About
Key of E, tempo 110
1978
Berchtesgaden is a mountainous region in Bavaria, Germany. I spent a week there with a high school science class in the spring of 1978. Of course, I brought my guitar, and played it on the train the whole way there and back, plus in the hostel we stayed in. This is one of the first songs I wrote, and of course it was dedicated to both the mountains and to the girl who dutifully sat by my side and listened to me play the only 3 chords I knew over and over. One day there was a fierce storm in the mountains, and yes, we held each other close, terrified and full of awe…
Musically, this song is simply two alternating major chords (B and A) repeating over and over. It was one of the first songs I mixed in Logic, and I was fascinated by how many textures I could apply to such a simple foundation. Between the second and third verse I introduce two highly distorted violins on separate channels that try and portray “the storm of madness” included in the lyrics.
Music available on all major streaming and social platforms. Watch video below.