Story Behind The Song
Based on a true story from my childhood of a young boy who drowns while out on a rafting trip with his older brother and friends on the Calaveras canal in California Central Valley.
The intro is a blast from the past of the reruns on TV on those lazy California summer mornings in the 60's.
Audio of Andy Griffith show, rights reserved by Viacom.
Song Description
This is really about how as children we are not aware of death and our own mortality. We are totally carefree and innocent until the day when something changes that and we become aware that someday we will die. This becomes the root cause of our human suffering.
| Song Length |
4:24 |
Genre |
Folk - Americana |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Heartbreaking |
Subject |
Life, Youth |
| Similar Artists |
Wilco, Ryan Adams |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
CALAVERAS - music and lyrics by Richard C. Tollini (Kluso) © 2007
Sunny day and sons of the common man
a Tom and Huck adventure awaits
Calaveras
she moves cold and hush as a
snake
Like a moss green river snake
Tired the mud pulling at your feet (killing hands)
As the sun peeks through spokes of the
layered gold of the California Delta peat
In the California Delta heat
Calaveras ancient name that somehow betrays you
You pray on the young and weak
And the sons of the common man
The sons of the common man
I can see, I can see him clutch for the last threads of fading light, and I
wonder, wonder how it feels to surrender these treasures of your life
Sunday dinner is cloaked in sheltered whispers
on themes of which we never speak
Calaveras you keep your secrets you keep locked in the
layered folds of your California Delta peat
and your California Delta heat
Cala ver as
Cala ver as