Story Behind The Song

In memory of my late cousin, Natalie

Song Description

A memorial to his late cousin, Natalie Papier, her saying "save my seat," is immortalised in the song, a saying which would be heard when there was a gathering, particularly if that gathering was to listen to her Uncle Leo play his guitar for family and friends. And even if you are not as connected to the heart of the song as its author, it is a beautiful and emotive piece of music. Capturing a slight musical theatre atmosphere, a haunting and reflective piece from a slightly different time, it is a wonderful biographic narrative blending cherished memories with heartfelt regrets into the perfect elegy. Whilst it is driven by the lyrics, which are gorgeously rendered by Jon Statham, there are some wonderful musical motifs running around the edge, chiming acoustics, distant choral washes and a meandering, old world electric guitar riff which seems to act as a counter harmony, wandering and echoing through the main delivery. In a culture driven by reckless immediacy and emotional disposability, it takes a rare talent to come up with something as touching and personal whilst also as delicate and universally resonant as this. Even when dealing with such a difficult and touching subject the song is nothing but celebratory, rather than dwelling on the heartbreak it highlights how she touched their lives, how the world was a better place for her passing through. It is a positivity underlined by the line "We whisper in the dark, How you left your mark, Natalie is your name!" ...present tense, alluding to the idea that in our memories people never really move on, that to bring them back all we have to do is remember. As the song flips through the everyday memories of photographs and colouring books, the food and music of those family gatherings, the tears are as much of joy as of regret, a song which allows people to celebrate together rather than grieve alone. More than anything it reminds us that the price of love is loss, but who would have it any other way?

Lyrics

Save Your Seat

Verse 1: Yes we will save your seat
like it was yesterday
You would rush right home
As Uncle Leo played
It was a sad refrain
On his old guitar
Still we hear the melody
It echoes from afar

Verse 2: Yes we will save your seat
As we look back in time
On Blake Avenue
We all sat down to dine
There was Gefilte fish
And chopped liver too
As we're calling
Tears are falling
We reach on out to you

Chorus: Summers come and gone
As we look upon
Your casket in the ground
We're numb!

Oh so long ago
You played out in the snow
You left us...way too young

Verse 3: Yes we will save your seat
The days have passed on by
Another photograph
And we will start to cry
There was a coloring book
On the red brick stoop
Dancing past, it will not last
You spin your hula hoop

Bridge: Forever in your debt
We cannot forget
Life will never be the same

We whisper in the dark
How you've left your mark
Natalie was your name!

Verse 4: Instrumental

Chorus: Summers come and gone
As we look upon
Your casket in the ground
We're numb!

Oh so long ago
You played out in the snow
You left us...way too young

Verse 5: Yes we will save your seat
As we all say goodbye
All the tears that fall
They sure will never dry
Yes we will save your seat
As our welcome guest
One more prayer
It is not fair
We put your soul to rest

Yes we will save your seat, etc.