Day 01 - Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis

The number of songs that I have collected on my iPod over the years has easily reached the thousands.  There are a number of songs that I could say are good enough to be called my favorites.  But if I had to choose one right now I would have to say it is "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis" by Brand New.  This is post one out of--what I hope to be--thirty.  I will post the lyrics and then write a little about how I feel about the song. So now for the lyrics:

"Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis"

With one or two I get used to the room

We go slow when we first make our moves

By five or six bring you out to the car

Number nine with my head on the bar

And it's sad, but true

Out of cash and I.O.U's

I've got desperate desires and unadmirable plans

My tongue will taste of gin and malicious intent

Bring you back to the bar

Get you out of the cold

A sober, straight face gets you out of your clothes

And they're scared that we know

All the crimes they'll commit

Who they'll kiss before they get home

I will lie awake

Lie for fun and fake the way I hold you

Let you fall for every empty word I say

Barely conscious in the door where you stand

Your eyes are fighting sleep as your mouth makes your demands

You laugh at every word trying hard to be cute

I almost feel sorry for what I'm going to do

And your hair smells of smoke

Who will cast the first stone?

You can sin or spend the night all alone

Brass buttons on your coat hold the cold

In the shape of a heart that they cut out of stone

You're using all your looks that you've thrown from the start

If you let me have my way I swear I'll tear you apart

'cause it's all you can be

You're a drunk and you're scared

It's ladies' night, all the girls drink for free

I will lie awake

And lie for fun and fake the way I hold you

Let you fall for every empty word I say

I will lie awake

And lie for fun and fake the way I hold you

Let you fall for every empty word I say

I will lie awake

And lie for fun and fake the way I hold you

Let you fall for every empty word I say

And there we have it; the lyrics for my first post.  The song is played almost entirely on a palm muted electric guitar.  Once the song finishes the last pre-chorus it erupts into a distorted rendition of the chorus as it is sung at the top of the singer's lungs.  The beginning of the song shows the uneasiness of the writer and how he uses alcohol to "get used to the room" and eventually how he has "desperate desires and unadmirable plans."  The image of someone who has made it home with nine drinks in their system and their attempt to keep a sober straight face to get a girl out of their clothes.  Although these events never came close to anything that happened to me in high school, they seem to radiate some of my inner feelings.  Those feelings in high school as though I was the only one who understood me and how I longed for a companion.  That feeling of not caring who that companion was. That feeling of desperately wanting to dissociate myself from the world and get lost in the physical contact of another.  The thoughts of saying anything to make someone care about you.  The song hits me the most when it says "You laugh at every word trying hard to be cute.  I almost feel sorry for what I'm going to do.  And your hair smells of smoke.  Who will cast the first stone?  You can sin or spend the night all alone." You can sin or spend the night all alone.  My nights were spent alone and because of that I believe I have become a better man for it.  It doesn't mean that I didn't long for a physical relationship.  I would be lying if I said I didn't.  My eyes would wander from here to there.  The entire time I had a friend who would listen to my thoughts and to who I was crushing on from week to week.  I wouldn't trade that friendship for anything.  I realized that the relationship with that friend was what I truly needed.  A friend that I could trust, to hand over my heavy heart, and place my entire life in their hands is what I needed.  I found that with Allison.  She was always there, even when I was too blind to see it.  And she is there today.  To my dearest friend, Allison--my wife--I owe you everything.