Thunder in my Arms: An Album about the Experience of Fostering and Adoption
Vermont singer and musician, Lissa Schneckenburger, is releasing a new album this month, Thunder in my Arms, which draws on her experiences as a foster/adoptive parent.
As Schneckenburger notes on her website,
Music has this magical way of communicating emotion almost instantly, and allows human beings to synchronize with each other on so many levels. I set out to write songs that would resonate with other parents like myself. Songs about loneliness, exhaustion, beauty, abandonment, love, loss, and above all, hope.
Click the titles to see videos of two of Lissa’s powerful songs, “Look Away,” and “I’ll Stick Around.”
In the interview below, she shares more of her thoughts.
Lissa, thanks so much for talking with us. Tell us how the idea of this album arose.
The first few songs I wrote were just a way to help me process my own feelings and experiences, interwoven with a few stories I’d heard from friends that I met in my travels as a touring musician. As time went on, I met lots of foster and adoptive families as a volunteer for VFAFA, and their stories got mixed into songs as well, until I realized I had a bunch of material loosely based around the topics of attachment, developmental trauma, and resiliency. At that point, I got more focused and solicited some songwriting collaborators and therapists to help with creating the last few songs on the album, and Thunder in My Arms was born! It was a pretty slow and gradual 3-4 year process.
As you were visioning and recording it, did it album feel different than your previous work? If so, in what ways?
This album feels like a completely different project in almost every way- first because I have never done a record of all original songs before (much less songs about adoption or foster parenting), so that was a big challenge creatively and really stretched me in new ways. In addition, I felt like the sonic textures of the music needed to match the intensity of the subject matter, so I ended up working with new instrumentation and really different kinds of arrangements. I hired a co producer to help me take the album more in a folk rock, or indie rock direction, and we used lots of drums, bass, electric guitar, and horns to add an edginess and intensity to the songs.
If you are comfortable sharing, how has your son responded to the songs, and the idea of the album?
It can be different from day to day, but in general he has told me that some of the songs make him feel sad, which is pretty understandable. But he also likes a few of the catchier choruses and has been singing them around the house lately, and he actually helped me write the very last track (a song called “When My Baby Cries” depicting a healthy caregiver attachment and responsiveness to their infant). I was stuck on the second verse and we had a long car ride together where he had a great time improvising lots and lots of possible versions. It was really sweet, we had a nice time singing together, and in the end I took a line from all of those ideas and put it in the final version. He claims that the song is about him, and it helps reassure him that we’ll be here to take care of him, even if he isn’t a baby any more.
Can you talk about your perspective on the connection between creativity (or making music, in particular) and healing from trauma?
I’m sure if I had a music therapy background I could answer that question with more expertise, but I’m just a musician and performer. I know that many people have found the arts to be a very helpful way to process their feelings and traumatic memories, and I certainly use music as a processing and communication tool myself. But I don’t know a lot about the science behind it. You’ve got to process your experiences and express yourself one way or another, so pick the language that works best for you and get to it! I usually choose music every time.
What do you hope others, particularly others who are fostering or have adopted, gain from your music?
When I’ve had a really hard day (or week, or year!) I need music to help me feel better. At the very least, I hope this album will help people feel better when they’re exhausted, angry, or sad. I hope that it can help them recuperate a little bit and fill their cup. If it gives someone a new perspective into a child’s behavior, and helps them find compassion and understanding for someone on a difficult day that is even better.
If families would like to hear the album, where can they find it?
You can order the album from my website, https://lissafiddle.com, and I’m doing something a little unusual with pricing. The album usually retails at $15, but if you are a foster or adoptive parent and resources are tight, you can pay whatever you can afford. On the flip side, if you can afford to pay a little more than $15, that will help pay it forward for the next family that would like a copy.
If people would like to enjoy the FULL BAND CD Release, they can join us on Saturday, June 1st, 7:00 PM at The Stone Church in Brattleboro, VT https://stonechurchvt.com Mary Lauren Fraser opens https://www.fraserbaskets.com
You can learn about upcoming concerts this spring, as well other information about Lissa’s music on her website: lissafiddle.com.