John R. Miller is back with another incredible studio session.
Since the release of Heat Comes Down, it has been a constant on my playlists. With its profound messaging through simple melodies, each track on the album catches your ear and makes you think.
Leading up to the release of Heat Comes Down, Miller was releasing live studio cuts of tracks from the record, and he is back with another release.
Teasing more live versions coming soon, “Harpers Ferry Moon” is the perfect Halloween treat.
“Harpers Ferry Moon” was a track that I kept going back to after the album’s release. Of course, Harpers Ferry is a town in Miller’s home state of West Virginia, and the site of abolitionist John Brown’s raid on the U.S. armory in 1859.
But the lyrics don’t point to a clear message, leading listeners to rack their brains in an attempt to understand the inspiration. With slightly haunting undertones from lines like:
“There was blood before our time, and there’ll be blood to come
Some day may we float on back down to where we came from.”
Overall, the lyrics are up to interpretation with mixed messages of loneliness, potential lust, and feeling lost. It appears that “Harpers Ferry Moon” is a place for those who think they don’t belong.
“Harpers Ferry Moon
I never wanted to belong and neither did you
I think that’s why we got along I think that’s why we got along.”
The live version of this track lives up to all of the other stellar live cuts from tracks on the album. With support from his band, the version is slightly stripped back, highlighting the impeccable vocals of Miller.
This is a must-watch for all John R. Miller fans.