I can cite three exact musical influences on this song: Buffy Sainte-Marie's "The Dream Tree", Toad the Wet Sprocket's "Nightingale Song", and Fleet Foxes's "He Doesn't Know Why". It didn't end up sounding like any of those, but I still rather like it. I can't really explain the lyrics of this one, because even I don't fully understand them. Interpretations welcome and encouraged.
I was sitting in a locker room
Three hundred miles away from home
I wasn’t even after anything in particular
Just trying not to be alone
I felt the cold metal of the back of the bench
Press against my tender skin
I said, “So this is the situation that I’m in.”
“This is the situation that I’m in.”
I was waiting for a signal flare
Something to tell me it was safe to go
I didn’t even notice how the whole crowd had gone ahead
There wasn’t any structured start of the show
There must have been something about this place
This municipal man-made lake
Where everybody knows the choice they have to make
Yeah, everybody knows the choice they have to make
One or a two piece swimsuit
Shallow end or the deep end
Under the surface or an inner tube
Dip your feet in the water or jump right in
I was talking to a lifeguard by the diving board
Only a couple years older than me
He looked like someone stranded for a lifetime on sandy ground
When all he wanted was the open sea
He would get so irritated whenever
Some little kid would slip and fall
He said, “Don’t they have any common sense at all?”
“Don’t they have any common sense at all?”
I was telling him that he was once that kid,
Although I barely knew his name,
We all must have that stage of trial and error and sink or swim,
And who could put the universe to shame?
There’s so many decisions life throws at us
So many different paths that we can take
So just let them figure out the choice they have to make
Yeah, let them figure out the choice they have to make.
@chipwithrow Apr 2022
Good for you for performing this one!
It must have been challenging to deliver the tumble of words and play piano - I assume that's what you did.
That's some assured singing and piano, and I dig the bits of other sounds, too. An inspired piece of music!
@sheslin Mar 2022
Oh this is lovely - the keys sound great. Love the lyrics pacing. I am getting Billy Joel vibes actually, and a little Dear Evan Hanson. Your musical references for this song are very cool - love Fleet Foxes. Your melody is so lovely and combined with the beautiful pattern you have on keys it is just a pleasure to listen to. Also - I am very inspired by Jacob Collier :D
@bethdesombre Mar 2022
This is so compelling (and I agree that it makes me think of Bruce Cockburn). I love the phrase "municipal man-made lake" and how the lyrics flow/burble so quickly. (Also "He looked like someone stranded for a lifetime on sandy ground" is a killer description.)
@audrey Feb 2022
Love your voice. What a beautiful melody. Makes me think of Joni Mitchell, but also Bruce Cockburn. Are you Canadian, by any chance? Ha ha. Love the piano too. It's interesting how catchy this is with its long musical phrases. I love this. Wonderful song!
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
beautiful intro. really interesting fast vox which places it apart from many others! amazingly well done. great story lyric
@kenmattsson Feb 2022
This is amazing. I love the vocal delivery, and the lyrics are such a journey. More people need to hear this one!
@ohljazz Feb 2022
Such a great feel to this one - the rhythm carries you along. I like the start of the verse melody too - unexpected and lovely
@tseaver Feb 2022
Fun write: the breathless, end-run lyric conveys urgency and anxiety. The piano work here is deft.