"Beneath the Water" is included with the novel "Sharlie", a story about the mystical sea serpent who lives in Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho. The book is the first in a collection of stories and songs inspired by the Pacific Northwest. When Lynda was a little girl, she walked along the shores of Payette Lake looking for Sharlie. It is a magical and beautiful place; a sapphire blue lake surrounded by evergreen covered mountains. A few years ago, she visited the McCall Public Library and asked if they had any information about Sharlie. She was taken to a comfortable back room and given a folder overflowing with newspaper clippings; stories dating back to 1920, when sightings began to be reported in the McCall newspaper. Using the detailed descriptions given by people who had seen Sharlie, Lynda commissioned an oil painting by Northwest fantasy artist Bleu Turrell, which is featured as the cover of the book, and as the artwork for this song. "Beneath the Water" is the first song recorded using the "old language" from the book in its background vocals. In the story, the musical language is sung by ancient merwyngs (mistlike mermaids with flowing wings) and other residents of the magical realm of Alluvionne. The language minimizes the use of harsh consonants, and is meant to sound beautiful when it is sung. More songs from "Sharlie" can be found on CD Baby, or by clicking the link to Lynda's website that is on this page. The website also includes excerpts from the book, and music by Swansea artists Corey McKnight, Stephanie Johnson, and Andrew Anderson. BENEATH THE WATER When I dove into the water it felt like a dream like a mermaid with flowing wings flowing down down down deep and away down down deep and away To a lake beneath the water shimmering new like an ocean of morning dew and oh I longed to stay stay down deep and away Then I gazed into the waters of the lake beneath the sea and oh looking back at me was you you you deep and away you down deep and away and oh I longed to stay with you down deep and away Written and recorded by Lynda Johnson, mixed by Mike Roskelley Cover art: Oil painting by Northwest fantasy artist Bleu Turrell www.Turrellart.com Cover designed by Michael Lynch, lynchgrafx@hotmail.com