Matt's story behind the lyrics:

The Raptor Trail is a place that represents the ultimate beauty in nature and within it, the perfect balance and transition between life and afterlife. It draws heavy from a Native American Indian spirituality, tying man, nature, and the Earth and his place in it. Again, kind of a metaphysical way of thinking about the order of everything. First verse is a man daring, but with great humility, to enter the realm of the Raptor Trail, embracing a change, a spiritual awakening, or even death....or a personal battle. By entering this space, which can be beautiful and brutal, man becomes aware of his place in nature. It is the wild, primal voice of nature and he now not only hears it, he understands it. Second verse, kind of more of the same, a place not for materialistic and selfish greed, or ambition at the expense of everything around you. I will get the Monarchs part in a minute. But there is solace in the Raptor Trail, and can bring meaning to your unfulfilled life. Third verse, back to the Indian thing, but more of the spiritual side and attention to death and the moving on to the the next dimension or spirit world. Chorus ties it all together. Commands you to enter the Raptor Trail and if you never try you will never know. The ultimate beauty and relation of all within this realm is worth seeking and marks the final rite of passage to the next life.

The Raptor Trails are a real thing. They are the trails that are cut through this field of thick briars, honeysuckle, and Privet right in front of my house (Deerwoode). The Raptors, Hawks, Eagles, Kestrels, Owls all use this area as a buffet table of mice, rabbits, snakes, voles, ground hogs, you name it. I have witnessed some fantastical deaths. In October these fields are covered in wild flowers and the Monarch Butterflies descend on them in the thousands, amazing to see really. Back to the balance and beauty of nature thing with a reminder to please not have your head so far up your ass that you never see it, or experience it, or appreciate it.

John's story behind the song:

Well - this one was the first one that Matt & I wrote from scratch. I'd guess one of my favorite Jupiter Coyote tunes was "Lucky Day", so the opening riff was actually giving a little love to that song. I have no clue as to where the music in the verses came from, but the chorus kind of draws off of an old tune I wrote called "Rain & Sunshine". The bridge section just came up from me screwing with riffs on the guitar. Mayes came up with the vocal melody lines. I wasn't really sure about them the first time I heard it, and then I absolutely came to love them. It's like an Irish folk song sung over a native American theme with sort of an Atlanta Rhythm Section/Barry Bailey background. Extremely bizarre. The strange, masked "talking" going on right as we go into the bridge is an angry Matthew. It is one of several subliminal messages throughout this album. Needless to say - he didn't realize he was being recorded during one of his vocal tracks. I saw it on the track file before I heard it, so had to investigate. After I heard it without the music going on - well - let's just say that's the hardest I've laughed in probably several years. (He was angry at his internet connection). And no, I'm not going to repeat what he said in here. PS: The next album (which is about half written as of right now) will feature at LEAST one subliminal message on EACH song.

Cookies & milk to those who figure them out.