I had this album and enjoyed it well enough, but didn’t get totally into it. But then I went to graduation where they played this song over a slide show and it hit me hard. While spring is graduation time, this is clearly and autumnal tune.
After the Blue album, Rivers Cuomo headed back to school in Boston. He played some solo shows, but not much came of the songs he wrote at the time. Years later, a couple of users from the Weezer message boards decided to give the songs some love and release this album. I like to imagine that this song was initially “Autumn in Maine” (my home state) and he changed it to Jayne to be less obvious.
This is just a fun, honest song about growing up on 90s radio. Spose is a good guy and makes some great music. He had a brush with a hit song (I’m Awesome) and was courted by record companies, but ultimately decided to go it on his own.
I just finished up The Ballad of Songsbirds and Snakes. Back when I read The Hunger Games trilogy, I flew through it and really loved it. This was a nice successor/prequel. Collins really knows how to keep a story moving and she did a nice job laying groundwork for decisions made at the end. Maybe a little too obvious, but consistent anyway.
This weekend, I’m hoping to get through a Jack Reacher book I started on Kindle one night when I couldn’t sleep. And then it’s on to Caliban’s War as I continue The Expanse saga.
It’s the best. When it works. 😄 One day, my teen is lamenting that no one her age knows Otis Redding.
The next, I put on The Postal Service and she says “This sounds like that Fireflies song…” So I start my diatribe about how that guy just ripped off TPS sound and so on, and she just goes “and they’re both bad.” Right after I invited her to go see them with me!
I read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson earlier this year. It took me around 5 months because I was determined to finish it but HATED reading it. There’s some good world building and ideas going on, but it was just a slog. I’m normally a kind of slow reader, but it doesn’t take me half a year to finish a book.
And so the direct answer to the question would be: Neal Stephenson. Just doesn’t seem to be for me.
While the song is about passivity and needing to stand up when it’s appropriate, for me it’s a song that helps me keep perspective when dealing with loss.
TW: death
!Starting a bit over 10 years ago, I’ve lost 2 uncles, a cousin, my grandfather, and just last week, my grandmother. Each time, this is a song that I have found comfort in.!<
In the chorus, the listener is invited to reflect on how they live their life. At the same time, lines about starlight and sunbeams remind us of the greater world and universe out there and maybe our own insignificance.
A bunch of good ones from 1976 - Ramones, Lou Reed, Modern Lovers, Tom Waits, Blondie … But I’ve got two girls who have both been obsessed with Joan Jett at various times, so we’ll go with The Runaways.