I listen to a wide variety of music, but there are particular artists who speak to me. The most obvious is American Music Club. But another is Counting Crows, who I’m sure a lot of people now hate simply because they were so popular. But I am never disappointed when I go back to them.
The song of their’s that most stood out to me was “Perfect Blue Buildings” off August and Everything After. It’s depressing even by the standards of Adam Duritz.
To me, it’s always been a junkie song. Just in the first verse we have “I stay at home with my disease” and “Help me stay awake, I’m falling.” There are other lines. Hell, almost every other line speaks about despair and death.
Obviously, it doesn’t have to be heroin — or any drug for that matter. In fact, it would be kind of a stereotype of heroin addiction, which normally gives junkies plenty of meaning, even if it is pretty thin.
But people do all kinds of things to keep themselves away from themselves. And the connection with the song is emotional. I think that the fear of a life out of control is universal.
This is an excellent live version of the song:
Image of August and Everything After via Amazon under Fair Use.
If you had asked me I would have only been able to recall Mr. Jones as one of theirs. But Dr. Google refreshed my memory. An addict song from the same era that I always liked is Haze by Dishwalla. I really enjoyed music in the ’90s. Sic transit gloria.
I gather you work from home all the time. Monica and I have been for a couple of weeks, and Olivia’s spring break has been extended to April 10. I’m fine with it. I don’t miss the commute. She was supposed to go back Friday (somebody has to open the mail and deposit the checks), but I was running a low fever yesterday and she reported that. So here’s the thing, because of my allergies I always have congestion and usually a cough. And it’s Arizona, so my eyes are dry usually. I often (for months) feel a little crappy around four or five, and yesterday I stuck a thermometer in my face, and it said 99.4. Same today, and it went away without treatment. So I don’t think I’m sick. But if I think about it I start to get nervous. You’ve read the same articles I have and it’s scary.
I’ve been taking extra allergy medication because I’m afraid people will think I’m sick. And I don’t dare cough when I’m at the store! So I know where you’re coming from. People are really paranoid. I go out for 3 walks every day and I just want to shake some people, “You don’t need to stay 50 feet away from me!” But maybe it is me and not Covid-19!
I’m really interested in what it’s like for people who have just started working at home. I know from experience that it’s a learning process. It’s a lot harder than people think. And some people are just terrible at it. I’m also curious to see if after this is all over if more people will start doing it. (The biggest barrier, in my experience, is management’s fear that they’ll lose control.) I think I’m much more productive working at home. And the truth is, there are so many great tools now that it makes it kind of like working in an office. Like today, I’ve had 3 conversations: two via video and one just text.
That’s a good song! I think people who work in bars often have great insights into drug addiction — especially alcohol. Nothing makes you want to stay sober like being around drunks…