Not Your Scene

Lyrics:

It's after the show

It's after nine

I'm saying my goodbyes

And you're tucking your children into bed

I've got my fingers wrapped around my cords 

While you've got smaller fingers wrapped around yours

And I'm thinking about what you said

That you love to play and you wish you still had the time to

When the applause came at the end, two hands were missing

They were yours and I 

Missed you

Chorus:

I know I know I know I know what you mean

When you say you're sorry that

You won't be able to make it this time

I know I know I know I know when you say you can't go

I know what you mean

You don't have any plans, "plans"

It's just not your scene

It's just not your scene

You're like a father and I'm like a daughter 

You've never seen it quite that way

But as close as we become I'm not family

And your real one will always be your priority

And that is how it should stay (stay)

I know in your bedroom there's an underused Fender Stratocaster

It's a relic of your past and not the source of your happily ever after

Chorus

I know I know you'd rather be at home

I know I know and that doesn't offend me

I know I know I would feel the same 

You're like a chord that resonates with me

But you would like the music if you'd ever come

But you've got your excuses

And they're good ones

I know I know I know what you mean

I know I know I know I know 

I know I know I know what you mean

I know I know I know I know when you say you can't go

I know what you mean

You don't have any plans, "plans"

It's just not your scene

It's just not your scene

(c) 2019 Allie Harshner

Lyrics, Unpacked:

I used to work with a guy who was a phenomenal musician, but you wouldn't know it unless you talked it out of him and/or stalked his youtube vids. It's one of the few areas that we connected, and in one of our Conversations (#albumtitle), we talked all about guitars and instruments and performing and this and that and the third and how he wished he still had time to play like he wanted. 

I invited him to come see me play publicly, but he never did. He said, Sorry, not this time. 

But he's a family guy. Father to six kids. No way is he going out of the house after work to a restaurant bar to watch a random coworker play cover songs. 

And I totally get that.

I would understand even more if he was straight up with me and said, "That's not really my thing." but he was probably trying to be nice and not offend me.

Oh, I'm not offended. I hate going out at night, too. Esp to hang out around other people. 

Introverts unite, amiright?

I respect honesty so much that I would rather you say that than some lame "non-offensive" reason.

"You've got your excuses and they're good ones."

Yes! Please stay home and spend time with your kids! They are far more important than I am!

Also, there is a pun here that I thought I should point out: "I've got my fingers wrapped around my cords"

Cords, like guitar cords that you use to plug into a amplification system.

But it could also mean guitar chords like C, Fmaj7, G ~ you know. Like the ones I used in this song...

Musical Composition:

The Fmaj7 adds loads of purposeful tension to this song. Late into recording, I decided to add electric guitar as an underlying soft, constant sound. 

Not a Fender

Part of it was to coincide with the Fender Statocaster mentioned in the second verse, even though mine sounds almost nothing like one, but adding the electric background groove somehow changed the melancholic tension to an almost somber lullaby.

Maybe that's the Cupcake Merlot talking. Maybe it's Maybelline. Who really knows? 

But it sounded so relaxing and soothing and chill, and that's what I wanted to convey here.

A peace.

A peace with the truth.

A reconciliation because I'm an accountant and reconciliations are important to me.

It's just not your scene.

Album Art: Picture of a Picture
Instax photo taken by Mike Harshner
NBBG 6.27.19