John Alan

Fly

Late in November 2019, I got an email from a guy I didn’t know named John Reese. He told me he’d heard my music on Spotify and wondered if he could call me. I was reluctant, but curious. You never know when a break may come. Maybe he wanted to use one of my songs in a movie or maybe he wanted to do a cover of one of them. Wouldn’t that be nice? I said yes, and we set up a call.

When we spoke the next day, John told me he was a songwriter from Ohio living in Norway, that he’d been on Spotify the day before to create an account for distributing his music. He said he used his first and middle names professionally, that when he searched John Alan on Spotify to see if anyone was using that name, a song I wrote called “John Alan” came up. Naturally, he listened to it.

I wrote my song “John Alan” for my husband Brent. His brother, John Alan, had committed suicide fifty years earlier and I knew there was still a lot of unspoken pain and love in his heart. When John Alan died, no one knew how to talk about suicide or even how to talk about the person who had died. All those years later, I wanted Brent to tell me as much about his brother as he wanted to.

John Alan Reese felt compelled to talk with me because a few weeks before he heard my song, his son John Alan Reese II (known to him as Johnny), died of an accidental heroin overdose. He was reeling, and my song spoke to him by name. I told him about Forrest, too, and that brought the whole connection full circle.

Now, four years later, John and I are dear friends. He lives in Norway with his wife and two children. He played football for Ohio State, was a cop in Chicago, a Marine, and a champion powerlifter, now a singer-songwriter-producer-podcaster, and musician. We meet regularly on zoom to cheer each other on and offer trusted feedback on each other’s music and whatever else life dishes up.

A few months ago, I told John about a song I’d been stuck on for over a year. I’d written and recorded a piano part, had asked my friend Tony Levin to add bass, hoping his brilliance would move me forward, but I still wasn’t hearing it. I wondered if John would listen and help me move forward. Then I thought, well, how ‘bout if you, John, write a melody and lyrics using the tracks Tony and I played. This was a big deal for me. I’m territorial about my songs. I’ve never co-written a song in my life (a subject I’d like to write about someday...) But I trust John, knew he'd be careful with me and the song. My idea was that he could write a song using the tracks Tony and I had recorded, and I could write an entirely different song using the same tracks. Why not? There’s no rule that says songwriters can’t do that.

So, here we are. John Alan’s song called “Fly” is done. Released in Norway and available wherever you buy your tunes. My version, also called “Fly,” is a month or so behind. I’ll share it when it’s ready.

Fly

Yet another day of tryin’
Funny what I find when I’m flyin’ 
while I’m searching for myself
Come up off the ground now
There’s a lost and found up here
It’s no wonder I met you
when you been lookin’ too
and we’re stumbling around
lookin’ for a way along
alone and with such a view
Come on
Come on

Bluebird used to sing for me but where has he gone
Memories of his symphony echo on and on
Lost and found up here in the blue
Less afraid of feelin’ since I’ve flown with you

May we fly
May we find
May we fly 

Through the loss
and the pain
the beauty remains
May we fly

John Alan and Bar Scott
©️2024 Loyal Oak Productions 

Here’s a link to “Fly,” Spotify and all the rest

John in front of Radio Modum, a regional radio station in Norway, after doing an interview about “Fly.”

Here’s my song “John Alan”. Listening to this today for the first time in years is very emotional. Thank you, Brent, John, and John Alan. I love you all.

John Alan

Come by me, my love
Sit with me for a while
Tell me everything if you like
So I can hear the voice of John Alan  

Fifty years ago, Brother died
words of love left behind
quiet questioning, no reply
you reach for me and try

I can see mountains off in the distance
I can see love from here to there

Was he gentle too? Was he kind?
Quick to laugh? Maybe shy?   
Do you wonder now, was he right?
You were all alone at night 
Could you cry? Could you see a thing?  
Could I hold you now?

When you reach for me and try
I can see mountains off in the distance
I can see love from here to there

Come by me, my love, it’s all right
Tell me everything on your mind
Cause I love your voice
I still hear that voice
And I want to hear your sweet voice and John Alan

©2014, Bar Scott