"Poughkeepsie," the second single from “Fly Out” is out now on all streaming platforms! Poughkeepsie is my personal favorite song off the album.
For my college essay, I wrote liner notes for four songs from Fly Out (I got in!) Here is what I wrote about “Poughkeepsie:”
The graying hair of my grandparents is proof of time passing. On the train, headed south along the Hudson River to go help Grandma and Grandpa, I’m spotting eagles as they glide down-river. Like the fledgling eagles I observe, I have flown away from the nest, but can swoop back swiftly; I can be there for my grandparents when they need me. “Any time, anywhere – Call me, I’ll be there,” as my Grandfather has always reminded me. I type the lyric on my phone, eager to share it, realizing that my grandparents won’t always be around to hear it. As most songs do, this one begins with my own emotions and insights, but when I share it, the song flies out into the world for others to discover. This process of formative release has helped me realize that so many struggles are universal. Everyone’s grandparents grow older. Music connects us to a collective truth, a shared catharsis.
Listen to Poughkeepsie on Spotify
“Poughkeepsie” was written, performed and recorded by Simon Elijah Rieffel.
Mastering Engineer: Eric Ayotte
Album Cover: Jaxson Dannible