Florence Dore Premieres Her Folk Ballad “Nothing With You”

Aging, it’s everyone’s greatest fear, and it’s the central focus of Florence Dore’s new single “Nothing With You.” The song is from Dore’s upcoming new album Hold The Spark, which will be released on. May 1st via Propeller Sound Recordings.

A classic-sounding folk ballad, “Nothing With You” deals with everyone’s least favourite topic in both a curious and frank way. But it’s not meant to be a tearjerker. It’s a reflection on our reality, how it changes, and what it will be like as your final days approach. There’s a beauty in perceiving the end and accepting it. Death doesn’t have to be looked upon with such fear and loathing. You can only control what you can control, and this is one thing you cannot. So, you might look upon Dore’s candid new single as a reminder to enjoy the time we do have and embrace the ones we love with even more enthusiasm.

Explaining the song, Dore states:

“I am a workaholic, and for those afflicted with COVID, it presents interesting challenges, including how to cope with not getting anything done. I got COVID, and then I got the rebound, so I had some extra time to investigate this not-getting-things-done mode. It made me think about what it will be like to be very, very old, which is another time I imagine I will not be accomplishing things at the rate to which I have become accustomed. And so I wrote a song about a very old literature professor and her very old husband and what it might be like not to care if the house started burning down around us.

“The song starts with a line from ‘Sonnet 18’ by William Shakespeare and explores some classical history with the kings of Pompeii. You can do worse than looking backwards to the greats for inspiration. I know that I have surprised some people with my support for Great Books and classical education, because it seems like rock music would be anathema to such a view. But it turns out that Lead Belly and Shakespeare have more in common than you might think. I wrote a book about that topic called Novel Sounds, if you want to learn more about the history. My book Ink in the Grooves explores the topic as well.

“The song sounds sparse and pretty, but also weird, and neither the chord changes nor the lyrics are entirely expected. Don Dixon said it ‘unfolds,’ and I agree. The Mellotron was Chris Masterson’s inspiration. I was surprised when ‘Would the firemen come? / Would we jump out the window / Or leave them to go find the young?’ came out of my mouth, and for a songwriter, that’s always a good feeling. The song ends the album because it’s about death, the supreme end to which all endings refer.”

She continues: “My friend Mauri was a non-smoker who died at the age of 54 from lung cancer. We had lost touch for a number of years and had recently started chatting again. When someone in your generation dies, it becomes immediately clear that any prior idea you’ve had about death was pale. Death as a vivid reality is just part of getting older, and this song fast-forwards to the end to imagine what it would be like to feel ready. My 98-year-old mother-in-law is a great inspiration in this regard. She’s incredibly comfortable with the idea of dying and, at the same time, quite clearly relishes being alive. I want to be like her when I am very old.

“At the same time, Will (my partner) and I had recently become empty-nesters, so the song is about the pleasure of connecting with your spouse in a new way when your little one is not so little anymore. The focus shifts to the marriage. The whole album is titled after the song about the daughter growing up, and while there is definitely sadness, there just hanging out with Will and having nothing to do is also quite lovely.”

As far as albums go, Hold The Spark is quite an expansive release for Dore. It is a literary album of American character studies, ranging from the Southeast and the American heartland to the remote lands of the cotton fields on the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas. The album pivots frequently between different musical subgenres, including twangy country rock, acoustic folk, modern alternative rock, and 1960s psychedelic folk rock. There are happy moments, sad, angry, contemplative, and even humorous ones.

Florence Dore ‘Hold The Spark’ album artwork

In recording the album, Dore focused very directly on the quality of the craftsmanship behind it. She has delivered a release that is for those who appreciate high-quality songwriting and well-thought-out lyrics. If your life has recently changed or you’re trying to adjust to a new phase, Hold The Spark will speak to you. It’s a release that Dore is extremely proud of and one that she hopes everyone can learn something from, or at least get something positive out of.

Hold The Spark Track Listing:

01. Sunset Road
02. The Worst Mistake I Never Made
03. Hold the Spark
04. Twelve Great Minds (Department Meeting)
05. Abacus
06. The One You Need
07. Superstar
08. Can’t Come Down
09. Butterflies
10. Just Like Mookie Betts
11. On Empty
12. Nothing With You

Tour Dates:

May 6 – Winston-Salem, NC @ Gas Hill
May 7 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle – Record release show
May 8 – South Richmond, VA @ Chilton House
May 9 – Montclair, NJ @ Bandwidth Inn
May 10 – North Adams, MA @ Sing for Your Slumber, Solo show
June 20 – Roanoke Rapids, NC @ Weldon Mills Theatre w/ Steve Earle – “Fifty One Years Of Songs And Stories Tour”
June 21 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ The Carolina Opry w/ Steve Earle – “Fifty One Years Of Songs And Stories Tour”