Album Notes

"Beneath the Water" is included with the novel "Sharlie", a story about the mystical sea serpent who lives in Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho. The book is the first in a collection of stories and songs inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

When Lynda was a little girl, she walked along the shores of Payette Lake looking for Sharlie. It is a magical and beautiful place; a sapphire blue lake surrounded by evergreen covered mountains.

A few years ago, she visited the McCall Public Library and asked if they had any information about Sharlie. She was taken to a comfortable back room and given a folder overflowing with newspaper clippings; stories dating back to 1920, when sightings began to be reported in the McCall newspaper.

Using the detailed descriptions given by people who had seen Sharlie, Lynda commissioned an oil painting by Northwest fantasy artist Bleu Turrell, which is featured as the cover of the book, and as the artwork for this song.

"Beneath the Water" is the first song recorded using the "old language" from the book in its background vocals. In the story, the musical language is sung by ancient merwyngs (mistlike mermaids with flowing wings) and other residents of the magical realm of Alluvionne. The language minimizes the use of harsh consonants, and is meant to sound beautiful when it is sung.

More songs from "Sharlie" can be found on CD Baby, or by clicking the link to Lynda's website that is on this page. The website also includes excerpts from the book, and music by Swansea artists Corey McKnight, Stephanie Johnson, and Andrew Anderson.

BENEATH THE WATER

When I dove into the water
it felt like a dream
like a mermaid with flowing wings
flowing down down down
deep and away
down down deep
and away

To a lake beneath the water
shimmering new
like an ocean of morning dew
and oh I
longed to stay
stay down deep
and away

Then I gazed into the waters
of the lake beneath the sea
and oh looking back at me
was you you you
deep and away
you down deep
and away
and oh I
longed to stay
with you down deep
and away

Written and recorded by Lynda Johnson, mixed by Mike Roskelley
Cover art: Oil painting by Northwest fantasy artist Bleu Turrell www.Turrellart.com
Cover designed by Michael Lynch, lynchgrafx@hotmail.com