I confess to envying those people I've encountered in life who have known from the start who they were and what they would grow up to become. I have witnessed a good number of those single-minded folks enjoy an unwavering path to success and live happily ever after. I also knew my share of tortured artists who pursued their dreams at all costs, leaving years of emotional wreckage in their wakes.
In stark contrast, my life has been a continual right brain / left brain battle; the bohemians versus the squares, the oddballs versus the jocks, the hippies versus the clock-punchers, the business guy versus the rock and roller.
I learned that I could adapt and do pretty well in either world, but every time I tried to pick one path over the other, I was miserable, especially when music appeared as a viable option early on. That's the essence of Soul Divided. It's about the trap of seeing our futures in black and white / all or nothing terms and thinking that every life choice must be mutually exclusive. What I came to understand is that conventional definitions of success can be toxic to people like me. Truth is, there are possibilities for happiness beyond our wildest dreams when we stop pitting them against each other.
This song has no small dose of autobiographical inspiration, but I reimagined it from the perspective of one of those unsung Texas singer songwriters who have to get on the bus and leave home to make a living. For anyone that feels trapped by their choices, don't buy it. With the right person in you life, you can have it all.
Lord have mercy please on a soul divided between the call of the road and a picket fence dream... | Listen to Soul Divided
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