Life Is Wide
This week’s song, “Life Is Wide,” is a good hardworking song, not trying to get uppity or too big for its britches. The title is a nod to Big Star’s “Life Is White.” (Yes, that’s two Big Star shout-outs in two weeks.) Don’t know how much the two songs have in common, aside from inscrutable lyrics and a slower-than-you’d-think tempo.
I wrote this song to be a downer, but I was in a jaunty mood when I recorded it, and by the time I was finished it sounded like a cousin to “The Swede,” from the last Baby Teeth album. (“The Swede” is a downer disguised as an upper, so I guess it makes sense.) What are you gonna do. There are parts of this song that I like, and some that still need fleshing out. Like, for example, the long instrumental section in the middle with mumbled staccato background vocals. What’s that about? I guess we’ve just gotta call this thing what it is: A demo. A good, midwestern, hardworking demo. From the City That Works. As soon as you’re done listening to it, it’s gonna go get an Italian beef and a Polish.
PS. Maybe it also sounds like “Range Life”? I am pretty geeked about that Pavement reunion…
52 Teeth: Baby Teeth On-Line 
I like this one. Very AM radio. Definitely hear the Big Star influence. There’s kind of a lazy Bowie/Iggy collabo feeling in there too. Like “here comes success” but with less “success.”
Thanks my man! Glad you dig it. “AM radio” is my middle name.
Wow, loco that you brought up Big Star in such a huge way just three days before the big news broke. I don’t really know anything about Big Star, though, so I’m none too qualified to comment on those aspects of “Life Is Wide,” unfortunately.
I do know that I like the idea of ascribing a physical dimension (in this case, wideness) to something as metaphysical as “life.” I like-a the way this one kinda chug-a-lugs along, it sounds like a locomotive of good vibrations even right up to the end.
Thanks P M S. Yes, I’ve been thinking about the Alex Chilton thing a lot — listening to his obit on NPR brought some misty tears to my eyes.
Is that a Fleetwood Mac or Stevie Nicks song that that first ascending vocal melody reminds me of? I’ll have to figure that out. You are becoming a solidly serviceable guitarist, young man. Look out, Malcolm Young!
I like the “could go either way” xenophobia of the title; in typical fashion, you went the opposite of the way I predicted (you must be good at rock, paper, scissors)
Whoops, to be specific, I meant “rhythm guitarist” (thus the Malcolm reference)
Thanks boss! Rock, paper, scissors is indeed a game at which I consider myself an Ultimate Master. I play very slowly though, in order to psych out my opponents. Perhaps we can square off sometime.
HMMM…this is a WEEIIRD one…I get the whole hardworking mid-western vibe…buy, unlike Huey Lewis, John Cafferty, or Bachman Turner Overdrive, it’s pure Pearly Sweets…(a nod to the days of yore?) What I mean is, that lyrically it’s spot-on, and the chorus tails off in such a melodic way…it’s reminiscent of your writing/phrasing style. I’d like to abide and say that all it asks for is a living wage and a cold one at the end of the day, but it’s tooooo melodic for a tag so simple. Maybe not an instant classic, but a nice tune and one I’d listen to unsolicited. BTW, nice underlying guitar! Good ear for accompaniment!
Also, I’d like to challenge ANYONE on this board to rock, paper, scissors. Let’s have a theme party…I got an angle, ya’ know..
BB: “Rhiannon” is probably the Fleetwood Mac song you’re thinking of, BTW.
Will: That’s one of my hang-ups as a songwriter: I can’t do anything simple. I remember in the excellent book “So You Wanna Be a Rock-n-Roll Star,” the drummer of Semisonic describes watching Sheryl Crow rehearse for the Grammys, and marveling at how amazing she was at delivering her songs in a completely straightforward way. Not in my kit bag. Although I DO believe that every day is a winding road…. Glad you like the guitar! I got a capo yesterday, so, look out world.