The God of the Reverse Breakup Song: Yes, Phil Collins, it's You.

Wow!! Time really does fly. But I didn't realize it flew quite so fast. My last post was in May, and boy do I feel dumb. Anyways (love when people say that), guess it's not too late to start again. Especially with this topic...

Phil Collins is the most heart wrenching "you broke up with me" lyricist ever (well at least in multi-selling, popular music that was played all over the radio in the early 80's.)

If you're like me (and be thankful you aren't, I am after all writing a blog post about Phil Collins), the album "Face Value" probably comes to mind. This is the divorce album, and you like him or not, you can really feel his pain all over this one. "You Know What I Mean." "I'm Not Moving." "If Leaving Me is Easy." And so on.

BUT WAIT!!

I'm here to make a case for "Hello, I Must Be Going" being even more emotionally satisfying — if heartbreak and tortured souls are you're thing. And I am willing to offer just two pieces of evidence. Exhibit A) "Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away." And Exhibit B) "Why Can't It Wait Til' Morning?"

This is the kind of album the writer in me had to get through the songs a little snippet at a time (forward, rewind, forward, rewind, forward... etc.) so that I could write down the lyrics with a pad of paper. Probably made Phil cry just seeing them in the album sleeve. Oh, and yes, there was a girl involved. Ahh, college. So young. So emotionally vulnerable. So Phil Collins.

Please rip my heart out, again. Thank you.

Added Bonus: Heard this story on This American Life. Starlee is one of my favorites, but she really comes through on this one.

Starlee Kine wants to write a breakup song. So who does she ask for advice? You bet! Phil Collins himself. This is soooo funny.

What's In A Name?

"So did you write about a song, or just about writing about a song?" 

Thank you to my lovely wife for telling it like it is about my first post : )

Ok, this time I will actually write about a song. 


I'm a big Daryl Hall & John Oates fan, and not afraid to admit it. They were my first concert and their blue-eyed Philly sound drew me in from the beginning (actually, as is often the case, their subsequent smash hits don't really represent their best work.) 


This song is from an album (yes, that's what they were called back then) that is unfortunately really overlooked. It totally takes me back to my high school days — and I think it's kind of apparent why I chose this particular title as the name of this blog.


For some reason, this line below seems to really jump out at me in this song. I know I am truly a hopeless romantic at heart, and I love the way this line expresses the pain and loss this song portrays:

And if you can't take me with you, take this Melody for a Memory

Here are the rest of the lyrics to ponder. I hope the link works. 


One for the money
One song I'm writing for you
And if you can't take me with you girl
Take this Melody for a Memory
Love in the morning
Love in the late afternoon
There'll be no words when I leave you girl
Just a Melody for a Memory
And if you can't take me with you
Take this Melody for a Memory
She cried when he left her
Her eyes went black with the blue
The infrequent letters
The sooner the better
The cold distant phone calls
Will have to do
And if you can't take me with you
Take this Melody for a Memory
Take part of me, take part of me
Take this Melody for a Memory

A Blog About Song Lyrics!


Ok. I am so totally new to running my own blog, that I need to preface my first post with "I am so totally new to running my own blog." I figure that's a pretty good excuse for you to forgive me for any blog transgressions I may commit.


Words are my life, a friend reminds me when I have a snappy comeback for something he says. And of course, being an advertising copywriter, words are my life. Maybe that's why I was always just as fascinated with the words to the music I listened (listen) to, as much as the musical notes. So let's talk about lyrics. Their power to inspire, to amuse, to escape to places we want or don't want to go. To serve as anthems for our lives, for protest, for love gone bad, or love gone good... well you get the idea.


The point is — lyrics have the power to stir our emotions, memories, feelings, beliefs. We all have specific songs that affect us in specific ways. Let's talk about them. Specifically. 


So rre you in? It's just a kiss away.