LAMENT/THE GOLDEN LIGHT

for Benjamin Curtis

This is a track I began in the weeks immediately following Benjamin's cancer diagnosis.  At the time, Aleksa and I, and all of Benjamin's friends and family and fans, were devastated but hopeful.  We were confident that Benjamin, with his immense heart and creative energy, would pull through.  In any case, Ben's struggle was on my mind while I recorded this, and it's informed everything either I or Aleksa has written in the past year.  A day hasn't passed when he wasn't in our hearts.

Aleksa and I had lunch with Ben shortly after his first round of chemo.  He described how in the worst, most painful moments of his treatment, he had accessed a 'golden light' where the pain no longer touched him.  I believe that is where he has returned to now, and also that that light is what he, along with his beautiful friend and collaborator, Alejandra de la Deheza, revealed to the world while he was with us.

After his death, I began to think about the song again, and decided to finish it as a modest tribute to Benjamin.  There is a sample from School of Seven Bells' 'Bye Bye Bye' at 2:19, and from 'Dust Devil', at 3:24…

So here it is.

With love for one of the handful of truly great people I have met in my life,

x

Devon Church
EXIT MUSIC

Devon Church 1

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