The Regular Friday Post
Rando Lyric: And now, I'm glad I didn't know
Last week’s rando lyric: The lyric, “So you just play along” is from the song "True”, written by Mikel Jollett and performed by The Airborne Toxic Event. It was released on the Rounder record label in May of 2020 as Track 12 on the album “Hollywood Park”. Produced by Mark Needham.
Credit Wikipedia Link: Hollywood Park Album
Credit Genius Link: "True" Song
See Also: Wikipedia: The Airborne Toxic Event
Welcome to The Regular Friday post!
Today I want to revisit one of my favorite bands, The Airborne Toxic Event. Their first hit, "“Sometime Around Midnight” was on at least an MTV or VH1 (or whatever I used to watch/listen to) music video all the time, and the band pretty much instantly became one of my favorites. I’m mostly just on Spotify now, the days of The Buggles, female VJs with enormous hairdos and edgy/not edgy male VJs long past - for me, at least - your mileage may vary…
Anyway, I saw them in concert on a stormy day at Seattle’s “Bumbershoot” festival. They were almost canceled for lightning, but the weather moderated and the show went on. Former member Anna Bulbrook, an enormously talented musician, nearly stole the show with her work on keys and her extraordinary violin skills. Mikel Jollett was an instant fan favorite as, during a long instrumental passage, he hopped off stage, got a hot dog from a nearby vendor, ate it on his way back and was back onstage when the vocal part came around again. Good times…
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Some Stuff:
A Song To Play:
4/4 common time, a relatively sedate 86 Beats Per Minute, Key of A Major. The I, IV, V (A, D, E) pattern takes us through the verses, then the fun begins with the iii- (C#m) and vi- (F#m) interspersed through the remaining structures. The “True.Blue” repeated lyric sort of serves as a refrain, the repeated lyric, “I’ll see you again” serves (apparently) as a kind of bridge or “middle eight”, and the final partial verse (patternwise, anyway) is followed be the final lyric “I’ll meet you in the dust” is kinda an outro.
Which I think is fabulous! The familiar structures: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Outro are all there, just in a Mikel Jollet sort of odd way. I prefer songwriting where an artist bends or turns inside out the accepted conventions. Mikel Jollet is unconventional in many respects, character traits that make his songwriting interesting, and a song for you to ….
Chordify Link: "True"
…have fun with!!
From Genius Link: True
It sure seems clear to me. As far as I can see How the highest life brought the lowest out of me Eventually You're the reassuring kind. You’re never really off my mind Don't know what it means but it's sure a damn good line When you're running out of time True. Blue (repeated) It was more than I could take. You got something that I can’t fake I fall down sometimes, I shiver and shake It’s so much worse when I’m awake Because the truth is always wrong. And it’s hard to face the dawn When your days get short your nights get so damn long So you just play along True. Blue (repeated) It’s true you were my best friend We needed each other in the end When there’s nothing left to give There’s just some time that you can spend You just tell me when I know we’ll be together then I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again I’ll see you again They say it’s “dust to dust,” You don’t want to face it but you must I won’t ever let go and that’s one thing you can trust I’ll see you in the dust I’ll meet you in the dust
The “ME!” Section…..
What I’m Listening2:
Shameless Self Promotion Section:
My song is out! Link: “>Long Road Back<”click on this link for streaming options, then scroll down for links (or just click on these links) to Amazon, Apple, Pandora, iTunes and even Spotify
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Disclaimer Section
This Substack is free, I receive no compensation of any kind from companies or products I mention (except when you click on one of the links above for my song - then I might make 0.003 cents - yes 3/1000ths of a cent… just sayin…). Some linked or quoted material may be copyrighted by others, and I credit them. I rely on the “Fair Use” doctrine for educational purposes (Link: Fair Use). *I do not use AI for any of the text that’s found here, things I embed or link to (such as some images) might…
-Michael Acoustic
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This Week’s Conversation With Mika, The Cat:
Mika: “I think we’re done here…”
Me: “I guess…if you want to spend the night buried under a top sheet and blankets….”
Mika: “Why don’t you just see how that works out for you, human…”
Cheers and keep playing!!
Michael Acoustic
“It’s never really final - you just run out of things you can bear to change…”