A song inspired by and in tribute to the brave, beset people of Ukraine.
Lead and backing vocals and acoustic guitars: David Nyro
Cello, piano, and backing vocals: Katie Kuffel
Backing vocals: Gina French
Backing vocals and tambourine: Eric Lilavois
Hammond B-3: David Gross
Engineer: Eric Lilavois
Producers: David Nyro and Eric Lilavois
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This song came about because of the challenge issued to me by Pete Saxer, an ex-pat Yank now living and hosting a radio show in the UK called "Unknown Sounds." In the wake of war breaking out in Ukraine, Pete was planning to do a show featuring Ukrainian artists that would also raise money for a GoFundMe campaign to help Ukraine, hosted by Portland, OR. singer-songwriter, Brooke Parrott. Pete also reached out to me and a few other artists he regularly played on his shows to consider contributing to this special show. He knew I wrote a lot of songs, so he asked me if I'd consider writng a song to feature on this Ukraine-themed show. At first, I was hesitant. I've written a slew of protests songs and I was, frankly, feeling burned out and uninspired. But the next day, I sat down to noodle on my guitar. After a bit of dinking around, thought I'd take a stab at something for the cause. The first song idea I came up with was kinda cool. But it was the second idea, the idea to do a song with the theme of "sunflowers," a symbol of Ukraine, that really resonated. And it more or less wrote itself in less than an hour. I recorded a bare bones version of the song on my phone and sent that to Pete for his review. He loved it, and played that version on his Ukraine tribute show. I was pretty honored, humbled, and proud to be a part of that show, even though my uber-lo-fi version caused a little cringing on my part. But don't let 'em see you sweat, right? Or, in this case, wince a little. Pete loved it. He even played it again.
As soon as I could get it scheduled, I went into a professional recording studio to record the song with other players. We recorded at iconic London Bridge Studios, north of Seattle. A who's who of Seattle rock has recorded there over the years, from Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains to Macklemore.
The result of that one-day session is what's before you now. Hope you give it a listen and I hope you'll consider making a gift to Brooke Parrott's GoFundMe cam
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Sunflowers © April 3, 2022 David Nyro
Verse 1: I see sunflowers dancing in the breeze, I see rivers, flowin' to the sea
I hear children . . . laughing in the sun,
But I see storm clouds darkening the horizon
Chorus: I hear people crying out, crying out as one; I hear cannons thunder, and an answering gun
I see lifetimes taken, and nothing won.
And all because of the fear of one
Verse 2:
I see fires, raging in the night.
I hear choirs, singing in the camps;
I see teachers and plumbers
learning how to fight;
I see preachers and nurses,
lighting up their lamps
Chorus: I hear countries crying out, crying out as one. I see nation's rising, and fear on the run
Can we take this war and take a resolute stand;
that peace and freedom can walk hand in hand, (rule the land...)
Verse 3: I see sunflowers nodding in the sun, I see wheatfields yielding to the wind
I hear mother's calling to their . . . precious children
I see father's . . . who won't return
I see sunflowers shining in the sun, I see sunflowers shining in the sun...
I see su - u - u - unflowers, shining in the sun
I see sunflowers I see sunflowers
I see sunflowers I see sunflowers
Su - u - u - unflowers
Su - u - u - unflowers
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