Teni Rane takes a shine to the Firefly in her sweetly tender new single and live acoustic video — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The opening track of the singer-songwriter’s upcoming album Goldenrod — due Aug. 8 — Firefly was recorded at Classic Recording Studios in Bristol, TN with producer/engineer Mike Stephenson, master cellist Dave Eggar (Amy Lee, Coldplay) and guitar virtuoso Phil Faconti. The gently welcoming track invites the listener into the arc of the album, considering what it means to change and still remain essentially the same:
“Firefly, shining at last
You‘ve never cared about the past
This summer night will soon be gone
With the coming of dawn
Firefly, you fly so low
When you rise, where do you go?
Firefly, when you look at me
Can you tell I’m lonely?
“Firefly, stay awhile.
Your twinkling lights bring a smile
Firefly, if you have to go
Take me with you don’t leave me here alone
Firefly, help me to spread my wings
It’s the only way to reach for dreams
I could do without these doubts
And breaking free would make me proud.”
“There are seasonal moments and markers every year that can roll right by if we aren’t paying attention,” Rane explains. “The sparkle of fireflies lighting up meadows and forest edges irrevocably says: Here comes the summer. And each evening, if we give ourselves a chance to pause out on the deck, we have this sweet opportunity to experience a momentary wonder and the temporary nature of a summer night slipping away.”
But the fireflies also illuminate some simple truths about life, she notes. “In many ways, watching the light-up twinkle of fireflies in the summer reminds me that there both is time to move forward in life and break free from doubt and fear, and also that time is only long if we make sure to use it intentionally. Firefly captures a longing for a little simplicity in the navigation of all the life things and invites everyone into the arc of an album all about moving through change as the seasons of life keep rolling on.”
Rane grew up in and around a community of musicians who helped nurture in her an early love for music. Her vocals carry power and finesse rolled together with perfect balance to evoke the emotional feel of her lyrics, and her Americana-take on select covers is delightfully unexpected and well-received by a wide demographic. Through each stage of her writing life, her original songs have revealed a level of maturity that allows her to weave common experiences into songs that captivate people in every age range.
As a child she was often found belting out lyrics in the back seat on the way to just about anywhere. That six-CD changer exposed her to the writing of Nanci Griffith, Carole King, Beth Woods, John Prine, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and many other greats. The resulting flavor of her original work is an eclectic mix influenced by the earliest writing she encountered, as well as by contemporary pop music.
Pre-save Firefly HERE, hear more from Teni Rane below, and flit over to her website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
