School bus

What inspired the song? 

A school bus that passed me by on my morning walk. Made me think of the days when my kids would wave to me from their school bus when it drove by me on the same walk years ago. I thought, “I should write a song about the kids on a school bus.” So started working on lyrics and it was going nowhere. Then I thought, “no, no, not about the kids - how about the woman driving the school bus - what’s her life all about?” And with her as the voice, it wrote itself in about ten minutes.

Is there a significance behind the song title?

Pretty literal.

What is one key point that makes this song unique?

The story of an entire person’s lifetime told in three and a half minutes.

Stylistic production choices?

It’s a story, so I just wanted atmospheric elements in the background to add emotion and give the story momentum. The guitar part is very cyclical, like the wheels on a school bus turning round and round and round, like the seasons turning round and round and round and the years going by and by and by.

Favorite lyrics?

“We planned a trip to see the kids, but it turned out the other way."

Core Themes

The beauty and the difficulty and the sublime sorrow of the human condition, investing ourselves in these people and things that are impermanent and that we inevitably lose.

How does this song make you feel?

Happy and fulfilled - following the story of a life well-lived - a good solid relationship, kids living meaningful, independent lives, no harm done, no glitz, no hoopla, the simple journey of an average person in a world of movers and shakers, which is really quite extraordinary.

Moods?

Contemplative, authentic, real