February: Black Bear

from A Year In Song by The Nautical Miles

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about

About the song…

Blackbear was written in response to a challenge. Tim Tweedale, who plays steel guitars in The Nautical Miles, told me that I ought to write a song about a black bear. On our first album, you and your landscapes, there is a song about Grizzly Bears (Marcos’ Encounter with a Grizzly Bear). On our second album, Tell me again who this place got its name, there is a song about Polar Bears (Hallowe’en in Churchill). Tim figured that a third bear song was in order. As encouragement he sent me a picture of a black bear hanging upside down on a clothes line, attempting to eat a birdhouse.

One thing that I know about black bears is that they are mischeivious. A park ranger in the Yukon once told me that she felt Black Bear to be more dangerous than Grizzly Bear. A Grizzly, she explained, will smell you up ahead in the woods and steer clear. A Black Bear, however, will smell you up ahead and want to go investigate, maybe have a little fun at your expense. I figure that Yukon park rangers must know a thing or two about bears.

I tried to capture the playful, mischevious nature of the bear in this song. I think of it as a whimsical fable about an imaginary bear playing tricks on a love struck woodsman. I always enjoy playing this song.

About the artwork…

This line drawing was created specifically for this song by our dear friend Jenny Ritter. She is an amazing comic artist and we are so delighted that she agreed to create the artwork for Black Bear. You can check out more of her work here:

jennycomics.blogspot.com

She is also an amazing musician. She plays with The Gruff (thegruff.com), which is one of The Nautical Miles’ favorite bands. Not only did she create the art for this month’s song, she also lent her voice to the recording. That is her you hear singing with me on the track.

Mark Vaughan (mandolin) and Kathleen Nisbet (fiddle) of Vancouver bluegrass sensations Viper Central also joined us in the studio. What a fun day!!

credits

from A Year In Song, track released February 15, 2009
Jenny Ritter: artwork, vocals
Corbin Murdoch: acoustic guitar, vocals
Tim Tweedale: dobro
Mark Vaughan: mandolin
Kathleen Nisbet: fiddle
Simon Rotheisler: bass
Lucas Schuller: drums
Jesse Gander: production

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The Nautical Miles Vancouver

The Nautical Miles are an adventurous roots music band from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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