Leaving Redding

If you want to leave Redding by train - and you're not hopping a freight car --  you are limited to a late-night departure.  It's the price we pay for our geography --  we're far away from....well.... just about everywhere. Worth it, if you ask me.

Our son had to catch a train a few weeks ago, and until then, Craig and I had never been in downtown Redding at 2 AM.  It was rather dark and desolate and the whole ordeal made for a ridiculously long night. But the outing DID inspire a new tune - a song about a woman quietly leaving this town behind.

I've been writing songs about this area for many years, and this is the first time I've written "Redding" in a lyric - it's a pretty word to sing, actually.  The song will be on our upcoming CD: Whiskeytown Roadhouse.

2:20

words and music © Erin Friedman

Waitin' at the downtown depot

With the winter-weary people

I’ll take the blame under heavy darkness

While the rest of Redding sleeps

North of town, the whistle cries

Signals flash, travelers rise

The southbound Coast Starlight and I

Have promises to keep

  (chorus)

2:20 is a lonely time for leaving

Plenty of regrets onboard this train

I know to every time there is a season

2:20 is the time to ride away

From burning

Bridges on toward the morning

With pride and my side of the story

Face the west, and fall asleep

To the rhythm of the wheels

Dream a dream of graceful endings

Of forgiving then forgetting

Start over far from Redding

With a courage strong as steel