“Learning From Our Past” by Phil Swanson
As the world grapples with uncertainty, we yearn for wisdom that transcends the ephemeral.
“Learning From Our Past,” a harmonious reflection by
Phil Swanson, captures this longing.
The song’s gentle guitar strums and Swanson’s soulful voice evoke introspection, a call to sift through the sands of history, seeking grains of insight.
Swanson’s lyrics cradle a profound truth: our missteps, like fallen leaves, nourish the roots of resilience. Imagine a world where each stumble becomes a dance step, each setback a prelude to a symphony of resilience. Let us embrace the melody of “Learning From Our Past.” May it echo through our bones, reminding us that we are both the sum of our yesterdays and the architects of our tomorrows.
Could you tell us about the individual behind the artist Phil Swanson and what sparked your musical journey?
Growing up, I was immersed in music. My parents were both musical, my dad played the sax and the clarinet in swing bands around the Boston area in the late 40’s – early 50’s before he went into the ministry. My mom sang in choirs in church, played the piano and was always singing around the house. My older sister played piano and organ and went on to a career in music education.
There was just always music in the house, whether church hymns, whatever the radio was playing or borrowing from my sisters record collection. The soundtrack of my youth. Found my way to the guitar at about 14 after brief stops at the trumpet and the piano. Several garage bands through high school and started writing my own songs early in college. Music has always been a focal point in my life.
What are the principal sources of your musical inspiration?
If by inspiration you mean influences you’d have to obviously say The Beatles first. I don’t think any singer/songwriter can honestly avoid listing Lennon & McCartney especially as influences/inspiration. They pretty much set the mold, cleared the trail for modern pop/rock/folk music. However, beyond them my biggest influences are probably Bruce Cockburn, Joni Mitchell, Dylan, Miles Davis. I listen to a pretty wide spectrum of music.
Your song “Learning From Our Past” is a splendid piece of music, could you share the story behind this track?
It was written during the Covid pandemic. Actually, wrote quite a bit of material during that time. Had a lot of time on my hands since everything shut down and I couldn’t play out anywhere. It seems to me that, as a species, we have a very difficult time learning from our mistakes both on a global and a personal level. We keep repeating them. Maybe if we just took a hard look at the common ground we all share as human beings we could move forward into the future with respect and compassion towards each other.
The track is also part of your album “Transmission from a Heart”. Could you describe the album’s atmosphere for our readers?
All the songs deal with matters of the heart. Whether that be a search for truth & meaning, a questioning of one’s faith, reminiscing on a past relationship, or wondering what your path in life is. We all navigate our rather pot-holed existence the best we can, but I think the songs hit on topics that each and everyone of us faces in our lives. Sometimes we get answers, sometimes we don’t.
As a singer and songwriter, would you concur that life writes the finest stories?
Absolutely! I think every songwriter writes from personal experience in some way on every song they write. It may not be the main focus of the song, but his/her personal experience is in there somewhere. You can’t help it. Whether it’s being influenced by a sunset, or an overheard conversation between two people, or something you read.
You take that observation, add in your own experience and be creative. And, of course, there is the angle of looking deeply into your own soul. Some pretty excellent songs have been written by songwriters who wrote about their own personal trials & tribulations. All different ways you can draw on your own personal experiences.
Is there an opportunity to see you perform live on stage, or is this not in your musical agenda?
I play out pretty regularly at festivals, breweries/wineries, coffeehouses, and other facilities in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area right now. Would love the opportunity to expand that however.
What are your views on the role and impact of social media within the music industry?
It’s something that every artist has to take seriously just because of the popularity and opportunities involved. Anymore, there really is no other way to really reach a large amount of people, especially if you are an independent artist. Having a website, a presence on sites like Facebook and Spotify. There really is no other way to get your music out there for the independent artist. However, I do think that the one thing we are lacking in social media is a way to police it.
There is a lot of garbage out there and people posting mis-information and lies. I firmly believe in freedom of speech and self expression, but not when your spreading lies and knowingly doing people harm. Artists also should be paid their fair share when it comes to streaming. This is not happening right now.
Managing the demands of being an independent musician can be strenuous. How do you maintain a balance?
I have a very understanding wife who believes in my music. I think having friends & family around you who understand you and believe in what you are doing is very important. I’m a musician and a songwriter because I have to be. I have this music and these songs inside of me, and I need to express them. This may all sound very artsy and cliché, but I think it’s very important to listen to your heart and find something in this life that you feel you were meant to do. Something that makes you feel complete. However, at the same time, it is not an easy life to pursue.
What do you have planned for 2024?
Releasing some more music. After releasing two full length albums since 2017, I’ve decided to release songs one at time digitally, as we finish recording them. First song will be out sometime this summer, called “Better Walk, Don’t Run”. You can check out what I’m up to on my website, www.philswanson.com I also have a monthly livestream that I broadcast on Facebook called The Listening Booth and a site on YouTube.
