musicforthemorningafter

So. I was going to put up one of my favorite Jimmy Eat World songs ("If You Don't, Don't") in honor of the band finally releasing a new CD in October. But then, right before I left work on Friday, I started listening to Pete Yorn's musicforthemorningafter and decided I wanted to put up some tracks from this instead.

Pete Yorn is a singer-songwriter with a blues-y edge. The thing I love about this CD is that it was his debut, and it is solid from beginning to end. Which is a rarity these days. I've narrowed the selections down to my seven favorite songs. Enjoy!

(Lyrics are courtesy of the musicforthemorningafter CD insert booklet. Right click on the title of the song to download the mp3.)

Life On a Chain
I live on a chain and you share the same last name, as a joke, I sent a bottle of whiskey, as you choked, I knew it made you feel dirty, and I was waiting over here for life to begin, I was looking for the new thing, and you were the sunshine heading my front line, I was alone, you were just around the corner from me. Time alone is good, I spend my days in the city, dirty neighborhood, you know you’ll never convince me, so I sold the town away, I couldn’t wait to forget you, I was killed in half a day, I hadn’t time to regret you, and I was waiting over here for life to begin, I was looking for the new thing and you were the sunshine heading my front line, I was alone you were just around the corner from me. I, I’m still on the chain, and you, had the same last name, as a joke I sent a bottle of whiskey as you choked you said it made you feel dirty... waiting over here, for life to begin, still looking for the new thing, and you were the sunshine heading my front line, I was alone, you were just around the corner from me.


Strange Condition
Read me the letter, baby, do not leave out the words. Stories and cigarettes ruined lives of lesser girls, and I wanna know, ‘cos I want you to know, and it’s a strange condition, a day in prison, it’s got me out of my head and I don’t know what I came for. Send me the money, baby, do not leave out the wage. You know you’re the best thing ever to come out of this place, hey I want you to know, ‘cos I wanna know and it’s a strange condition, a day in prison, it’s got me out of my head and I don’t know what I came for, I want you to know... it’s a strange condition, a day in prison, it got me out of my head and I don’t know what I came for, I want you to know, I want you to know... so leave out the others, baby, say I’m the only one, cut out the uniforms and settle with the sun, hey I want you to know, ‘cos I wanna know, and it’s a strange condition, and life in prison, it’s got me outta my head and I don’t know what I came for, I want you to know... ‘cos I wanna know, yeah I gotta know...


Black
Black is a cast, and two is a crowd, and gold rim is an answer. Black is a crowd. I am just for you, as you are not for me so even if you stop, you’re sitting here by yourself, you can never try to answer anymore, you can never start and see what you’re doing to me. Kiss, they were the ones, they dressed like something so special, and death is to begin, caress, I think it’s a sin… I was alone, only ‘til you took me away, and you can never stop, you’re sitting here by yourself, you can never try to argue anyone, you will never stop and see, what you’re doing to me. I’m alone, while he was standing next to you, and days prolong, yeah there was time, just you wait and see. Waiting for a bottle of truth, I’m just a lonely guy in my youth, waiting for you is all I wanna do, so if you couldn’t stop, you’re sitting here all by yourself, you can never try to argue anyone, you will never stop and see what you’re doing to me, you can never stop, you’re sitting all by yourself, you can never try to answer anything, you will never stop and see, what you’re doing to me, what you’re doing to me, what you’re doing to me, what are you doing to me?


For Nancy
And when you said I could not stay with you, that‘s not the way you would have wanted to be, convince yourself that everything is alright, ‘cos it already is. Don‘t sell your heart and break just anyone, I want to run with you through Moorland Fields, convince yourself that everything is alright, ‘cos it already is, so take your lessons hard and stay with him and when your car crash comes don‘t be mislead, convince yourself that everything is alright ‘cos it already is, yeah it already is, so take your lessons hard and stay with him and when your car crash comes don‘t be mislead, convince yourself that everything is alright ‘cos it already is, yeah it already is, so take him home.


June
Pots and pans are indestructible. How do you respect your room? If you hadn’t gone tomorrow, you could have stayed on ‘til June. It’s alright if I was older, it’s ok to lose your age, and I, want to follow you, I do, I do. It’s another I could trust you, it’s another thing to swear, I’m ok with all the others, it’s just her I cannot stand, I’m old enough to feel the way I do and I know that you are true, it’s just a part of my genes. And I want you to know, it’s hard to wait on, I’ll swallow you whole, wait kindly in the next room. And you have stayed, a mile away from me, and you will stay a mile away from me if you know what’s good for you, you could have stayed until June.


Sense
Time flew away, but something won’t forgive it all, days and weeks, let’s start from the beginning of a life. She called today, pretending not to care at all, for days and weeks, now he’s hanging from the ceiling, what a life, oh what a life, was it a life? Is something wrong with me? I show you things you’ve never seen. Is something wrong with me? I show you things that you’ve only dreamed of. I’m wide awake, I’ll drop you off for saying that, for days and two weeks, it was you who was defending such a lie, oh what a lie, was it a lie? Is something wrong with me? I show you things you’ve never seen. Is something wrong with me? I show you things that you’ve only dreamed of. You never change, you never change. Is something wrong with me? I’ve shown you things you’ve never seen. Is something wrong with me? I’ve shown you things you’ve never seen. Is something wrong with me? I’ve shown you things you’ve never seen. Is something wrong with me? I’ve shown you things that you’ve only dreamed up. You never change, something won’t forgive it all.

EZ
Only save, try to find another way, I’m taking what I gave to you again. Some new day I could understand your face, you could even hold my hand if you would like to. It came up unexpected, I had to follow through and it’s hard when you were working like you do. It was easy when you were younger, you can put it back together, it was there if you ever wanted it, but you closed the door and said goodbye for good. So this is a mistake, try to find a better way, you were never fond of anything I said. Can we begin again? Save it for another friend, I was happy in my life I won’t pretend, every time you were expecting to reach out and forgive this, I was hardened by the look upon your face, it was easy when you were younger, you can put it back together, it was there if you ever wanted it, but you closed the door and said goodbye for good, for good… you were easy.