This Side (song)
Encyclopedia
"This Side" was the first single by the progressive bluegrass
band Nickel Creek
from their second album, This Side
. Sean Watkins
takes vocal duties for "This Side".
The song was written by Sean Watkins
. It is one of three songs recorded by Nickel Creek that were written single-handedly by Sean, the other two being "Somebody More Like You" on Why Should the Fire Die?
, and "Speak". The single peaked at #56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Progressive bluegrass
Progressive bluegrass is one of two major subgenres of bluegrass music. It is also known as newgrass, a term attributed to New Grass Revival member Ebo Walker. Musicians and bands John Hartford, New Grass Revival, J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Dillards, Boone Creek, Country Gazette, and the...
band Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile , Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins . The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006...
from their second album, This Side
This Side
This Side is the Grammy-winning fourth album by the progressive bluegrass band Nickel Creek, released on Sugar Hill in the summer of 2002. It gained some notoriety in indie rock circles due to the group's recording of a Pavement song, Spit on a Stranger...
. Sean Watkins
Sean Watkins
Sean Charles Watkins is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is a member of the contemporary folk band Nickel Creek, the duo Fiction Family and the supergroup Works Progress Administration.-Nickel Creek:...
takes vocal duties for "This Side".
The song was written by Sean Watkins
Sean Watkins
Sean Charles Watkins is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is a member of the contemporary folk band Nickel Creek, the duo Fiction Family and the supergroup Works Progress Administration.-Nickel Creek:...
. It is one of three songs recorded by Nickel Creek that were written single-handedly by Sean, the other two being "Somebody More Like You" on Why Should the Fire Die?
Why Should the Fire Die?
In the time that Nickel Creek spent writing songs for Why Should the Fire Die?, numerous songs did not make the cut, and only fourteen were used in the final draft of the album. When discussing the album, Sean Watkins said that the band "did so much co-writing together and filtering...
, and "Speak". The single peaked at #56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Synopsis
"This Side" is about going through a transition to a different lifestyle, being scared at first, but then feeling comfortable with the change. The narrator sings "it's foreign on this side, and I'll not leave my home again". Later, he changes his mind, by singing "it's foreign on this side, and it feels like I'm home again".Chart performance
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Personnel
- Sean WatkinsSean WatkinsSean Charles Watkins is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is a member of the contemporary folk band Nickel Creek, the duo Fiction Family and the supergroup Works Progress Administration.-Nickel Creek:...
- guitar, lead vocals - Sara WatkinsSara WatkinsSara Ullrika Watkins is an American singer-songwriter and fiddler. Watkins debuted in 1989 as the fiddler of the progressive bluegrass group Nickel Creek, which consisted of herself, her elder brother Sean, and mandolinist Chris Thile. As a band, they are notable for three wide-released albums:...
- fiddle, harmony vocals - Chris ThileChris ThileChristopher Scott Thile is an American musician, best known as the mandolinist and a singer for the progressive acoustic trio Nickel Creek. His current band is Punch Brothers whose most recent album is Antifogmatic...
- mandolin, harmony vocals - Byron House - acoustic bass