Continuing my track-by-track presentation of Brandi Carlile’s In These Silent Days…
Third track ‘This Time Tomorrow’ is a simple acoustic number making lovely use of three-party harmony by Carlile and her two bandmates, twins Tim and Phil Hanseroth.
Carlile and the twins have seven children between them, and this song was written to help those children deal with their parents’ eventual deaths. As Carlile put it, “we were basically creating a family heirloom for the seven, for the kids that, pray to God, are going to outlive us by a margin.”
‘This Time Tomorrow’ hits pretty hard in light of the recent passing of my father-in-law. But it hits hard in a comforting, hopeful way.
Three songs in, this album is already special.
When the fire inside that burns so bright begins to grow faded
It can be hard to see the ground on which you stand
Though you may not be afraid of walkin’ in the darkness
You will feel like a stranger in this land
[Chorus]
You can try to carve a faith out of your own
But a broken spirit may dry out the bone
And the edges of the night may cause you sorrow
You know I may not be around this time tomorrow
But I’ll always be with you
Yeah, I’ll always be with you
[Verse 2]
When the hope that you hold tightly to has all but vanished
And there are no words of comfort to be found
You will know what it means to be lost and without love
May you fight to kill that deafening sound
[Chorus]
But our holy dreams of yesterday aren’t gone
They still haunt us like the ghosts of Babylon
And the breakin’ of the day might bring you sorrow
You know I may not be around this time tomorrow
But I’ll always be with you
I’ll always be with you
[Chorus]
You can try to carve a faith out of your own
But a broken spirit may dry out the bone
And the edges of the night may cause you sorrow
You know I may not be around this time tomorrow
But our holy dreams of yesterday aren’t gone
They still haunt us like the ghosts of Babylon
And the breakin’ of the day might bring you sorrow
You know I may not be around this time tomorrow
But I’ll always be with you
I will always be with you
I will always be with you
I’ll always be with you
Meet Me In Montauk 
Given the timing of your loss with your introduction to this song, you may well always associate the two, which is how I feel whenever I hear the Counting Crows’ “A Long December” and inevitably think about my mom., or Norah Jones’ “Come Away with Me” which we played when mom was in the hospital. These are bittersweet associations to be sure, but, over time, more sweet than bitter.
Sad but also beautiful 🥲 ❤️