#60 – Slack Tide
Day #60 – Slack Tide
“I wish the whole wide world could swim along at slack tide”, the lyrics say, along with “Out here, conflicts and chaos completely subside”. There is so much to appreciate in the words to his song and the message it sends. Each time I listen, something else stands out to me, or it triggers something in a different way.
Much of Life On The Flip Side album felt like it was a form of therapy for me during the pandemic lockdowns, and afterwards, when trying to decide what life was going to be like after things suddenly felt so different. But this song… it really felt like it was balm during such a trying time. It still feels like balm to me, and maybe it always will.
“I can’t control anybody, Other than myself, Leave those half empty thoughts, High up on the shelf, If you cut me some slack, I’ll return the favor, Open that bottle of fine rum, That together we will savor”. Really as much as we think we can, we really control no one but ourselves. Our choices guide us, and while they affect others around us, we only control us. And one of the beautiful messages in this verse is “If you cut me some slack, then I’ll return the favor”, hinting that we all just need to perhaps be a bit kinder, a bit more understanding, a bit gentler with the people around us. But also, I think, to be a bit of all of those things to ourselves, as well.
This is a beautiful song and it’s full of tidbits that we can really learn from.
***
Original post from 10/31/2023
Day #60 – Slack Tide
“Maybe we’ll meet in Exuma, or down in the Keys, If I catch the right current, or capture a breeze…”
Slack Tide was released on Jimmy’s 2020 album Life On The Flip Side. This album was what I consider the Pandemic Gift album, because it felt like a gift to me, and I listened to it A LOT.
The tour that summer was going to be called the Slack Tide Tour. It, like most everything else, was canceled or postponed, but I felt like I had my own concert every time I turned on RadioMargaritaville.
“I’ve seen day turn to night, And watched the changing of the seasons, Things don’t just happen, They happen for a reason…”
If I would have been planning any of this, I would have saved Vampires, Mummies and the Holy Ghost for today’s song, it being Halloween and all, but I’ve been going with the flow, and today the flow led me to Slack Tide. Actually, this song has been popping up on my radar for at least a week, in the form of ear worms and radio play, and last night I knew it was time to share it.
This song caught my attention right away on this album. It was co-written by Jimmy and Peter Mayer and Will Kimbrough, present and past Coral Reefers, and it soft and emotional, it has a tender vibe and feels like it has a lifetime of experience behind it.
“You can’t hold back the moon, Can’t stop the ebb and flow, The water still comes and the water still goes…”
But what is a Slack Tide? I had to do some research, in 2020 and again, to make sure I remembered correctly. At both high tide and low tide, there is a period of calm, of stillness in the water, when the water rests. Depending on the location, and time of the moon cycle, it can last 20 to 30 minutes, or up to several hours, although that long is more rare. An ideal time for swimming or fishing or floating, and it must have been special to Jimmy, because it pops up more than once over the years.
My favorite lines from this song…
“Dance with a stranger at a Mardi Gras parade, Find an empty hammock, Take a nap in the shade…”
This is a beautiful song! I hope you listen, and I hope you enjoy it! I’ve included the link in the comments below.
***
As I mentioned in my original post, Jimmy’s summer tour in 2020, shows were either cancelled or postponed. But that didn’t stop Jimmy from sharing his music or finding a way to perform. On CBS in July, Jimmy shared a live acoustic version of him performing Slack Tide. Now, I don’t know why he picked this song to share of all of the songs on Life On The Flip Side, but I imagine it was because it was special to him. Also, it was perhaps a song that was easier to perform without a backup band. The live version is gentle and heartfelt and all Jimmy. For whatever reason he chose to share it on that news special, I am grateful.
Stacy
Please enjoy Slack Tide. I have included the link below. Enjoy!
The link is from Jimmy’s official YouTube channel, which I have no personal affiliation with.
