As the final note strikes on that song that you haven’t heard in years and you realise you’ve missed that song. Every single simple chord change and cliché lyric just sounds right today. You don’t remember liking this song when it first came out. But you like it now. And you can’t work out why, for now. As the guitars jangle through the chorus you chance a look up. This is always the best time to look up. Just at the end of a chorus, people are at their most unassuming at the end of a chorus.
You see that they’ve got the same look in their eyes as you have. Something that says that song was just right for them as well. That there were no bum notes. Not in this song, no never. Maybe not a single bum note on the entire album, it’s difficult to be sure. But sometimes you just have to let the album play out to find out if it’s all as perfect as you want it to be. They’re looking at you with surprise like they can’t believe that someone else likes the same songs as them, but you do.
After repeated listens though, you can tell that maybe there are a few bum notes on this album. Little things that niggle with you, just a little bit at first. The way that the singer sometimes screeches the high notes when you just wished that they’d held a lower note within their range. Which could be forgiven at first, as a quirk of character or just showing some emotion. But now you’re not so sure, it all comes across as a bit forced now, all a bit of an act, a character. And no one can love a character, not fully.
Now the lyrics, which were always cliché, but seemed to come from the right place just ring hollow. Just a painted smile and too many teeth showing. Insincerity isn’t endearing. Now you don’t want the rest of the album to play out. You grit your teeth and only nod your head to the beat out of habit, and not a fun habit. A habit that you’re desperate to break free from, like smoking. But you keep coming back because you think this time, I’m only going to have one drag for old times sake. And then before you know it the last note is fading out and you’re upset with yourself.
Make sure that you don’t play this record out. Put the needle in the groove only when you really need to hear it. Save it for a special occasion, not just birthdays and holidays, but any special occasion. Be it your first night off in two weeks. That’s special. Let the groove lock and focus. Don’t have the occasional flirt and never call back. Keep calling back over and over again. At regular intervals. You don’t want to seem desperate, do you?