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Sing It Away

from Continental Divide by Britt Arnesen

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about

The character in this song shows more wisdom than you'd expect for a pregnant teenager. Somehow she sings away the madness. Or so she says. I'm about to believe she really can until she loses the baby. Halfway through the album, we still don't know if they'll rise or sink.

Certainly the darkest song I've ever written, Sing It Away was also strangely therapeutic for me. When confronted with challenging Big Questions, I often ask, "What's the worst case scenario?" and the corollary, "Can I live with that?"

Writing Sing It Away provided spectacular answers to those questions.

lyrics

6. SING IT AWAY
Words and music copyright 2009 by Britt Arnesen

Took mom out for a walk so I could tell her the big news
That she's going to be a grandma even though I'm just a teen
She says she don't know if I can come back from the brink
She says she don't know if I'll rise or if I'll sink

But when I feel like my hope is just slipping away
I sing a little love song and try to face the day
I could live the madness but I'd rather sing it away

Brother called. He's worried about us all
Who's putting up the firewood while he and dad are gone?
November storms are coming; they've closed the pass for good
Did you get all the cows in? Are you sure you've got enough food?
Mama's scared to tell the truth
As if nobody knows there's nothing left for us to lose

But when I feel like my hope is just slipping away
I sing a song of gladness and try to face the day
I could live with the sadness; instead I sing it away

Then I lost the baby.

February's colder than it has ever been
And this old farmhouse has ghosts in every bend
Brother's still gone; Dad's still gone
And no one's paid the rent
Another pink letter; Mom's got another bottle of gin
And I don't know if she'll come back from the brink
I don't know if we'll rise or if we'll sink

But when I feel like my life is just slipping away
I sing a song of gladness. I've got to face the day.
I could live with the sadness, but I'd rather sing it away.

So when you feel like your life is just slipping away
We'll sing a song of gladness, and face the day
You could live with the sadness, or you could sing it away
C'mon sing off your sadness. I'm going to show you the way.
We'll sing a song of gladness and be thankful for each day.

credits

from Continental Divide, released December 3, 2010
Words and music by Britt Arnesen.
Guitars, bass, and vocals by 907Britt.

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Britt Arnesen Missoula, montana

Britt K. Arnesen is a Montana folksinger, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. She plays in the longtime Missoula band Pinegrass. Britt is originally from Juneau, Alaska.

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