28 songs for the month of February. The soundtrack of my life in 2022. |
I'm making a solid attempt at the Soundtrack of Your Life challenge for February. I'll be honest that with my schedule, a daily writing challenge is quite difficult. But I love music so this challenge is right up my street. Buckle up and be prepared for possible musical whiplash. Hopefully you'll discover something new. |
"L.A. (Looking Alive)" by Madison Cunningham Taking a walk down Eagle Rock, wandering Where the men wear their jeans tight as a bull dog’s skin Listening to the way people talk, and the way people worry Turn themselves blonde when they get that sick feeling they’re... aging Well, I've got a face he has a hard time remembering And every time that we’ve met he’ll ask, "Sorry what’s your name again?" The way people talk and the way people hurry To reach for a card when they think that you might be Wasting... their time Wide-eyed, looking for something There’s bound to be something to let you down Wide-eyed, are you sleep deprived? Well if you want to be something, you’re looking alive Taking a drive down the five, I’m a different man The drivers have a way of taking the last bit of goodness I had There’s always something to wake you when you're caught in a dream Flashing lights in your rearview, the hollowing scream of your own voice Was that my voice? Might I suggest something? There’s bound to be something To let you down Wide eyed, are you sleep deprived If you want to be something then Hey! Look alive Look alive Well, I left for the city with the strength and the will to compete How quickly you forget that just anyone can fill your seat Doesn't it feel good to laugh at yourself Turn your back on the business and leave it to sell its own worry, its own worry I’ve been looking alive I've been looking alive Madison is a young up-and-coming singer and songwriter that I really think is going to go far. I like her voice and her use of interesting chords with a lot of dissonance. I think this was the first time she performed this song live in front of an audience. As she said, she wrote this about her experience in the music industry in L.A. She's definitely not the first to write about this subject. I've always wondered how many great artists we never hear of because they just didn’t make it through the indifference and mistreatment of the music industry. Only a small percentage ever make it, through a combination of luck, networking and pure resilience. Not so much on the basis of talent. Although it isn't what Madison wrote this about, this song always reminds me of my days working retail. I spent about three years working a few different service jobs to pay my way through school. Possibly the longest three years of my life. Another industry where you're treated as if you're invisible and expendable. "How quickly you forget that just anyone can take your seat." I have more than one horror story of being screamed at over a coupon on a $2 ice cream, or because their favorite item wasn't in stock. And even more stories about legally questionable things my managers did (or didn't do) that never got reported. Honestly, it was my main motivation for going on to graduate school afterwards, and I even said as much in my applications. The physical toll of hauling heavy boxes and crates around, working in extreme temperatures like freezers, and strain from constant repetitive motions. The incessant reminder to "Hey, look alive!" by managers and customers alike. You can't have an off day, you can't be tired, or be anything less than chipper and bubbly. I'm too much of an introvert to get through hundreds of superficial interactions and small talk with complete strangers for 8+ hours every day. Trust me, it does feel good to turn your back on the business and leave it to sell it's own worry. They need you way more than you need them. Anni |
Entry number 11, slightly delayed. "New Kid in Town" by the Eagles There's talk on the street, it sounds so familiar Great expectations, everybody's watching you People you meet, they all seem to know you Even your old friends treat you like you're something new Johnny come lately The new kid in town Everybody loves you So don't let them down You look in her eyes, the music begins to play Hopeless romantics, here we go again But after awhile you're lookin' the other way It's those restless hearts that never mend Johnny come lately The new kid in town Will she still love you? When you're not around... There's so many things you should have told her But night after night you're willing to hold her, just hold her Tears on your shoulder There's talk on the street, it's there to remind you Doesn't really matter which side you're on You're walking away and they're talking behind you They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along Where you been lately? There's a new kid in town Everybody loves him don't they? And he's holding her And you're still around... There's a new kid in town Just another new kid in town... Everybody's talking 'bout The new kid in town Everybody's walking like The new kid in town There's a new kid in town (I don't want to hear it) There's a new kid in town (I don't want to hear it) There's a new kid in town (Everybody's talking) There's a new kid in town (People started walking) There's a new kid in town The Eagles are one of my all time favorite bands. I never get sick of listening to the complex harmonies and flawless guitar work. You've probably noticed by now that vocal harmonies and guitar are my weaknesses. (Please don't use this against me.) This song in particular is underrated, in favor of their more well-known songs like "Hotel California", but it deserves more attention. It's written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J. D. Souther. Yes, it took three people to write this masterpiece. Unfortunately, Glenn Frey, who founded the band, passed away in 2016 and even the other band members have said that the band will never be the same. However, the Eagles are still together and making music with two new members to replace Frey, one of which is his son. According to the info underneath the video, they're currently touring right now. Like most bands of their caliber, the Eagles had their share of the sex, drugs and drama that's typically associated with Rock & Roll. In fact, by the time they recorded their last album, there was so much animosity between the members that they couldn't stand to be in the same room together, even for long enough to record. Their parts had to be recorded in separate locations and then patched together. It still amazes me that these men who apparently hate each other can sound SO good together. You'd never know it by the way they play together and blend their voices. I would assume that it would come through in the music and things would sound disjointed and not as cohesive, but perhaps that's not the case when you're a professional. To be fair, this is the studio version, and it could have been recorded before there was trouble in paradise. I suppose some things must have been resolved if they can stand each other enough to go on tour together now. Anni |