Powerless

Album: January Flower (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In January 2019 Mat Kearney packed up recording gear and headed out to an isolated retreat near Joshua Tree. The plan was to set up a studio, rid himself of distraction and record a full studio album. One of his oldest friends, an artist named Marshal Roemen, joined him to do some painting, as did musician Eli Teplin.

    Just as they started unpacking, a huge storm rolled in, bringing record rainfall and leaving the three sitting in the dark without power. With all of their recording equipment useless, Kearney picked up his acoustic guitar and started writing songs by the light of a wood-burning stove.

    Kearney wrote five songs for the album amid the primitive conditions and in doing so was reminded of his roots. "Stripping it back to me and a guitar and some friends reminded me of how I started and that was the genesis of this record," he told American Songwriter.
  • This song, which opens the January Flower album, is about that first night in the desert. Written with Eli Teplin, it's about losing control and being powerless because of external environmental factors. Kearney said, "That mirrors our experience in life. We have all these grand plans and then something else happens and it can become even better than you planned."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.