47. "American Denim" by Sam Cormier

"What am I supposed to do when you look at me like that, like you know my whole life and you still want to hear it?"

Have you ever had feelings that you weren't sure were requited? Have you ever been reluctantly drawn to a relationship that broke you wide open?

In "American Denim," songwriter Sam Cormier seeks to navigate those feelings with innovative, open guitar tunings and sweeping melodic lines. Using layered harmonies and minimal production to capture the feeling of a live performance, Sam aims for a musical snapshot of the wild uncertainty of a crush and the reckless rush of attraction.

In this episode, Sam and Emmeline talk about the importance of growing into a lyrical idea and waiting for one's life to catch up to the thoughts within a forming  song. They also talk about the freedom of open chords and tunings on acoustic guitar, the impossibly beautiful challenge of telling the truth in songs, and why fast driving is such a delicious endeavor. Emmeline references Ani DiFranco's "Falling is Like This," and Sam talks about taking musical ownership of his identity as a gay man. He also shares how the scariness of navigating a queer identity can add an extra layer of risk to a potential relationship.

To learn more about Sam Cormier, or to follow his musical journey, follow him on Instagram at @samcormier_music. For behind the scenes information and more about Journey of a Song, follow Emmeline on social media at @EmmelineMusic or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can also hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.

For behind-the-scenes info and more about Journey of a Song, follow @EmmelineMusic on social media or visit the Journey of Series official webpage. You can hear songs from previous episodes through the Journey of a Song Official Spotify Playlist.