Sandstone Tower - Lyrics and Inspiration

Pigeon outside my lonely window Struts n’ coos Since Pharoah’s time, his eyes tell me I deliver the scoop Inside Jerusalem’s tower I’m desperate for new I scribble down this message Seal it up for you With a sinful wish on it Let my prayer be true Like a sandstone pillar in the night now I shine a light for you I’m a sandstone tower in the night My beam is blue Send the bird on back to me Got to know, do you feel it too? In my sandstone tower tonight I wait to hear, wait to hear from you Inside these holy walls Your kiss, a dream “Love your woman”, said Saint Paul We’re written into the scene So, when your work is done Fly on back to me With this dove, a message send When you think you’ll be Carry this note, now home! You know who to take it to

(Chorus) Arrives a message that night Watching the old city I unroll it, candlelight Worried that you quit me “Enroute now”, she wrote, “My pillar in the night” I looked outside my window I could see her flight Carry this note, now home! You know who to take it to (Chorus)

 Copyright 2025 Brightwood Clay. Recorded at Beaird Studios, Nashville.

Inspiration

This song is about the necessary kind of loneliness that accompanies purposeful work travel. A trip to ancient sites in the Eastern Mediterranean inspired me to write from the standpoint of a clergy member studying in an old city and waiting for a loved one to return. I had in mind one of the towers that looks out over an ancient city as the location for the scene. When I visited, a laser show lit up the the night sky over the walls every night - blue lights shone out from various sandstone towers which surround and overlook the old city. They flash at syncopated intervals. The placement of the lasers in towers, including churches and other buildings, surrounds the valley with the light show. It was the largest-scale, coordinated laser show I've ever seen and was very impressive.

There was a group of pigeons strutting around and cooing on the balcony, so that inspired the carrier pigeon idea. On researching their history, I was surprised to learn that pigeons have been in use since Mesopotamian times to carry messages between parties. The ancient Egyptians used pigeons to coordinate agricultural activities. Since that time, humans and pigeons have worked together to expedite critical communications in various arenas of activity. Many carrier pigeons won medals of honor in both world wars for their service.