So this post is not about science or being cool, and it’s not funny and there’s no stupid people in it, except, perhaps, for me. I have deliberated on whether or not I should write this, but I figured, what the hell. It’s my blog. I say what I want.
There are a very, very few songs that I actually wish I could live inside of. The only two I can think of right now are El Paso and Feleena (From El Paso) by Marty Robbins. I want to be that cowboy. In a lot of ways I do see myself in those songs, but I want to literally live in that song, not just metaphorically.
Last week I discovered another song that I want to literally live inside of, and it turns out I do literally live inside of it, because I wrote it. The song is called Powers, which everyone who reads this has probably already been forced to listen to. In just two days it became the most played song on my iPod. That is unheard of. Once I start listening to it, I can’t stop. I worked harder on the vocals for this song than I have on any other Three Ninjas song. I actually practiced it. Seriously. Normally I write something down and it’s recorded five minutes later. But I practiced singing Powers over and over and over for three days until my voice got tired. Seriously.
I think the reason that I am so compelled to listen to it over and over is that every line tells so many stories. Powers says everything that I want to say to the Woman I want to say it to, but probably in far fewer words than would be required for anyone not inside my head to actually know what I’m saying. It’s the most honest and frank song I have ever written, and I like the fact that it says “I love you more than anything” without using the actual words. I love, for instance, the idea that I would make all of her wishes come true if I had superpowers, but really, just washing her dishes would be equally as thrilling and make me just as happy. I mean this literally, you know. I had some…issues…washing dishes while I was growing up. I have always hated it. So that is saying a lot more than it seems to if taken at face value.
That’s not even half of what I could say about the first two lines, and just about every line is like that. I could probably write a blog entry about every line in that song, but that would be boring and slightly more self-indulgent than even I care to be. But I guess I should at least include the lyrics:
If I had powers I would make all of your wishes come true
but to be quite honest I’d be thrilled to do your dishes for you
Driving slightly west would solve both of your problems only
you don’t drive so i guess for now we’ll both be lonely
If we had powers we could make all of our wishes come true
but to be quite honest there ain’t much I want that don’t end in you
I cross the desert and I try to see its former glory
and face the fact that I am glad you spoiled nature for me
Last night I dreamed that I helped you move
I washed your car and I taught your class
I fixed the stain you could not remove
and then we drove over Stevens Pass
Look in the eyes of the mountain lion I know
this will never get old as we grow
We’ll have our powers and we’ll have to be strong but you know
this will never get old as we grow
I cross the desert and remember when it was the sea
like it was when you were with me
I cross the desert and I try to see its former glory
and face the fact that I am glad you ruined nature for me
Well, I feel better for having written this down.
