You started to tell me
all about your brand new car
all about your brand new lover
And how wonderful he treats you
You don't look as much
like Doris Day anymore
I only mention it in passing
because the love affair is through
What do I think about your chances?
You can't really be asking me that
Now that you're so happy
with somebody new
That style of dress doesn't flatter
You should never have cut your hair
I only mention it in passing
because the love affair is through
There's no need to run off
Looking so upset
You're better off without me
what did you think I would do?
It's just that I could never say before
how much I know that I need you
I only mention it in passing
because the love affair is through
--
The sports connection is a little tenuous, but it worked out okay, if you consider chess a sport, referring to the "In passing" or "en passant" move.
Jeff
Chess a sport? That's funny. Did you go to band camp, too? Ha, just kidding. I like the lyrics. I'd leave the word "that" out of the line "How much I know I need you." But I really like the line "I only mention it in passing." And throughout the song, even before the "I need you line" I get the feeling he's in love and being a jerk to her because he's upset that he lost her (been there....), so that line is a good capper. Good work.
Thanks Joe! I like these theme suggestions because they give me a nice free association, I don't know from sports but I got a nice little song out of it!
And that's totally the vibe I was going for, meeting up with an old lover you never really got over and lashing out, out of pain.
Now if I can just find some music for it! I wasn't thinking too hard about the meter or scheme, just wanted to get the lyrics out.
Jeff
Funny sometimes how you start to write on a subject, you veer away from it, end up with a completely different song....like you said, progressions, the sports connection is tenuous, but what the hell, you got a decent song out of it....
There's a neat, logical.....progression is the only word that fits, really!....progression to this - I could well imagine having this conversation. Nice job.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Hey Jeff,
Very nice song. I love the conversational feel to the lyrics. Like Joe, I really love the line "I only mention it in passing"; it's like something 'Riot on an Empty Street' would write ( only they wouldn't likely end up with quite so aggressive of a song out if :) ).
This is really self contained, so there's nothing to add lyrically. You've got great imagery that is necessarily pedestrian given that this is a conversation.
I assumed while reading that the last "chorus" ( the "It's just that I could never..." part ) takes place after the girl is out of ear shot since she seems to run off before that. I could be wrong. If that is what you're going for, maybe try crescendoing up to "what did you think I would do", then backing off the intensity, doing a couple bars of musical interlude before quietly going back into "I'ts just that...". Also, instead of "I could never say before" maybe something like "I could never tell you to your face" ( I know this doesn't quite fit your meter, but its the concept I'm trying to describe ). That's the way I hear it anyway.
Ice cream is a dish best served cold.
That's a great idea for the dynamics, Slowplay!
I think at the time I was envisioning the narrator saying the last part to her after she'd stood up but before she'd run off, but clearly that doesn't need to be made explicit, so other interpretations work just as well. I like that idea for the last lyric, I'll definitely think about that.
I've tried a couple times and haven't got much of anything musical for this one, in terms of chords or melody, but I'm going to keep working on it.
Musically I was thinking of Jobim's "How Insensitive", which has a line about "the love affair is over", so that must be where that came from. But I'd like to get something jazzy and bossa-nova-y if I can work out a tune like that. But failing that it might go in a completely different direction.
Jeff
