I wrote "Shell Shocked" a few years back while I was at the Folk Music Ontario Conference in Toronto. I was in my hotel room getting ready to do my homework which Ian Tamblyn had assigned - he handed out picture books and we were to write a song based on a picture in the book. I had missed the last class and so the book I received contained pictures depicting war. Not my first choice for sure. One picture caught my eye, however - it was of a man sitting at his desk at home who could not erase the images of the war that remained in his mind. I found out later that one of my high school classmates who I knew since grade 2 had suffered from PTSD. He took his own life about two years ago, leaving his family behind. I had played "Shell Shocked" live several times and prepared to recorded it at Little Bullhorn. When it came time to record the final vocal I couldn't stop thinking of this classmate and what he must have gone through, along with his wife and children. I felt these super strong emotions right at the microphone. The song was so hard to sing that day, but I did it and I sang it for my classmate. You served our country my friend. Thank-you. May you rest in peace.
Here is "Shell Shocked".
Here is "Shell Shocked".