Exclusive Premiere: Bob Sumner Deals with the Gap Between Aspiration and Reality with “Didn’t We Dream”

Vancouver-based Americana singer/songwriter Bob Sumner will release his sophomore album Some Place to Rest Easy tomorrow (September 6). The album—a blend of past, present, and future sounds—highlights Sumner’s approach to music perfectly. Today, American Songwriter is proud to premiere the album highlight “Didn’t We Dream.” Watch the official music video below.

A laid-back acoustic guitar, brushed drums, and sprinklings of pedal steel make up the backdrop for Sumner’s voice on “Didn’t We Dream.” Between his sharp songwriting, storytelling, and conversational vocal delivery, the song brings to mind the works of greats like Guy Clark. Moreover, it shows why Sumner is one of Canada’s most celebrated Americana artists today.

[RELATED: Bob Sumner Charts Loneliness On “New York City”]

Sumner spoke briefly to American Songwriter about the inspiration and meaning behind the track. The opening verse of the track deals with “Images of an idyllic home nestled in a pristine country,” he explained. In it, he sings, Didn’t we dream, every kind of beauty / Where the mountains meet the valley.

The second verse details, “Vivid dreams of a bright future replete with the apparitions of joyful children and contented grandparents.” Lines like, Yes we had dreams. Our little ones come runnin’ and the old folks sit there smiling beautifully highlighting the point.

However, the chorus reveals that they never reached those lofty goals. “We dreamt hard and big but never could bridge that cavernous gap between dream and reality,” Sumner said of the refrain. We had Kings, Queens, and Aces / Like a shotgun out of the gates kid / We set the pace didn’t we? / But there was always tomorrow / You can beg steal and borrow but if you don’t got the follow through.

Bob Sumner on Some Place to Rest Easy

With his sophomore album, Bob Sumner wanted to follow in the footsteps of the greats that came before him. However, he had no intention of copying their sound. Instead, he chose to follow their creative approach. “All of my heroes, all the people that did it so well—whether it be George Jones or Willie, Waylon, whoever—they weren’t these museum pieces,” he said. “They were always creating something new, something different.”

Some Place to Rest Easy Tracklist

1. “Bridges”
2. “Motel Room
3. “Don’t We Though”
4. “You Can Stay Here”
5. “Forty Years on the Floor”
6. “Didn’t We Dream”
7. “Turn You Into Stone”
8. “Baby I Know”
9. “Lonesome Sound”
10. “Familiar Feeling”
11. “Is It Really Any Wonder”