Spirit

Album: Spirit (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Amos Lee penned this soulful piano ballad when he was in Louisiana. "'Spirit' was written in a New Orleans hotel room, on a loaner guitar, after a night wandering alone in the French Quarter," he told American Songwriter. "I connected to this fellow, standing in the shadows on Royal Street, singing his songs behind his open guitar case. Despite very few people paying him any mind, he was there for that moment, for the spirit of creation and connection. Maybe it was also for beer money, but in my mind, this guy was there to play for people and to be heard."
  • Lee sings here from the perspective of this anonymous street singer, whom he imagines plays music to "feel the spirit."

    "In my journey, I've had lots of luck, and great people to help guide me and these songs, but at the core, it's always about connection, and trying to share souls, to share burdens and joys, and to feel less alone even though we fully know that we are," said Lee. "With music, I've found a muse, a home, a ship to sail, a tormentor, and, most importantly, a vessel of connection. I imagine that this street singer had no idea how much his songs meant to me, but from those shadows, in the midst of that chaos, he changed my life. I wanted to pay tribute to him, and to the friends of mine who persevere through the static, the pain, the disappointment, the self-doubt, the lost dogs and mixed blessings, and keep creating, singing, and connecting."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

00s Music Quiz 1

00s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Alice Cooper

Alice CooperFact or Fiction

How well do you know this shock-rock harbinger who's been publicly executed hundreds of times?

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Michelle Branch

Michelle BranchSongwriter Interviews

Michelle Branch talks about "Everywhere," "The Game Of Love," and her run-in with a Christian broadcasting network.