“Because It’s There” was Michael Hedges’ first composition for harp guitar. It was used as part of the soundtrack of a movie about the life of Naomi Uemura, a Japanese adventurer who dedicated his life to exploring the most challenging areas of the earth.
This transcription was developed from the audio recording Live on the Double Planet, Windham Hill Records, 1987, WD-1066.
Please note that “Because It’s There” was written for a harp guitar with five sub-basses.
An article on “Because It’s There” appears on the Stropes Foundation website – click here to view.
As outlined in the article linked above, Hedges’ first composition for harp guitar, “Because It’s There,” became the opening track for a film on the Japanese adventurer Naomi Uemura. The title of the film in Japanese was 植村直己物語, which translates as Naomi Uemura Story. The soundtrack was released in 1986 as a CD, LP, and cassette titled The Shape of the Land. Though it was never released in the US, the title of the film in English became Lost in the Wilderness.
The film is made available through the Stropes Foundation Archives.
Jake White –
Very meticulous, as usual. This is a blast to perform!