Bridge of Dreams

The best way I can describe the process of creating the song is to borrow from the mnemonic technique known as a “memory palace”. The speaker or storyteller creates a mental map of a place and then walks the listener through the scene, making the speaking points (or lyrics in this case) easier to remember. 

I pictured being on the sandbar on the eastern bank just north of the Bridge of Dreams - which is a real place in Brinkhaven, Ohio on the Mohican River. It’s a beautiful spot with a 370-foot covered bridge that was converted for rail trail use and now forms part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. The song begins by asking why the bridge is there at all and what purpose it serves, juxtaposed to the often quiet and meandering river below.

Listeners may notice that, like solid public speaking, each verse holds three points or themes around which the section is organized. For the first verse, it’s the railroad, then today’s modern users, then the song’s protagonist getting ready to launch off on a canoe trip.

Onto the second verse, and the memory markers are the perilous cliches of past, present, and future. Set in the context of the metaphor of canoeing though, I hope they work to evoke not only the reality of being on the water, but the larger life lessons one can learn by being out in nature.

The third verse is a result of me gazing under the bridge in my mind, looking south and seeing the river bend to the west. Where is it going? What will the paddler see when she makes that turn? What may always remain out of sight?

And finally the chorus. There’s a chance that the “why’s” of life, whether small and literal (i.e. how the Bridge of Dreams got its name) or large and figurative, will elude us. But we can choose to live in and enjoy the moment. The current’s going to keep drifting along regardless, after all.

Noteworthy Moments

I love how the instrumental solo is passed from the banjo to the fiddle. Two voices calling to each other over the water.

Aubrey’s banjo harmony and Scott’s bass ornaments on the riff interludes are a fun surprise every time.

"Bridge of Dreams" from Crooked Step, Open Gate

You can find the full album on Bandcamp starting June 6, 2025. All songs will follow on the streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc), trickling out through the summer. "Bridge of Dreams" will begin streaming August 29.