from Farewell to February

Day 440, Session 92:
When/Where: Wednesday September 5th - Post-work/Pre-bowling train ride home.
First song: Farewell And Goodnight by Smashing Pumpkins
Last full song: February by Dar Williams
Progress: 1289-1306 of 5321
Total Songs Heard: 1070

Just a few quick notes from what I heard yesterday:

Every time I hear it, I wish Farewell And Goodnight was a better song. With a title like that it seems like it would a great ending song to a mix tape/cd or, at the very least, would have been a good way to sign off the old Matt & Joey Show when our shift ended at 2am. Unfortunately, it's not that great. It's just kinda there. Attention musicians who read this blog, please record a better song with the title Farewell And Goodnight. Mix cds and late night college radio everywhere need it.

Father & Son by the artist formerly know as Cat Stevens contains one of my favorite ridiculous lines in all of musicdom:

You're still young, that's your fault...

Say what now?!? A father singing to his son is saying that it's the son's fault he's young? How is that possible? You are the age you are. At least until time travel comes along. I mean, if the father really wanted an older son, shouldn't he have gotten about the business of having said son earlier? That way the father could have been singing the same song at the same age, but the kid would be older. That seems like it's the father's fault, not the kid's!

If my Dad ever tried to give me advice and blamed me for the fact that I wouldn't get it because of my youth, I have trouble taking anything else he said seriously.

Oh shit. It just occurred to me that I may not understand that particular line of the song because I AM NOT OLD ENOUGH! Maybe in another 10 or 15 years it will make perfect sense. Remind me to revisit this entry in 2022.

February is one of the saddest songs I know. The lyrics are sad, the music is sad (especially the overriding cello,) the way the lyrics are sung (plaintive? I'm not good with words) sad. All the feelings of a relationship caught in a long slow death spiral equated to the month of my birth. Whether it be an actual romantic relationship, or your feelings towards your job, or a friendship that falls out of touch, eventually it all feels dark and cold and even when you try and dig out of the snow... the next day, it's snowing again.

And February was so long, that it lasted into March...

It really is a fantastic song. (As long as you like contemplative/sad/folky music.) It'll be linked up here later tonight. Here it is:

February - Dar Williams