Don't Look Back Composed and arranged by R. Lawton Copyright © 2004  This song was my first independent digital composition. The story I pictured in my mind was a romance that has ended. He is departing on a greyhound bus to start a new life. As the bus begins rolling down the highway, he has the urge to turn around for one last glance at the life he is leaving behind and perhaps even hoping she may have come after all to see him off, but he recalls an old movie scene where a lover says 'Don't look back'... and so he resists the temptation.   Instead he adopts the philosophy of not looking back at what has been - but rather looking ahead to what will be.   The mood is mixed with sadness and anticipation. The second verse echoes a harmonica which to me, gives it a positive twist by offsetting sadness (flute in the first verse being reminiscent of her memory and life with her) with hope (the harmonica becomes his determination to move on) and it also gives the verse a mid-western country flavor.   The mix of instruments includes flute, strings, pizzicato (plucked) strings, harpsicord, harmonica, piano, bass, percussion, and a variety of other color and layered instruments.'  Back        Song Selections       Home