From a Window Seat

Album: Stories Don't End (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This driving tune was the first song that Dawes leader Taylor Goldsmith completed for Stories Don't End. He admitted: "It's a very singular song. A lot of the songs on the record can be a little more broad, about a period in someone's life or trying to explore a certain feeling. This song is about a specific experience of being on an airplane and that's not a very poetic or lyrical idea."
  • The album marked a turning point in Goldsmith's songwriting thanks to a deep dive into Joni Mitchell's catalog. The Laurel Canyon songstress' influence is most evident on "From A Window Seat."

    "It came from having my whole world blown open by Joni Mitchell," he told Magnet Magazine in 2020. "I was always a fan, but before writing Stories Don't End, I became a nerd about every album. Court And Spark, The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter - those records where she just seems possessed. She just goes and goes and goes, and you never want her to stop. It's almost like Dylan, but way more musical. She's directly responsible for 'From A Window Seat' - just me trying to come up with the first line and letting the song be what it is, whatever happens."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.

Dr. John

Dr. JohnSongwriter Interviews

The good doctor shares some candid insights on recording with Phil Spector and The Black Keys.