February 6, 2012

Better with a Friend

There is a teenaged boy who walks around my neighborhood. I see him in the day and in the evening. He usually has an iPod and is always alone. And when I see him I feel a pang because I remember being about his age and being alone a lot. Walking home from the movie theater, where I would go by myself. Taking my dog down the beach past all civilization, or silently through festivals and crowds, or around my neighborhood at night. I remember the feeling of passing houses full of activity and feeling so close and distant at the same time. By some mixture of chance and awkwardness, I went for years without having any real friends my age. It was music that both kept me company and eventually would be my bridge to finding people I could connect with. This song is about those nighttime walks and about the belief that a friend would eventually be found. There’s a nod to a much-loved friend who once told me she was so over-worked she felt like “a shell.”

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15 Responses to “Better with a Friend”

  1. BethyMac says:

    Part of me wants a time machine; but then this song wouldn’t exist, now would it?

  2. Molly says:

    Get in the damn time machine already.

  3. Most lovely, Molly. I adore your double-entendre, “I contend / I can tend.” Also, I love your use of the major 6th as a melodic base. Perfect for wistful yet hopeful songs, starting way back with one of my oldest, favorite songs “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean.” So glad you’ve started (or restarted) a song blog! Suggesting more to come… xo

  4. (Just noticing your song blog is new to me, not new to you. So much more to hear! :)

  5. Jessica says:

    Love! It’s quite the pensive song, and I happened to be in quite the pensive mood when watching, so it resonated even more than I expected. I also love the lighting – props to Jay!

  6. Maria says:

    Beautiful, simply beautiful. I think we have all felt this way and occasionally still do, even in a crowd. Thank you for such wonderful music.

  7. Gabriela says:

    Lovely Molly. Melancholic and beautiful; indeed our friends make us better!

  8. Joey says:

    Very nice! Lovely lighting. How was the audio captured? Sorry for the AV question. I can’t help myself.

  9. Molly says:

    Thanks to all of you for your encouraging comments and thoughtful ears. Jessica, I made sure Jay got your lighting comments! Lori, your observations kindly assume I know more than I do about the music theory aspect, hah. Gabriela, it was Jennifer who made the shell remark, as you surely suspected.

  10. Molly says:

    Joey – Jay is going to respond on the AV front!

  11. Jay says:

    Hey Joey, if you look closely, there’s a lavalier mic attached to Molly’s guitar strap right on her shoulder. There’s also a shotgun mic to the left, off camera. I just mixed those together, after doing a fair amount of EQ to get the wind noise out.

  12. Joey says:

    Jay – I didn’t even see the lav. Guess that was the point. Nice job on the mix and color. It looks good on Youtube and that’s no small feat. Well done sir!

  13. Jay says:

    Thanks, Joey!

  14. Henry Barry says:

    The best son I ever heard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Henry Barry says:

    I messed up on my last comment ,I meant song.

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