Singled Out: Oxlip “Dust”
Who: Oxlip
From: Vancouver, British Columbia
Song: ‘Dust’
Latest Record: Wolves! Cried the Maid (Out on June 15)
What About it: “Dust is a song about the loss and devastation that swept through America as a result of the dust storms during the Dust Bowl Era in the 1930’s. I watched a documentary about it and was deeply moved, I had no idea how destructive it was. Described as a ‘blackened wind that came out of the sky… an evil storm that bled us dry..’ – the imagery was so powerful I couldn’t not write a song about it.
I think I found the symbolism of the imagery very relevant to todays dreary and dried up landscape socially & politically..we don’t have the dust storms but the line ‘Mr. President, you gave us gin and rum, won’t you give us back the midday sun?’ is as potent and relevant a question today spiritually speaking, (and as a response to greed and abuse of power), as it was back then in the physical realm…
I wanted to continue a metaphysical presence in the song which is why I summed it up in the third verse with a sort of beckoning: ‘wash your windows and wash your walls, wash your children and teach them well, to store their riches in a heavenly home, and never sell what can’t be sold.”…
The melody is straight up Appalachian inspired, I wanted the listener to not really know if it was an original traditional song or not! The choice of a minor key, repetitive melody nestled on a back beat and the presence of an eerie and distant banjo all allude to this.” – Jayne Trimble
