White oak and rosewood hailing to the green this stillness wakes my heart to all I see
oh dreams that we had all but laid to waste all that I love it came then washed away
so now where’s that wide eyed heart of golden joy I know its song has yet to fill my eyes
trove, forgotten long ago carried down to the depths of the caverns below in time we’ll see red clay on stone walls awaken the sea buried long, long ago
oh hope, keep us waiting it’s not our time quite yet keep our horizon bright just keep it lit
fo[u]r winds, they are blowing clouds are turning fast those dreams of love they will not be my last
trove, forgotten long ago carried down to the depths of the caverns below in time we’ll see red clay on stone walls awaken the sea buried long, long ago
'Rosewood Heart' is another beautifully-written, multi-layered fan favorite of Goose that urges us to take an incredibly detailed look at some of the forces at work within the imagery emoted by both word and melody. In my effort to decode this deeply-rooted ballad (pun intended), I found the focus shifting from side to side as it is a balance of both literal and figurative meaning, which in the end is relatable to all.
Firstly, let us focus on the figurative meaning before diving into the historical significance of some of the passages, and then tie it all together at the end.
WRITTEN IN THE TREES
The first verse of the song is the writer's assertion of a love, or even still, the IDEA of love once perceived to be found is now lost. The author wants to make the audience aware that this is very intentionally a song about a feeling that is very delicate and difficult to portray. It is a notion of depth that goes beyond what can be seen at the surface. For better understanding, the writer gives us two species of tree to focus on. One, the white oak, as a reference point to the realism of his personal proclamation. And two, the rosewood, a more symbolic vehicle for the stance he is taking. Both of which evoke the setting of the writer's very physical moment in penning these thoughts, 'hailing to the green;' a tree's greeting of spring blooms with enthusiastic approval. The 'stillness' of the trees 'waking his heart' to what he must be feeling, or 'all he sees,' before finding the depths of the rest of the verse.
The white oak is nothing more than another clue as to the setting and humble origins of the writer's journey. A band from Connecticut would be most closely in touch with the importance of the state's iconic Charter Oak, a massive white oak that grew on Willis Hill in Hartford. Dating back to the 12th or 13th century, the oak stood as a bastion of freedom for Colonial America as Connecticut's Royal Charter of 1662, which declared the colonists "all liberties and immunities" from the realm of England, had been hidden within the hollow of the tree to thwart its confiscation from the English Duke of York on his unsuccessful attempt of seizure during the Dominion of New England. Falling during a storm in 1856, the Charter Oak has been depicted on stamps and currency, namely the entry for Connecticut's State Series of U.S. quarters, pictured here:
Rosewoods, on the other hand, offer the writer's propensity to elicit the symbolism it represents. The species of rosewood that the western world has come to know is named Dalbergia nigra, or Brazilian rosewood. It has a very strong, sweet smell which gives it its name, and is endemic to the Bahia interior forests of Brazil. Rosewood is allegorical to the heart's struggle, thus the writer's pension for finding love throughout the first verse. It is so represented because of the most valuable part of the rosewood tree which is called the heartwood, which is found at its core, and is darker and denser than the outer layers. Thus, the parallels between the physical vulnerability of the outermost part of the tree, coupled with its inner strength and beauty, create a soul refining imagery not found in most arbor avenues. Where to some, being vulnerable to such a conflict as the writer poses may be seen as weak; others may find it is a sign of true strength at our core. It is here that we discover the title to this track.
The juxtaposition between the two species of trees, and their implications within the song's meaning, is not lost when you consider that many acoustic guitar makers seek the rosewood as a source of higher-end materials, especially in manufacturing the neck of a guitar. So to is the idea that 'Rosewood Heart' is the only song that has ever been played in the format as it was on 5/8/21 in Pelham, TN. In this rendition, Rick begins the song from the seated position playing acoustically before transitioning to his more familiar electric guitar.
We'll circle back around to the idea of love and the writer's position as he weaves in and out of the physical and mental states surrounding his stream of consciousness after we take a look at the chorus.
THE LLANGANATES TROVE
It is pretty clear that Goose's catalog is deeply entrenched in historical references. One of the things that is imperative when trying to decipher meaning in a song is to find that reference and tap in to the voice from the past; to treat it like an archeological excavation of song and verse. In 'Rosewood Heart', the dig site is the chorus.
The first word of the chorus, 'trove', is most closely associated with the idea of treasure. A vague and overly generic historical jumping off point, to say the least. But if you continue to scrape and brush away the bread crumbs, you will find the story of the Treasure of Llanganates, named after the protected mountain range area in the Cotopaxi province of Ecuador.
When we put the 'red clay on stone walls' under the microscope, we are lead to the architectural prowess of the once burgeoning Incan empire, which coincidentally, did not reside too far from the home of Bahia (Brazilian) Redwood as mentioned above. Although, I do not believe the two correlate in this sense. The Incan empire rivaled that of its empirical Eurasian counterparts, although it is unique in that it lacked many of the features associated with civilization in the old world.
