskett - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Marsh - Drums
Chris Pennell - Bass
Mo Kenney - Mandolin
Clive MacNutt - Electric Guitar
Eric Stephen Martin - 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Adam Baldwin - Piano
Reeny Smith - Backing Vocals
Haliey Smith - Backing Vocals
Micah Smith - Backing Vocals
One of Canada's most celebrated songwriters, Joel has dozens of awards to his credit and thousands of tour dates under his
belt. Joel is known as one of the country's most innovative, hard-working, and fiercely independent artists, whether as a solo performer or with his rock band, The Emergency...more
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