News

Wounded Soldier, Wounded Love. 

How I was inspired

It was while driving, that I wrote FALL IN {Wounded Soldier}.  No phone in hand. My note-taking passenger (and very good friend) beside me, used pen and paper, as I fired off words and phrases I hoped to tie together later. Upon reflection, her penmanship was rather stunning; as she scribbled neatly, while my convertible Mazda MX5 / Miata snuggled up tightly to the winding, awe-inspiring Sea to Sky highway. As the wind whipped our long blond hair into a stormy frenzy of knots, we realized that we were experiencing the kind of freedom that when thought about, gives one both hot & cold goosebumps. On the drive, we spoke of the horror of war, what it means to be ‘fallen’, and bounced around conversations on both compassionate love and romantic love.

Other inspiration & influences

Of note, I had been reading a Neale Donald Walsch book, and he posed a very good question that would not leave me. It asked you to ask yourself, ‘What Would Love Do Now?’ Something one could perhaps ask oneself at every “fork in the road”.

One can philosophize for days on how immeasurable love is, and yet with certainty, know that any amount will give us anywhere between ounces to tonnes of strength, courage, healing and hope.

Why I had started the song journey

I’d been invited to sing in the Hamptons, NY, for a Wounded Soldier & their families fundraiser, and it was suggested that I write something for the event. Perhaps, in the vein of Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s “For What It’s Worth”. So heavy, so beautiful…so heavy, so so beautiful.
That’s what I wanted to create, something heavy and beautiful, with a dusting of gratitude and love, and a pinch of winding road.

The Song’s Journey

Songs take journeys of their own too.

Fall in (Wounded Soldier) captivated Zabit Records who recorded it and distributed it, while their publicist created a moving 3 minute ‘moving picture. It is still online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWbblHJfcqc 

A few years later Canadian General Walter Natynczyk, caught ‘wind’ of it and invited me to sing in Afghanistan. Home safe, with a medal of honour in hand.

This year a new live televised performance was requested by the Consulate of the Netherlands. (I’m a Canadian of Dutch decent). The recorded location was the majestic Seaforth Armoury in Vancouver. It was filmed by Hiku Productions and aired on a television special, very special, called: 75 years later – The Sounds of Freedom. It is there for you to enjoy!

With love, the acoustic complimentary recording from that performance is also available here: https://www.reverbnation.com/melaniedekker