Anthropologist Gordon McEwan once stated that the Incas were able to construct "one of the greatest imperial states in human history" without the use of the wheel, draft animals, knowledge of iron or steel, or even a system of writing. However, they were very organized and adept in both agricultural and societal structure (allowing various elements of religious freedoms, including that of the worship of the Earth Mother, 'Pachamama', which may sound familiar to some Goose fans) and were most notable for their monumental architecture, which involved a high level of stonework given the terrains they were presented with in the Andes mountains, the empire incorporating much of western South America. Aside from the fact that this civilization found a way to transport huge stone blocks of more than 100 tons, and construct megalithic buildings with a fitting so exact that a thin blade can seldom be inserted within its cracks; Incan masonry featured volcanic, silica-rich material made up of an exceptional reddish mud, or "llancac alpa" in the native Incan quechua language. Our mysterious 'red clay on stone walls.' The mortar often gave the appearance of gold to most early chroniclers and Spanish conquerors, only to later disappear in the natural conditions. Thus, much folklore was inspired by these techniques, as amazing as they were both in derivative thought and as a visionary spectacle, and the all-to-common dreams of cities made of gold within ancient anthropological context were born.
It was under the last Incan ruler, Atahualpa, where we find the rest of the chorus come to life. Under his reign, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro would begin his expedition that would eventually lead to the conquest of Peru. Standing in his way was the Incan empire, which he began to move against in 1532 when he established the town of San Miguel de Piura. He would capture the Inca king, Atahualpa, in the Incan capitol of Cajamarca, which exists today in the Peruvian Andes. In exchange for his freedom, and knowing that the Spaniards valued gold more than anything else, Atahualpa bartered a deal for his release by promising a room full of gold and silver. Pizarro agreed, but likely had no intention of releasing the native king, and grew leery of Atahualpa's promise. Before the room could be filled, Pizarro had the king garroted, or strangled to death, on July 26th, 1533 (or 7/26, for those paying attention).
As the legend tells, Incan general Rumiñahui was on his way to Cajamarca with the king's ransom, an enormous amount of gold and previous worked metals, when he learned of Atahualpa's execution. Rumiñahui then sent his men east to regions of the mountainous coastline still largely uninhabited, and returned to the area once more with many artifacts of the culture's existence, to hide the treasures in a cave. A 'trove' carried 'down to the depths of the caverns below.' After fighting the Spaniards, Rumiñahui was captured and tortured, but kept his secret nonetheless; the whereabouts of the hidden treasures, and the remnants of an empire, left unknown, 'buried long long ago.'
CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN THE TREES AND THE TROVE
Depending on how you look at it, I see this song as a very patriotic song. Let us look at the definition of true patriotism, not as we've been forced to by the chasm in American politics, but as inhabitants of a prevailing ground. This is the common denominator in the context of the rich pieces of history offered by the writer; a newly settled American colony and an equally, if not more, impressive exhibit of existence within the Incan empire. Each peoples longing for a life together under one common expression of humanity and the practices of a free-willed society.
But then, as is the case in all anthropological studies, oppression is inserted into the fold, in one way or another. The oppression of certain inalienable earthbound rights very often comes in the form of corruption; and generally through means of the violent disruption of life that a civilization or society has grown accustomed to after overcoming great challenges.
In the case of the Inca, Spaniard conquests presented such a downfall. The once thriving civilization that accomplished such massive notoriety among the great historical populations was vanquished in less than 100 years of existence.
As for American colonists, as depicted in the origin story of Goose's home state of Connecticut, it is a more difficult task to adjudicate. Yes, independence was granted all those years ago from a tyrant government across a vast ocean. However, it could be argued that the oppressor in this country's narrative is that of a far more complicated corruption that is only more recently bubbling to the surface from the seedy underbelly of an established precedent set forth from that very same movement for independence.
And this is where the picture becomes more clear.
As noted earlier, what I believe the writer is channeling is the idea of love; and in this case, love as a unifying expression for a common existence under peace. Every young culture, early nation, and adolescent being inherits a natural adulation for this very idea. This is the definition of true patriotism.
The written admission of such a dream "all but laid to waste" under the current pretenses of our discourse; finding it more difficult to see the innocence we once had as "wide-eyed" participants in a society with "hearts of golden joy" under a like-minded sentiment. In the second verse the writer pleas for the opportunity to find ourselves allied with one another under the aforementioned idea of love and peace once more; asking for patience and hope through the imagery of a horizon that refuses to offer a bleak outcome. If not bright, then staying lit nonetheless, as the sequence concludes with a common dream that will not die.
Rosewood Heart is a song for peace from the perspective of a cautiously optimistic observer of human history. Like its namesake, it asks us to maintain strength at our core, as a vulnerable people looking to outlast the oppressive corruption that so often forces empires to its knees; bringing unrest in a time when peace is the only viable means to a successful common existence.
May we never bow down to the powers that seek to destroy us in this way. May we never be left in remembrance by our own artifacts, as the Incans were with red clay on stone walls. May we remain patriotic in our love for each other.
As always... keep jammin,
tDC
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