Lyrics: More Than Words (Part Five)

In honor of the New Year, here are three songs to get you reflecting on 2007 and on 2008.

"A Long December" - Counting Crows from Recovering the Satellites

A long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving
Now the days go by so fast

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven...I wish you would

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California...I think you should

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after 2 AM
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower,
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

And it's one more day up in the canyon
And it's one more night in Hollywood
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean...I guess I should

"New Year's Day" - U2 from War

All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets underway
I want to be with you,
Be with you night and day

Nothing changes on New Year's Day
On New Year's Day

I will be with you again
I will be with you again

Under a blood red sky
A crowd has gathered in black and white
Arms entwined, the chosen few
The newspapers says, says
Say it's true, it's true
And we can break through
Though torn in two
We can be one

I will begin again
I will begin again

Maybe the time is right
Oh, maybe tonight

I will be with you again
I will be with you again

And so we're told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
Though I want to be with you
Be with you night and day
Nothing changes
On New Year's Day

"The New Year" - Death Cab for Cutie from Transatlanticism

So this is the new year
And I don't feel any different
The clanking of crystal
Explosions off in the distance, in the distance

So this is the new year
And I have no resolutions
For self assigned penance
For problems with easy solutions

So everybody put your best suit or dress on
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
As thirty dialogs bleed into one

I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then i could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speed trains, or freeways
There'd be no distance that can hold us back

So this is the new year

Lyrics: More than Words (Part Four)

I've said many times before that I don't hear lyrics very often. Sometimes a phrase stands out. Sometimes I sing it in my head using the wrong words. Either way, it's hard to listen to Josh Ritter much without being struck by the creativity of the words. Here are two examples of Josh Ritter's work that stood out to me on my way home from breakfast this morning.

"Kathleen" - Josh Ritter from Hello Starling

All the other girls here are stars; you are the Northern Lights
They try to shine in through your curtain; you're too close and too bright
They try and they try but everything that they do
Is the ghost of a trace of a pale imitation of you
I'll be the one to drive you back home Kathleen

This party was made with the night air and the chance that a smile
Will wind its way from your face to one of the boys in your line
You act like you're hip to their tricks and you're strong
But a virgin Wurlitzer heart never once had a song
I'll be the one to drive you back home Kathleen

And I'll have you back by break of day
I'm going your way anyway
And if you'd like to come along
I'll be yours for a song

I know you are waiting and I know that it is not for me
But I'm here and I'm ready and I've saved you the passenger seat
I won't be your last dance just your last goodnight
Every heart is a package tangled up in knots someone else tied
I'll be the one to drive you back home Kathleen

So crawl up your trellis and quietly back into your room
And I'll coast down the length of your drive by the light of the moon
And the next time I see you—a new kind of hello
Both our hearts have a secret only both of us know
'bout the night that I drove you back home Kathleen


"Good Man" - Josh Ritter from The Animal Years

These chords are old but we shake hands
Cause I believe that they're the good guys
We can use all the help we can
So many minor chords outside
I fell in love with the sound
Oh I love to sing along with you
We got tunes we kicked around some
We got a bucket that the tunes go through

Babe, we both had dry spells, hard times; in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya, I'm a good man

Last night there was a horse in the road
I was twisting in the hairpin
My hands held on my mind let go
And back to you my heart went skipping
I found the inside of the road
Thought about the first time that I met you
All those glances that we stole
Sometimes, if you want them then you've got to

Babe, we both had dry spells, hard times; in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya, I'm a good man

They shot a Western south of here
They had him cornered in a canyon
And even his horse had disappeared
They said it got run down by a bad bad man
You're not a good shot but I'm worse
And there's so much where we ain't been yet
So swing up on this little horse
The only thing we'll hit is sunset

Babe, we both had dry spells, hard times; in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya, I'm a good man

"Rumors" - Josh Ritter from The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

Serenade me with rocks, love
No lullabies through the locks love
I locked myself in with the band
But the music's never loud enough

Decibels in the belfry
Hey what the hell if it helps me
I put a whip to the kick drum
But the music's never loud enough

So you're gonna have to show me
How that dance is done
The one where somebody leaves someone

My orchestra is gigantic
This thing could sink the Titanic
And the string section's screaming
Like horses in a barn burning up

He plays pianos with fistfuls
Of broken Belvedere crystal
But he can't seem to forget you
And the music's never loud enough

So you're gonna have to show me
How that dance is done
The one where somebody leaves someone

He's impaling the front row
Fighting fires with arrows
And he'll act like he forgot you
But the music's never loud enough

So you're gonna have to show me
How that dance is done
The one where somebody leaves someone

Little Things...

Matthew Ryan contends that "The little things mean everything..." and Bush (the band not the President) said "It's the little things that kill." When it comes to iTunes 7.3, it's the little things that have me annoyed. First off, everything works, so it's not a matter of losing functionality. One of the little things that changed was the way it handles the alphabetization of bands that have a number to begin their name (i.e. 10,000 Maniacs, .38 Special) which isn't a big deal, just took some getting used to seeing A-ha at the top of my music.
I use eMusic. When I download music from eMusic, I have to add it to my iTunes library by clicking File>Add Folder to Library. In the past it would remember what folder I'd previously added and take me straight there. Now it "forgets" and starts me in the 'My Music' folder which I don't use for storing music, it's rather tedious to drill around to my external hard drive to the eMusic folder.
I've been listening to my iPod while it's plugged into my computer at work since moving into a new office. Everytime I plug in my iPod I'm taken to what I can only assume is a default for the iPod in respect to the columns it displays. The default includes Play Count, My Rating, and Last Played which are all features I don't use. Not included are track number, year. Each time I "customize" it the way I want it to be, but the next time I start it's all back to the default.
My understanding was that the upgrade was due to the iPhone, but I not only find the changes impacting me to be unrelated to anything specific about the iPhone, but as Matthew Ryan and Bush say, it's the little things.

