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    Lou Aronica

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    Imprinted by Love

    July 13, 2018

    When I Grow Up I Want to Be Like You

    July 3, 2018

    The Autobiography of a Life I Never Lived

    June 29, 2018

    Food and Home

    June 26, 2018

    Degree of Difficulty

    June 22, 2018

    On Editors and Editing

    June 19, 2018

    Going Back to It

    June 15, 2018

    In a Sentimental Mood

    June 12, 2018

    Based on a True Story

    June 8, 2018

    Track 6: A Million Miles Away

    March 30, 2018

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    Recent Posts

    Track 7: Forever

    March 23, 2018

    In the Company of women

    November 3, 2017

    Track 6: A Million Miles Away

    March 30, 2018

    1/8
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    Featured Posts

    Track 14: I'll Never Be

    March 16, 2018

    |

    Lou Aronica

     

     

    I remember, sometime after my fortieth birthday, watching a football game and realizing that everyone on the playing field was younger than I was. That's it, I remember thinking, I'm never going to be a professional football player. In truth, I might very well have had that thought when I was nine, because it was abundantly clear by then that I did not have a promising future as an athlete, but there was something about this that resonated. As I was getting older, my options for what I could do with my life were getting fewer. 

     

    This song came out of that thinking, though it came many years later. Curiously, it didn't come as a result of a dark night of the soul or some morbid meditation on my mortality. Rather, it came from a kind of acceptance that some of my ambitions (and a lot of things that had never been ambitions) had reached their expiration date – and I was entirely okay with this. Had I liked being known as a "young Turk?" Sure, but I never thought that was going to last forever. Would I have liked to be a "million-staff employer?" Yes, I probably would have, but it doesn't bother me one bit that things didn't turn out that way. To me, the key line in this song – and its core message – is the very last one.

     

    In many ways, this is the central song on this album (if I can be so grandiose as to call this collection of songs an album). For a long time, I was even thinking about calling the collection I'll Never Be, but I've moved on from that, because I think that's much more limiting as a title than this is as a song. (The current leader in the clubhouse is Passages as both a nod to these songs being the equivalent to passages in a book and to Gail Sheehy's landmark work.) Still, I think this song has the longest view of any I've recorded, so I think it plays a pivotal role in this set.

     

    In terms of the production, you'll probably pick up the Barenaked Ladies influence here. The only other thing I'll say about it is that the vocal was a bear to record, because there are an awful lot of words to fit into a tiny space, and enunciation has never been one of my strengths. You're definitely going to want to follow along with the lyrics here. How did Dylan do it, anyway?

     

    I'LL NEVER BE

    Music and Lyrics by Lou Aronica

     

    I’ll never be a guy who’s called an overnight sensation.

    I’ll never be known as a young turk anymore.

    I’m never gonna be a new colt, tadpole, lightning bolt, new soul,

    whippersnapper, yearling, bootstrapper, sign of spring,

    a child prodigy, demographic oddity, the boys wannabe, hot new commodity,

    a sprig, a sprout, a shoot, a shout, it’s all about the fact that I’m not a kid.

    Seems the list goes on for all eternity.

    I’m getting older just compiling what you see.

    I’ll never get around to putting words to all I’ll never be.

     

    I’ll never be a second sacker playing World Series baseball.

    I’ll never be performing my songs for big crowds.

    I’m never gonna be a pop star, MVP, SportsCenter, MTV,

    an astronaut, a pilot, who causes girls to riot,

    a stirring renegade, a presidential aide, a saver of the day whose message doesn’t fade,

    an icon, leader, moron defeater, check the meter and see that my time is out.

    Guess ambitions were just nothing more than dreams.

    Sure didn’t need them all, but woulda like one, two, or three.

    Just add ‘em to the pile of everything that I will never be.

     

    I’ll never be so many things that I saw once in my future.

    I’ll never be so many things that I’ve lost count.

    I’m never gonna be a hale fellow well met, class clown, teacher’s pet,

    fix-it guy, green thumb, catch their eye, strike ‘em dumb,

    a genius with my hands, to physical demands, dexterity command doesn’t fit into my plans,

    a doctor, lawyer, million-staff employer, I’ll just annoy ya with talk about my latest gig.

    My potential’s ceded to reality.

    Not quite the household name I thought that you would see

    Hey, I’m not complaining ‘cause I realize it’s not a tragedy.

    I’ve got my passions and I’ve got my family,

    I’d like to think I have a few things up my sleeve,

    I’ve kept some tasty bits off of the list of all I’ll never be.

     

    Copyright © Lou Aronica

     

    Track List:

    Track 1: Nineteen Forever (cover of Joe Jackson song) 

    Track 2: The Lights Go Down at Eight O'Clock

    Track 3: If This is Love

    Track 4: Words and Music

    Track 5: So Warm

    Track 6: A Million Miles Away

    Track 7: Forever

    Track 8: Now I Understand

    Track 9: Look at You

    Track 10: World of Wonders

    Track 11: Just Love It

    Track 12: After All

    Track 13: What I Have Now

    Track 14: I'll Never Be

    Track 15: Stand in the Middle

    Track 16: Too Old to Rock and Roll, Too Young to Die (cover of Jethro Tull song)

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