Dear Friends,
I am absolutely thrilled to tell you that my new song "NINE" is out everywhere today!!!
"Nine" is the 25th and final song in my Atlas: II series, and it's the 9th and final song in the Enneagram chapter - a song for each of the nine uniquely beautiful Enneagram types.
I happen to identify as a type Nine. I am embarrassed to admit that even though I've been learning about the Enneagram for many years now, when it came time to write this song, my song, I realized that I knew very little about the type Nine, and therefore very little about myself. Fr. Richard Rohr says that the needfor the type nine is "to avoid", so I suppose I did just that - I successfully avoided my type until now. Honestly, it required the challenge of this project and my deep desire to honor my fellow Nines, in order for me to take an honest and unflinching look at who I am, why I do what I do, and to see the strengths and gifts that the Enneagram type Nine can bring forward into the world. If you happen to identify as a type Nine too, I so hope that something in this song encourages you, makes you feel seen, known, valued and gently nudges you to wake up.
LINER NOTES FOR "NINE"
Produced, Engineered & Performed by Sleeping At Last
My guest band: Kumiko Bankson played Violins and Alex G sang "someone else's eyes" and SethRichardson played Bass.
Director of Choirs: Andrew Jeffrey
Glenbard West Choir Members: Maeve O’Dea, Iris Joseph, Bryanna Sebring, Ariadna Reyes, Jessica Griffin, Kelly Mesenbrink, Roxannah Rhodes, Michael Szwedo, Jackson Pekny, Sean Swikle. Xavier Phillips, Ella Murray, Emma King, Ellie Morrison, Brennan Dougherty, Alex Frazer, Ethan Erick Manas, Jessica Fernandez, Sophie Schaffer, Lizzie Mowry, Jack Vu, Kathryn Laird, Julia Norvid, Josh Reifel, Kyle Drexler, Emma Raczka, Sarah Bockelman, Jack Slevin, Sofia Hadley, Shannon Nibbio, Olivia Cline, Ani Boghossian, Penny Baltimore, Amelia Boeh, Grace Argo, Maggie Meyers, Mia Navarro, Juliette Winter, Audrey Pauer, Emily Davidson, Neev O’Neill, Hailie Woolmer, Celeste Sevilla, Meg Farley, Lauren Alcock & Claudia Pyka
Mixed by John Goodmanson
Piano/Vocal Engineering by Taylor Hales at Electrical Audio
Mastered by Jason Ward (Chicago Mastering Services)
Artwork by Elicia Edijanto (View Elicia's work)
Recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago, IL, Peacemaker Studios in IL and Glenbard West High School in IL.
Type Nine "Fingerprint" Sounds from:
Bob Davidson - tesla
TJ Hill - disintegration & integration
"Science Mike" McHargue - 11 sounds of nature
Andrea Pope - running and water
Tara Brown - sewing, door, roxy
Aaron Strumpel - trumpets
Ryan Paul - mall of america
David Dark - "who are you"
Maria Goff - baking banana bread
Ashley Goff - bath
Wilhelmina Shoger - running
Ryan Taylor - dog
Jill (of Jill & Kate) - new england waves
Mandy Neumeister - brush strokes
Lynn Holstein - childen laughing
Nate Goering - "daddy"
Beth McCord - nighttime campfire
Tyler Wohlford - camera clicks
Ryan O'Neal (me) - Wilco
This song is dedicated to my sweet puppy, Wilco.
Lyrics:
NINE
who am i
to say what any of this means-
i have been sleepwalking
since i was fourteen.
now as i write my song,
i retrace my steps.
honestly, it’s easier
to let myself forget.
still, i check my vital signs.
choked up, i realize
i’ve been less than half myself
for more than half my life.
wake up.
fall in love again,
wage war on gravity.
there’s so much
worth fighting for.
you’ll see.
another domino falls
either way.
it looks like empathy,
to understand all sides,
but i’m just trying to find myself
through someone else’s eyes.
so please show me what to do
to restart this heart of mine.
how do i forgive myself
for losing so much time?
wake up.
roll up your sleeves.
there’s a chain reaction
in your heart,
muscle memory
remembering who you are.
stand up.
fall in love again and again and again.
wage war on gravity.
there’s so much
worth fighting for,
you’ll see.
another domino falls
and another domino falls
a little at a time,
i feel more alive.
i let the scale tip and feel all of it,
it’s uncomfortable but right.
we were born to try,
to see each other through.
to know and love ourselves and others well
is the most difficult and meaningful
work we’ll ever do.
WHAT'S NEXT...
Atlas: I was all about the origins of everything: darkness, light, our solar system, land and oceans. Atlas: IIis all about involuntary human development - what we're born with: life, senses, emotions, intelligence and the enneagram. It is no coincidence that "Nine" ends on the word "DO"... Atlas: III will be all about voluntary human development - what we DO with all that we're given. Those songs and details have yet to be born, of course, but I can't wait to carry on in this adventure I call "Atlas."
Thank you so much for coming alongside me in all of this. I hope "Nine" is a worthy finale to this chapter of Atlas.
Huge Love, Ryan
