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The album opens with its title track. The American dream is something we still hear a lot about, often in relation to its supposed death these days. Yet the phrase still carries with it a certain amount of hope, as well as nostalgia, and at first it seems the latter perhaps drives this song, for in it Amy Speace sings of the past, taking us back to childhood in the 1970s, the time of President Carter and the bicentennial. Well, those were the interests and topics of the adults anyway. As for the kids, it was mainly about riding bicycles. “Hold on tight/Hold on tight to the American dream,” she sings. I love those lines, because the first “Hold on tight” refers to the handlebars, and so she draws a connection between the feeling we all had while riding our bikes and this idea of the American Dream, basically equating the dream with the freedom we felt on our bicycles. “Dreams are made to keep us moving/Try to find where we belong/In the end, can’t win for losing.” And so it turns out to be both nostalgia and hope driving the song. This one was written by Amy Speace and Pat Pattison.
“Homecoming Queen” also takes us back to our youth, to childhood friendships, to Little League games, to Judy Blume books. “I heard one night up on Tower Hill/She rounded third base with a college kid/Everybody wants to dance with the queen/And everybody wants the chance to be seen.” This one was written by Amy Speace and Rod Picott. Rod Picott recorded his own version of this song earlier this year, including it on his Starlight Tour album. It is interesting how the song takes us to the present, with what can be gleaned in those brief moments at high school reunions. “No matter how many years go by/She still looks like 1985.” That might be more about us than about her, how we choose to see her, how we might need something to remain from that time. That’s followed by “Where Did You Go.” There is a hopeful sound to this one as it begins, in part because of the work on mandolin. The lyrics, however, work in contrast to that feel, the opening lines mentioning physical representations of the end of a relationship: “Stopped wearing the ring/Pictures came down.” This track features some beautiful work on strings. There is a rousing power to this song, which the strings are a big part of. That power is heard particularly on the chorus, the repeated question, “Where did you go?” And check out these lines: “Waking up from the dream/Sometimes it felt so real/Playing hide and seek/With memories/Hoping they won’t find you.” This is a fantastic song. It was written by Amy Speace and Neilson Hubbard.
The CD case lists “Glad I’m Gone” as the next song, but actually it’s “In New York City.” This one begins with some arresting work on piano, drawing us in. The lyrics then draw for us a life that we see vividly, through some well-chosen, sharp details: “My bed against the window with bars to the street/Impatiently wanting my life to begin.” The line “I was 23 thinking I’d die alone” is striking, and she allows that line to sink in, including a brief pause before she continues. It is a life that is told partly through a series of different apartments, different living arrangements, all within that city. The city changes, and the person perhaps changes too. This one also contains some powerful work on strings. And holy moly, check out these lines: “But now I know what age does to memory/It softens the edges ‘til everything’s blurred/It fills in the gaps with regret and romance/Am I really that many years from that girl?” Wow. Then we get “Glad I’m Gone,” and it is some nice work on guitar that starts this one. Soon this track takes on a bit of a pop vibe. “Didn’t want to leave/I’m glad I’m gone/Why did I wait so long?” In this one, she also touches on changes: “They say people change/Oh, you just stayed the same.” There is something catchy about this song, and it contains some nice stuff on keys. “Glad I’m Gone” was written by Amy Speace and Gary Nicholson.
“This February Day” is the next song, not “Something ‘Bout A Town,” as listed on the CD case. It is a beautiful song, opening with some pretty work on guitar. Amy Speace delivers a moving and passionate vocal performance. There is a wonderful ache in her voice. “My heart is fragile like a cloud and cold to the bone.” And the strings play a prominent role in this song’s impact. “So I walk in silence, let myself cry/I am looking for an answer in the earth and the sky/And I’m reaching for a god I don’t believe in all the time/In my prayers.” That’s followed by “Something ‘Bout A Town,” which has a cool vibe from its start, with a bluesy edge. Amy is able to convey so much even with just that brief humming at the beginning. “Rolling slowly or moving fast/It’s the only thing that takes me all the way back.” This track contains some great stuff on keys. Then there is a gorgeous pain in her voice as she sings “Already Gone.” “There’s plenty of room in these half-empty drawers/I go to bed early, I am up before dawn/How can I love you when you’re already gone?” And as she describes her wedding, she sings, “For better or worse, I guess we were wrong.” This one was written by Amy Speace and Robby Hecht.
The holidays are coming, and “First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show” describes a children’s Christmas performance at a church day care. There is love, and also plenty of humor here. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “There were goats, and one boy peed his pants/When Santa came out, they all jumped and danced/And the sign language to ‘Silent Night’/Well, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t even close to right/And my kid knew the words, well, most of them/But he sang with heart next to his best friend/And the standing ovation was well deserved at the end.” This will be a good addition to your holiday play list. That is followed by “I Break Things,” which also takes place in winter, the first lines mentioning snow: “Looking out the window, where the snow is falling under the street light.” The piano is the main instrument supporting her at the beginning, and that instrument is also mentioned in the lyrics, Amy singing about staying at the piano and trying to finish a song before the ground turns white. “It’s near the end of January, already the new year is feeling low/How much more can we take before the center loses faith and cannot hold?” It is interesting to me how many of these songs ask questions. We sometimes look for answers in music, in songs, and sometimes we find the answers are within the act of asking itself. This is another beautiful song, featuring a moving vocal performance and some wonderful work on strings. It was written by Amy Speace and Jon Vezner.
“Margot’s Wall” feels like memory as it begins, even before Amy Speace’s vocals come in, with that work on piano. “Little things that promised hope, they still remain on Margot’s wall” is a heart-rending line. And check out these lines: “The world is full of mysteries/We pin our hopes on a starry night/Nothing can be guaranteed/Not even the next morning light.” The song brings us up to the present, the old photos following her to her new home. “I put them up to give me hope/Like the ones on Margot’s wall.” The album concludes with its sole cover, “Love Is Gonna Come Again,” which was written by Jaimee Harris and Graham Weber. Jaimee Harris released it as a single in 2022, and included it on her 2023 album Boomerang Town. This song mentions an empty home, but its title carries with it hope and optimism. “I know it hurts like hell right now/And only you know how/No one can tell you when/Oh, but love is gonna come again.”
CD Track List
- The American Dream
- Homecoming Queen
- Where Did You Go
- In New York City
- Glad I’m Gone
- This February Day
- Something ‘Bout A Town
- Already Gone
- First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show
- I Break Things
- Margot’s Wall
- Love Is Gonna Come Again
The American Dream was released on October 18, 2024 on Windbone Records.
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