Question and Answer

Pat:

Hi from the Philippines! I've always wanted to ask you this question, for I've often wondered about it ever since I heard Are You Going With Me almost 20 years ago...

What was the emotion or inspiration behind the song?

You've probably answered that question before, but somehow, I can't ever seem to find it in any article or interview, so I hope you don't mind answering it again.

More power to you....

Joe

hi joe,

it is a special song, probably one of my favorites of my own songs, and it is my favorite song to play live with the group.

there really is no story to it. i was just trying to find a way to use that c minor/a flat major common tone thing that i love so much in a way that sounded good to me. it was written very fast, basically i improvised it into the synclav in the same amount of time it takes to play one chorus. i don't think i ever changed a note of it - it seemed just fine. i then remember playing along on the (at the time new) roland guitar for about 5 hours without stopping - always a good sign for a new tune. if it is about anything for me (other than the c minor/a flat thing i was talking about) it is about a little walk that i took just before i wrote it near where it was written. (upstate new york) - somehow i always think of that when i hear it. but most people make up their own thing of what that song is "about" and they are all pretty different definitions from each other - and i think that is also a good sign for a tunes life.