from the "May" EP, as part of Sleeping At Last's year-long "Yearbook" project. featuring clarinet by paul von mertens. www.sleepingatlast.com

Silhouettes

Where Do I Even Start- - Morgan Taylor Reid

Recorded under the Sweet Songs label and released through The Americana Project, “Northern Lights” captures a rare night when the skies over western Massachusetts came alive with color. The song tells the story of neighbors and families stepping outside to witness the aurora, weaving light and memory into a moment of shared wonder. Written and produced by Adam R Sweet, it blends heartfelt storytelling with the spirit of New England folk tradition—grounded, luminous, and deeply human. 

Verse 1
We stood out in the quiet fields near Granby,
Under a sky grown soft with November chill.
The trees were still, the air held its breath,
And the old farm fence caught the moon-glow on its rails.
Then came a shimmer, a ghostly green in the dark,
Waving through the branches above the valley.

Chorus
When the northern lights danced over western Massachusetts,
Like ribbons of hope across our silent nights.
In the hush we felt the earth and sky remember,
That something wild can reach beyond our sight.
Oh (avoiding “oh” per your preference) the lights they came, the lights they came…

Verse 2
I recalled my childhood nights with fiddle in my lap,
Dreams of far-away horizons under starlight's grip.
Here in my home-wood I found that same spark,
The sky unfolded secrets beyond our daily script.
My sons looked up, their faces drawn in awe,
As the colors drifted over roofs and winding roads.

Chorus
When the northern lights danced over western Massachusetts,
Like ribbons of hope across our silent nights.
In the hush we felt the earth and sky remember,
That something wild can reach beyond our sight.
The lights they came, the lights they came…

Bridge
Say goodbye to the small routines that anchor us,
Say hello to the moment when the sky becomes our mirror.
Even when the seasons change and the light slips away,
We'll carry that memory of wonder in the bones of this land.

Verse 3
Now I walk the ridge at dawn, footprints in frost,
Knowing that magic picks its time to show.
And though the years will shape us, bend us, slow us down,
There are nights when we remember how it felt to glow.
The fields will sleep, the snow may gather round the fence,
But the echo of those lights stays with our breath.

Chorus (repeat)
When the northern lights danced over western Massachusetts,
Like ribbons of hope across our silent nights.
In the hush we felt the earth and sky remember,
That something wild can reach beyond our sight.
The lights they came, the lights they came…

Outro
Let our hearts be open for the next time they'll appear,
And in the quiet of Massachusetts nights we'll listen.
For the sky to speak in colors we once thought too far away.

Northern Lights

Autumn

Song from Joel's debut full length album 'The Nature of Us.'

LYRICS:
The aspen trees • their golden leaves • all have a song to sing • and I can’t see • any reason for them to lie • about what the end will bring • CHORUS: what they believe I’d like to know • I want to live their story • my heart can hear their humble glow • telling me not to be afraid of letting go • and every leaf that falls will make them grow • when they turn to gold • when they turn to gold • their autumn leaves • are telling me • that glory is not their own • and if you lay it down • one day it’s coming back around • after the winter snow • CHORUS • come and see the nature of true royalty • the nature of true royalty • it’s not having a golden crown • it’s learning to lay it down • learning not to be afraid of letting go • and everything we give will only grow • when we turn to gold • when we turn to gold

CREDITS:
Written by Joel Ansett
Produced by Brandon Weaver
Co-Produced by Chase Weber
Recorded at Iron Wing Studios (Newport, KY) 
and The Bongo Tree (Cincinnati, OH) 
Mixed by Brandon Weaver
Mastered by Alex Lowe at Red Tuxedo (Atlanta, GA)
Album Art & Photography by Zack Wilson

Joel Ansett: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals 
Chase Weber: Electric Guitar, Synths, Percussion
Joel Beussink: Bass Guitar 
Brandon Weaver: Upright Bass 
Ryan Doyle: Drums

The Nature of Us

Turn to Gold

You Wouldn't Like Me - Sleeping At Last (Audio)

Birdcage Religion

Will Killen - In My Arms

"Next To Me" by Sleeping At Last, is from the EP "October" (the first of the twelve-EP project "YEARBOOK") This song features guest, Stacy DuPree from Eisley!
Get YEARBOOK now at: www.sleepingatlast.com


Next to Me

"Snow" from the December EP. Part of Sleeping At Last's Yearbook project. Visit Sleepingatlast.com for more info.