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about

This I think is one of the first songs I ever wrote that has withstood the test of time for me. I wrote it as a 18 year old and now ten years later I love it more for the memories that are associated with it than anything else. I remember my piano teacher in college telling me to go and see the movie New York Doll, a documentary about Arthur Killer Kane the bass player for the New York Dolls who unwillingly left the rock star lifestyle and later suffered from drugs, depression, and everything that comes along with those things. He found the Mormon church got his life together and the film starts showing him as a worker in the Los Angeles family history center. Later he did a final concert with the Dolls, reconciling his differences and hard feelings with David Johansen and the other band members. After returning home from the concert he died of a brain tumor he didn't know he had. His beautiful soul and the transformative power of a belief in God were inspiring and caused me to reflect on my own struggles and weaknesses. His experiences as well as a lot of reflection caused me to write and believe the words "When we get lost he still loves us the same."

lyrics

A muse flew up to Orpheus and whispered in his ear
Said that young man there down on earth’s alone with all his fear
And he’s playing that piano like he doesn’t know you’re here
He’s playing that piano like he doesn’t know you’re here

Orpheus flew up to God said sir I think I fear
I called and I sang out to him but he wouldn’t hear
And he’s playing that piano like he doesn’t know you’re here
He’s playing that piano like he doesn’t know you’re here

Chorus
And all of my children get lost sometimes
They pray for the truth but they’re closing their eyes
And they walk through the valley of shadow and pain
But when they got lost I still love them the same

Orpheus he blessed a man who played the bass guitar
Rock and Roll a part of him he played with all his heart
But the devil got ahold on him and tore the man apart
The devil got ahold on him and tore the man apart

Lonely on an L.A. street in boos and needles drowned
He prayed to God for deliverance and turned his life around
And when the band all played together again the spirit filled their sound
When the band all played together again the spirit filled their sound

(Chorus)

Orpheus he played a song so all the world could hear
People came outside their homes and looked above this sphere
To the God above who loved them so their pain it disappeared
To the God above who loved them so their pain it disappeared

And in that song was playing resonating cross the stars
The boy with his piano and the man with his guitar
And our God smiled down upon them and he gave them their reward
They were brothers in the music now their brothers in the Lord

(Chorus)

credits

from Best of Ryan Kelly 2004​-​2016, released November 8, 2016

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Chasing Down Riley New York, New York

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