Need Good Karma? Need Even Better Music?

The genius of John Lennon is obvious if you take just a moment to listen to him. It wasn't too long ago that I mentioned his genius to a friend and they asked who I think he would have been today. Would he be the cherished rock star past his prime like his bandmate Paul McCartney (by the way...huge fan of Paul...love his new album)? Would he be running around the world with Bono changing the world? Would the world need less changing? All good points. I think I'd accept any form of a 66 year old John Lennon just to hear some more of his musical genius. This week an album of John Lennon songs was released. Not like the album a few years ago that was recordings of rare studio time, but by modern artists. The proceeds go the Save Darfur project. U2, R.E.M., Jackson Browne, Ben Harper as well as Jakob Dylan and Dhani Harrison (both sons of legends) among many others play tribute to John Lennon for a cause he would certainly be behind. It's well worth the $20 and there's something for everyone in the artists included. Instant Karma is the name and U2 cover the title track, which is fitting from their reference in God Part II to instant karma. Here's some lyrics.

Instant Karma
John Lennon

Instant karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of
Laughing in the face of love
What on earth you tryin' to do
It's up to you, yeah you

Instant karma's gonna get you
Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darlin'
Join the human race
How in the world you gonna see
Laughin' at fools like me
Who on earth do you think you are
A super star
Well, right you are

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on
Everyone come on

Instant karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognize your brothers
Everyone you meet
Why in the world are we here
Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there
When you're everywhere
Come and get your share

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
Come on and on and on on on
Yeah yeah, alright

Well we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on
On and on and on on and on

Lyrics: More Than Words (Part Three)

I love The Beatles, so when this song came on the ol' iPod around noon today it somehow registered a little more true inspiring this post of the lyrics. Very simple song you all know, but the words hold a truth up here in Alaska these last few days. The weather reports kept calling for showers today, but it was a beautiful day and that means more melting. Most of the songs that John and Paul allowed George to contribute are gems, and this is no exception.

Here Comes The Sun (George Harrison)

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right

Lyrics: More Than Words (Part Two)

When I left Alaska in December of 2005, I quoted a famous John Denver song. As I ready myself to return in the morning, I take it full circle in this look at lyrics with a lesser known John Denver song.

Alaska and Me (John Denver)

When I was a child and I lived in the city
I dreamed of Alaska so far away
And I dreamed I was flying over mountains and glaciers
Somehow I knew Id live there one day

Well it took me some growin, and a fair bit of schoolin
And a little bit of trouble to get on the move
And I felt like a loser but I turned out the winner
When I came to Alaska the land that I love

Heres to Alaska, heres to the people
Heres to the wild and heres to the free
Heres to my life in a chosen country
Heres to Alaska and me

I was born in a cabin on Little Mulchatna
Raised in hard times but I had a good life
From the first time I flew with my father a singin
I knew that Id wind up a bush pilots wife

We sleep near the sound of a slow running river
And wake up most mornings to a drizzling rain
And we face every day like the first or the last one
With nothin to lose and heaven to gain

Heres to Alaska, heres to the people
Heres to the wild and heres to the free
Heres to my life in a chosen country
Heres to Alaska and me

Oh, for the fire on a cold winters night
And once more to gaze at the great northern lights
For all of the beauty my children will see
Heres to Alaska and me

Heres to Alaska, heres to the people
Heres to the wild and heres to the free
Heres to my life in a chosen country
Heres to Alaska and me


I'm not sure what part of Alaska inspired this song, but the lyrics are true to form. It's not a country road that takes me there rather a jet, but the feeling of returning to a familiar land rings true.

Lyrics: More Than Words (Part One)

For some reason over the last couple of weeks, I've been hearing lyrics in music more. Usually the actual words that a singer is singing are the last thing I hear in the composition of a song, but maybe it was Josh Ritter or maybe it was something else, but I've been hearing lyrics. Sometimes cover versions of songs allow me to hear the lyrics more clearly because aside from the melody, that's the only thing that remains the same from the original and is often the only way to distinguish that it's a cover. I heard a live performance of "Like U Crazy" by Mates of State (a MKinMotion favorite) and the lyrics were pretty amazing. I'm not sure who writes the lyrics in the Mates of State relationship, but the more I listen to them, the more I'm amazed. I've decided to start a new series where I feature lyrics from a song that touches me.(Photo from ACL website)

Like U Crazy (Gardner/Hammel)

I like you crazy (repeated)
I'm suffering lonely ones too
And I can't resist sending this on a whim
There's a compulsion to mend
Write on the wall, my loudest pen goes
I can't wait to say all the things you can't see
All the things that make you better
I can't wait to say all the things you can't see
All the things that make you

I like you crazy (repeated)

Hot summers repeating
Bubs noticing bees in the air
Won't get off this rail
Then great hope remains
Honestly
Observing the critic
I knew you had plenty to say
I could not resist watching you with him
I can't wait to say all the things you can't see
All the things that make you better
I can't wait to say all the things you can't see
All the things that make you

I like you crazy (repeat)

In their live shows, they drop Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" into the song and not only does that tie back in with what I said about cover versions of songs, but "Crazy" is also a song that has fascinating lyrics.

(Photo via Myspace)

Crazy (Cee-Lo)

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place.
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy? (repeated)
Possibly/Probably

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice

Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul

You really think you're in control?

Well, I think you're crazy (repeated)
Just like me

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably

So do yourself a favor and add these songs to your collection. It's worth the $1.98 and it gives you not only 7 minutes of great lyrics, but 7 minutes of great music too.

Mates of State "Like U Crazy" from Bring it Back
Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" from St. Elsewhere