Sit down at your piano without any ideas. Start with Bennie and the Jets (or this Ben Folds song, doesn’t matter either way), then, casually glance at a tweet that places the hint of The Simpsons’ fake Michael Jackson “Lisa it’s your birthday” song in your head. Make up words that kinda hopefully sound cool and maybe mean something to someone. Finish writing and recording the whole thing before you notice any similarities in the melody to The Simpsons’ song. Finish with a polyphonic slow build to give the illusion of substance. Realize there are only four songs left and freak out.
Song
Discussion
CHRIS: In Cuba, apparently a “rum and coke” is called a Cuba Libre. The drink is also called that at a small Cuban restaurant in Toronto’s west end, where they cost $8 and go down quick. And then you get back from your friend’s birthday dinner all full of Cuban sovereignty juice and sit down to write and record a song and this is what you get.
I think “their words can’t hurt me anyway / at least that’s what they say” is a clever enough lyric. Not sure if there’s anything to the rest of it. But meh it’s fine.
Except seriously now, four songs left! Let’s make these the best four songs since Four Songs, amirite? (Steve, we need to find some time to get together and put some effort into this, yeah?)
Lyrics
God youâ€
re back again
m too weak to defendNo ordinary friend
With benefits that have to end
But their words canâ€t hurt me anyway
The messages we send
s pretendJust when I think Iâ€
m on the mendThe seams all start to burst and bend
But their words canâ€t hurt me anyway
t hurt me anywayAt least thatâ€s what they say
Wrapped up so tight we might break
m on the takeItâ€
s these feelings I canâ€t shakeItâ€
s these feelings I canâ€t shakeBreak my bones, break apart
Itâ€
s these feelings I canâ€t shakeItâ€
s these feelings I canâ€t shakeCredits
Words and music: Chris Tindal